Share your story... How did your business take off?

[heather_p1]

<p>I'm curious how you got your start in the wedding photography business.  Would you share your story?  Did you ever have to work for free in order to get images?  How long before you were able to make what you wanted to make per wedding?  How long before you were booked as much as you wanted to be booked?  What has been your best form of advertising?<p></p>

 

<p>I'm trying to make a living off my passion now.  Luckily my husband can support me while doing so but no doubt finances are tight.  I'm very interested to hear how you started, how your business grew, road blocks you experienced and tips you may have.</p>

[tina___cliff_t]

<p>I really hope some more people answer this, because I would love how to see how more established people started out.</p>

<p>We just finished our first year, and we took the bumpy, rocky road. :o/</p>

 

[dave_wilson1]

<p>There was a pretty long detailed thread about this a few months ago with lots of great stories. Maybe someone will remember it and put up a link. Some of the answers were pretty long. Cheers</p>

[heather_p1]

<p>Tina & Cliff, would you mind sharing yours?  I would love to know what bumps and rocks you hit.</p>

 

<p>Dave, I sure hope someone does!</p>

[tina___cliff_t]

<p>It might be kind of lengthy...(I tend to type out exactly how my mind rambles it)<br>

Well, we did exactly what everyone on here complains that people do. (so don't stone us to death lol).</p>

<p>I've been doing photography for a few years, but I was mostly heading for studio work, getting my degree etc. But never even considered weddings, cause they always sounded scary and stressful.</p>

<p>Well, then I got engaged & was on the smallest wedding budget ever! lol When I couldn't find a decent photographer in my price range, I was really upset. After looking at more photographers than probably 10 brides put together, I just decided, "you know what, I could do this". I posted an AD on craigslist to do some weddings for free to get a portfolio started. </p>

<p>We booked about 4 weddings for free, and then we put together a web page, and a printed portfolio to show people when we met them, we started researching places to host our photos for an online gallery, and places to get good prints & albums that were also affordable. We actually created a sample album out of our 2nd free wedding, and they bought 3 of them. So we took that as a good sign (and helped re-coupe some of our cost...whew). </p>

<p>*I would like to add, we had to do a massive equipment upgrade between free wedding #1 and free wedding #2. I thought the first cameras we had were good, but after shooting a whole wedding with them, it was obvious they wouldn't work out. So we had to do some research on what kind of gear to get...which is what brought me to this site in the first place when I did a search to review cameras, flashes etc. And other photographers on here were really great in helping, though it turned into what felt like a 1 day crash course of information. So about $2500 later, we were producing much better pictures. But that's a big start up expense, especially when this was all started up on a whim. So I guess you could say...Bump #1.</p>

<p><br /> We added up our average expenses (gas, travel, prints, albums etc), and used that to calculate out our package prices, while keeping in mind what we were looking for ourselves. Our packages are about 90% based on what we wanted, for the price we wanted.</p>

<p>Then we posted another AD on craigslist, and also on places that you could put your AD for free (weddingwire etc). After only the first month of advertising we were booked up for most of the year.</p>

<p>We also, researched tax information on how we should file our taxes, and we also looked into getting an LLC. Did all our paperwork to get filed away.</p>

<p>But we ran into things after each wedding, because they are so fast paced and crazy. We had to figure out our way through each new situation, we basically learned hands on how much time it takes to get all the photos done, what to do if everyone's running late, what to do if its pitch dark outside while the ceremony is happening, How to get creative shots if the bride insists she doesn't want to leave the dressing room because her dress might get dirty....I mean the list just goes on. I'm sure all that comes with experience, but a lot of it could have been learned through second shooting, and not so much thinking on the spot. Luckily our thinking on the spot worked out, but was not what you would call a relaxed way to get into wedding photography.</p>

<p>Plus trying to run a business (with no business degree or experience), we had to learn how to keep track of all our receipts, our mileage etc. We're married with kids, so its not like we have a whole lot of time all the time to put into this, between the weddings on the weekends, then the post processing (editing), and life at home. We're happy to slow things down, look back on last year we trip and stumbled through, and go ok...Lets try this again...but better. haha</p>

<p>Also right now we are still on craigslist. Which has gotten us a lot of clients, but only for our least expensive package. And we are probably on the top of the craigslist market, with many other people charging less. So we still have to figure out how to get out of the "cheap" photographer category, which is another bump in the road that we'll be learning the hard way. </p>

<p>There is also a lot more cost that comes out of pocket than it looks like. I can say after walking a year in the shoes of a wedding photographer, I understand why it cost so much. Don't get me wrong, I still wouldn't have been able to afford it, and I think that's part of what keeps us in the "cheap & making no profit for ourselves" market, because I don't want to charge more than I could afford myself. :/ </p>

<p>Even though it is stressful & quite scary, I really like this field of photography though. I don't know if I could go back to regular studio work after it. Plus we've made so many friends because you just get on a much more personal basis with each client than you would anywhere else. Which is probably why word of mouth is the best advertisement.</p>

