Calling it quits after 4 years...here's my wedding photography experience

[fotografz]

<p>The notion that the general consumer of photography is a country bumpkin is a fallacy. They don't need to know how the sausage is made to enjoy it.</p>

<p>Most folks do not need to know the rule of thirds to react to its' universal appeal when it is used. Same with excellent lighting, and so on.</p>

<p>If all the aesthetics of photography were for naught, motion picture production values would have not progressed to their current state of excellence. While there are modern movies that leave a lot to be desired, they rarely are poorly produced any more.</p>

<p> </p>

[malcom_knight]

<p>The technology has improved so much that anyone with an entry level DSLR and a decent flash can photograph a wedding. It may not look as good as a pro, but it will likely be acceptable to most. So now you have Uncle Bob, with his Nikon 7100 (or Rebel), and a good flash, good Photoshop skills, taking the business away from the pros.<br>

<br>

In the old days of Film – you needed a medium format camera, the right film, and a general knowledge of photography to photograph a wedding. Not anymore….. These new cameras with their computers are like pilotless planes that can take off and land by themselves. Sure, there will be times when you wish you had a pilot, and the plane crashes, but people are looking to save money.</p>

[todd_k.]

<p>That is probably one of the most honest and thoughtful posts I have had the privilege of reading. <br>

Thank you. <br>

A real problem I see is the huge number of "you can be a hot shot wedding photographer" coaches and bloggers. Their mantra is "if you are not making it, stop moaning and double down and try harder", totally ignoring the reality of the market that some people operate in. Of course they all have established business and make a fortune selling "shovels to the gold miners". </p>

 

[maira_sharron]

<p>I used to edit photos for a wedding photographer - after a couple years, I felt that after having edited so many weddings and hearing the war stories, I felt I could venture out and do it myself. Of course, I also had background in photography - took b&w classes at a university and learned how to shoot manual everything.</p>

<p>I jumped into wedding photography with both feet. I realized I needed a portfolio, so I did what every pro photographer hates. I placed an ad on Craig's List. I was honest and said I would charge $1.00 per photo (minimum of 150). Craziness. I did 4 weddings like that. I raised my prices to that of a cheap photographer - and some bride on the Knot sang my praises. I never advertised - always worked on referrals. The Knot brides are always looking for the "best for the cheapest." I was that for a couple years. Then I raised my prices to that of an low to mid range photographer. Still got lots of referrals. Still never advertised. Never charged what I really should have charged - because I'm so self critical that I didn't think I deserved it. After 4 years, I was exhausted. I had a full time job and photography became my second full time job. I wanted out. I doubled my prices because I didn't want any more business, but I didn't want my current brides to feel nervous (I had a year's worth of bookings ahead of me). People were still calling me. I was shocked. But I was also braindead. I was beginning to hate it. I turned all of them down and celebrated when I shot my last wedding. </p>

<p>This was two years ago. My daughter just got married this year. I never realized how good I was until I started shopping around for a photographer. People who were clearly unimaginative and pushed poor quality were charging an arm and a leg. I shook my head in disbelief. I'm not patting myself on the back for the work that I did, but I really never gave myself the credit that I should have -- so critical of myself, I failed to realize that I actually had talent in this field. Not only in taking photos but in relating to the brides and grooms. The knowledge wasn't enough to make me want to get back into wedding photography. I even sold my pro equipment because I had so many people asking for freebies (my day job included), that I wanted to get rid of my equipment so they would quit bugging me.<br>

<br />The only camera I have now is my old Canon 40D and an 85 mm 1.8 lens. Oh...and a G12. It has taken me a couple years, but I am just now beginning to feel like picking up the camera again for enjoyment.</p>

<p>The lesson I learned was that if people are talking about "what a great photographer for the price" - then it's time to increase your price. And keep increasing until you reach a point where people leave off "for the price." You never want to be so busy that you can't enjoy other aspects of your life.</p>

[bobbollinger]

<p>Speaking of taxes--if you are self-employed in the US, you do have to pay Federal income and payroll taxes quarterly--"estimated taxes"--- and your tax rate will be about 7.5% higher than it was in your last job, where you were an "employee." That is because the self-employed have to pay both sides-employee and employer- of the social security and Medicare taxes. "Both sides" adds up to about 15.3% or so of your income at this point in time, in addition to your federal income taxes. And if you live in a state with an income tax, you have to pay that quarterly too. </p>

