p.1 #1 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
Hi FM, I’m looking for advice on how to get started with wedding photography without prior experience other than 10 years of street photography—I have a street portfolio but virtually nothing for weddings. Currently I own a canon 5d mark I and a rolleiflex, as well as a Leica m for my personal work that I am most familiar with. I am in the NJ area by a park where I occasionally see photo shoots. I briefly worked photographing events for a local university so I have a little experience delivering work to clients.
p.1 #2 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
You should work on 2nd shooting for an established photographer to see if 1) it's up your alley and 2) you're any good at it.
Your gear isn't up to par, so unless that 1st shooter has gear you can use, you're looking at a significant outlay at the beginning.
The "traditional" path is normally portrait photography that leads to event photography that leads to wedding photography, because all of those skills compound and build. Street has very little practical application here.
p.1 #3 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
Try connecting with a few local wedding photographers and offer to shoot as a second. You may have to shoot a few for just the credit, but at least you can start building up a portfolio. Bridal shows are a great way to meet local photographers. Your camera gear is fine as the 5D MK1 has nice fat pixels and great color that’s perfect for table displays, settings, dress details, flowers and other scenes that a second would normally shoot. We shoot with Canon R6’s @20mp and it’s more than enough for up to 36” on the long side. If anything, I’d invest in fast EF-L glass like the EF 85mm f/1.4 and EF 35mm of 24mm f/1.4. We actually like these over the RF versions. Actually, film wedding shooters are in demand in some markets and are enjoying a revival so to speak and get paid nicely too. When we started, we asked a few friends to wear their wedding dress again and pretend to shoot formals. Candid photography is the most requested style we’re asked to shoot, so imo, street photography might serve you nicely here too.
p.1 #4 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
I would not say street shooting is not useful... I would say it is a small part of wedding shooting.
Well .. .wedding shooting from a view point you want to be seriously talented, deliver consistency and bring joy /tears - in a good way to clients because of the quality of images (moments/family/creative shots/couple images) and key: provide a fabulous experience.
gear does not have to be the top of the line.... but canon R6 is a great place to start if you drive canon.
there are Nikon, sony, fuji gear you can use and be fabulous.
The portrait route is good... helps with posing and lighting. editing for skin tones.
also need to give your time in exchange for experience.
Basically, get to know your area shooters. see who offers a day class. take it... get to know them... basically build your network.
p.1 #5 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
Even offer to work gratis for a top wedding photographer even if just totin’ his lights around to get your foot in the door. It will be a free education that will pay dividends in spades. If you prove your worth, paid work even if just as a second shooter will follow in short order. To do it right it is not easy, long long long days and lots of editing after the fact. Did I say editing…….become a Master of Lightroom. The work is just starting after the day ends! Not to mention having a source for prints, books, website, insurance, etc, etc.
In terms of gear there is one golden rule. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BACKUPS FOR EVERYTHING. At some point you will want to have a backup for the backups. While not possible for many out the gates, an ideal setup would be a 16-35, 24-70, 85mm (Preferably an 85mm1.2) and 70-200mm with backup lenses of some sort (maybe primes) in these focal ranges. You can get started with an 85mm 1.4 but when funds allow the 85mm 1.2 will really make your images stand out from the crowd for the shots where you have “TIME” to take shots that aren’t rushed. I love primes, many prime wedding shooters but weddings require a lot of flexibility and the zooms will save you more times than you can count. You will need on camera flash and more powerful lights and remote triggers for the formal shots and reception. Weddings are long hectic days and what can go wrong will go wrong and for the most part no re-takes. Know your gear inside and out. You MUST have atleast two camera bodies and preferably identical bodies. When something goes awry and you are under stress you want to be able to switch bodies seamlessly with your eyes closed. And LOTS OF BATTERIES and memory cards. Way to many wedding photographers cut corners when they start and for the vast majority it's a short career. If you are serious, go about it the right way from day 1. If I were starting a business today between camera gear, lighting, computers, marketing, etc, etc I’d budget $20k to 30K to start to do it right. Not trying to scare you about the cash outlay just being blunt of what it really takes to do it at a high level shooting higher end wedding that are actually profitable. Of course you don’t have to do this, a vast majority don’t but a vast majority also don’t make it long term. It's a lot of $$$$ and you can work up to the ideal gear setup while working with another experienced pro.
