Summary

1- Its Okay To Say No

2- Deposit Required

3- Shoot Low

4- Keep It Lite

5- Limit Your Scope

6- It's Not About You

Introduction

A year ago, this fashion photographer got hitched. Naturally, when planning a wedding, the responsibility of hiring a photographer fell on my shoulders. I had our budget, expectations, and a short list of wedding photographers whose work I admired. I found the whole process fascinating. Not only because of the role reversal but because I got to learn how photographers in different fields run a business.

Seeing how I shot weddings to pay for college years ago, I have nothing but respect for this profession. From my conversations with wedding photographers, I learned and tweaked my approach to how I do business as a commercial photographer with immediate results. Some things I learned were eye-opening, while others were disappointing. Quick plug, my next article is five things wedding photographers can learn from fashion photographers.

The Six lessons

1) It's Okay To Say No.

Booking an experienced wedding photographer is not just about budget and availability. It's also about personality. An experienced wedding photographer is looking for a good fit for the couples that hire them too.

That first creative call is about learning about the people behind the creative brief. Try to make it a Zoom call or an in-person meeting to check the energy and communication level of all parties involved.

Every shoot has its red flags. It's a part of our job to work with those complications but knows your limits. If the personalities involved have my spidey senses screaming at me, it's a good sign to take a step back and ask myself if this is the right project for me. There is nothing wrong with referring a colleague who might be a better fit.

The good news is the opposite is also true. In the face of complex shot lists and impossible deadlines, the right personalities motivate me to move mountains for my clients.

I know it's tough to say no to work. I used to think it was a luxury to pass on good money on bad projects, but now I see it as a necessity for growth.

2) Get Paid Upfront. 

For me, my advance covers my crew + travel at a minimum. It doesn't have to be most or even half of the total amount bid; however, an advance/deposit/retainer to confirm the booking not only sets a professional tone but frees up funds so you can book travel, secure equipment, etc. Money in hand gives me peace of mind that I can pay my team immediately or, in the event of a post-postponement / cancelation, know that we are all covered.

I used put everything on a credit card and get reimbursed, but it only takes one client who doesn't like to pay on time to ruin that idea.

Before booking a wedding photographer, I used to only ask for an advance if there was a complex travel schedule and equipment I needed asap. Now I ask for up to half of the total estimate up front with a signature on a contract.

3) Shoot Low.

Experiment with force perspective. This idea takes me back to when I shot skateboarders—wide, low, and close. Even after we get the shot, I will frequently grab my b-camera to experiment with strange angles and composition. Most of the time, I find something new and refreshing, resulting in a little library for the client's social media. 

4) Keep It Lite

Every interaction leading up to the shoot should be a positive one. Let the client know that you are generally excited for the "big day" and can't wait to start shooting. Regular injections of a positive albeit cheesy attitude are the best antidote for toxic stress. On the final day and even hours before a shoot, we are all in scramble mode to complete last-minute tasks, but as long as we are all emotionally invested, we all flow right through it and come up with clever solutions along the way. Don't be afraid to be your client's hypeman from time to time.

5) Limit Your Scope

Wedding photographers these days will have a guest limit count that they will not exceed. Some of the best won't shoot events with over 100 guests, while others will charge a premium. This is not a money grab; it's quality control. Fashion photographers would do well to define their limits at the outset of a new project. I am comfortable scaling up because my contracts allow me to add a 2nd shooter once the shot count hits a certain threshold.

6) It's Not About You

It's your shoot and maybe your vision, but your ego is not the point. Obstesivally, the client hired you to fulfill a specific need. It's your job to listen, set goals, listen some more, set expectations, and blow right past them. How do you achieve this? Collaborate. It's a buzzword often misunderstood and overused, so allow me to analogize. You are Jimmy Page, your model is Robert Plant, and your job is to create Led Zeppelin. You have much bigger problems if you don't know those names btw.

Wedding photographers create important images. The bonds of entire families become strengthened because of the photography in their homes. A photographer's work can be admired by generations long after the photographer is no longer around to take the credit. This perspective, I believe, motivates the best shooters. Finding an abstract purpose that pushes your creativity beyond your portfolio is like adding jet fuel to your creative fire.

Wrap Up

The big glaring problem is that photographers don't like to share. We tend to compare, judge, and scroll on while keeping our methods closely guarded. I don't have this problem so I love sharing my experiences. I would love to know about your experiences too. Feel free to message me or leave a comment below.

Next Up: What Wedding Photographers Can Learn From Fashion Photographers.