[ejder]

<p>I don't think it's hard to break into, but it's often difficult to make enough money to live off of independently.</p>

[green_photog]

<blockquote>

<p>A real problem I see is the huge number of "you can be a hot shot wedding photographer" coaches and bloggers.<br>

</p>

</blockquote>

<p>One time I attended a local seminar hosted by a famed photog. For a one day lecture plus one day shooting, the costs were $1000. The seminar was mostly about how this photog went from charging $2K to five figure but really it was mostly story telling instead of business coaching. The shooting was just some model and setup for people to shoot and limited if at all coaching by this photog.<br>

<br>

I definately felt like it was more about meeting this famed photog and not much learning. And I pity the out of town attendees paying even more for this. </p>

[john_martin19]

<p>After being in this profession for over 20 years and seeing the changes, it's really sad. Quality is not considered by the middle to low end market. It's all about price. And with tons of people charging the same, it becomes a losers court. <br>

When film went to digital and photographers starting giving away the files, I sqw the writing on the wall. Post print sales were a huge part of a professions income. And giving away all of the files, well, you can see what that caused. Why did photographers do that ? I chalk it up to the newbies who knew no better and created a storm that everyone had to work in or lose clients. <br>

Cheap digital cameras, phones and technology also brought other factors into the mix as the public's perception of our work was immensely lowered. If it's cheap and easy and quick, why pay these high prices that they're charging. ( I guess experience, reputation and a proven track record didn't matter).<br>

The huge influx of people getting into an unregulated, super affordable profession with very little entry threshold also lowered the standards for our profession. It's purely percentages. More photographers fighting for the same client willing to drop their prices to get that client. And the huge amount of weekend warriors willing to shoot for next to nothing for chump change has had a devastating impact. <br>

The only way for a wedding photographer to earn a decent living is to be a connected guy with other venues and coordinators who send you work. And once again, the percentage of photographers fighting for those positions has quadrupled, at least. <br>

The seminars put on by the so called rock stars of photography have always been a waste of time. We had them back in the film era and it was mostly about hawking the gear that paid for the seminar The actual technical skills one could learn from these seminars was minimal.<br>

There have always been those who merely say " Up your game". And to a degree, they are right. But there will always be someone better and cheaper. Everyone else is "upping their game" too.....<br>

Full time vs. part time. I know many part timers who have a regular full time job that pays their bills. The wedding photography part time gig is just that......a pocket change gig that they use to enhance their lives, not to live on . They can hold out for their price. If they shoot one wedding a month, they're happy. If they shoot only one wedding every two months they're happy. I know many photographers like that. Nothing wrong with it, but every person's living situation is different and thus affects how they charge for their work.<br>

I also know others in the same boat who give away their work because "they just do it for fun"...thus lowering the earning standards of the entire market.<br>

As someone posted earlier, it's not only photographers but also DJ's, florists and other wedding vendors. Why someone would want to work so hard at something to make chump change is beyond me. <br>

I also know many who came into the bizz with high hopes and are now doing something else because they didn't achieve the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. There are so many factors involved in being successful, that your photography skills are a small percentage of it. I learned that the hard way, thinking that if you provided excellent work that the would be knocking on the door. Not so.<br>

Sadly technology and a bad economy has created the perfect storm for lowering the earning ability in this profession.<br>

For those with the ability to make a great living at it, everything comes full circle. Enjoy it while you can because it wont be there for the rest of your life. </p>

<p> </p>

[melissa_b.p]

<p>Greg, that's a very well stated post. I'm glad you shared your experience with all of us. I personally have only recently becoming involved in the wedding photography world (but have been a hobby photographer for years - starting in the era of film with my own B&W darkroom setup at home). My decision to pursue this was spurred on by the fact that the photographer I hired at my wedding ticked me off lol. After that, I was hell bent to become a great photographer that provided designers with RAW files upon request (it sounds bizarre to read that I'm sure but there's a back story there and I don't want to bore you with the details).</p>

<p>My first task was to enrol in a wedding photography course. This taught me some of the key requirements - two bodies, composition techniques, working with the surroundings to capture interesting layouts, etc. It also gave me two 'mock weddings' to put into my new portfolio. Also part of of this course was a requirement to capture an engagement shoot. A friend of a friend fortunately was interested and I did this for free. They were really happy with the pictures and I completed my assignment. As an added plus, I had more content for the portfolio. I highly recommend a course when starting out to provide this type of content - at the least, as well as tips. </p>

