Having the opportunity to photograph someone's wedding should be treated as an honor and a privilege, and as a wedding photographer, this job should be taken very seriously. The bride and groom have been meticulously planning every detail of their wedding for weeks, if not months, or perhaps even years, and you will want to show them that you are as serious about their wedding as they are. You can show your seriousness by having the wedding photo shoots planned out in advance. This will show your clients that you are organized and professional, but at the same time helps you stay on task. Read on for suggestions to help keep you organized as a wedding photographer.
It is likely that the Bride and Groom will seek out your services months ahead of time. This can be anywhere from a few months to over a year. This is the initial contact with your clients and this is when you should meet in person to discuss their wedding photography needs. At this time you can show them your portfolio, and discuss any promotional packages you have at that time. You may also want to discuss rates, and the type of products you offer.
At this time, you will want to get a contract signed. You will also want to collect a 50% deposit to lock your clients in and reserve their date. Now will be a great time to discuss the details of the event so that you can coordinate to capture all of the photos the couple might want you to take. You should also discuss the event venue, party size and particular family photos the couple expects you to take. Ask the couple to provide you with an event timeline so that you can stay on task, and let them know how many photos they can reasonably expect you to take.
After the initial meeting, contract signing and deposit collecting, you will still want to keep in touch with your clients. About a month before the event, you will want to contact your clients. At this time you will want to make sure all of the information you have is correct, and remind your clients about the realistic expectations you had previously discussed. A week before the wedding you will want to contact your clients again to make sure everything still stands.
Prior to the wedding you will want to make sure all of your equipment is ready and working. This can include charging all of your cameras and batteries, cleaning all lenses thoroughly, and packing all of your camera bags with all of your needed gear. Review all of your information the night before and get a good nights' rest.
Review the timeline that your clients gave you, so you can prepare ahead of time and determine how much time you can spend taking certain shots. You might even want to bring your own schedule marked with different shots you plan to take. This will help keep you organized and will also help to easy any anxiety your clients have on their big day. Make sure you include all of the shots the couple expected you to take on your time line. Now that you know the basics of being a wedding photographer from contract to timeline, create your own checklist so that you are prepared for every wedding you shoot in the future.
It is likely that the Bride and Groom will seek out your services months ahead of time. This can be anywhere from a few months to over a year. This is the initial contact with your clients and this is when you should meet in person to discuss their wedding photography needs. At this time you can show them your portfolio, and discuss any promotional packages you have at that time. You may also want to discuss rates, and the type of products you offer.
At this time, you will want to get a contract signed. You will also want to collect a 50% deposit to lock your clients in and reserve their date. Now will be a great time to discuss the details of the event so that you can coordinate to capture all of the photos the couple might want you to take. You should also discuss the event venue, party size and particular family photos the couple expects you to take. Ask the couple to provide you with an event timeline so that you can stay on task, and let them know how many photos they can reasonably expect you to take.
After the initial meeting, contract signing and deposit collecting, you will still want to keep in touch with your clients. About a month before the event, you will want to contact your clients. At this time you will want to make sure all of the information you have is correct, and remind your clients about the realistic expectations you had previously discussed. A week before the wedding you will want to contact your clients again to make sure everything still stands.
Prior to the wedding you will want to make sure all of your equipment is ready and working. This can include charging all of your cameras and batteries, cleaning all lenses thoroughly, and packing all of your camera bags with all of your needed gear. Review all of your information the night before and get a good nights' rest.
Review the timeline that your clients gave you, so you can prepare ahead of time and determine how much time you can spend taking certain shots. You might even want to bring your own schedule marked with different shots you plan to take. This will help keep you organized and will also help to easy any anxiety your clients have on their big day. Make sure you include all of the shots the couple expected you to take on your time line. Now that you know the basics of being a wedding photographer from contract to timeline, create your own checklist so that you are prepared for every wedding you shoot in the future.
About the Author:
Stop by Hawaii photographer Anna Riedel's site, where you can learn more about organizing your own wedding photography shoots - http://wedding.absolutelyloved.com
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