Photographer becoming a photographer

[Darkhorse]

I've posted about my regular 9-5 job. I'm a photographer. It's steady work, and pretty stable as well. However, photographing coins for a living isn't doing much for me as far as my skills as a photographer go.

I'm becoming more interested in doing part time gigs like weddings, and other stuff as well if possible. Doing weddings once didn't appeal to me, but now having been married myself, I do think I may enjoy it. I have a couple of friends up in Portland who enjoy it as well... I know it isn't all fun and games, as they clearly attest, but if it brings in a few dollars who cares?

My current website, formerairline.com, was set up as a design/illustration portfolio. Now it's just a photo blog that doesn't get updated a lot. So in this regard it fails as both a blog and a portfolio. Plus the name is getting bothersome; back in 2003 you could establish a weirdly-named online persona but now things are much more personal. Plus formerairline has been my email and username for lots of stuff on the web... too much stuff. I think I need to keep my professional end and personal online activities very much separate. There's a record label in Milwaukee called Former Airline that I think could make better use of the name than me.

I registered philiparnoldphoto.com for the time being. I may register another site for my illustration work.

Next is actually building the portfolio. I'm sure I have lots of stuff I can put in one, but if I'm going to do weddings and such I need a LOT more material. How do I get started? How do I network? One way I have in mind is a local gathering of models and photographers. I find the models a tad too young, but it could help me with networking and directing.

http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=630534

I know co-workers' kids who are getting married so that may be an opportunity as well... but having never shot a wedding I'm wary of doing that solo. But, if I network well, I could tag along with another professional. This happened with my wedding - we were glad to have the extra photographer for free, as I'm sure any couple would.

There's a lot more I need to know as well, especially when it comes to strobes. I'm sure there's books and workshops. There's lenses (and possibly bodies... my 40d is getting on in age) that I need to buy as well. Maybe reflectors / lights as well. That means costs pretty much.

But for the time being until I'm legally able to have an extra source of income as per my Department of Homeland Security stipulations, I should build my portfolio and website on a cost effective (as in working for free) basis.

Am I on the right track? Any tips?

 

[Gumby]

Am I on the right track?

Maybe, but after reading your post twice I'm not entirely sure where you are headed.

If you want to be a wedding tog, suggest you get your basic knowledge in order as well as your equimpment... and work a few as a "second shooter" wheter it generates a pay check or not. You are jutified in being wary of going it alone too fast.

p.s. I have no recollection of your previous discussions of your 9-5 or your DHS issues... it isn't a great assumption that others will remember them either. 🙂

 

[Darkhorse]

Here's the link to the thread I referred to.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87336

I have no real issue with the job. I love the job, it's a stable job. But I'm in an office by myself all day.

I'm a Canadian citizen on a limited non immigrant status in the US so I can only have one source of income. I'm about to apply for a greencard so that'll change soon.

 

[Gumby]

Personally speaking... I wouldn't risk violating the terms of a limited non immigrant status, or even a "green card," unless you speak good Spanish. The bus only goes South for those that are being deported. 😉

 

[Darkhorse]

Well I have no intention of violating it, which is why I suggested doing the free work until my immigrant status is confirmed (should've maybe made that clearer, sorry).

 

[Gumby]

I understood you; I'm teasing.

Working as an intern to someone in the wedding biz is a really good idea. Working for cash compensation (under the table) is a good idea too.

 

[ebino]

You should ask yourself what you want from photography? And whatever you want is that really practical and sustainable for a family man like you or not?

The only way to make money in photography is weddings. Other than that there is really nothing out there, which not already contested by a thousand of other photographers and is currently occupied by veteran photographers.


So, as a family man be practical and keep your day job at all costs.

 

[user237428934]

You should ask yourself what you want from photography? And whatever you want is that really practical and sustainable for a family man like you or not?

The only way to make money in photography is weddings. Other than that there is really nothing out there, which not already contested by a thousand of other photographers and is currently occupied by veteran photographers.


So, as a family man be practical and keep your day job at all costs.

Why do you think that the market for wedding photographers is not already saturated like in the other fields?

 

[Gumby]

It (wedding market) is, but there is always the "bargain" market available... unlike, say, commercial photography where many are employees rather than freelancers. I'm wondering how portrait studios are doing these days... maybe that's more approachable another market.

 

[ebino]

Why do you think that the market for wedding photographers is not already saturated like in the other fields?

Because you could always go a little cheaper than the other guy.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Why do you think that the market for wedding photographers is not already saturated like in the other fields?

It is, but there is a much larger market for weddings and portraits than there is for any other type of photography. How many people ever hire a commercial photographer to do product photography? Very few! Everyone, however, needs and wants portraits of their family, and they have to be redone every year if you have growing children. Most people get married at least once and sometimes more than once in their lifetime. There are 320 million people in the USA. There's room for new wedding photographers, if you're good.

 

[Gumby]

Most people get married at least once and sometimes more than once in their lifetime. There are 320 million people in the USA. There's room for new wedding photographers, if you're good.

