Wedding Photographers Blog

Pop Photo released a list of the top wedding photographers (I guess they’ve forgot to include me).  The article is very interesting in that it goes through every photographer and displays some of their works.

The following are the list of wedding photographers that have been listed as top 10 (in no particular order):

• APERTURA, Los Angeles
• BRETT BUTTERSTEIN, Durango, Colorado
• DEL SOL PHOTOGRAPHY, Atlanta, Georgia and Riviera Maya, Mexico
• AMY DEPUTY, Sparks, Maryland
• BRIAN DORSEY, New York City
• F8 STUDIO, Dallas, Texas
• ANN HAMILTON, San Francisco, California
• ANNA KUPERBERG, San Francisco, California
• JASMINE STAR, Orange County, California
• HEATHER WARAKSA, New York City

Check out the article for more details

What are some of your favorite wedding photographers?

Happy April Fools!

Make sure you don’t get tricked this year by rumors, blogs and tom-foolery. Take everything today with a grain of salt. Are you starting your own April Foolery today? Just keep in mind before you write something salacious remember that you’re an ambassador of your brand.

View From a Different Perspective

• If you must blog about something that isn’t truthful make sure it’s light-hearted and doesn’t offend anyone.
• Have another family or friend or Twitterer look it over.
• Extend the truth even more. Make it totally unbelieveable. Making it explicitly clear that it’s a prank may help.
• Weigh the benefits: Is it really worth it? Can you make something like this viral or beneficial for internet traffic?

You’re credibility is at stake here
Are you able to convey your message clearly? Is it easier sometimes to make your joke a tall tale or hyperbole? Consider those things.

Benefits?

Having a well executed message on April fools might be a make or break situation. Sometimes being to apolitical or asensitive can be very unhelpful in a competitive space. Taking a risk in a funny prank can be helpful for your public relations and branding as the photographer with humor.

Ideas?

What are some of your April fools ideas for Wedding Photography Blogging? April Fool’s Photoshoot?

Discovered this great offer. Uprinting.com is offering free 1,000 business cards ($33 offer). They also promise not to put their logo on it as vistaprint does. You just have to Sign Up and give them your information.

The offer ends this month. So make sure you sign up.

Business Card Specifications:

• From 2×2″ to 4×4″ (0.25″ increments)
• 14 pt. & 13 pt. Cover Stocks (SFI Certified)
• Includes AQ Coating (Gloss and Dull)

Wedding season for the majority of people will be in high gear within the next 30-60 days. The next few weeks I will be writing some useful articles to get you wedding photographers prepared and back into high gear.

Photo By Flickr User: Protectorrr

Regardless of whether or not you’ve had boy scout training you should know that you should always be prepared. Wedding photographers are always faced with high stakes situations and a quick solution must be made.

In this article, I will assume that all wedding photographers have cars. I know this is an unfortunate assumption. I know some photographers can travel by train, cab, or limo etc. I probably can safely assume that the majority of photographers need a reliable source of transportation. So if you’re one of these exceptions prove me wrong by leaving me a comment.

Now onto the guide:

Certainly, you might not be able to imagine all the possible emergency situations; we’re here to help and keep you stocked with handy car things to keep you ahead of the game and to more easily MacGuyver your way out of sticky situations. Here are the following things (some of which you’ve probably already thought of):

Basic Must-Haves

1. A Backup Camera: You never know if a camera will break or die.
2. Compact Flash Cards/Portable Media Cards: This is probably another obvious. I’ll admit this. But i’ve actually forgotten to bring my set of CF cards (once). It is by far the most embarrassing thing in the world
3. GPS: If you’ve put off buying one this one is a no-brainer. This device is an instant headache & relationship saver. With this you can accurately predict how long it will take to get you to your destination, find your destination, and as well as save you from car accidents. Well, then again it can also cause car accidents too. I suggest you go with a Garmin or Tom Tom nowadays. Those two brands seem to be the most reliable nowadays for the best price.

Power Solutions

1. Inverter: Inverters aren’t too expensive nowadays. Buy an inverter at your local electronics store of choice. If you own rechargeable batteries (most likely you do) this will definitely be a lifesaver if you were smart enough to bring your AA/Camera charging station.
2. Surge Protector: Keep several surge protectors in the back in case you need to split your power into 3-5 different outlets.
3. Extension Cord: Maybe you need this because your portable chargeable battery is dead. This can be a suitable replacement. Plug in your extra long power cord (I know it’s ghetto but it’s worth having. Takes up little space).

For Your Photography Subject

1. Picnic Blanket: If you have a fastitidous bride who doesn’t want to get their dress or feet dirty you can remedy this by bringing a colored blanket of your choice. I suggest red to contrast the green grass. You can usually always find grass. With some creative styling you can even hide the blanket if her dress is “poofy” enough.
2. Lint Roller: Save yourself some photoshop time. Make sure you get all the fuzzies out of their jacket so you don’t need to waste time with cloning 200-300 shots.
3. Umbrella: Not the shoot-thru or reflective kind. Bring a black or white umbrella. Any colored umbrella is very bad because it effects the skin tones of your subject. It might not be a bad idea to have 2. One for you and one for your bride and groom. Hopefully, your assistant will remember to bring their own.