<p>Thankfully I'm a graphic and web designer so I built a Smugmug website that looked quite slick and gave me the boost I needed to look established and professional. </p>

<p>At that point, everything sort of came to a halt. I had a few things in my portfolio, a business name, business cards but no one was calling - very similar to your setup. So I decided to advertise online to be a second shooter. I created a promotional video which directed people to my website and paid to be a top advertiser. By pure luck, one of the top wedding photographers within my city reached out to me as he was seeking to replace a second shooter he had had for years. I photographed two weddings for free with him and he was happy so he took me on as an official second photographer. (it's all about timing and I thankfully was in the right place at the right time)</p>

<p>This past summer I collected photographs from over 10 weddings so I went from 0 to 100 extremely quickly. I also had my eyes widened. This is not a career I would take on full time. The photographer I work with has wealthy clientele so he can make a living as a photographer; however, talk about a high stress job!!! HOLY SMOKES! He seems to thrive off of it. Me, I enjoy it, but feel like someone beat me up the next day haha. I really enjoy being a second shooter though as I get to participate in the day without the stress of having everything up to me to deliver on, nor do I have to figure out the complexities of a contract and specialized packages. I can get on with creating beautiful images that aid in the overall package presentation - all for one set fee that doesn't change whether it's a 6 hour wedding or 12 hours. A fee I'm very happy with as well. </p>

<p>I'm in the unfortunate situation of transitioning careers so I'm currently in school and may not be employed in my new career choice for possibly years to come. I need photography and design to pay the bills at the moment and believe me, it's pretty much impossible. In order to balance school obligations, I can only work freelance at the moment. I can't imagine trying to make a living as a photographer..it's a risky road to travel down and not worth it. I say pursue wedding photography on weekends if it's something you really enjoy in conjunction with a full time job, but it is a lot of stress and if you only have two days off each week, is it worth it? (as a second shooter you just show up, do your job, and leave so it works out a lot better)</p>

<p>No one has called me yet to be the photographer for their wedding, even though my portfolio continues to grow. I've set my prices in a manner that allows me to cover my costs - sort of. It should technically be double what's listed to actually make profit. I'm extremely meticulous about post production work so I throw away many hours on that, achieving unique effects that people generally go crazy over, etc.</p>

<p>I'm onboard with you though, it's really not worth it in the long run to do this as a principal shooter. I'm quite pleased to simply be a second shooter and in ohhhh 5 years or so, I might have all of my gear paid off :).</p>

[green_photog]

<blockquote>

<p>Why someone would want to work so hard at something to make chump change is beyond me. </p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>John, I see where you are coming from and I'm a part time shooter with a day time job. In capitalism, we only need to consider our own benefits because in doing so it benefits us all. A free shooter might not realize he could charge $1K and so he shoots for free but that won't last long. Prety shoot that free shooter will move up to $1K which some other free shooters will take his place.</p>

<p>Whether $1K or $2K is chump change depends on how you structure you business. If just shoot for 8 hours and give SOOC images to the clients, $1K is not chump change. I guess my point is that we tend to build our business based on our ideal and hope to find clients that recognize this ideal. That's why we keep saying wedding photos is of paramount importance so this and that has to be done.</p>

<p>But what if one day people don't think wedding photos is of paramount importance (I think some of that is already happening now)? Just for arguments sake, what if one day all clients request SOOC images and nothing else? </p>

<p> </p>

[john_martin19]

<p>I just shake my head when a bride is willing to pay 800.00 for a photo booth but balks at paying a thousand for a basic photo coverage. It's always been that way in the wedding industry. The majority of brides will pay for the things that their guests will see. The flowers, a limo, photo booth,chair covers and linens, cheap table favors that get left behind by the guests that still added up to hundreds that could have been spent on their wedding photography. It boggles my mind yet I have seen that year after year.<br>

Now don't get me wrong, i've had plenty of brides who "got it right" They valued their photography and expressed it. They knew that when it was all over, the only thing left was going to be their memories in the form of their photos.<br>

In our industry, it's always been this......NETWORKING is the key. One can have mediocre work and books tons of work because they have a mile long network association. <br>

