15 Tips for Wedding Photographers:

Where to start, how to get there, how to stay there. Secrets for professional and aspiring wedding photographers from Gavin & others.

by Gavin Seim: How do I handle my first wedding? How do I become a pro? I get these type of questions fairly often. Weddings aren’t for everyone but most aspiring and pro photographers will photograph a wedding sometime in their career. There’s much to be learned from what’s demanded of us at a wedding. While this article is aimed at those getting started, seasoned pro’s will get ideas too.

Today I’ll give some I’ll talk the basics of how I see and think when I photograph a wedding. Tips 1-6 will focus on getting great images. Then we’ll talk a bit about a  post production and business (which is every bit as important). As we go thru them I’ll post some favorite images and share some thoughts.

The first wedding is daunting. Let me say that I won’t be talking about extreme photography basics in this article. If you’re at that stage there’s no shame in it, but you should gain some experience before tacking a wedding on your own. It’s a one time event and if you get it wrong you will be, at best, a sore spot in the eyes of your client. That’s not good for getting new clients and both you and your client deserve better.

If you can, second shoot aside an experienced photographer it’s a great way to learn, gain better portfolio and get more confidence. In my case that never happened. Though got serious about photography at age 12, my first wedding was cold turkey. I photographed for fun at a wedding and the couple loved them. That pushed me forward and my first paid wedding came awhile after. The rest is… Well the rest is below.

Before my first wedding I absorbed the information in at least three wedding photography books. That helped me get a feel for what should happen. Without that study I would have missed a lot of important things. Resources like this are great (I wish I had had them) but a book can help you get perspective and have a reference to review. I’ll list few good books to get you rolling at the bottom of this post.

My first paid gig was back in the film days. I was about eighteen. Armed with my Canon EOS3, a cheap flash, a cheap zoom lens and an old monolight strobe handed down from Doug Miller, a real local pro, I became a wedding photographer. Was I good? No, but I was enthusiastic.

As I set up for alter returns I fried my flash. I had no light meter. Oh well. I hooked up the strobe, guessed at what I “thought” the exposure should be, covered myself with a little bracketing and sayed a prayer. I pulled it off. and the wedding came out OK considering. Looking back I cringe, but the couple got their shots. This all started around 2002. Since then I’ve learned much. Some the hard way, some from other experienced pro’s.

1: Gear.
Let’s get this over with. Great cameras do not make great photographers. This is coming from a gear nerd. I love cool equipment, but being a pro is a separate issue. Currently I’d suggest starting with a digital SLR (even the cheaper ones are really good), a flash and the best lenses you can afford. Glass is probably the most important, but a good photographer can make great pictures with poor glass. It’s just not as ideal. You’ll also need backup gear. Bought or borrowed, make sure you have it.

Things change so fast it would not make sense to delve deep into gear talk. Those questions are great for the forums. There’s also plenty of gadgets and tools listed in the PPS Amazon store, so look there if you want to ideas.

2: Be professional, be fun.
You’ve been hired to be a part of the day. Be remember and remember you’re a big part of the day. Contribute and get involved in a fun relaxed way. Don’t be too pushy or rude, but take charge. The couple need the confidence that you know whats coming and how to handle it.

3: If you’re bored, so are your images.
A wedding is a party. Nobody really wants to see a picture of themselves standing around looking dopey. I see a lot of this and did it when I was starting out. Showing people having fun, is fun. Showing them looking bored, is boring. Also don’t be afraid to aim the camera and do it with energy. Don’t sit on the sidelines like a blob. Keep moving and stay energetic even when when you’re tired. I get a load of comments about how much energy I have. People love it, it’s contagious, impresses clients and keeps me on my game.

4: Be obvious. And be inconspicuous.
Balance is key. A photographer who stands in between the minister and the couple during the ceremony is gonna look like a boob. Yet a photographer who’s too shy to get involved is going to go unnoticed miss things. Remember the guests could be your next client.

Sometimes it’s time to slip on a long lens and get out of the way. Others get in close, laugh and help the energy pick up. It’s hard to tell you when and where to do what. This is a skill you’ll need to pay attention to and get a sense for. Use common sense. Stay invisible when it’s right (like the ceremony) and get in on the action when it works (like the reception)

5: Don’t sweat it.
A great photographer needs to stay cool under fire. Unlike many jobs you nearly always have an audience that expects you to know your stuff. Sometimes you’ll have a situation with plenty of time to think. Often we have to act quickly. We all have situations where we think “carp, what am I going to do” Never say it out loud. Don’t be arrogant, but stay confident and make decisions quickly when needed. Sometimes you just have to decide. Do you best and keep moving. It will make a stressful situation less stressful and give you and your client confidence.