Lighting/Grip

1. Lightstands: I would keep a couple extra lightstands around in case you break one. You never know. Make sure you have appropriate grip gear to attach your lighting equipment. An unmountable lightstand is a useful paperweight. If you have a pair. You can make a makeshift background stand with the blanket I mentioned before. Well if your blanket is big enough.
2. Foamcore Board: Foamcore can be relatively inexpensive as well. A foamcore board can be excellent if you’re in the middle of nowhere and cannot find any shade: A beach, a open field, a desert, a tundra, etc. I wouldn’t advise using it under windy conditions. If you do attempt to use it make sure you bring an assistant. If your trunk is not big enough just fold it in half or cut it into the shape of your trunk.
3. Gaffers/Ducttape: This is an excellent purchase. I’m not sure about its durability in extreme heat; since your car can reach temperatures of sometimes 120 degrees+. Having Gaffers/Duct tape around can solve nasty problems like not having a lightstand mount, loose clothing, loose cords.
4. 3/8″ mount/adapter: Keep a mount adapter around so that you can add your favorite light to your lightstand. They can be easily lost or misplaced.
5. Bungee Cords: This is a strobist favorite to keep around. This is very useful for keeping your pocketwizard attached to your flash or whatever crazy ideas you may have: hair ties, etc.
6. Plastic Bags: Keep several plastic bags around. You can always make a cheap sandbag out of 5-6 different plastic bags, that ducttape and your excellent tying skills. On a windy day, A sandbag will be great on a winday day. It’ll save you your gear from falling and breaking as well as injuries from falling gear.

Miscellaneous

1. A cooler: A cooler can be an excellent addition to your macrophotography lightbox. Shooting straight into it will allow you an almost perfect seamless background after a couple tries. Additionally, this can be great if you keep it stocked with cool beverages as well. Your bride and groom should be fed plenty of water so they’re more cooperative in the summer sun.
2. Snacks: Keep your favorite granola bar or snack item in the cooler. Most wedding photographers might not recieve a meal break. My favorite is a protein shake. It’s easily a replacement meal.

Illustration Used by Flickr User Protectorrr.

Here are some simple things that will make a big difference in your sales. Most of you do these things already and are the path of success but some are just starting to work on their good sales habits.

1. Be there early. Show up before your client does. If you’re just starting it maybe the Starbucks. Or even your studio. Show up there and have enough time to setup.
2. Story or Humor: Use anecdotes to build rapport. People love hearing entertaining stories. Try practicing these stories on a friend and tweak.
3. Qualify: Qualify your leads.  Set boundaries for what you will and will not do and price upon that.
4. Show them that their time and your time are very valuable: Get your books ready if you’re going to show them your work. Set these things up beforehand. Reinforce to them that you don’t want to waste their time.
5. Always Be Positive: The client might not be in the best mood that day so it might help them with a little push if you are significantly more optimistic than the other person
6. Environment: Pick an environment that matches your style. Selling high end products demand an environment that matches the mood: Meaning Not McDonalds.
7. Dress Well: Dress just a little better than your client or whichever your style sees fit. Don’t change anything about yourself
8. Context is King: People are more willing to say yes if you change the context of the question. Example: Showing your largest wedding photography package and the price and then moving to a lower price would significantly provide more success in selling at a higher price.
9. Ask Questions: Ask questions that will allow you to clarify. Part of being a good sales person is being able to clarify and find their right needs.
10. Consultant: Call yourself a Consultant. You are not a sales person.You are there to help them pick good decisions not to purchase things. The word salesperson has enough stigma already.
11. Flex your Sales Skills: Read (or listen to audio)books often on sales. Like any skill you must keep them strong or they’ll atrophy. Try just reading half an hour a day. You’ll be surprised how much that can add up to. Reading half an hour a day every day can add up to 18+ books a year. That’s an equivalent a college degree reading requirement of most public universities!

More New Math?

Have you ever visited More New Math? More New Math is a website blog and  incarnation of Craig Damrauer. Damrauer guides an individuals through many different situations of life with a collection of often hilarious and humorous equations.

The following is an example:

Meet Photographers Math

Austin & Dara Photographers decided to take a spin on this more new math with Photographers Math. Photographer’s math is a spin on more new math but with a photographers point of view. Their equations are pretty faithful to the original More New Math. At this time of writing Austin+Dara have only written one entry.

The Photography Math will be updated daily. Make sure you make a visit.

Are you on someone else’s computer and you need your photo fixed up? I’ve compiled a list of the top free online photo editors! There are a plethora of really good online photo editors nowadays. A lot of them even integrate into some web 2.0 services: Picasa, Flickr, Facebook, Etc.