With numbers like that, who says that "good" is a necessary criteria? 😉 One only needs to hire a "good" wedding photographer if the marriage is going to last. 😀

 

[thegman]

I'd also say that "good" may not be a requirement in some parts of the world, "cheap" may be more important. Also, maybe having something different to offer may help. In some areas of London, I'm sure if you said you'd shoot a wedding on a Holga, it would be a selling point. In others you could offer to shoot only B&W film in an old looking Hasselblad. In others, of course, they may prefer the standard DSLR approach.

 

[Darkhorse]

I'm not going to give up my 9-5 on a whim. But still, the wife and I discuss our future, and we daydream about heading back out east. Raising a family somewhere where there's weather, and not in Southern California. We miss falls, we miss snow sometimes, we miss now new everything seems in the spring, and the sweet smells of a balmy summer.

However, there's not many places where I can do what I do. Ottawa maybe? I applied for a job at the museum of civilization (just for kicks and to update my resume). I didn't hear back from them, but that's no big deal. The job ad did say there would be use of strobes... and like I said I don't have much experience with them. Still there's the Currency Museum and the Royal Canadian Mint.

What I'm trying to say is, that if I have to move around in the future it would be good to be able to do things to support myself if need be. Thus, expanding my skills and experience would be beneficial. What else can I do? I have an art degree and a diploma in graphic design. Not much to go on. Maybe talking with a career counsellor would be better. I dunno.

 

[tlitody]

With numbers like that, who says that "good" is a necessary criteria? 😉 One only needs to hire a "good" wedding photographer if the marriage is going to last. 😀

The really great thing about digital is that you can get the images to bride before the divorce😀

 

[healyzh]

I'd also say that "good" may not be a requirement in some parts of the world, "cheap" may be more important. Also, maybe having something different to offer may help. In some areas of London, I'm sure if you said you'd shoot a wedding on a Holga, it would be a selling point. In others you could offer to shoot only B&W film in an old looking Hasselblad. In others, of course, they may prefer the standard DSLR approach.

I don't do Wedding Photography, and have no desire to, but from what I'm hearing there is a lot of truth to this. I think it has something to do with how sterile and fleeting digital photography can seem.

 

[kipkeston]

The tricky part if you've never shot a wedding is convince someone to let you shoot their wedding. Once you've shot one wedding, you can expand rather quickly. Depending on your location, the market can be big but always competitive.

 

[pggunn]

I never thought I would enjoy wedding photography. Every now and then someone would ask if I did weddings and I usually joked that I only did weddings if I was also allowed to shoot the honeymoon. That usually discouraged them!

About two years ago someone I've known for quite some time asked me to do his wedding. Actually, it was his fiance who saw my work and got him to ask me. I somewhat reluctantly agreed. Now I'm getting ready to do my sixth wedding and have discovered that it's a lot more fun that I thought it would be, not to mention demanding, challenging and time consuming.

I think I could get more work if I tried, but I don't network or advertise and have gotten the few I've done solely by word of mouth. If they like my work, and we come to an agreement, I'll do the job. I do weddings reportage style, more like street shooting or candid photography, and tell potential clients that I don't do what I call mug shots, formal portraits, but I will do a few obligatory group shots before or after the ceremony.

The final product is delivered as a DVD with several slide shows set to music (which I insist they purchase from iTunes or wherever, before I burn the DVD,) and includes folders with full resolution jpgs. Also, if they want them, I'll do an album and individual prints, etc. I use Aperture and iDVD primarily, and use Adobe Illustrator and Epson's software to design and print a jewel case insert and the DVD disc itself.

The menu on the last wedding DVD I did had five slide shows: Prelude, Ceremony, Reception, Color, and Mug Shots. Each menu item had somewhere between twenty-four and forty-eight black & white photos, except, you guessed it, Color.

I've averaged about five hours of actual shooting, sometimes more if I'm asked to do the rehearsal dinner, etc, per wedding. For every hour I shoot, I probably spend three or four in post-processing, design and layout. It's a lot of work, but I enjoy it and most importantly, so have the brides and grooms and family.

I agree with previous responders to your post about getting experience as a second shooter, even though I didn't go that route myself. In lieu of that, I got practice shooting festivals and other public events, some family reunions, parties, and some candid family portrait sessions in the park, and other events. It gave me valuable experience and gave me the confidence to do that first wedding, though I still get nervous before each one I've done so far. That nervousness quickly fades though once I start working. Once I get in the zone, I'm single minded, in the moment, and can go all day and all night. But once it's over, I crash big time. It's exhilarating and exhausting work!

As far as lighting goes, I'd recommend the Strobist site:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html


It's a great resource. Joe McNally's books are very good too.

I'm certainly not a seasoned pro and there are probably others here who can give better, more informed advice, but thought you might like hearing from someone who has some recent experience as an accidental wedding photographer.

I think it's certainly worth pursuing, and even if you end up going in a different direction, you will definitely learn much and gain some valuable experience.

Good luck!