When the bride and groom first reach out to you, you have the opportunity to get to know them and form a meaningful relationship. One of the first times you will work with your couple is during their pre wedding photoshoot. This is an important shoot to master because it will set the tone for the rest of the wedding process. A Customer of ShootDotEdit, a photographer editor company, and a Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer, Leeann Marie has a plan in place to educate her clients about the process before, during, and after the pre wedding picture session.
During the wedding day shoot, not only do you take photos from every part of the day, you document the emotions of the bride and groom, as well as their family and friends. Through each part of the day, your photos represent the vision the bride and groom have; from the venue, flowers, cake, and various decorations.
When the shoot is over and your images are color corrected by a wedding photography post-processing company, where do you share them first? You may start by posting your photos on your blog and social media platforms so the bride and groom bride and groom, as well as potential couples, can see them.
In addition to posting them on your networks, have you ever considered publishing your images to a wedding blog or magazine? When you share your images on a larger platform like these, your work is placed in front of a larger audience of potential clients. Since your time is limited, we’ve put together 4 simple tricks to get your images published.
1. Focus on Your Best Work
Just as you should only share your “Wow”images on your website and blog, the photos you submit to a publication should be of your best work. These images represent who you are as a photographer, and give potential clients an idea of how you will shoot their wedding day.
Make sure the photos you submit represent your brand, as you still want to attract only ideal clients. If you submit photos because you think the publication will prefer them, but they do not match your brand, clients will reach out to you who are not the best fit for your business.
When a couple first reaches out to you, their client lifecycle begins. From the beginning of your client’s lifecycle, educating them on the process they will experience with you can help eliminate many issues. Discussing items that could be potential problems down the road during your first client meetings can save you a ton of time later on.
Wedding photographer, Melissa Jill, understands the benefits of educating her clients from the beginning. The more your clients know, the smoother your time together can be. Today, Melissa is going to share how educating your clients from the beginning can create a positive wedding experience for you and your couple.
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I was once told to leave a bridal room by the mother of the bride.
It was early on in my career, and she was feeling anxious about having photos of herself taken before she had her makeup on. I reassured her that we wouldn’t take any unflattering photos of her, but she still ended up practically yelling, “Alright, that’s it! Photographers out!” about 15 minutes after she arrived. I was SO sad and fought back tears as I left. The last thing I ever want to do is make someone feel uncomfortable on a wedding day.
That night, during the reception, I showed a slideshow of some of the photos I’d taken from that day. As I was passing by, a groomsman stopped me and pointed to the slideshow, and said, “NOW I know what you were doing when you were taking a photo of the shoes. It all makes sense now. I thought it was so weird that you were taking photos all day, but now I see you were telling the story. That’s so cool!”
*As of July 2017, this guide has been updated. Check out the new additions when you download it!
As a photographer, setting prices for your business can be a challenging part of your responsibilities. If your products and services are not presented in a way that appeals to your ideal clients, or your prices are too complicated, they may be less likely to work with you or add extra services to their booking. Creating set Packages or A La Carte options for your pricing can create a simpler decision-making process for your clients. But, do you know which model is the best for your business?
During the wedding day shoot, there are various moments which require you to capture specific details from each part of the day. These details range from the bride’s dress and the groom’s tux, to the bridesmaids’flowers, and the wedding cake and the table decor. Capturing details during the wedding day enhances your storytelling ability, creating a picture for your couple when they receive their images from you.
Here at ShootDotEdit, we’ve discussed how to shoot details such as the wedding rings andother getting ready items. Today, we’re excited to feature photography duo, Amy and Jordan Demos, who are going to share with you how you can document the important details of the wedding ceremony. Here are Amy and Jordan’s 4 tips to capturing killer ceremony details every time.