<p>Good luck! If I could tell you anything from my experience. I would say take it slow, and I really do suggest 2nd shooting for an established pro for a while, until you've learned the ropes. We've already been doing this for a year, and I wish we had done that first. We had to do a lot of learning & research in a very short time. And we're still learning.</p>

<p>~Tina</p>

<p> </p>

[William Michael]

<p><em><strong>"I'm curious how you got your start in the wedding photography business. . . I'm trying to make a living off my passion now."</strong></em></p>

<p>A frank answer:<br>

<br />Most people can't do 14 hours <strong><em>work</em></strong> per day, seven days a week for six months straight. I still can, if need be. When it boils down to the bottom line - it is a simple as that.</p>

<p>***</p>

<p><em><strong>"There was a pretty long detailed thread about this a few months ago with lots of great stories. Maybe someone will remember it and put up a link. Some of the answers were pretty long."</strong></em></p>

<p><a href="http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00V3mg">http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00V3mg</a></p>

<p>WW</p>

[dave_wilson1]

<p>Thanks William, I just thought it was a little longer, anyway, great work!</p>

[david_schilling___chicago_]

<p>Rather than asking the forum members to summarize the keys to success for "spoon feeding", you can search older threads, read lots of responses and you'll be able to put some of the pieces together by getting to know the various forum members. The information is already there. Just keep in mind Brad Paisley's wisdom about the internet, ........."I'm so much cooler online" :-)</p>

[kevin_delson]

<p>Heather,</p>

<p>I'll answer your question, but <strong>not</strong> in the way you are no doubt anticipating or hoping for.</p>

<p>I started in (paid) wedding photography a long time ago...1980.<br>

It was pretty good money way back then ($500-$1,000) No craigslist. LOL<br>

No digital either come to think of it. ;)</p>

<p>Good OTJ training too as I learned a lot about how to shoot, how to think on my feet etc...so I would not trade that experience for anything.</p>

<p>By 1990 I was ready to get out! LOL I had shot approx 375 or so weddings and had dipped my toe into publication submissions.<br>

Right around 1985 I thought to myself there had to be a better way to make money in photography than weddings; man, they were just soooo much hard work!</p>

<p>I began my journey into commercial and publication work...Some people call it stock today. :)<br>

It wasn't easy, but at least I was able to explore what (I) wanted to shoot and specialize in as well as develop a style or look if you prefer..Let's face it, a wedding after a while is a wedding, different people, same shots.</p>

<p>After a while I found myself enjoying the lack of dealing with unruly people, demanding family members etc...although editors AD's and PE's can be a little hard at times. LOL</p>

<p>So if anyone were to ask me how to make money in photography, I would steer them away from wedding photography (and I have), especially in the climate we are in now with recessions and the proliferation of digital causing every Tom Dick and Harry to believe they are Ansel Adams ready to make $$$. ;) Yeesh!</p>

<p><em>"How many photographers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

<em>Answer: "50, the one who does the job and 49 who say "Hey; I could have done that."</em></p>

<p>It's a tuff gig making a living in wedding shoots..I know because I've seen 'em come and I've seen 'em go. The turnover 30 yrs ago is nothing like it is now.</p>

<p>I think if I had to start fresh right now in wedding photography; I probably could not make a living at it. Maybe some additional income, but a living?..No. The business model just doesn't work in anyone's favor.</p>

<p>So there's my short story Heather.<br>

My hat is off to the few who can make $50K /yr clear or better shooting weddings.</p>

<p>Whatever you do, you will find a solid understanding in business models and practices will serve you far better than any fancy camera. </p>

[William Michael]

<p>My Pleasure Dave, Best for 2010</p>

[mark_t5]

<p>to borrow a quote from the financial advisors.</p>

<p>Past Performance Is Not an Indication of Future Results</p>

[fotografz]

<p> </p>

 

 

<p >I'm curious how you got your start in the wedding photography business. Would you share your story? <strong>I started when art directors, designers, illustrators and writers saw my personal work and asked me to shoot their weddings that way. </strong></p>

<p >Did you ever have to work for free in order to get images? <strong>No. I was in the business of selling creativity long before shooting weddings, and the first thing I was taught was to not do anything for free ... unless it's a favor for someone with influence. It's not personal, it's business.</strong></p>

<p > </p>

<p >How long before you were able to make what you wanted to make per wedding? <strong>Wedding number one. However, that became a moving target as I learned what some other photographers charged : -)</strong></p>

<p > </p>

<p >How long before you were booked as much as you wanted to be booked? <strong>Also a moving target as I had a demanding day job that took priority for scheduling. While working full time, I tried to book no more than 15 to 20 per year.</strong></p>

<p > </p>

<p >What has been your best form of advertising? <strong>The work, and how I worked with the client that generated Word-of-Mouth referrals.</strong></p>

<p > </p>

<p >I'm trying to make a living off my passion now. Luckily my husband can support me while doing so but no doubt finances are tight. I'm very interested to hear how you started, how your business grew, road blocks you experienced and tips you may have. <strong>The best tip I could give is to truthfully assess your talent, people skills and organizational abilities ... to determine your aptitude for this work ... it can be daunting years into it and become a grind rather than a passion. Most successful, long lived shooters still have that passion despite the grind. </strong></p>

<br />