wedding photo by David Crane
- Get to know what the couple likes, and what makes them tick. (Lopez)
- Gain complete trust from your client to allow you to create art from their most important day. (Cheung)
- Set up a simple, pleasing pose, and then move around your subject using different lenses, settings, and angles for a variety of unique looks. (Prutch)
- Think outside “wedding photography”… use ideas from other sources of media and art to inspire you. (Cheung)
- Play, tease and encourage your couples, but be cognizant of their comfort level in front of the camera and any boundaries they may have. (Prutch)
- Plan a 10-minute session during the reception, as couples are more relaxed and appreciate the time together away from the crowd. (Prutch)
- Don’t be afraid to pose, talk or cajole to encourage an atmosphere where your clients can feel free to respond with honest emotion. (Cheung)
- You don’t necessarily want to make them smile. You want to talk to them about things that make you either connect or disconnect. (Lopez)
- Be passionate. You will breed excitement and your clients will be ever more wiling to participate in a fun and memorable shoot. (Cheung)
- Have a blast doing it!
Pricing is often one of the hardest areas of the business for photographers. New photographers are sensitive about their lack of experience, afraid they don’t merit a large fee and can’t compete with more established professionals. But even for established professionals, a certain sense of guilt is common when it comes to talking price. Many professionals are almost apologetic when quoting a price, and are much to willing to come down.
I’m no exception.
I recently had a revelation that has helped me a great deal with the psychological aspect of pricing. It has to do with the difference between how photographers and clients perceive any given photo shoot. What many photographers, enthusiasts and pros, often forget is that a photo shoot is a rare and big event for a client. While we do shoots every week, most people might do a professional photo shoot a few times in their lives. A FEW TIMES IN THEIR LIVES.
If you charge cheap, cut corners, or otherwise short-change your clients, you really are depriving them of something special. You are depriving them of the opportunity they may only have a few times to experience a professional photo shoot – to be the center of attention during the shoot, the recipients of small gestures that make them feel like valued clients, and ultimately the recipients of truly beautiful professional images.
Instead of skimping on the price, go ahead and price high. And then make it worth it. GIVE YOUR CLIENTS THE UNIQUE AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WITH A TRULY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER. Dress like a pro, act like a pro, project confidence. Do your homework before the shoot. Go the extra mile to make your clients feel valued before, during, and after. Do everything necessary to create the ambiance of an idealized “photo shoot” as well as produce great images.
Think of yourself as selling an EXPERIENCE, not just a set of photos. If you can do that, I guarantee your clients will be happy to pay for your services. And they’ll remember the experience for a long time to come.
Here’ we will outline a few tips to help you start your own photography business
Find what you enjoy shooting and start shooting it!
Don’t produce a haphazard collection of different images. Then they try to sell the resulting images. Shoot first and then find a market. Pros do just the opposite: they know their market, and then shoot for it. Give yourself a highly targeted list of assignments. Do some at-home product shoots, or portrait or engagement sessions with family or friends. Assign yourself to cover at least 10 mammal species at the local zoo, or spend some time at some local wild areas. Take it seriously – learn about the animals or natural areas you’re covering. As long as your niche is something close to home, you can build a portfolio relatively quickly. Unless you live in Kansas and are determined to have your niche be Central American travel photography, it’s not that hard to build a solid portfolio.
Get your website up and running asap
A website is your online portfolio and your most effective marketing tool. A well-designed site gives you credibility and provide a point of interaction with clients and buyers. Like a storefront, it is a place to which you can direct people, and a way for others to stumble into you while searching the web.
start looking for paid assignments
Of course everyonewants to get paid right away, but you may want to do the first 1-2 events at low rates, or even free. Your friends are giving the opportunity to get started, and you are giving them the gift of your valuable photography time. Use the resulting images as a basis for your initial wedding / event portfolio.
Find your buyers and target them
If you are selling to magazines or publishers, go to the book store and buy copies of your target magazines, and find the names of publishers in your field. Register at Photosource International, and pay for a list of buyer contacts in your niche. Go through Photographer’s Market, and list those buyers in your field.
Join a Stock Photo Agency.
If you are really new, or don’t have a deep and coherent portfolio of images, then you can go right now to Alamy, and start the process of signing up with them. As long as your images meet minimum standards of size and quality, Alamy will provide you with a marketplace. You will learn how the stock universe works, and when your portfolio is deeper, you can take the next step.
