Starting your own business in wedding photography doesn't have to be hard. In fact, it can be made quite simple it you do your homework. Breaking into the "wedding industry" is something that takes time and patience. Be sure, before you quit your day job and decide you're ready to go full-freelance that you know what you're getting in to.
Wedding photography is a niche industry that has one busy season a year and one dry spell a year. If you're content working your entire summer (and most of the spring and early autumn) then you're in the right frame of mind to work as a wedding photographer. You may be thinking, "But I'll only work on the weekends". While that may seem to be true, most wedding photographers do engagement pictures and other wedding-related shoots during the week. In order to pay your bills and build a clientele you'll be working much more than you think.
After you pick up a good camera and start learning to use the light, etc. You've got to get to work on booking jobs. Since you have the internet at your disposal it's best to begin by marketing yourself on Facebook and Twitter. Plus, there are many wedding sites where wedding vendors can post ads for their services. Also, you may want to start making friends with other people who work weddings. DJs and ministers know clients as well. For every time a DJ gets a gig they can always offer the clients your services as well. It won't ever hurt to spread your name around.
Making money is simply a matter of booking enough jobs. Of course, you start with your friends and family and branch out from there. Just one wedding photographed and you're "experienced" and now you have a portfolio. It doesn't take much to have something to catch new clients' eyes.
At the end of the day, it takes time to build up a clientele and a group of people who will refer you. Start with small jobs that don't pay well, but will garner you referrals. After some hard work you'll have more than enough work for yourself, and you may find that you enjoy doing head shots and portraits too.
If you work hard at promotion and networking you will find more than enough jobs during the spring and summer. But, what do you do the rest of the year? You're going to have to be willing to versatile.
A photographer doesn't just "do weddings" regardless of what you may think or they may tell you. Photographers do family portraits, birthday, Bar Mitzvah, anniversary, and even commercial shoots when they aren't working on weddings. Again, it's smart to know people. That same caterer that referred you to your first wedding may be catering a luncheon where they can recommend you for the company's staff portraits. It may not seem ideal, but it's a part of the business you have to get used to. The winter months can move very slowly, but that's a storm you can weather with an open mind and a good attitude.
Wedding photography is a niche industry that has one busy season a year and one dry spell a year. If you're content working your entire summer (and most of the spring and early autumn) then you're in the right frame of mind to work as a wedding photographer. You may be thinking, "But I'll only work on the weekends". While that may seem to be true, most wedding photographers do engagement pictures and other wedding-related shoots during the week. In order to pay your bills and build a clientele you'll be working much more than you think.
After you pick up a good camera and start learning to use the light, etc. You've got to get to work on booking jobs. Since you have the internet at your disposal it's best to begin by marketing yourself on Facebook and Twitter. Plus, there are many wedding sites where wedding vendors can post ads for their services. Also, you may want to start making friends with other people who work weddings. DJs and ministers know clients as well. For every time a DJ gets a gig they can always offer the clients your services as well. It won't ever hurt to spread your name around.
Making money is simply a matter of booking enough jobs. Of course, you start with your friends and family and branch out from there. Just one wedding photographed and you're "experienced" and now you have a portfolio. It doesn't take much to have something to catch new clients' eyes.
At the end of the day, it takes time to build up a clientele and a group of people who will refer you. Start with small jobs that don't pay well, but will garner you referrals. After some hard work you'll have more than enough work for yourself, and you may find that you enjoy doing head shots and portraits too.
If you work hard at promotion and networking you will find more than enough jobs during the spring and summer. But, what do you do the rest of the year? You're going to have to be willing to versatile.
A photographer doesn't just "do weddings" regardless of what you may think or they may tell you. Photographers do family portraits, birthday, Bar Mitzvah, anniversary, and even commercial shoots when they aren't working on weddings. Again, it's smart to know people. That same caterer that referred you to your first wedding may be catering a luncheon where they can recommend you for the company's staff portraits. It may not seem ideal, but it's a part of the business you have to get used to. The winter months can move very slowly, but that's a storm you can weather with an open mind and a good attitude.
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