How to get started...

So i am trying to get into the wedding photography business, but I know it is not an overnight thing. I will be working on it for the next few years until i can call myself a professional wedding photographer, but right now I am just looking to get started and want to know your advice.

I would like to shoot with photographers already in the area, but I dont know the best way to get a hold of them. I have tried email, and have had very little luck, and barley get a response. My next step is calling or going to their office. What do you recommend?

I dont have a printed portfolio yet, and keep going back and forth if i should get one or not, and if it should be composed of my 2 weddings i have shot as a friend (not THE photographer) or a mixture of all of my photography. I think i should to show what i have done, but then I reconsider because as an assistant I would think they have their own printing/editing way and to be able to show them my online gallery would suffice.

Should I try to shoot exclusively with one photographer or do a few weddings with a lot of photographers? I find the latter would give me a more rounded skill set, but I dont know if assistants are exclusive or not.

I have tried asking to be paid, shooting for free, etc. but i just cant seem to get a response. I am going to be joining another forum based solely on professional wedding photographers and try to see if anyone needs help there, but I would really appreciate any advice you can give me too.

I have business cards, a basic website, the gear and the knowledge to at least help shoot/carry bags/set up light stands. My 5dmk2 will be coming in the mail today, so i will then have 2 cameras. I think the fact that I am still in college may impede me booking some clients for now, but all i want to do now is shoot with others.

Thank you very much.

It's tough to break into a second shooting assignments. A good experience and you should continue to aspire to do so if only for the education, but it's very tough as you already know.

Let me state the obvious; that for many in this profession, business has been tough and it gets tougher all the time. Relentless waves of new and aspiring wedding photographers, the soft economy, an increased willingness of couples to accept amateur/family photographers has put a lot of pressure on margins. Some guys don't work with second shooters. I offer it at an additional cost and not one couple has asked for it all last year because they'd rather put the $'s into their album. Those who work with second shooters regularly probably already have resources that they've worked with in the past and trust.

Try working Craigs' List, both posting your availability as well as scanning Gigs daily. There aren't many, but I'll see a couple (literally, about two) second shooter opportunities come up each month. And I'm sure each one is responded to by a dozen or more.

You will more likely find opportunities to attract clients on a budget and shoot as a primary than break into second shooting. That said, you have some work to do.

Once again, the obvious; your website is weak. Indeed, I don't believe there is even a gallery. Make the best use of images you have of that one wedding. Use other images that are wedding-like (portraits, a party environment, etc.) With a little networking( a posting at the local colleges, taking yourself up around your community) and a Craigs List ad, you should be able to connect with that proverbial bride with no budget who would love to have someone with the right gear and aspiration. I encourage you to shoot for free; the experience and portfolio is worth far more to you than a few hundred dollars. Do a nice job and maybe she throws a few $'s your way as a bonus. But even someone hiring you for free will want to know that you're personable and already has some skill. Gather that portfolio as best you can from what you have.

Hi,

I started shooting weddings last year and found working with other photographers so helpful, so I think you are absolutely on the right track to get started.

Here are my tips for contacting photoraphers and second shooting/assisting.

- find the photographers who have an active web/blog/social media presence. Those who don't may just not like email very much. And while it's a generalization and won't apply to everyone, I think those who are more web/FB-friendly are also likely to be more open to sharing information and helping someone.
- also try to find those whose work and/or style you really feel connected to. Don't bother so much with those whose work you don't really like or admire.
- when you've found the people you would most want to work with, really study their portfolio and read their blog. Find images that you are drawn to and try to pinpoint what about them it is that you like so much.
- Read/listen to the old classic "how to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie. It's all about how to approach people and get them to listen to you and for them to *want* to help you. Remember that people are largely self-centered and love to hear that they are good at something.
- Then - use all of the above to craft a kick-ass e-mail to the photographers you like. Tell them how much you like their work and why. And be specific. Not just "you're so good at capturing moments!" but "I love the way you use backlighting/off camera lighting/whatever in the photo where the bride/groom/whoever is by the cake/flowers/whatever.​" Pick out specific images and comment on them.
- Find something you can do that would be useful to them. Offer to take them out to lunch/coffee/beer if they would be willing to meet. Say that while you are just starting out, occasionally you get inquiries (if you do!) and that you would like to have someone you know to refer these inquiries to. Or offer to assist/second shoot and don't mention pay. But I think that should be the last thing you mention. The focus should be on how great they are and that you recognize their skills and ability.

