Friday, October 17, 2008

Digital Photography: Becoming a wedding photographer

By Dan Feildman

Weddings are full of memories you want to keep. That's why many couples hire a professional photographer to record and capture their marital bliss. There is a big market for photographers qualified for the job, so how can you make money becoming a professional wedding photographer? The key to getting business is contacts. A successful photographer must have great business relationships with wedding planners. A popular wedding planner will create a lot of business with his or her recommendations.

Successful wedding planners only work with proven professional photographers with experience as a wedding planner's reputation is extremely important. They will never recommend an unknown service to their clients. So your first job is to get known. You will have to create an impressive portfolio and a few testimonials from satisfied customers.

To build up a portfolio, offer your services in return for testimonials. Make sure you have the copyright for your photographs so that you can use these in your portfolio. Often your first client will be from your social circle, so get the word out about your service. Word of mouth is the best recommendation, but with your new portfolio and testimonial, you are prepared to search for wedding announcements in your local newspaper.

Contact the bride and offer your service. You can either send promotional material by mail or try phoning her. You can offer to take pictures of the bride's house and the preparation for the wedding which can produce some great photos. This service is rarely offered by studio photographers, so this extra effort will make you stand out.

Offer to photograph events related to the wedding for example bridal showers, the rehearsal dinner or the gift opening. Another way to generate business is to contact people involved in weddings such as florists and bakeries, and inquire about leaving brochures or negotiating a referral fee.

Being inventive and creative in the way you approach business goes along way in wedding photography. For example try working with a local artist to produce scrapbooks for your customers. You will offer a completely unique work of art to hold your clients happy memories. As a final tip, make sure to please the bride. Make her happy, and your job will be a lot more enjoyable. - 15437

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