And a super photographer with outstanding work can watch the silent inbox because he's not a "connected " guy. </p>

<p>In respect to "working for chump change", i guess what I was getting at is that weddings are hard work. A skilled shooter knows their worth. A thousand bucks for a SOOC job is a decent days wages. But that shooter better be the best damn out of the camera shooter otherwise his clients aren't going to be happy with all of the out of focus, badly cropped, blown exposure shots that come with that. <br>

I prefer to give my clients my best work. OUR work is what sells us. I can't see how giving SOOC images does any good for future bookings. NO ONE ever gets it perfect or close to perfect doing that. <br>

Now if a shooter is regularly doing that and being successful at it, then he has to be able to nail all of his images right in camera to pull that off. And if he's got that much talent and skill to do that. why the heck is he wasting his time with making chump change working his butt off. He is NOT getting paid what he's worth. IMHO. <br>

If he's merely doing it apart time to make extra pocket change for the week, and he's happy doing that, more power to him. But for those of use who know how much work it entails to photograph a wedding THE RIGHT WAY, and not just show up and do the minimum, making that amount is not worth it at all.<br>

But I am probably wrong in this darn economy and society where professional photographers are viewed as Uncle Bob with a camera anymore. </p>

 

[john_martin19]

<p>Green, when that day comes I'll be doing something else. The public seems to forget the skill and talent of the individual photographer anymore. All they see are dollar signs and we are all the same. <br>

Selling our skill and talent is what sets us apart from each other. THAT is what needs to be sold, Not the disc or hours. Convincing a client to use your services because you can create and provide images that they can't get elsewhere based on your imagination, eye and skill set is what we all should strive for. <br>

Unfortunately, with the over saturation of the market, it all becomes a blur to the public now Not to mention how their perception of our profession has been ruined by cheap digital cameras, phone and photoshop....."Heck anyone can do that"........" wow you own that camera, wow it takes great photos"...............<br>

Had this exact thing said to me the other day by a potential bride. " Wow that camera takes great phiotos".............."yeah, I just set it on a chair and it does it's own thing while I wait in the car"............. </p>

 

[shawn_starr]

<p>• 2004 started with a canon 20d and background in graphic design.<br />• 2004-2006 Worked for a local photog company to learn the ropes.<br />• 2006 Went solo and lowballed everyone with $1000 for 8hrs + free engagement + all high res files on disc.<br />- at this point i wasn't just undercutting, but listening CLOSELY to what "my target" brides wanted.<br />• 2006 Booked 80 weddings absolutely no advertising...all love came from theKnot.com forums...not ads.<br />• 2007-2011 raised prices gradually to average $2500 for 6hrs and disc of images. Averaged over $100k each year...no album or print sales...no advertising.<br>

• 2010 This is when things started to slip...I was too busy...too stressed...my quality slipped, scores of competitors popped up overnight, i stopped updating the blogs. The knot turned into a ghost-town and I only got booked through vendor referrals which i'm grateful for...be warned though...there is a HUGE difference in the relationship you have with brides who "seek you out", compared to the ones who pick you off a vendor list.<br />• 2011 the photography boom hit full swing and everyone & their momma were in business...they took a workshop, rented gear, bought a website template, and COPIED COPIED COPIED anything new. If any photog tries something new today it is IMMEDIATELY copied by dozens of "blog scavenging photogs". <br />• 2012-2013 I only shot about 60 weddings total. The industry is completely saturated with newcomers who are more in tune with todays hyper-tech brides than I am...totally burned out.<br />• 2014 taking a full year off from work to enjoy life...maybe I'll come back in 2015 but I doubt it will be easy or worth while. Likely will go back to school for a new skill/trade.<br /><br /><br>