Make sure you check out the following online image  editing programs.

Adobe Photoshop Express

Pixlr

Snipshot

SumoPaint

SplashUp

Pixenate

FotoFlexer

I don’t like writing about bad news. I’m an optimist but here ya go:

In New Delhi India CNN Reports a bus hits a bus carrying wedding guests. The bus driver was trying to cross an unguarded railroad crossing in northern India.

I hope and wish the best for the families of the victims.

Source (CNN)

You came here looking to become a Wedding Photographer?

Here are some secrets:

1. This trade is a very lucrative business. Demand is pretty inelastic.
2. Work isn’t as easy as you think. In the long run you will be doing a lot of hard work. Eventually becoming a wedding photographer means you will have to run your own business and learn to become a good saleperson as well as a entrepreneur.
3. Competition: This is a highly competitive market.

Before the age of the internet finding out something like this was a well kept secret. Nowadays, almost anyone can yield a DSLR (Digital Single Reflex Camera) in front of a bride and groom and call themselves a wedding photographer. Everyone has to start somewhere. I knew i started there.

Like any other professions you may have to work your way up. In the field of arts what you do, what you know and

How to Find Work in Wedding Photography

1. Become an Assistant - I think this is the best option. If you don’t have any equipment and/or the wedding photographer isn’t able to lend you equipment.
2. The Next Step: Second Shoot – If you do have the equipment and/or have become an assistant for quite a while; the photographer you’re working with may ask you to move up.  Once you know the ins and outs of wedding photography. A good second shooter provides different angles and views of a wedding. This is helpful usually for the First Photographer to have more material to design albums and/or upsell their packages.
3. Find Work at a Studio: There are plenty of studios that maybe looking for people to work inside the photography studio. Go into their studio get to know the owner and see if they’re hiring.
4. Shoot for a Regional or National Wedding Photography Company: I know many wedding photographers are against it but once you’ve second shot enough i think its a good step in helping you build cash and getting you plenty more weddings under your belt. Some companies include Be-lla Pic-tures. Be-lla usually hires via craigslist.
5. Find Weddings to Shoot – Once you’re good enough and have second shot enough weddings i would suggest trying to find a wedding to shoot for free even. I wouldn’t recommend doing this a lot. Shooting a wedding is a lot of work if you also involve the post processing or editing of the photos. It’s a lot of presure trying to shoot a wedding.

Building Experience and Education

How do you built your expertise in this area?

• Work on your Portfolio: Make sure you refine your portfolio.
• Know Your Tools: Learn the ins and outs of your camera. Learn to use all of the Adobe Creative Suite this will propel to work faster and more efficiently.
• Photography Organizations: Professional Photographers Association, Wedding & Portrait Photographers International , Digital Wedding Forum all are a great resource to join. They all offer educational courses that you can take to learn more about the art, develop
  yourself as a professional photographer and further your career.
• Attend an Art College/School: This is usually an obvious answer. If you want to be trained in the arts or design field make sure you pick a school with a good curriculum. This allows you a solid foundation to fall back on. You can always get a Graduate/Masters degree in something else along the way.

What Will you be Earning?

Depends on the market. Second shooters can be provided usually a per diem/per day rate anywhere from $100-$1000 per day.  Here in Detroit currently $200-$500 would be a good range.

What will i be making annually?

It highly varies by market.  The range large. It can start anywhere between 10,000- 500,000+ (and even more if you’re in the right market).

There are even celebrity wedding photographers can charge at least $50,000-100,000+ USD per wedding. Depending on your client 100,000 isn’t much considering the total budget of a celebrity wedding.

Hello Wedding Photographers! Thank You For Visiting!

We’ve reached an all time high this past few month with almost 3000 visits. Thank you! Thank you for stopping by and reading some articles.

Hey dude! I’m not a Wedding Photographer. I’m actually A bride!

If you’re a to bride looking for pretty pictures and a photographer to hire you’re in the wrong place. You need to email me and I will be able to direct you to a photographer that is within your state. Or if you live in Michigan check out my Michigan Wedding Photography Work

Here’s a list of some our most popular posts in order of visits:

1. Top 10 Tips for Building a Photography Business
2. Facebook Marketing For Wedding Photography
3. Top 10 Free Internet Sites to Promote Your Photography
4. Secrets of How to Price Wedding Photography
5. Top 10 Wedding Photography Sins
6. Creating Solid Wedding Photography Business Goals for 2009 (or In General)
7. Twitter Guide for Wedding Photographers
8. Google SEO Starter Guide
9. Common Tax Deductions For Wedding Photographers
10. Finding Wedding Photography Inspiration

New Readers Leave a Comment!

I would love for you to all introduce yourself! Please take the time to introduce yourself:

1. Your Name
2. Wedding Photography Website
3. Where is your wedding photography studio/company located?
4. What do you love about Wedding Photography?
5. Favorite Lens to Use?
6. What are you looking to read on our website?
7. What is your Twitter name?