Thoughts on age of wedding photographer

[victoria_harding_wakeen]

<p>Greetings -- I've been reading various posts here for many months as I am about to be married to a professional (full-time) wedding photog and want to assist my husband in his business. (potential 2nd shooter and the business side). We are both approaching 50 and I've been wondering if anyone could offer thoughts on getting older in this business -- do you find that younger couples tend to choose younger photogs, and that maybe you're losing jobs to more "hip" vendors ... or is age not really a factor, and it all depends on your creative skills and marketing savvy? Thanks everybody.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>You are definitely going to lose a certain number of prospects due to age, or at least, it will be a factor. But not overwhelmingly so, not more than any other personal characteristic that one may have. There are still young people who have sense enough to realize that the wedding photographer's age is not a huge factor in the outcome of the final product, save, perhaps trendy work, which you can also choose to produce or not. If a young prospect chooses to put style and having the wedding photographer be a friend or equal, over the experience that comes with living a little, that is their prerogative--it's their money. I don't attempt to imitate being young--I think it makes one look silly, and trying too hard.</p>

[rt_jones]

<p>I don't think age is a factor in this industry.<br>

I'm 52 and by no means consider myself to be "hip". But I do think young couples feel anyone over 40 is a geezer. At least that's what I thought at their age.<br>

Now, a DJ at my age is quite rare. I do work with one who is about 60 and even though he's a great guy he really looks stupid doing the cha cha slide.</p>

[mitch_w1]

<p>Be young at heart and I think you will be good to go. There are other factors which I believe will play a larger role in your success - like business acumen/marketing prowess and photo style/quality. Your own personal style will also be a factor.<br>

My mentor is 52 but he has a very cool/hip aura about him that seems to make age irrelevant. </p>

[anna_bravington]

<p>I'm only 30, but my friend who is a wedding photographer is in her 50's and she gets plenty of work. She is fun, has a modern style and adapts to the current wedding market. She gets loads of young couples and I don't think it stops them booking her at all. I love it when she works a wedding with me, the couples really like her.<br>

On the other side of it I have another friend who is a similar age to me and he doesn't get so many bookings as he has quite traditional style and offers very old fashioned albums that don't seem to attract young couples at all.<br>

Best thing is to know your markets and what the couples want and adapt to that, whilst keeping your own personal style.</p>

[lindsay_dobson]

<p>Perhaps it depends a bit on which country you're in, but in the UK wedding photography is one of the few occupations where age is an advantage. The most successful (and most creative) wedding photographers I know of range from their mid forties to early sixties, and the 'up and coming' younger generation are in their forties. I can't personally think of many established respected social photographers under forty. This is largely due to the skillset required for the job, both on the technical side and more importantly the breadth of business knowledge needed to operate in this field. Actually, the photographers I've mentioned are modern and innovative - 'hip' as you say. And yes, it's your work and your personal style that speaks - your 'brand' will say everything about you as a photographer. This needs to be reflected in your products, your website, your marketing materials, and in the appearance you make when you're before clients. In other words, forget your age 'on paper'.</p>

[neilambrose]

<p>The word 'style' is mentioned a lot in this post, and I think that's entirely appropriate.</p>

<p>Age isn't material as long as you have style. But if you don't have style then you'll find it pretty hard no matter what your age. That's because photography is literally an image-based business - just like fashion, movies, music. Prospects take a lot from how you appear and project yourself as well as the visual signature of your work. If you're confident and charismatic that's what they respond to — not your chronology.</p>

<p>Anecdotally, I've noticed people can struggle with good work and a bad personal image, but still be strangely successful with bad work and a good personal image.</p>

<p> </p>

[bill_clark___minnetonka_mi]

<p>When I turned sixty in 2008 I once told a bride, that I got to know quite well, that I thought I was getting too old to be a photographer for people getting married. She ask how old I was and she said, "You're not too old. 60 is the new 40!"</p>

<p>You're only as old as you feel. Some who are young are old and some who are old are young. </p>

[wedding-photography-denver]

<p>I am with Bill, but not quite the seniority... :)</p>

[DickArnold]

Well, in 1996 I accidentally got into the wedding business filling in for a photographer who left a wedding two days before the wedding day. I was 64 with no aspirations about doing weddings except that one job brought others. I stayed in the business til I was over seventy. I left the business because I was too busy and getting tired. I was still getting regular bookings and actually turning away some business. In the 7 or so years I was in the business I signed almost everyone who came through my studio door to interview me. I had a good local reputation and got along famously with the mothers and mothers-in-law. People trust a fatherly figure I think. I would think the same would be true of an older female photographer. Long before, in my former profession, I had developed certain people skills. I thought it extremely important to develop rapport and trust with the clients. I think all this has more to do with what kind of person you are rather than age. I certainly never considered my age a handicap. I did a good job of marketing, I think.