If you're thinking about starting up a wedding photography biz...my advice is :<br />• DON'T put all your eggs in this basket...you're about 4 years late to the party and all the best food is gone. <br />• Its still more lucrative than a dayjob...hell even if you only shoot 1 a month, it equals about 160hrs of regular wages...but don't quit your dayjob cause you're not the only one who realizes this is easy money.<br />• Team up with a videography crew...these guys are using the same gear and coming out in "squads" of 3-5 shooters...its almost impossible to work with that many other shooters around, so you may as well join them and create a fusion of both photo/video.<br />• A $3000-$10,000 bride today is most likely 1) Asian 2) Looking for a fusion photo & video package.<br />• Listen closely to what the brides want...NOT older photogs advice. Find a way to give the brides what they want. Don't just listen to the old timers b!itch about giving away cds, digital, or not selling prints, bla bla bla...focus only on "your target" clients wants & needs...today's brides have different needs/expectations than the old times clients had.<br />• STOP reading photo blogs and copying every else...get inspiration from movies or other places...if you shoot like everyone else, you will get lost in the ever swelling sea of competitors.<br />• Don't go out and buy camera bodies...I have $30,000 worth of outdated camera bodies/flashes. The lens are a good investment but don't buy camera bodies...you can rent them super cheap and always have the newest features that way. Plus it sucks beating up your own gear and maintaining it.<br />• If you only shoot weddings & portraits, your not earning the title of "photographer"...call yourself a "camera operator"...or say you "take photos at weddings".<br />• Check your greedy little pig at the door...be "FAIR" priced and you will never need to pay for advertising, because your clients will be your Brand Evangelist...think about it..every woman likes to share info about the new best deal they found.<br /><br /><br>

<strong>Lets do a quick price/reality check on how much it cost to shoot a single wedding:</strong><br />$500 - rental gear (look for packages : http://www.hawaiicamera.com/rent/canon-1d-c-4k-package--1/oahu)<br />$200 - assistant (find one that has gear so you don't have to rent more)<br />$300 - outsource your editing (so you don't have to spend 40hrs behind the computer for each event)<br />$100 - shipping (i'm being generous here assuming your not just mailing cds but giving harddrives instead)<br />$50 - fuel/parking (tax deductible)<br />$100 - computer (you should own this already but lets say an imac costs $1500 / 15 accounts)<br />$20 - utility (you have to power up the computer and pay the phone bill right?)<br />$10 - archives (2tb wester digital is about $150 / 15 accounts)<br />$0 - studio space (work from home+get a 1/4 rent tax deduction...nobody gets married in a studio anyway)<br />$120 - vehicle maintenance (generous again...you shouldn't ever bill for this you bean counter)<br />---------------------------------------<br /><strong>$1400 Total account expense.</strong><br />Now, is it "fair" to charge people $3000? <br />Well maybe it is fair. You would earn about $1500 for your "artistic talent"..cough..cough...<br />Taxes would take almost 50% so that leaves about $750 profit. Or $100 pr hour for an 8hr event.<br />Do you really deserve to make $100pr hr for your expertise in today's saturated market of "experts"? <br />Anesthesiologist make $100hr, Mechanics do too, Tattoo artists, Programmers, and Underwater Welders do.</p><div></div>

[etphoto]

<p>I think the market is saturated with photographers and will probably stay that way for the next couple years. The example I like to use is, when I went to college in 1979 the campus and surrounding area were saturated in pizza joints. I couldn't believe there were enough students to keep all the places selling pizzas in business. in fact, during a night of drinking, a few friends and I tried to do the math on how much each student would have to spend to keep all the pizza joints in the black. 4 years later when I graduated, my theory on too many places in the market panned out as 50% of the pizza places closed their doors and went out of business. I just can't see all these photographers staying in business. besides, as others have already said, taking pictures today is a lot easier than it was when I started, there is just less need (sadly) for the pro photographer today.<br>

BTW, very good thread. </p>

[studio460]

<p>Shawn said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>STOP reading photo blogs and copying every else . . . get inspiration from movies or other places . . .</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>First, let me just say, "Great post!" Also, the photo in your post is priceless! Perhaps, fortuitously, I <em>haven't</em> been reading wedding photog blogs (with the exception of this wedding-related forum). I do use movies (specifically, lighting, which I do for a living), and women's fashion magazines for inspiration. Coming from film/TV, I think I have a slightly different perspective on the craft, and I'm betting on that experience to help develop my vision further. Thanks for sharing your insights!</p>

[lindsay_dobson]

<p>Here in the UK around 80% of photography businesses will fail within two years. Generally speaking it takes up to 5 years to turn a profit. You do need a means of surviving throughout that period. From what I've seen there are several key reasons for failing. One is poor planning and a poor understanding of both marketing and accounting. I can think of countless photographers who have failed because they were very poor at working out their true overheads and consequently very poor at understanding how much they would need to charge and earn in order to meet those costs and to generate profit. Concurrent with this, and crucially, is an understanding of the target client group and their motivators. There are plenty of low cost high-volume wedding photographers who are successful, just as there are high cost high-value photographers. They succeed because they understand business even more than they understand the art of photography.</p>

