10 things I learned from my years as a wedding photographer

 

Today I am sharing all the things I have learned as a wedding photographer for 10 years. Had I learned some of these lessons early on, I probably would have saved myself a lot of headache and maybe would have been more successful earlier on. My goal for writing this is to help you get a step ahead and skip some of the trial and error phases in your own photography journey.

 

1. Your competition won’t always be your competition

 

When first starting out, I swore everyone and their mother was starting a photography business. I probably could have counted 10 or more people that I knew at the time who wanted to be photographers also. So if you are just getting started it might feel like the whole world is a wedding photographer. Especially with social media, you feel like the industry is way too saturated and you don’t have a shot. The fact is, 99% of those people are not going to stick with it long term. And as you grow your own business, your direct competition will change. So don’t put too much stress on it.

 

2. You are on your own path

 

Yes, that sounds fluffy but it’s so true. Comparison is going to destroy you if you let it. Don’t spend so much time looking at what other photographers are doing. The more you try to be someone else, the less successful you will be in the long wrong. Not to mention, you will feel burnt out from trying to copy everyone else. Stick to what you like and what feels good for you and I promise you, the dream clients will come!

 

3. Don’t be a jerk

 

Does this actually need to be said? Yes, it does. I’m not sure what it is about the wedding industry but there are a lot of gate keepers and snobs. I have no problem saying it like it is. Like most things in life, if you use kindness and basic human decency, you will go far. Follow through with your commitments, admit when you are wrong. Show empathy to your clients and other vendors.

 

4. Respond quickly

 

The fact of the matter is, the faster you respond to inquiries the more likely you are to get booked. Chances are that client is reaching out to several photographers at once and the first one to respond back is going to have the best chance at winning them over. This is also a good practice for already booked clients. You want to be prompt with your response times so you are seen as reliable. Nothing is more stressful to a bride to be than her photographer ignoring her. Trust me.

If you want more tips for how to get more inquiries as a photographer, check out my free guide here!

 

5. Learning is not a scam

 

When I first got started as a photographer I was pinching pennies and couldn’t afford much. But I wish I would have spent the money I did have differently. Specifically on education. Now I get it. There are a ton of photography educators out there. Everyone and their mother has a course to sell you. And not all of them are going to be super great. But that doesn’t mean that they are ALL scams. My advice, if you want to get ahead quickly, is to follow photographers you love for a while. If they offer educational resources, Utilize them. But only once you know that they are genuine. Don’t just swipe your card on a random photographer who claims they can make you 6 figures if you know nothing about them.

 

6. Advertising is not rocket science

 

When it comes to marketing and promoting your photography business there are really two angles. You either need to have a REALLY good final product that you offer and then it’s ok to suck at marketing. OR you need to be REALLY good at marketing and have a mediocre final product. No, I’m not kidding. Frankly, I think a lot of photographers are the 2nd option. Not everyone is a super great photographer, but they are good at posting, sharing, and telling stories. And their businesses are booming because of it. Don’t let the idea of perfection scare you away. You might start off just average and as your business and skillset grows, you can step back on marketing so strategically and let your work speak for itself.

 

7. You really don’t need much gear as a wedding photographer

 

There are going to be photographers screaming at you that you need to have top of the line everything to be successful. That just is not true. I have photographed hundreds of weddings on the same camera I have had for like 8 years. Not once have I felt like my work is less than or had it hindered the inquiries rolling into my inbox. Sure, upgrading from time to time can be fun and might sometimes be necessary but do not go into debt for gear thinking you HAVE TO.

 

8. There are highs and lows

 

Running a photography business is always going to have highs and lows. Some years you will have 30 weddings booked and the next year there might be a global pandemic. Gotta love the year 2020 am I right? It’s important to know that it’s normal for these highs and lows in any business and that you have to be able to just ride it out sometimes.

But in these cases of lows, it’s good to have another stream of income just in case. Check out this post I did for 5 steps on how to start a side hustle!

9. All you need is a 35mm lens

 

Literally. If you are starting a wedding photography business on a budget, go out and buy a somewhat decent camera body with a nice 35mm lens and you are good to go. This lens is he most versatile in my opinion and it never left my camera. Need a recommendation? Try this lens! And this camera body!

 

10. Experiment until you find what works for you

 

The best part of owning a business is you have no rules. You can try things, and adjust as needed. Do what works for you and what you enjoy. That’s all that matters!