Going pro....

[rob_partridge3]

I'm currently a semi-pro snapper making a good part time income from

portraits and a bit of agency work (post cards and calenders

mainly), but am almost certainly going to "go pro" in the next year.

I have never really tackled weddings (although have done a couple

for friends), but if I want to make a career of photography, then I

need to be able to do weddings successfully.

 

I have no doubts about my ability to shoot a wedding, although I am

considering booking a 4 day course at the "Peak Photo Centre" here

in the UK to brush up on my skills (any experiances anyone?).

 

My main questions are below.....any help would be appreciated.

 

1) Kit. I currently use a 10D with a couple of L lenses that is more

than adequate for most work. I guess that most weddings won't want

enlargements to poster size, so I'm not bothered about massive pixel

count, butI am going to invest in another digital body, and use the

10D as my spare. Problem is, do I go for the 1DMKIIn, which gives

excellent quality and build, or do I forsake some of the features

and build quality and go for the new 5D with it's higher pixel

count. Some of the features like being able to record to two cards

simultaneously really appeal to me for safety....do I really need

the extra pixels. I also like the idea of tethered shooting when I'm

in a studio.

 

2) How do you build a wedding portfolio in order to market yourself

in the first place. Seems a bit of a catch-22 situation - you need

weddings to build the portfolio, but you need the portfolio to get

weddings. I thought about hiring some models in bridal wear as a

start. Anyone had experiance of doing this, or have any other ideas?

 

If anyone can give assistance, I'll really appreciate it. Also, any

pros in the SW UK that need an "under-photographer"....drop me a

line!

 

Robbo.

[andre j.]

My advice would be to get two 20Ds, two flashes, a couple of 6 GB MicroDrives and shoot

RAW...

 

You'll need two bodies on you for creative reach and backup. The 1D2N is a heavy beast

and costs as much as three 20Ds... You definitely do not need 13 MP full frame for

weddings,

 

Save on bodies, use two identical bodies for ease of use, and invest in glass!

 

Shoot a couple of weddings for free to get a portfolio. Get a good website. Network with

vendors! You'll be on your way. Check out digitalweddingforum.com - many of the UK's

best wedding photographers are on there sharing info every day!

[steve_levine]

There is a railroad car full of this in the archives.

 

As one who has come down the same road, I can suggest the following. Find someone that currently operates a successful wedding photography business, and talk them into hiring you or allowing you to tag along.

 

 

Save your time and your reputation, learn how first.

[derek_c.]

Some people take this as learning Karate.<br>

They spend 10 years in the mountain learning secrets.<br>

That may work for some people.<br>

But, if you are kind of person listening to Tony Robins' motivation tapes, you may speed up things and establish your business quicker.<br>

It is not written in stone that you must assist for 10 years in order to make money with your camera.<br>

If you have what it takes, there are plenty of short cuts.<br>

There are plenty of successful wedding photographers who never knew much about photography when they first shot wedding.<br>

You have the power, good luck.

[jake_holt]

"Some people take this as learning Karate.

They spend 10 years in the mountain learning secrets."

 

This has got to be just about my favorite response ever. To anything. Thanks for the laugh!

[phil vaughan - yorkshire u]

There's a massive difference between creating photo's that sell and photographing weddings. To be a great wedding photographer, you need exceptional people skills as well as competent photography skills, to be a successful wedding photographer you need excellent marketing and business skills, as well as the above.

 

To make inroads into weddings, either photograph some for free (or cost) or find some work with an established pro (as an assistant/ 2nd shooter).

 

It's not rocket science, but nor is it easy, you should definitely get a great portfolio together and enough weddings under your belt so that you're making an educated decision. However I would question your reason for doing this, it's certainly possible to be a pro photographer without shooting weddings.

 

A course might help to put a portfolio together, and may also give some pointers on running a wedding photography business, can't speak from direct experience of the course you mentioned.

[paul_griffiths]

What is your location?<div></div>

[randy_santos]

but if I want to make a career of photography, then I need to be able to do weddings successfully.

 

Sorry but that's just not correct, shoot weddings if you want to not because you think you have to. There are many many ways to earn a very good living through photography that don't include shooting weddings. Explore your options, there's so much opportunity, choose what you want, not what you think you have to do and you'll be more happy.

[steve_levine]

Apparently having wedding photo skills is genetic, and doesn't need to be learned? All I got was the cholesterol and baldness genes.

[fotografz]

Once again, someone making an analogy using something they don't know about first

hand.

 

I earned a 3rd degree Black Belt in Isshinryu Karate. Learned directly at the foot of

traditional Okinawan masters.

 

Learning Karate was easier than becoming a good wedding photographer.

 

When I failed in Karate, I took the lumps. If I fail in wedding work, the client suffers.