<p>There is little point going into business if you're going to sit in the same hole as everyone else - if you can differentiate yourself and stand out from the crowd in some way then you will greatly increase your chances of survival. The voice which shouts the loudest is the one which tends to be heard. The grey middleground is the worst place to be.</p>

<p>In response to a prior comment, suggesting that technology has made it feasible for anyone to enter the wedding photography market - yes, anyone can enter the market. But very few will manage to stay there - and that has nothing to do with equipment. I have an oven and a frying pan, they were quite expensive, but I sure as hell can't cook. I can't think of many people who would pay to eat my food. The poorly skilled shooters out there very rarely last, they either fade away or else they realise that they need to polish up their act. They may even have a couple of legal actions against them along the way if they're charging for a genuinely below par product. I highly doubt any of them are making a profit. </p>

[studio460]

<p>Lindsay said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>I have an oven and a frying pan, they were quite expensive, but I sure as hell can't cook. I can't think of many people who would pay to eat my food.</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Funny!</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>There is little point going into business if you're going to sit in the same hole as everyone else--if you can differentiate yourself and stand out from the crowd in some way then you will greatly increase your chances of survival . . . The poorly skilled shooters out there very rarely last, they either fade away or else they realise that they need to polish up their act.</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Agreed. I've been looking at some Los Angeles-area wedding photographers' work. Some are superb. Many, simply "adequate." I'm not worried about Craig's list photographers, and I'm not planning to compete on price. Once I become established, I'll certainly be targeting a specific clientele, using a specific marketing strategy. By the way, your work is gorgeous, Lindsay!</p>

[lindsay_dobson]

<p>Thank you for the kind words Ralph. I will add that I feel there are real advantages to embarking on one's photography business later in life. I was 40 before I had the means to even consider doing this full-time, but more importantly I had a considerable amount of life experience on which to draw. That included a reasonable knowledge of the business world, a fairly well rounded grasp of human nature, and less of the starry eyed stuff which could be a perilous motivator for the young. Before giving up the day job, I spent two years setting up my office and business systems, and researching my products and my market. I was of course also building a credible portfolio. In other words, I didn't launch my business until the main things were in place. Even so, the more involved I became the more I realised that there was so much more to do, but I was very glad I had at least put the groundwork down before taking the plunge. There are far too many photographers out there who will try and run before they can walk, and these are the ones who usually fail.</p>

<p>Greg has given a very honest and very comprehensive review of the main reasons why one can fail, and that will be useful for newcomers to read. I am also a believer in working as a photographer part-time while one is learning about the tougher side of the industry. In fact there is also a good argument for staying part-time, in many cases.</p>

<p>Greg mentioned that "there will always be someone who can do a better job for less money". Not necessarily, I would rephrase that as "there will always be someone who can do the job differently". And this is why I keep going on about the need to be unique, and how vital it is to stand out from the others. If you have some unique selling points then not only will that help you to appeal to your clients, you will also have more appeal to your marketing partners and the media. I always tell my students to write a list called "what do I have, that my competitors don't have?". If they can't think of anything current, then I encourage them to think about what steps they might be able to take both now and in the future to fulfil that objective. And I do not mean things like "I am cheaper than everyone else".<br>

<br>

Writing a business plan can sound incredibly tedious, and in reality it doesn't have to be reams of charts and boring data. But I think it's vital that anyone thinking of setting up a photography business (or indeed any business) prepares a document setting out exactly what has been spent to date, and what will need to be spent over the coming three years; capital assets and depreciation, IT needs, marketing costs, insurances, training etc etc. Against this must be realistic targets of how much business can be brought in, together with an appraisal of how much must be earned from each client in terms of charges and profit. This is hypothetical without a marketing plan since you cannot have one without the other. I would then recommend staring at both those documents every day for several months because unless the contents are set in the forefront of your mind, one can continue to make poor decisions.<br>