The old saying "its not what you know it’s who you know" does not hold true for this business. You must know both! You will learn the craft working with a top notch pro and equally if not more important you will be shooting venues where you will meet wedding coordinators and others that you want to get to know on a first name basis / xmas card list with. This will pay off down the road!!
I no longer shoot weddings due to health issues but was fortunate when I was younger to work with one of the BEST OF THE BEST shooting extremely high end venues. I had ABSOLUTELY no idea all that was involved initially. I thought I did but didn’t have a clue! Knowing what I know now I’d say give yourself two years to learn from a pro. By that time you will have the skills to go out on your own should you decide. Way too many half arse wedding photographers out there. Do it the right way from day 1 to ensure long term success. It's a marathon, not a sprint and you need a gameplan that will get you to where you want to be and that is shooting high end weddings where the REAL $$$$ is! Bottom line is it is a business and you need to turn a profit which is challenging if you start breaking it down on an hourly basis. So much more time involved that just the wedding day itself so you need a plan that will get you into the higher end wedding market to make it long term and make a decent amount of $$$$ for your effort......which I can assure you is a lot of effort!
p.1 #6 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
I'd probably argue that your gear isn't up to par. It's fine. It's just going to create something very different than someone who uses brand new mirrorless cameras. It's not worse, it's just different, which plays into your favor in creating something unique and having something no one else has. Check out John Dolans work, he's been running around with rolleiflexes and Leica's for 30 years and he's one of the most in demand wedding photographers on earth with books published photographing the weddings of daughters of presidents. So, there's that. On that front I'd say that you will need low light capacities. So, a newer body that you can run at ISO 10K or something like that. The 5D1 definitely aint it, but will look good with good light. An M11 is probably your best investment if you want to do weddings in that light.
On the "how do I book destinations wedding" front. I dunno. That's not my expertise because I hate traveling for weddings. I'd shoot them in the fire hall in my town every weekend if I could get paid the same. Get really good at weddings. It's not going to happen in a year. It probably won't happen in 10 years. But, the best thing I can say is that you have to become undeniable. Your work has to be solid in every aspect and you have to be a person that people who have destination weddings can relate to. You have to have a product that someone getting married at Lake Como or Belize or Mexico or wherever your heart desires CANNOT live without. There's a lot that goes into being a great WEDDING photographer. Street photography is definitely applicable, but having a little bit of portraiture skill is important too. People skills are paramount. Taking pictures of strangers who don't know your their and taking pictures of people who do know your there and are paying attention is a different animal. When you see a moment or a composition that you like and you walk over to it and you completely ruin it because people start looking at you and smiling because thats' what they've been told to do for their ENTIRE life and at every wedding and event they've ever attended, how will you handle that? How do you continue to make great images? That's the game of being a reportage photographer at weddings. There's quite a bit of social engineering that takes place and you have to figure out the complexities of human nature when you point a camera at someone.
So, best advice I have is to get to work. Photograph as many weddings as humanly possible but stick to WHAT YOU DO BEST. Be confident when talking to couples who are interviewing you and tell them what you do and how you do it and that you can't be someone else. Good luck, dude!
p.1 #7 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
Thanks for pointing out John Dolan’s work! His approach is how we like to shoot too, but often times there’s so much predictability in the formals, bridal and family photos that shooting film tends to unleash so much creativity with a more purpose driven storytelling. Is it the limited number of shots per roll? Yes, definitely! Or using 18% gray to meter grass and the zone system to quickly make changes to exposure? Oh my gosh, yes! The best method for us is to shoot 2 stops over exposed with Portra and meter for the shadows. We do shoot hybrid, but so tempted to switch to all film! It’s not so much the technology, but the character of the finished product.
p.1 #8 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
johnld wrote:
Thanks for pointing out John Dolan’s work! His approach is how we like to shoot too, but often times there’s so much predictability in the formals, bridal and family photos that shooting film tends to unleash so much creativity with a more purpose driven storytelling. Is it the limited number of shots per roll? Yes, definitely! Or using 18% gray to meter grass and the zone system to quickly make changes to exposure? Oh my gosh, yes! The best method for us is to shoot 2 stops over exposed with Portra and meter for the shadows. We do shoot hybrid, but so tempted to switch to all film! It’s not so much the technology, but the character of the finished product....Show more →
Yeah man sounds like you've got film way more dialed in than I do that's for sure. I just put the dot in the middle and hope for the best haha. But honestly, John runs with some digital stuff too because there are times where it just makes life easier. Film is beautiful and creates something truly unique, but there is a reason why we put this stuff on computers and sometime for the sake of the experience of the family and the couple, just whip out something digy and keep it moving.
