Welcome to Who Wants To Be A Wedding Photographer? As our guest, we would like to provide you with the first chapter of our incredibly informative eBook for free as part of our blog launch.
The full copy of the eBook can be purchased for just $8.99. If you're looking to take your first step toward launching your own photography business, Who Wants To Be A Wedding Photographer? is an essential introduction to what you will be facing. Avoid the pitfalls. Start smart.
Chapter 1: The First Step
My entry into professional photography was as an assistant to a wedding photographer friend who had been quite encouraging. He probably suggested that I could do this professionally about 15 times before I actually took him seriously. My hesitation had been due to my belief that a person couldn’t be a “professional” in any particular field unless they had received proper training. Then I realized that this guy had a $400,000 home and a family and was supporting his lifestyle without ever having taken a class in photography. After the 15th nudge from him, I thought to myself, “Maybe he’s right. Maybe I can do this.”
The Learning Curve
Realizing that you don’t have to go to school to learn how to make money as a photographer is what opened me up to taking the next step. I studied my wedding photographer friend’s work a good deal, absorbing as much as I could about the craft. My one and only gig as his assistant was shooting an event at the Columbus Museum of Art, a swanky retirement party for a local surgeon. I was impressed with some of the figures in attendance, most notably the Columbus Zoo’s Jack Hanna, who’s been on the Tonight Show a number of times.
After that taste of shooting as a pro, I was hungry for more. I served as an assistant for other photographers, learning the ropes shooting weddings. It quickly became clear to me that photographers are quite open to taking on assistants for shoots. It doesn’t matter to them if you take 3,000 bad pictures because they’re not paying you for your services. The situation is more of a tradeoff of a learning experience (and portfolio pieces) for a higher profile. You are able to cut your teeth without risking your reputation or potential clients by taking bad shots and the photographer looks that much better in front of his clients because he showed up with an assistant, a sign of success to most people. Having been on both sides of a deal like this, I can attest to its low-risk/high-yield nature.
Pay Your Dues
Assisting is a great first step for the novice event photographer because it pays to have some type of apprenticeship. I would even go as far as to suggest cold-calling photographers in your area and just let them know that you’re a digital photography enthusiast looking to volunteer/intern. Never underestimate how valuable an extra set of hands can be to a busy professional.