I wouldn't bother with a printed portfolio - if you have enough images to do a sample album, that would be good.

My .02

Also, I agree that your website could use some work. I would remove a LOT of images - just leave your best ones in. I can't recommend enough Zack Arias's photographer website critiques. They're fantastic at giving you a clear picture of what a good website should - and should NOT have.

Thank you both very much. I will take what you guys said and try to implement it. I really like the idea of picking on certain images and commenting on them.

As for the site, my friend made it for me and it works for now, at least to send them somewhere, but when i do push this to make it a profession, i will spend much more with it. I check craigslist, but have yet to market myself there yet, that sounds like a great idea too.

I am meeting with a wedding planner that ran into me on facebook and she knew me when i was little (literally, she used to babysit me and my brother) so hopefully i will be able to get some good leads to build my portfolio up.

Thank you guys so much, and I will really push to these suggestions to help me get to where i would like to go.

There's a very long waiting list for 2nd shooters and assistants that want to hook up and get mentored by a pro. And quite frankly, in these times I don't see why any main photographer would take somebody on unless they have at least some experience.

I'm a 2nd shooter but that's only because I've convinced the people I work for that I won't one day be stealing clients from their hip pockets as I have no desire to do this on my own. The only "mentoring" I've had are my own observations while on the job with the main shooters.

I don't know where you're at in this business right now but If you just want to get comfortable with the wedding environment, ask some wedding videographers if you can tag along. Tell them you'll carry their gear or whatever they need. This will give you a special invite to actually be at weddings so you can at least observe the flow. If you "shadow" a photographer chances are you won't be shooting much for a while anyway. Plus, a videographer will be less intimidated by the fact you only want to do photos and not be trained to compete with him/her some day.

If I had to do it all over again and never shot a wedding I'd "skip" trying to pair myself up with a pro simply because it's almost impossible to do. I'd familiarize myself with what really goes on at a wedding (like working with a videographer) then do as many freebies as I could for families and friends as I could.

I'll go out on a limb here and say that 95% of today's wedding photographers have had no "mentoring" or formal training by a wedding pro. Those that do are no doubt much better off when they finally start out on their own but like I say... it's hard to get paired up with somebody that will do this so you just need to take matters into your own hands.

RT McAllister wrote in post #9329490
I'm a 2nd shooter but that's only because I've convinced the people I work for that I won't one day be stealing clients from their hip pockets as I have no desire to do this on my own. The only "mentoring" I've had are my own observations while on the job with the main shooters.

I agree that even if you do find someone, don't expect them to be teaching you anything. The education will be from watching and observing. I don't know so much about the stealing clients aspect, though - I think that there are a lot of people now who are willing to share their knowledge. At least in my experience! I was lucky to work with four different photographers last year.

Tagging along with videographers is a great idea.

Red Tie Photography wrote in post #9329476
As for the site, my friend made it for me and it works for now, at least to send them somewhere, but when i do push this to make it a profession, i will spend much more with it.

That's fine. I will share two quick anecdotes though. One photographer I wrote to told me she gets several emails from aspiring photographers every week, and that she tries to at least respond, but rarely does she meet with them. I was taken by surprise as at the time I had not shot a single wedding. I asked why she took the time to write back to me, and she said that I had a solid portfolio and a decent website, so it was clear I was serious about this and it wasn't a passing whim. A second photographer I found through craigslist, and she said that most of the people who responded to her ad had no portfolio or the images were awful, shot in bad light, poorly composed, etc. So I do think that having a solid site is going to help. Flash or blogsite templates are cheap.

You might want to check out Dane Sanders' book Fast Track Photographer.