When you are interested in bettering yourself as a wedding photographer, what do you do to find inspiration? Following your fellow photographers on social media and checking out their websites is great to discover ways to shoot and create dynamic photos. Although there are many wedding photographers who are talented and produce beautiful images, there are other photographers outside of the wedding industry who have creative shooting styles you can use to gain additional inspiration. So you can continue improving and making changes to the way you shoot, pose, and light your photos, here’s 8 (non-wedding) photographers you need to start following today for inspiration.
1. Drew Hopper
Fine art, travel, and landscape photographer Drew Hopper, showcases gorgeous photos from around the world on his website. His images are creative and tell stories of exactly what he is shooting at the moment. Use Drew’s images to inspire you to take chances when you choose locations and backgrounds to shoot your couples and their wedding party. Even in the most challenging situations, your shooting skills should help you create the photos your clients will love.
Related: Are you properly capturing emotion during your shoots?
2. Sarah Lee
Sarah Lee shoots underwater, landscape, and lifestyle photography. Her photos feature outdoor and adventure photography, much of which represents the Hawaiian and surf culture. Setting the correct mood in your photos assists you in telling the story of the wedding day for the bride and groom, especially when you are in an outdoor setting. Look to Sarah’s galleries to find inspiration for your outdoor shoots and how you can deliver the correct mood, even during action shots.
3. Jeremy Cowart
Portrait photographer, Jeremy Cowart, specializes in celebrity portraits. Although you may focus on shooting weddings, there are moments where you will have to master the portrait, such as during the bridal shoot. Not only has Jeremy’s work been featured in People Magazine and TIME, he has traveled with celebrities to capture what they do in action. You can also find inspiration from Jeremy’s other humanitarian projects, such as his photo essay about the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
4. Kirsten Lewis
Kirsten Lewis, a documentary family photographer, captures the everyday lives of the families she shoots in her images. Her images are creative, personable, and provide a realistic quality to her portfolio. Use a similar type of mindset when aiming to capture the overall emotions of the wedding day through your couples. Think back to Kirsten’s images when you shoot the engagement session; getting to know details about your couples first can assist you in capturing them at their most comfortable during the wedding day.
Related: How can your community inspire you to be a better photographer?
5. Rui Palha
Street photographer, Rui Palha, has a portfolio filled with black and white images. This represents his style as a photographer, which is something your gallery should show ideal clients. When an ideal client visits your gallery, they should be able to identify what your specialty is and what they can expect from you if they hire you. Within his photos, he portrays a variety of moments, from families and friends spending time in their communities, portraits of people from all aspects of life, and an entire section of people walking on the streets during a rainy day.[ninja-inline id=14322]
6. Timothy Hogan
Timothy Hogan, advertising photographer, features images in his portfolio of the various products he shoots for advertising purposes. From cosmetics and fragrances, beauty and manicure, and lifestyle and clothing, you can find inspiration for your detail shots. Although you spend much of your time shooting the bride and groom (and their wedding party), detail shots are necessary to capture the entire story of the day. Use Tim’s portfolio to find creative ways to capture the shots that matter.
Related: Find inspiration through legendary photographer Joe Buissink’s compelling photography story
7. Victor Demarchelier
Fashion and portrait photographer, Victor Demarchelier, shoots beauty, portrait, fine art, and fashion. His work has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and Vanity Fair. David’s ability to take a simple pose or outfit and create a “Wow” image from it can inspire you to work in any scenario during the engagement or wedding shoot and produce dynamic photos.
Tip: Once you choose your “Wow” photos from a past wedding, send them to a wedding photo editing service to take care of your color correction. After adding your artistic edits to your color corrected photos, send them off to your clients (and maybe a few publications).
8. Peter Hurley
Peter Hurley, New York photographer, excels at shooting headshots and individual photos. His photos represent his unique style and showcase exactly what he will provide to his clients. When looking for inspiration, look to the message his galleries send to clients interested in his services. His brand message is clear and simple, which is what your ideal clients will be looking for from you.
After viewing each of the photographer’s images, do you have any ideas you can take back to your wedding photography business? Regardless of your skill level or experience as a photographer, your images can always improve and set you apart from other photographers. Continuously growing as a photographer is necessary to help you reach the next level and book the clients you want to work with. Discover how you can clearly share your brand message and attract more clients with our Guide, 7 Branding Mistakes Wedding Photographers Make (and How to Fix Them)!
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