[DickArnold]

BTW I just did a PR job because someone asked me to do it about the size of a wedding at age 77. They loved me and the pictures and gave me a healthy bonus. I had to blow the dust off my studio lights and power pack but they still worked. You are never too old unless you think you are too old.

[russ_butner___portland__or]

<p> Be enthusiastic, do good work, and you'll have no problem.</p>

<p>Russ</p>

[ed_te_pas]

<p >Age, you’re kidding! Bad portfolio, ditto attitude, not a good match (can happen) and wrong prices are likely the most common causes you’ll lose bookings.</p>

[victoria_harding_wakeen]

<p>Thanks to everyone ... you've made some really great points here (and points that I was <em>hoping </em>to hear!). Having very little photographic experience, but a fair amount of business experience, I'm now hopeful that I will be an asset to my soon-to-be husband's business. He says I inspire him with my enthusiasm, so that's a feather in my cap, right?! Thanks for all your input. I'm now more than eager to attend the next PPA seminar this May in Boston! Have a great day all.</p>

[DickArnold]

So Victoria, you have many years before you have to think about getting out of the business. Marketing and good relations with customers, speedy delivery of product, good bookkeeping, and product presentation are extremely important to the success of the enterprise. That, at a minimum is where you can help not to mention second shooting, carrying bags, changing lenses, etc at the ceremony and reception. . Your husband-to-be knows this. He is fortunate to have a helper. I did most of this by myself in my business and if I did two weddings in a week I worked a lot of overtime because my proof delivery promise in an album (film) was two weeks and I mostly did it in one week. I know from my experience that a helping hand can be invaluable. Great good luch to you both.

[kevin_delson]

<p>My hat is off to all the (45+) who shoot weddings, especially outside in the dead of summer.</p>

<p>I no longer shoot weddings but will in certain circumstances such as last summer for close friends. It was summer..it was hot!..Man!..It's hard work schlepping the equipment in the heat at my ripe old age of 50! LOL </p>

<p>I'll take my air conditioned studio, a coke and a smile any day! ;)</p>

[mneace]

<p>Mitch W is dead to right. I've seen old souls at aged 35, and vibrant young ones at aged 55. It is the individual that makes the image to the prospective client, not the age.</p>

<p>My wife will be 48 in November, and everyone loves her wedding photography performance. Shes funny, people oriented and a great photographer. What more can a client ask for?</p>

[mitch_w1]

<p>Victoria, wedding photography is a very physical business. Much more so than other types of photography. Especially if, like me, you carry and shoot with two bodies and carry another bag with another lens or two plus batteries etc. I'm in my upper 40s and work out several times a week. I think this job would be a lot harder, brutal even, if I weren't in good physical condition. I'd strongly suggest physical conditioning for this job if you don't already do so. And you will need to invest in some really good shoes because you will be on your feet for 8-10 hours straight. </p>

[JohnWebster]

<p> RT Jones write about a DJ__"one who is about 60 and even though he's a great guy he really looks stupid doing the cha cha slide." I am 62 and have been enjoying ballroom dancing for the last three years and I don't participate in the cha cha slide. My wife likes that I have more free Saturdays since I am doing very few weddings. The entry, mid-stream, peak, and decline years are similar age-wise in many professions. I love the digital age but I am thankful my major working years were during the popularity of classical portraiture.</p>

[bill_clark___minnetonka_mi]

<p>I agree with you John. There are still people who like "Classical" Portraiture and few who desire to make the photographs. So I'm staying in the game but, like you, I've scaled back the numbers and I'm really enjoying each assignment as now I don't have the various pressures to cope with like the number of weddings and the finances. <br>

Thanks!</p>

 

[melissapapajphotography]

<p>This is interesting for me because this year will be my big 30 and I still feel so young when I go to local community photographers events. I have sometimes felt like being young is a disadvantage, especially because I look about 20 - people tell me that a lot. I think age is an advantage because it means more life experience you can take with you to create and to capture the moment. I look at things so different now that I have children than before I did and feel that my life experiences enrich my worth as a photographer.</p>

[gregory_c]

<p>yep, me & wife/assistant turned 50 this year. We hung up the camera bags. Bunches of photographers 25-30 years younger than we are, shoot faster, move quicker, able to communicate with young wedding parties, better PJ skills, took photoshop in school since the 6th grade, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,and shoot for 1/2 the price....<br />I saw the work of a 18 year old, not bad at all, better than a few I see on this site, shoots a wedding for $125.00<br />A few are like me, we were raised in a film & posed wedding age. Hey, my wife & me could out-pose them all, make the wedding party & bride/groom photos magazine worthy, but we got lost in the crowd of young PJ photographers, espically the female ones.<br />Happens to us all, eventually,,,</p>