6: Overall Quality:
Marketing is a big part of a pro’s work, but your images should be amazing too. Practice and learn from other photographer, books, sites and workshops. Take time to practice. Look out for the big things that can wreck a great image like cluttered backgrounds. Try throwing them out of focus with a longer lens or wider aperture.

Making a “good” shot needs to become second nature, so you can push yourself and make “GREAT” shots. Don’t stop trying new things. Keep looking around all the time (even when your not shooting). Observe light, shadows and framing. Learn to see elements that will add or detract from your subject. Keep an eye on those eye’s and make them POP. Learn the mechanics of your gear to make sure your shots are correctly exposed, sharp and dramatic.

7: Simplicity, Simplicity, Simplicity.
I harp this fairly often, but it deserves a category every time. The most common problem I see in failed shots is distractions. Remember, if it’s not somehow leading the eye to the main subject, it probably does not belong in the frame. Lead the viewers eye to the main subject and make every other element secondary. It’s not always easy, but must be done as much as possible. Learn take in all the details in an instant and make a decision about what a scene needs. It could be anything from straitening a necklace, to moving the subject a step sideways, to changing the entire location. We never arrive. I still miss details that I kick myself for later, but I also learn from them.

8: 80/20.
This is a very old rule of the successful photographer. “80% business and 20% photography” we always say. It’s true. In fact it might be more like 90/10. Great images are important and you owe it to your clients to excel at making them. If you want to make photography a business however you have to be more than a photographer.

If you want to get hired you have to learn to sell yourself, make happy clients and promote your work. Being a great wedding photographer encompasses much more than clicking the shutter. If you can’t handle the business end you better hire someone really good, or go to work for someone.

9: Face Time
Connect with your clients before a session. Talk to them, make them comfortable and get to know them as much as you possibly can. This will not only pay of in your sales results, but in the quality of your work. A client who’s become your friend will be more relaxed, a better model and a more satisfied customer.

10: Free Marketing.
The best marketing is free in the sense that you don’t pay an advertiser. You do have to work for it however. This is especially important as a wedding photographer. Truth is there’s a lot of flaky wedding photographers out there who call themselves pro’s. Brides are cautious at best. When starting out your battle is the worst. Go the extra mile to thrill them. Over deliver on your promises. Don’t just make them “satisfied”. If you want that precious  “word of mouth” marketing, you’ll have to work for it.

11: Presentation & Products:
I’m not here to say what products you should offer, but make sure they please your client and help promote you. If you only give a digital disk you’re client is probably putting it in a shelf and doing little with it. It just seems to happen that way. That means their probably not seeing their wedding photo every day, or showing them to friends like they would with wall portraits and albums. Even if they loved their pictures, they may not be raving about you because their not reminded. This is something I’ve learned the hard way.

Take everything to the next level. You probably won’t gain “top dog” appeal overnight, but take time to think it thru. Everyone won’t buy the big album, especially when you’re just starting out, but work out your offering so they get some physical photographs to show to friends. Make your presentation great with nice packaging (that does not always mean expensive, be creative) Think of products to get into your clients hands that they’ll show to their friends and cherish for years to come.

12: Post Processing:
Chances are you’re shooting digital, but even in the film days, the best photographers knew how to edit and manipulate their work. I’ve watched an airbrusher sit in front of a print and remove wrinkles like I would clone them away in Photoshop.

Even great images often need a little something more. It’s pretty much expected you’ll be doing some correction. Don’t think you can shoot and burn and get a reputation for great work. I always take the time to work with my images to make them even better. Dig in and leverage programs like Lightroom or Aperture, to stay creative and speedy. Take the time to get a grip on your editing tools so you can add that special something to the images that can benefit from it. All my images you see here were processed.

Don’t go overboard, just be creative. I often see new photographers adding too much to their images. Getting hooked on faded or vintage effects, applying gimmicks too often. I’ve been there. Over editing is often an attempt to make a great shot out of an image that’s so so. There’s not a set rules, but as always balance is usually the key.