<br>

There is also much to be said for diversification. I would preface this with the need to be very good at one particular discipline first, but it's quite commonplace for excellent wedding photographers to also undertake portraiture and commercial photography. I have very little involvement in weddings these days, and what I do is based on portraits, including animal portraits, corporate portraiture, training and mentoring, and writing articles for photography magazines and journals. This can all add to your repertoire and income stream. And once again, it can become another unique selling point.</p>

[studio460]

<p>So many of your points are well-stated, Lindsay. Actually, everyone's comments here have been incredibly insightful. I've just read this entire thread, and really have to commend everyone for sharing their personal experiences, and for their excellent input. This is perhaps one of the most valuable threads ever posted on this forum, especially for newcomers (thanks for starting it, Greg!). It's also comforting to hear others' stories, and the (sometimes, long) road some have taken to get to where they are now. Similar to you, Lindsay, while keeping my day job, I've been "preparing" for about the last two years. And, like a couple of others here, I also have a graphic design background, and although I still need to finish setting up my online presence, at least I have the skills to produce those assets in-house. My portfolio is still lacking appropriate content, which has been the biggest stumbling block so far, but I've been continuing to work on developing a viable marketing strategy for my anticipated vocation. Here's a few things I've noticed:</p>

<p>• Doing some casual field research, I've found that many event photographers are now combining stills and video in their packages. Including both services in your business plan (even if merely sub-contracted), seems prudent.<br /> • Certain market segments may not be obvious (e.g., low-income families tend to spend a disproportionate amount of money on culturally important events).<br /> • Contrary to the usual Craig's list fare, some un-skilled photographers and videographers <em>are</em> charging as much as incredibly skilled ones.<br /> • Some of the upper-middle income Gen-Xers I know, are still spending big bucks on professional photographers (e.g., $4,000-$5,000) for their weddings.<br /> • Most higher-end photographers are shooting either with an assistant, or a second shooter, or both.<br /> • Sure, technology may have lowered barriers to entry for amateur photographers, but these same innovations also enable additional opportunities to wedding businesses.<br /> • Social media is here to stay--how do we benefit, exploit, capitalize on this technology?<br /> • Digital technology has revolutionized/changed many industries: graphic design, video editing, music production. Yet many designers, editors, and recording engineers still make rates commensurate with their skill and experience.</p>

<p>Yes, consumer preferences and behavior, the tools of production, social, demographic and economic factors are changing. How well we accommodate, exploit, and/or capitalize on these changes will be the key determinant of our success or failure.</p>

[stevecarthy]

<p>Great article, thanks for sharing it.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Which article?</p>

[Member69643]

<p>If you used to have a pretty good business and it's dropped off, there may be a simple reason. You're invisible. If you go to Google and type in "Wedding Photography" plus your city and state, you'll know why you are, or are not, getting bookings. </p>

[jean_lua]

<p>Greg,<br>

<br />I found your post insightful to read. In my own venture into the photography arena, I have found similar patterns, albeit within different photographic industries. That being said, I believe wholeheartedly that it is possible to become successful as an artist but perhaps not strictly as a photographer. The case of supply vs demand seems to weigh heavily in today's economy and for a person to succeed in the field, I feel that they have to remain open to alternatives, persistent in their dreams and become savvy in marketing and business techniques.<br>

<br />Lastly, a person has to really, really love the field :o)<br>

<br />- Jean</p>

[calin_ardeleanu]

<p>Hi Greg,<br>

Great posting, though a bit sad. I found the same trends in the market I operate - Toronto, Canada. Today, as many famous photographers said it, it is more important to master marketing and sales than photography. It's said but true. If in the past you were a good photographer if you could get a good exposure, today any kid with a cellphone can obtain a decent photo. So, what does a pro wedding photographer has to do? <br>

The following pieces of advice come from famous photographers and you don't have to agree with them: <br>

1) differentiate through lighting and posing<br>

2) network network network<br>

3) give back to society: help charities, churches and schools so that you do more than weddings and burn out<br>

4) raise prices whenever you can. Many photographers book weddings at low rates only to have tens of inquiries for the same date. If you have been fully booked in June, July, August for 10 years in a row, chances are you will be booked next year so do not book cheap weddings<br>

5) offer albums and prints even if you were to include them in your packages at cost. They are a good conversation starter whenever a friend visit your clients and will bring referrals <br>

6) offer amazing service <br>

7) never give up. If you love wedding photography and you can not pay your bills yet, get a job and keep doing what you are doing best. Your passion and talent will convince your clients you are the right person for the job<br>

