Are you thinking of starting a career as a wedding photographer? You should definitely consider it. But before you do, there are some things that you need to know about the industry. Whether or not wedding photography is right for you depends on your personality, skills and willingness to work hard. Here’s what we think:
Making money is one of the most challenging aspects of being a professional wedding photographer.
Most photography clients will opt against hiring a professional photographer because of price, either due to budget or perceived value.
The average wedding photographer charges $3,000-$10,000 and makes $20,000-$40,000 per year. This means that an average wedding photographer charges somewhere between $500 and $534 per hour (26 hours shooting time) on average! This sounds like a lot until you consider all the work involved: pre-wedding meetings with groomsmen/bridesmaids for wardrobe selection; travelling to multiple locations for portraits; editing photos into albums; retouching skin imperfections etc.
You may be surprised to learn that many photographers make less than minimum wage when calculating their hourly rate!
Most wedding photographers are self-employed and responsible for all their own marketing, advertising and bookkeeping.
Being a wedding photographer can be a challenging and rewarding career. You will have to work long hours, but the satisfaction at the end of each day is worth it.
Being self-employed means you’re responsible for all aspects of your business: marketing, advertising, bookkeeping and so on. It’s also a big responsibility to take on as an entrepreneur—but one that many photographers thrive in!
Wedding photographers don’t work nine-to-five office jobs; they work long weekends, holidays and spend lots of time away from home.
Wedding photography is a job that requires travel and lots of it. Wedding photographers spend long weekends away from home, work holidays, and are constantly on the road. The average wedding photographer works 18 hours a day throughout the week leading up to their next wedding, then spends another 10-12 hours on site at each event. This can mean working 100+ hours per week for several months in a row or longer!
You’ll have to invest thousands of dollars into camera gear, editing software and other equipment before you even start making money in this industry.
Whether you are a professional photographer or just starting out in wedding photography, you will have to invest thousands of dollars into camera gear, editing software and other equipment before you even start making money in this industry. As an example, if you decide to purchase a top of the line DSLR camera body with all the bells and whistles that go along with it, it will cost around $5K. That’s just for one piece of equipment! You need to factor in other equipment needs as well: lenses, filters, softboxes and umbrellas etc.
The good news is that nowadays most cameras come with built-in WiFi so sharing your images online is easier than ever before! However if this doesn’t excite you then maybe investing in business equipment might do the trick (iPad Pro? MacBook Air?). Maybe not…
But wait there’s more! If becoming a full time photographer isn’t enough stress then don’t forget about marketing & advertising as well as training since these can also eat up quite a bit of cash every month!
Being a wedding photographer requires being able to think on your feet and having great interpersonal skills.
Being a wedding photographer requires being able to think on your feet and having great interpersonal skills. If you don’t enjoy working with people, this may not be the right career for you.
The job also requires you to have a creative eye, because weddings are more than just portraits of a bride and groom; they also include capturing candid moments throughout the day. Wedding photographers need to be able to work quickly as well as effectively communicate with their clients during stressful situations (think: unexpected weather changes or sudden family drama). They must be able to handle stress gracefully while still being able to maintain an upbeat attitude. They must be creative enough in both their artistry and technical abilities so that no matter who hires them for their special day, they will provide high quality images that meet all expectations!
Wedding photographers must also be physically fit since they’re often carrying heavy gear for up to ten hours at a time (or even longer).
You must also be physically fit since you’re often carrying heavy gear for up to ten hours at a time (or even longer). Wedding photographers carry their cameras around at all times, which can weigh between 5 and 15 pounds. Most studios use professional-level equipment that can get quite pricey. If you’re not in shape or don’t want to spend the money on a gym membership, consider investing in some bodyweight exercises that don’t require any equipment at all!
Here are some examples: push-ups, sit-ups, squats and lunges. These exercises will help build muscle mass while improving balance and coordination—all things that will come in handy when dealing with heavy equipment like tripods or lighting stands!
It’s difficult to start a business in photography that supports you full-time, but it is possible
It is possible to make a living as a wedding photographer, but it’s not easy. To do so, you need to be passionate about photography and have an eye for capturing the best moments on camera. You also need to be able to work well with people—your clients will range from stressed-out brides who want all of their photos taken at once, to drunk dads who want every photo of them in the same pose with their daughters, or grandmas who are only interested in posing for one shot (and then eating cake).
Your ability to think on your feet is important; some days will go smoothly and other days will throw curveballs at you at every turn. You’ll need strength in this area if you want things like “practice makes perfect” or “failure is always an option” drilled into your head without rolling your eyes too much since both apply here!
We hope this article has helped you understand more about the challenges of being a professional photographer. While it may not seem like the best career choice for everyone, there are many people who love the flexibility and freedom that comes with this job.