p.1 #9 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
Agreed! We’re also using Canon 1V’s with AF, but manual lenses for a fast wedding is definitely interesting to say the least! We also put the dot in in the middle when finding something we want as middle gray and then a stop or two up or down to get the desired look for our weddings.
p.1 #10 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
Oh yeah, John Dolan's so awesome — but I'm a huge photography fan. The only thing I collect is photo books. If I sense a client's the least bit adventurous, I'll include a few images that look like William Eggleston, Gary Winogrand, Vivian Maire, Diane Arbus, Robert Frank. It's almost like a DJ spinning vinyl at a wedding and during cocktail hour and throws in a little Cymande or Ramsey Lewis.
The challange is, most people aren't hip. It's a nice idea to create art all day, but if you want to cashflow you've got to play some Top40.
p.1 #12 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
LeeSimms wrote:
Oh yeah, John Dolan's so awesome — but I'm a huge photography fan. The only thing I collect is photo books. If I sense a client's the least bit adventurous, I'll include a few images that look like William Eggleston, Gary Winogrand, Vivian Maire, Diane Arbus, Robert Frank. It's almost like a DJ spinning vinyl at a wedding and during cocktail hour and throws in a little Cymande or Ramsey Lewis.
The challange is, most people aren't hip. It's a nice idea to create art all day, but if you want to cashflow you've got to play some Top40.
p.1 #14 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
> here's a valuable tip - DON'T. It will suck your life and health away
Well, if you're on the fence (on anything), not doing it is easier than doing it.
After 1300 weddings, I'm in better shape at age 60 than most everyone else I know at my age. When you're client base is half your age, you want to preserve your mobility so you don't stick out as 'that old guy.' Suck your life away? That's more self-employment than wedding photography itself. It's not impossible to schedule a 40hr, 5-day-workweek career out of wp but you have to make strong steps to do it. Rather than a M-F schedule, it's more like a Wed-Sun affair.
Are you good at marketing? Can you stand back and be objective about your 'art' versus a desirable service? Can you promptly return communication from inquiring strangers? Are you efficient at mouse-clicks to make computers do what you want? Are you good at dynamic problem-solving under event deadline pressure? Then wedding photography just might be for you.
p.1 #15 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
Wedding Photography at what level? The geography with whether you're city/urban or a town/country shooter vs traveling worldwide really changes expectations too. I have done all, and most that find peace with it are those in a small town doing quite easy work tbh. Worldwide shots are amazing considering the destinations are paid for by the already wealthy couples, unless you're hustling for it...then that's on you. City brides...I find to be already living a stressful lifestyle and true bridezillas that have unrealistic expectations based off what they researched so more of your battle will be with people skills, psychology, and being a planner with good time-management for the day schedule.
My point is...it's not the same everywhere so check your local scene, see who is successful, and pick their brains if you could or observe their patterns by emulating a client via calling them as a potential gig.
Street Photography would definitely translate over well, especially at reception.
p.1 #16 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
Best advice is to go in at a 2nd photographer for quite a few weddings before going on your own. You'll learn the wedding day flow and get a sense of different weddings. While they flow similarly, there can be a wrench you need to be ready for. Good luck
p.1 #18 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
lovejackieweddings wrote:
Best advice is to go in at a 2nd photographer for quite a few weddings before going on your own. You'll learn the wedding day flow and get a sense of different weddings. While they flow similarly, there can be a wrench you need to be ready for. Good luck
p.1 #19 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
My personal path into weddings has been real estate ---> portraits/headshots ---> couples ---> wedding. I have my first solo wedding coming up in August.
I think you really need to get comfortable photographing couples before you jump into a wedding. You can use free engagement shoots as the hook and a way to build a portfolio.
p.1 #20 · Tips for starting out photographing weddings
I had a career as a metro newspaper photographer up in the Pacific Northwest when I decided to head back home to California and make a career out of a field (events) where you could actually make a decent living. I contacted 5-6 local LA event photographers whose website looked good but only got one to reply. Ended up second shooting for this photographer on five high end weddings using those images to build a website that booked me 37 wedding in my first year. Things went so well that even National Geographic contacted me to use two of my WEDDING images in their Ultimate Field Guide to Photography book something I never managed to do as a photojournalist
That was my big break!
