Have you thought about becoming a wedding photographer? If you are struggling with the idea of starting a wedding photography business, this article will help you figure out which path is right for you. Read on to learn a few steps to get started in the right direction.
I have been a wedding photographer for over a decade. Not many people say they work with clients on the happiest day of their lives. And, not many people can tell important stories about love, family, and ritual.
On the other hand, wedding photography can be stressful and full of expectations. There’s also giving up your weekends and twisting into unnatural positions to get the shot. But let’s talk about an endless well for creativity and inspiration to keep growing as a creator and human being.
Should You Start a Wedding Photography Business?
You should start a wedding photography business if you want to be a professional photographer, run your own business and enjoy serving couples by creating amazing images and amazing experiences. If you don’t want to run your own business, you might consider working for someone else. If you don’t want to cater to couples, you can consider a different type of photography.
This is good news. I don’t think you necessarily love all aspects of a wedding. You just have to love the same aspects of the wedding that your guests do.
As you dive into the world of wedding photography, there are many styles and genres. There are as many types of wedding photographers as there are brides or grooms.
These are the things I think are helpful things to consider when deciding if you want to start a wedding photography business. Despite how it may look online, it’s not always glamorous. It’s hard work both technically and creatively.
Reasons To Say Yes To Start A Wedding Photography Business
If you are interested in the following, consider starting a wedding photography services business.
- You will be a better photographer and business person if you care about your clients. I believe we should all consider this regardless of our career paths, but maybe it’s just me.
- It can be stressful and overwhelming at first, but so is any new challenge. You will get better as you gain experience and learn the most important tasks.
- Do not think too much. Keep it simple. I recommend starting slow and cutting things off so you don’t go into debt or overwhelm yourself with expectations.
- You will need to learn better about photography and especially learn about light. Wedding photography will force you into many situations, so it’s best to be prepared to handle them all.
- Choose a target. Wedding photography is complex and increasingly competitive. Don’t expect to be an expert right away.
What are the most important steps?
So have you decided you want to start a wedding photography service business? Where do you go from here? Let’s break it down and start with some simple steps.
- Make it official and you’ll start seeing opportunities everywhere. Get started by filing a DBA, setting up a website, and opening a bank account.
- Finding customers. Next is the business of marketing and growing your business.
- To take a photo. Experience is the best way to get better, so get out there and shoot.
- Learn photography. In addition to experience, you will need to learn the techniques and understanding of light.
- Learn business. You don’t know what you don’t know. But you will learn it one way or another!
Here’s a video that dives into these five simple steps to start your wedding photography business a little further.
How do you market and grow?
As you’ve seen, one of the most important steps to starting your business is finding customers. There is no business without people paying you for your services. As you learn more about marketing, you will find countless proven methods that guarantee quick success.
Don’t get trapped. Know yourself, your values, and your budget, and find the right marketing plan for you. Marketing is both a short game and a long game.
Marketing Plan
My proposed marketing plan is as follows,
- Good customer service. Referrals are often the best leads.
- Build your brand. Know who you are and who you want to serve.
- Drive traffic to your business. Use different methods to increase traffic. Maybe it’s social media, SEO, or pounding the sidewalk and going to the bridal shows.
- Convert that traffic. Once you have a solid understanding of your business, make a plan for how you will turn leads into work.
For more on these wedding photography marketing steps, check out this video.
Once done, you need to continue to develop yourself, your business, and your photography skills.
Growth plan
Make your thinking right. As a wedding photographer documenting this important day in someone’s life, how do you view your work and purpose? How will you stay calm during stressful days?
From there, you continue to build your business. You can and should constantly refine everything about your marketing plan and the direction you’re going, what works and what doesn’t.
The best part of this business is that you can continuously develop your photography skills. Once you master family photos, you can learn about how to capture sunsets. After capturing the moments, you can focus on creative portraits.
The better you understand and familiarize yourself with your wedding and outfit, the less you worry about those details and focus on being creative.
Ready to get started?
Ready, set, click! Self-employment has its challenges, but it also has its freedoms. Growing a wedding photography business can be very exciting and rewarding.
I ask you to listen to your heart because weddings are all about love. You don’t have to be concerned with the cakes and hearty stuff, but loving love is a good place to start. I can’t wait to see both you and your business grow!