 

Big difference.

 

However, if being mediocre and experimental with a client's memories is okay, ( some feel

it is, I guess ), then anyone with a do-all camera can become a wedding Pro tomorrow ...

which is exactly what's happening in some cases ...

 

But to each his or her own. Different paths can often lead to the same end. It's just a

matter of conscience.<div></div>

[nstock]

You already understand photography and posing, so I would suggest spending a few weddings (not 10 years) at the elbow of a pro to see what the business is about and what it is like.

 

A LOT of mediocre photographers are highly successful shooting weddings because they are good with ppl, work well under pressure, know how to get the job done and are good business ppl. A lot of exceptional photographers can never get a wedding business off the ground because they are not prioritizing ppl skills, business skills and producing solid work with few out takes.

 

Two bodies is a good idea. I won't give advice on Canon equipment as I do not have any. Currently I bring two film bodies and a digital body and shoot film and digital with a film body back up.

[david_beal___richmond_hts.]

Technical skills are important and backup is absolutely necessary (yes, two bodies, at least one backup lens, primes, lights, etc., etc.)

 

BUT: if you don't feel comfortable at weddings, don't do them.

 

People skills are extremely important. The event is the bride's day (well, probably her mother's day ...), not yours. Unfortunately, people under stress can be hard to deal with (see all the "bride from hell" threads in this forum). You've got to be flexible.

 

You've also got to have a solid knowledge of the business of photography, including how to price your products, what kind of contracts to use, taxes, employment issues, and how to protect your copyright. Since you're in the UK, you'll have a unique set of laws to adhere to.

 

The need for business knowledge is another reason to apprentice yourself for a while, and take some photography continuing education courses.

 

Finally, and back to technical: true, most brides and their mothers don't want prints larger than 8x10, but what will you do when one of them asks you for a 20x24 mantle portrait (it will happen)? While I have the greatest respect for Canon digital technology, neither a 24x36 sensor (nor a 24x36 negative) will produce a quality print in that situation.

 

Expect the unexpected, and good shooting.

 

/s/ David Beal ** Memories Preserved Photography, LLC

[conraderb]

Robbo - building a portfolio should be easy if you have strong photography skills and good people skills. Find a few couples want a second photographer for cheap. Offer to shoot as a backup and have them pay for your processing costs only, or you even split it with them. Do this four times. Keep a set of the images. Put them in a fancy binder. Voila - wedding portfolio.

 

In response to Derek C., no, you don't need to assist for 10 weddings. But assisting for 2 or 3, at least, will make an enormous difference in your confidence.

 

Yes, some photographers don't know much about photography when they start shooting weddings, which is FINE if they their clients know that. BUT if those photographers are charging their clients decent amounts, and advertising themselves as experienced photographers, then that's totally and completely inappropriate. There are those people who want to make money on the weekends, so they buy a rebel and a speedlite, a 28-300 and shoot their wedding on P mode and deliver crappy photography to their clients. Such people make me sick. Good photographers need to know their stuff before they shoot for full pay - DOF, flash/ambient ratios, equivalent exposure, handholding speeds, reciprocity (when shooting film), etc, etc. People who don't know this stuff, but charge clients as if they do, are total slimeballs. Someone's wedding is not the place to discover what a button does on your camera.

 

I came to the wedding photography business first as a photographer, after 5 solid years of many mistakes, many frames and spending lots of money to get my skills. During the sixth year, I was asked to do a wedding. I'm a much better shooter today than I was during my second year of photography. 99% of the concepts that I deal with when I shoot a wedding are second nature - I don't think about what I should do to make my flash/ambient ratios match, or to get some nice motion blur, I just do it. I don't fumble at weddings with settings - I click and go, and it definitely didn't take me one day to get to that point.

 

Robbo - I definitely recommend that you try assisting an establish pro for at least a few times. It will improve your photography, event management and people skills. It will make you a better photographer and will help your business along. Of course, good luck finding someone to assist if they suspect that you will eventually become a competitor... :-(

[ben_rubinstein___mancheste]

I've seen perfect 20X30" wedding prints from a 10D hung up on someone's wall, printing on canvas is the secret!

[lukas_kisiel]

1. Add 20D as a main camera and keep the 10D as backup/second camera. If a client wants large group formals printed big, use a medium format film camera, skip the 5D for now. There are lots of used great Mamiya 645 or Pentax 645 out there that are reasonably priced. No, there is no advantage in having 1DII writing to 2 memory cards! The cards don't have moving parts and rarely fail. If the camera fails (more likely!) you'll have corrupted images on both cards. Go with 20D.

 

2. Try getting a few weddings as a second photographer. You'll build a portfolio in no time. You will also be able to show the new clients your full wedding day coverage photos, not just 20 best of the best.

 

Good luck!