Finding weddings/events for portfolio

[tim]

Given my limited experience, does anyone have any advice on how to find work doing weddings or other events for my portfolio? I'd do them for a small fee to cover expenses, but even then I don't know how to find customers. I'm sure many others have had this problem before me, any good ideas anyone?

[PhotosGuy]

If you only need a few shots, maybe ask at a church & see if you can piggyback on someone else's wedding.

[kndreyn]

Tim,
I joined www.digitalweddingforum.com and have already helped with a couple of weddings from it. There are a couple of forums there with photographers looking for assistants or second shooters.


Given my limited experience, does anyone have any advice on how to find work doing weddings or other events for my portfolio? I'd do them for a small fee to cover expenses, but even then I don't know how to find customers. I'm sure many others have had this problem before me, any good ideas anyone?

[tim]

If you only need a few shots, maybe ask at a church & see if you can piggyback on someone else's wedding.

Nah, I want another 2-3 complete weddings under my belt. Plus church weddings are probably in the minority here.

The BEST way into the biz is to assist if you get paid, but those jobs are not easily come by.

Third, you can advertise in whatever cheapo tabloid is in your town and shoot cheap weddings. That'll get you a lot of experience pretty fast, but those weddings tend not to produce photogenic people or churches. BUT THEY'RE INTERESTING!What you hope for with the cheapo weddings is to create a composite wedding, and then find someone who intends to spend the money that their parents gave them for photography on an extra week in the Virgin Islands. Two of those weddings, and you're golden and ready to charge market prices.

I know that this sounds bad and very cynical, but once you master your equipment and get the basics of posing down, the rest depends upon your personality, setting, and getting photogenic clients and venues.

You'd be surprised how many people can't get beyond the equipment and personality factors.

I'll look for an assistants job, but I don't think i'll find one. Advertising in a free local weekly newspaper might be a good way to go. I might advertise "opening specials" so they don't think i'm just crap and giving my work away! I'm still working on getting 100% control of the camera 100% of the time, still some to learn there, and I have to work on my people skills too...

Tim,
I joined www.digitalweddingforum.com and have already helped with a couple of weddings from it. There are a couple of forums there with photographers looking for assistants or second shooters.

Thanks for the suggestion, i'll give it a go :) Not many New Zealanders on there AFAIK.

[tim]

That's great advice, as usual, thanks Bloo :)

[robertwgross]

...
I took the trailer park weddings where a quiet wedding meant that the FOB put a silencer on the shotgun.
...


And for a formal wedding, they painted the shotgun white.

---Bob Gross---

[blinking8s]

If you only need a few shots, maybe ask at a church & see if you can piggyback on someone else's wedding.

take you card into some local churches, a ton of people get married on a budget and just want 4x6's to remember it...I know enough college friends who have given me $50 for my time to just be there with my camera, not the most amazing work but I try to please regaurdless, I just hate the lighting in churches with a passion. And many of the local churches will have your contact info when a bride and groom are in similar situations and ask their first.