Are there any photographers that LOVE weddings?

[teresa_moody1]

I mainly do portraits but Ive been offered a chance to get into shooting

weddings and Ive debated whether to get into wedding photographyfor some time

out of curiosity. I think it looks adventurous and exciting but hear many

horror stories and it seems like there isnt a photographer out there that

loves to shoot a wedding. I know that there are photographers that only do

weddings so they must love what they do but unfortunately, all I hear are the

negative sides to it. Please can someone out there vouch for me that a person

really could be happy shooting weddings for a living? Thanks!

[kevin_lindeque]

i dont do it for a living (i have a day job)

 

but i LOVE the buzz at a wedding, its such a happy day

[regas chefas]

I love it. I had the father of a bride tell me recently "I guess this is just another work day for you eh?" My reply sums up how I feel about it:

 

"When it gets to that point, I will probably hang up my camera. I love weddings and consider it an honor to be included in each and every one. I think it's important to feel that way otherwise you will not do a good job of capturing the emotion of the occasion. "

 

I don't shoot weddings to fund my "serious" photography, as I've heard other photographers say, I shoot weddings because I love to do it. I like doing other photography too, but weddings are special and different for me. I like taking pictures of people. Weddings are great because people are dressed up, having fun and expecting, even wanting their picture taken. To me that's as good as it gets. I like portraits and working with models too, but weddings are often "fresher" because people are being spontaneous and genuine. The emotions are real, the people are real.

[ellis_vener_photography]

Q: "Are there any photographers that LOVE weddings?"

 

A: The ones who are really successful at it do.

[picturesque]

Yes, a person really could be happy shooting weddings for a living.

[ned1]

I love having the opportunity to photograph people when they are at their best. It's a very up-lifting thing.

[fotografz]

I don't do weddings as my main or even secondary source of income ... which in a way

must mean I love doing them ... or I wouldn't : -)

 

What's not to love? I get invited to a huge elaborate party, get fed, get paid, and do what

I'd be doing anyway ... photograph people. I get to travel, shoot different wedding customs

and learn about them in the process, all while meeting all kinds of people from all walks of

life. I've shot a cowboy wedding, a Rock & Roll wedding, a Indian wedding, weddings on

the California coast, and some beach weddings on Lake Michigan, Sinclair, and Superior, a

Jewish/Cuban wedding in Miami, and on and on. How much fun is that?

 

Maybe if I depended on weddings as my sole source of income I'd feel diferently ... but I

doubt it.

[sam_ellis]

I agree with the above, I love weddings...the fun ones anyway. Photography is my secondary income, teaching is my first, and I am lucky to have two careers tht I love doing. The creative outlet, the fast pace, the opportunity to photograph people when they are at their best like Edward said, and the fun. I definitely form an emotional attachment to the couple (sounds cheesy, I know). I laugh at the best man toasts and have gotten choked up watching a father cry while dancing with his daughter.

I'll admit, I love the income too. I don't make as much as someone doing it full time, but it allows my wife to be a stay-at-home mom.

 

I think you have to love it to do it and a lot of photographers I know didn't love it so they stopped.

 

The only thing I don't love is the schedule and tying up practically every Saturday in the three popular seasons. But it's worth it.

[elwood_dowd]

No one loves their job all the time. We all have good days and bad. I find the first few hours of wedddings are the hardest. After the formals and the posed shots, we can all sort of relax though.

[kelly_m.2]

I love weddings... it has its good side and its bad side, but how many people get to do their work at a huge party? It sure beats a cubical... and its the happiest day of someones life! I love it!

[surfidaho]

It depends entirely on the wedding. If the wedding is fun, the people are nice, and everybody is having a good time, it's great.

 

I don't like weddings where the bride and groom spend their time trying to impress their guests with how sophisticated they can be. I like weddings where everybody lets down their hair, there's lots of dancing, and people are having a genuine good time.

 

Later,

 

Paulsky

[jan shim]

Find a photographer who shoots weddings after weddings FREE OF CHARGE and you'll know he does it for love. No other way. You may or may not have read my Nov 2006 blog (archived) about my own experience and why shorter after the last wedding I did, I decided to stop it once and for all and at the risk of destroying my relationship with the people involved (family members) I published the article and since then that has become a useful reference for people who are thinking of getting into it.

 

My suggestion? Do it! You'll know only after you've given yourself a chance. Do not deny yourself a chance to discover what may become your next passion in photography. After all, weddings are just portraits in motion.

 

All the best!

[todd frederick]

I truly love photographing weddings. I just wish my old body would cooperate! Really! (^U^)

 

More seriously, I think you have to love people to do this, and that you want to do this because every event is a bit different and that you want to photograph weddings for the enjoyment of it that just to make money.

 

If you go into it with a negative or greedy attitude, you should find something else to do.

[teresa_moody1]

Thank you so much for the advice. Im glad to know there are photographers that do it for the love of doing it and not for the money. I will check out that article too-thanks!

[joshranwest]

I love weddings!! I love the pressure. I love the once-in-a-lifetime moments. I love the fact you have to get exposure right, the first time (preferably). I just love capturing these moments for these people. Its truly great!

[djphoto]

I love weddings! I'm 70 years old, been doing this for 35 years, and I still get pumped up as I drive to a wedding.

[lou korell]

Yes. What's not to love about a happy day in people's lives?

[stephen dohring]

You are talking to old school people who thought that way based on formals being the main part of wedding photography. With PJ it is totally different. I could never be a studio or portrait photographer with the blue background, hair light etc. That is just not creative to me, though I respect the posing and lighting etc especially low key which I have spent time with but just dislike as a profession. Anticipating, following, capturing creatively makes every wedding different. I think if your confident and skilled in the quality your can produce week in and week out it is a blast.

[jeffrey_blake_adams]

of course, I love doing them, Jeffrey

[annealmasy]

I do! :) It's my full-time job, so I guess I'd better. ;)

[beth_dill]

I love weddings! Not just the photography part, but the whole thing. Of course, photography is my favorite part, but if I could I would love to do more than just photography for weddings. I'd love to cater, do the flowers, basically plan the whole thing. But then again I'm not superwoman! I think it'd be cool to go into business with others though and offer like entire wedding packages, from hair dressers to florists to caterers, etc...I don't know if that would sell anywhere other than Vegas though. What do you think?

[jimstrutz]

I'm another wedding photographer lover. It's great fun, and so different from what I do for a living - even though I like that too. Somehow, I've even gotten to where I like the hours of editing afterwards. I also like delivering the final product and seeing faces light up. But I keep a limit on how many weddings I do. I don't want to do this for a full time job. I'm not sure I would like it as much then. Nor could I make as much money.

[jimstrutz]

<I>"I'm another wedding photographer lover."</I>

<P>

I hope my wife doesn't read that. :)

<P>

It should read, <i>"I'm another wedding photography lover."</I>

[nicola inglis]

Yep, count me in...I love 'em

 

Still get teary eyed too :-) I think it helps me be a better photographer (apart from the not being able to focus thing!)

[mreul]

Marc put is so well - and to add on to that I love the possibilities.......if i look at body of work by a photographer i really value - it gets me excited about this biz!