Presenting Mr & Mrs Douglas Fir
The way to make a million dollars is to start with two million and become a wedding photographer.
I was reading an article from mid 2008, and it stated how now is an exciting time to be a wedding photographer, because with digital expenses being low photographers were going to make a lot of money now. The author ( A well know wedding photographer) also added that a lot of other photographers would start shooting weddings because they are so profitable now, and his article was going to walk you through how to become a great wedding photographer.
Let me talk about this second part first. If you believe that an article can teach you everything you need to know about being a wedding photographer or any kind of Photographer. I invite you to have your next major medical procedure done at “Thann Clark’s El Cheapo Hospital” where all of our Drs. have read at least one of the “I am Joe’s Liver” articles from the Readers Digest. Its a great hospital, our ambulance is an Ice cream truck, and will get you to El Cheapo quickly unless we pass by an elementary school or a park, but don’t worry we will bill your insurance for the cost of the circus music, although you will have to pay for any bomb pops or creamsicles you eat on the way.
There are many ways to learn Photography, articles are a great resource, but you only get experience by doing, and doing again. It takes experience to be a wedding photographer, a lot. But maybe you shouldn’t take my word for it, I have only shot a few weddings myself, I am not a wedding Photographer, and I don’t claim to be, and the famous Wedding photographer who wrote the article says he can teach you all you need to know from his article. What is your gut telling you?
You can’t have too much of a good thing!
Competition is good for the market, right? If you are the top photographer in your town, you want a lot of competition don’t you. You want your potential customers to have a large selection of Photographers to choose from, don’t you? Supply and Demand baby, more photographers means less for everybody, and while no one can stop them from crashing the party we don’t have to invite them with “Come on over, it will be fine, its easy to get in” That is not reality, and it is not respectful to those that value quality Photography.
So am I telling newbies to quit.
No, far from it, you want to be a wedding Photographer, then go assist a wedding photographer. Find the best one you can, and work your butt off to learn the vocation, Join the PPA, Join WPPI, get serious. Sure you should read articles, but more important find a mentor, and listen to your gut, and not some Jackass who write articles (or a blog for that matter).
So are you feeling rich yet?
The whole concept that because our expenses our lower, our profits have increased, is a sound one, but not so much for photography. See photographers used to mark up everything. 20-30% on film, developing, printing, retouching, EVERYTHING. This mark up covered other expenses, like the cost of going to the store to buy the film. Yes a healthy profit was made, it was necessary to cover expenses that are hard if not impossible to bill for. Cut to today, There are no processing fees, no film costs, Digital is perceived as costing “Nothing” and you cant charge a lot for burning a dvd, because people know what dvd’s actually cost. There are fewer places to mark-up. This sounds good for the client, its a bad deal for the photographer.
A lot of photographers are not good business people (sorry, it’s true) they don’t know how much every aspect of their business is really costing them, those extra trips to the photo store, that memory card, that new lens. These items are rarely factored in to the estimate or the final bill. Ask your friends, (If asking yourself is too painful) if they keep track of the mileage they put on their car traveling to and from weddings, or to the camera store. Business people keep track of this stuff and bill for it. The mark up of the past covered a multitude of bad business sins. But those days are gone there isn’t as much room to hide.
You want to be a wedding photographer and make a lot of money? Learn business, and learn your business. Learn from the best, but understand this is your journey, no one can just give it to you. Its real work, not just something to do to earn some extra cash.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting thoughts. I hadn’t really considered photographers as business people– probably because they are often such poor business people… I like that you said that photography is a profession, not a way to earn extra cash. I think too many are looking for a quick buck, but it’s tough to charge for photography that you’re not really taking seriously.
this is realistic and great advice. another problem that i have commonly seen with wedding photographers is that friends are always asking for deals for themselves or friends. some even expect it to be free. yes its nice but it is bad business and you will never make a living that way
Great article. I do wedding photography in the Denver area and it definitely is a hard business. I take my photography seriously but had to learn for years before I could ever start my own business and you really do have to treat it like a business. At the same time you need to really enjoy what you’re doing and keep that joy in your work. If you focus to much on the business aspect, you’ll lose the reason you got into photography in the first place.
Really good advice, if you have the talent for it.
Thanks so much on the advices here. So far this article is only the one that is straight on the subject. Very informative.
You’ve got some solid advice going there. Great post!
Photography can be a business, but I prefer not calling it just that. Take the heart out of photography and it becomes a business. Just that. Keep the heart somewhere in there, cultivate it, let it grow, and photography becomes a passion … where, it just so happens, you can earn a living from.
I’m a photographer myself, I’m to achieve this million dollars soon. Thanks for sharing. this could help me achieve my goals.
I’m a photographer, I’ll take these tips so that I can make millions in my profession. Thanks!
I believe it’s just a matter on how photography takes part in our life. To some, they may see it as a business because they’re main goal is to earn money. To others, its a passion, and because of that passion, they were able to capture photos that comes from their heart. Money c0mes in when their photos are recognized and it becomes an asset. You have such a great tips. I believe it comes also from the heart.