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Our brides, their planners, and their floral designers spend months dreaming up the perfect ceremony decor, which is why we are committed to capturing killer images to show off all their hard work! These photos always make it into our couple’s album, and frequently end up being featured on the websites of the creative team AND on national inspiration blogs, so we have lots of reasons to make sure we are proud of them!
As a photographer and business owner, do you know how to protect your photography business and images? Whether you have been running your wedding photography business for years, or are just learning how to start a photography business, you should always remain up-to-date with your legal responsibilities. Although it may not be the most exciting topic to think about, you are running a photography business, where you work closely with couples, families, and possibly other businesses and organizations. Even if you are familiar with legal concepts and what you need to have in place (like a wedding photography contract), do you know how to defend your photography business and images if someone violates your copyright?
During the wedding day shoot, are you taking the steps to tell a story through pictures to later use in your client’s wedding album? Creating albums for clients after you receive your images back from a company that specializes in wedding photography edit services gives them timeless memories from their day, and album sales help you increase your overall profit.
Telling a Story Through Pictures
Andrew Funderburg, founder of Fundy Software, is a photographer who knows exactly how to shoot for the album design during the wedding day. So you can start identifying the best moments to capture, Andrew shares how you can strategically capture pictures that tell a story during the wedding day.
As a business owner, pricing is an important topic to master. Are you sure your pricing is set up properly? Pricing yourself to maximize your profits is no easy task. We also know you are a busy photographer who may not have the time to sit down and figure out exactly what your income and expenses are. Whether you use wedding photography packages, or an a la carte model for your pricing, it is important that you have a handle on your costs and profit. That is why we have created a Pricing Calculator to help you ensure you’re profitable. Make sure you’re pricing yourself for profit by downloading the calculator today!
Did you know that 70% of the population in the U.S. alone uses at least one social media platform and more than 50% use multiple ones? Because there are so many platforms to choose from, how do you know where to spend the majority of your time?
Not only does Instagram have 400 million monthly active users, it can be the perfect platform for you to share your photos with ideal clients. But, posting your photos is not the only way you can gain followers on Instagram. We know you may be a busy photographer who might not have extra time to work on multiple campaigns for one social media network. That’s why we have put together 3 surefire ways for you to get more followers on Instagram.
1. Make an Announcement
If you start an Instagram account and assume all of your past, current, and potential clients will follow you, you may be disappointed. Just as you are busy, your clients and followers are busy as well. So you can quickly increase your following on your Instagram account, make an announcement to share the news.
Share about your Instagram account in a newsletter, your other social media platforms, and on your blog. This is an easier way to communicate with your audience and inform them about your Instagram account.
Tip: Try not to make a large announcement until you have at least 7-10 “Wow”images on your account. Your clients will be more apt to continue following you if they know they can expect beautiful photos on a regular occasion.
As a wedding photographer, you see many engagement sessions and weddings happen each and every year. Your clients, on the other hand, may not have the same experiences as you. Because there are so many questions brides may have for you, preparing answers can help you quickly eliminate any of their concerns. Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer, Leeann Marie, creates templates, guides, workbooks, and newsletters to answer questions brides often have about their wedding day. So you can communicate clearly with your clients, Leeann is sharing 6 important questions your brides may ask, and ways you can respond to them.
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1. Handling Weather Concerns
Bride’s question: What happens if it rains for our engagement session?
While I cannot control the weather, I have a great response for this one that sets my clients at ease. Everyone’s schedules can be difficult, so it is important to help them feel comfortable with the potential for a reschedule or less-than-ideal conditions for their shoot.
This is an email template I use:
“Not to worry! If it rains for your session, we have two options:
1) Reschedule. We can find another date in the near future that would work for both of us. This is a good idea if you’re looking for a certain vibe and the weather is just not cooperating.
2) Shoot at a couple of places I like that work with the rain. These places are more indoors and have a bit of a “city” feel to them.
Of course, we don’t really know what the weather will look like until close to the date of the session, so we will stay in touch as the date nears if the weather looks variable.
