Business Wedding Photography
October 21, 2003
How do I start a wedding photography business in Ky?
Elizabethtown area
GG gives good advice! (thanks for the reference, GG!)
First, do you have experience photographing weddings? The easiest (and safest, for the bride & groom, at least) is to offer to assist an established wedding photographer. Most will let you use the images you take for your own portfolio. You learn the ins and outs of the big day, and how to manage your timing and work flow.
You will need quality equipment and backups of everything, camera bodies, lenses, flashes, cords, memory, etc etc. Unless you are shooting film, you will need a fast computer and expensive software. Unless you are 100% confident that you can nail a jpeg every shot, you will need to learn how to manage RAW workflow.
If you’re ready skill-wise and equipment-wise,, then you need to do marketing homework. Figure our what it costs you in time and materials, equipment, overhead etc. Then research the prevailing rates in your area, and the competition. Don’t forget advertising and insurance. How successful you will be depends as much (or more) on your business know how as your photography skill. There are great photographers failing at business, and mediocre photographers making a great success.
Good luck!
Wedding Photographers