I hope you will never give up photography! I heard that Mr. Sanders (KFC) visited 1006 people before someone bought his recipe...<br>

Calin</p>

[daniel_stewart2]

<p>Greg I hope you decide to at least hang in there and maybe second shoot for awhile longer until you can build up a network. And keep in mind most businesses basically don't turn a profit for at least the first 5 years so maybe you just need to hang in there but re-assess and come up with a new strategy.</p>

<p>Here are my thoughts. I think part of your problem from what I am reading is that you need to target maybe a higher end client from the get go and maybe figure out how to weed out low ballers who bail on you during your first interview with them. One of the best things I came across is "Not everyone is your client." Plus if you are competing down in the weeds at the low end you will find it more saturated including "uncle Bob and his Rebel". I think to do that you also need to figure out a niche "gimmick" for lack of a better word that will not only separate you from the low end but will give the client the impression that what they are paying for is worth it. What is the difference between Motel 6 and the Ritz? The experience. Both have a bed and a bathroom. It is the experience that people pay for. I think trying something more service oriented in terms of strategy is better then trying to duke it out on price.</p>

<p>Personally part of my plan to start is I am networking with some local photographers I know (and a board game designer with a photographer friend) and looking to start shooting with them if I can. Part of my "gimmick" is I shoot film. It is kind of funny. Film in the eye of the public has in some ways developed not only the stereotypical hipster cool factor but almost a magical quality with the younger crowd who have not even seen a film camera at home and it produces a look that brings about nostalgia for the older crowd that still likes to pass around physical prints. Plus you cut out alot of the self styled amateurs from your competitors because most would be lost if they can't chimp every shot. I think it also in some ways breeds a more skilled and confident photographer. I know it steps up my game personally. I have to know I nailed it when I push the shutter button. I can't look and second guess myself. I am sure it is the same with others. I remember Joe Buissink mentioning in an interview that with his second shooters that shoot digital he tapes up the LCD on the back of their cameras with gaffers tape for exactly that reason. Also with different film stocks you can give your clients a variety of different looks to their photos. Personally whether it is Nikon, Canon, Pentax, etc the sensors are nearly all the same, everyone uses Photoshop or Lightroom and everything comes out looking the same. And with Photoshop uncle Bob with his Rebel can product the same work. I think once again we need to find something to distinguish ourselves from the pack. Part of that for me is shooting film. It also cuts down on my work load. I drop off my film at the lab instead of spending 8 hours in front of my computer in software. That and I don't get spending that time in post trying to get my digital images to look the way they do straight out of my Koni Omega and EOS-1N. Feels like make work to me. Plus I got my Koni Omega kit and my Canon film gear for less in total then what I would have paid for a used 5D body. Plus as a new business person I can't afford a new DSLR every 5 years (the current stated shelf life) and the constant computer and software upgrades. My Canon is about 14 years old and flawless and my Koni Omega Rapid 100 is older then I am and works perfectly and both render beautiful images. And as for people asking for the RAW files or digital copies of their photos my sense seems to be most people have no clue what to do with them and they slowly suffer from bit rot on some HDD. Most people probably ask for them because Bridal Weekly said they should. I also see marketing as a film photographer you can kind of play up the artistic "hand made" idea. People don't buy a handmade Rolls Royce because mass produced robot assembled cars suck. There is a perceived value in stuff that is crafted with a more personal and physical touch. That alone will usually weed out the people who could care less and will attract people who do care about the difference and are willing to fork over the money for it.<br>

If you shoot digital I am sure there are other things you can do to differentiate yourself from others. It is not to my taste but some people really love absolutely wild and surreal HDR for their wedding photographs. Personally I think that might not seem so cool in 30 or 40 years like baby blue leisure suits for for example but if it is something you enjoy you can really make a stand with that and really create a niche. But a big thing is selling yourself. If they saw your work and like it the work has already sold itself. You probably want to figure out what it is you can do that is different. Oh and show the clients what you want them to buy. If all you show them during consultations is slideshows of the wedding don't be surprised if that is your biggest seller.</p>

<p>I admit I am just starting myself and I might fall flat on my face. Who knows. But I am just giving advice that seems logical to me and that was also passed on to me by people who run successful businesses of their own. There are some things are are universal.</p>