Since I’m talking editing, and somewhat of an expert on it, I’ll mention my own, Seim Effects. These are what myself (as well as photographers all over the world.) use to finish their images. I’m honored they’ve been so well received. Check them out if you like. You can use code WEDDING to get a special discount. You’ll also find some freebies on the site. plus workflow and editing tips. There’s also many other places online to get free as well as paid for effects and add on’s for editing that will help you be faster and more creative. Here’s a list of some companies that give  special discounts to PPS readers.

13: Don’t under-value yourself:
Photographers who are just starting to get paid for their work often think their in hog heaven when they get $500 for a wedding. Heck it’s money for doing what you love. Most seasoned pro’s remember those days. While you may have to work cheap at first, don’t hang there. A $500 client will refer $500 friends and in reality it’s not much at all. If you can consistently photograph weddings for $500 and make a good profit then you’re not doing a very good job.

I won’t say where you’re prices should be because it’s a broad question. A good one to ask on the forums. Just remember that you’re time and talent is worth something. Always do your best, but keep kicking up your game. You probably won’t be able to charge high ball prices overnight. Just don’t give yourself away.

14: Tips from the Twitter: (quick nuggets from other experienced wedding photographers)

• Service first gets referrals. Attend to bride & grooms needs, even if their not photo related. From @Mark_Quinn
• Treat every wedding as your first. Look on it with a fresh eye & don’t let complacency set in. From @mooheremoothere
• Stay calm, don’t panic when all those around you are. @fhotographer
  
• Always give customers MORE than what they expect. From @onephotonerd
• It’s the biggest day of the Bride’s life. Treat it as such. From M Thresher
• Expect the Unexpected. Scout Your Locations. From @Scott Greene
• Bring a sewing kit / Think outside the Uncle Bob box / Carry your memory cards on your person. From @Caledonia
• Never be without backup gear / You are only as good as your last job. From @bksecretphoto
• If you have no confidence in yourself, your client won’t either. From @FullMetalPhotog
• Know how to become an instant wedding coordinator & Befriend the DJ. From M Thresher
• Bring a set of backup clothes to keep in the car. You never know what’s going to happen. From B Brown

15: Closing thoughts:
It’s hard to stop writing because there’s so much to say. I wish I could sum it all up for you in a few words, but there’s enough information that I could write a book on the subject. Let me just say that if you want to be a wedding (or any) pro photographer you’ll have to work hard at it. Learn to make simple powerful scenes that tell a story.

Remember that growing business is not easy. For some of you, staying an enthusiastic amateur will be more rewarding. If you decide to go pro, learn from other photographers and make friends not enemies. I’m sure some of my future competition will read these tips, but that’s OK because collaboration is powerful and by working together we all move forward.

Never stop learning. Always practice, observe and study. Many consider me an expert, but in my young career I’ve barely scratched the surface of photography and marketing. There’s always something new we can learn. We should always remember that as pro photographers we’re in a service business. Serve your clients with care and attention to detail and it will pay off in the long run.

Resources & Notes:
Maybe I’ll have a wedding workshop one day soon, but for now here’s a recap of resources I mentioned as well as a few others that will help you learn.

You can follow my tips and updates on twitter @gavinseim. Here’s the Seim Weddings site and blog. I also have all my projects and content listed on Seim Studios, including the new KungFu Photo where I post tips and analyze images.

Here’s the PPS reader product discounts page I mentioned earlier. And the PPS Amazon store page where you can find our favorite of cool photo tools. You can also check out the Adobe Exchange for lots of free effects add on’s. If you need to learn more in Photoshop (we all do), watch Photoshop TV. For LR check out Lightroom Killer Tips. Also stop by Digital Photography Connection for many good learning videos on various areas of photography. And don’t forget the Wedding Tip Wednesday tips by our own DZ.

Books. This is how I started as a wedding photographer. Even if you have a mentor, reading good photography books cover to cover will help you learn and get a foundation for how and what to shoot. There’s many out there, but here’s a few you might start with.

• Digital Wedding Secrets. A plethora of weddings techniques from Rick Sammon & others (including myself)
• Wedding Photographers Handbook. Perhaps a little dated, but one on the three books that got me started.
• Professional Secrest Of Wedding Photography. Another of my first.
• Digital wedding photography.
• Best Of Wedding Photojournalism.

I would personally like to thank all the photographers who have helped me learn over the years and those who helped me with thoughts and ideas for this article and contributed twitter tips. By working together, we grow stronger… Gavin

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