Photographers with Major Wedding Studios.

[kenny_c]

<p>Hey guys.<br>

Just wanted to know if there are wedding photographers here presently shooting for commercial wedding outfits. That is shooters who dont own their own wedding company, but shoot for studios. <br>

I have 3 years of shooting weddings, I am probably just pass the 50 wedding mark for total weddings shot. Yet I have no desire to go out of my own and run a company of my own. I enjoy photographing weddings and being in the midst of things... and wedding photography is one of those things that if you do well, you are personally satisfying not just a client (ie. product with no personal sentiments), you are essentially highlighting someones life during a very special time. <br>

I just recently completed grad school (photo related), and although much of my interest is in documentary work... weddings do pay the bills, and while there are obviously benefits to not having your own company, and the work is great financially. I still wish to pursue other photography goals, so weddings are not a full-time commitment I am currently interested in.<br>

I am curious if for most of you in this situation, it is a means to eventually go into your own startup. Your plus and minuses, and future goals.<br>

Just wanted to know if there are those out there working for studios, what your experiences have been and would you have it any other way.<br>

cheers</p>

[c._f.]

<p>For years, I had my own studio. Got sick of all of the admininistrative BS. Now I'm just freelancing and it is easier this way. Shoot the job, deliver the card and I'm done. On occasion do some studio work and at times book my own job. Shooting for studio is less money but also less BS. Shooting for my self is more money and also more BS.<br>

Good Luck<br>

Adam</p>

[dave_wilson1]

<p>By far the most work I did for myself was industrial and commercial photography and custom black and white printing, I only booked a wedding here and there for myself. Everything else was, is and will be done through studios I'm comfortable with. I actually used to shoot for several competitor studios as a sub. I never stuck my nose in any of their business or solicited my own work. If I was subbing for Studio A, that was my prime focus and obligation. Right now after several years of not shooting, I'm going to fill in a few jobs, not all weddings for a studio owner having surgery. I worked for him often in the past and it's a very comfortable situation. As for working for places I don't know or big wedding cheapo houses, I'm not interested. They must be reputable, honest and up front. Just my 2 cents on this.</p>

[david_schilling___chicago_]

<p>You can look at my bio for some specifics but yes, I have shot for some large studios. The first few years I simply shot for the studios working on getting consistent results in my photography and getting a good work-flow down for the wedding day while I also frequently visited the studio to speak to the sales consultants (who liked me and were always recommending that the brides put in a specific request for me to shoot their wedding) and learned about customer service, what the brides valued, and was especially keen in hearing the feedback that the bride gave the studio after they got their proofs and later their albums. It was about 3-4 wedding seasons and over 200 weddings before I felt as if I "might" be ready and qualified to start shooting for myself so I began networking and got business cards. This was back in the mid-90s before everybody and their brother had a website.</p>

<p>I'll still shoot for a studio here & there but it's actually based on a friendship with the studio owner rather than an on-going job with the studio.</p>

[my-portfolio]

<p>I've done a couple of shoots for a studio, but I really missed out on working with the couple ahead of time and getting to know them and then hearing from them afterward about how much they loved the photos.</p>

[ed_farmer]

<p>I did my own work when I started and then ramped up with a couple of studios. Now, I am back to considering working on my own.<br>

The studio gig was great. No sales, no albums, no advertising. No dealing with clients (other then the wedding day) or their families. Some of the studio owners were pains in the ass, but that's what a boss is after all.<br>

However, the last few years the studios that I worked for became more and more difficult to deal with. Last spring, the work at one dried up (they lost their biggest account) and I didn't find out about it until the week of my first wedding, when I called them! I was counting on them for 25 to 35 weddings and I got nothing. So, I basically took this year off and I am not sure what next year will bring . . . I am looking around, but it looks like the best thing is being self-relient.</p>