A wedding day is probably the most memorable day of anyone's life. As a wedding photographer, the job of capturing someones most important day in their life should be taken very seriously. The bride and groom have most likely been planning their special day for quite some time, if not weeks, months and possibly even longer. You want to show your clients that you are just as serious about their wedding as they are. You can do this by being very organized to show your professionalism. You should plan out your clients photo shoots well in advance for a couple of reasons, one to help keep you organized, and two to let your clients now that you are serious and organized. Read on for more tips on organizing your own wedding photo shoots.
It is likely that the bride and groom will seek out your services far ahead of time. Usually a couple will at least start looking for a photographer anywhere from a month to a year in advance, sometimes even longer. At the initial meeting, you can show the couple your portfolio so they can get an idea of your wedding photography style. You can also discuss any promotions you have at that time, or explain to them all of your specialty products and pricing. This is a great time to answer any and all of their questions.
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 contract has been signed, and a deposit has been collected, you will want to keep in touch with your clients. About a month before their special day, contact your clients and make sure all of the information they previously provided is correct. Also, now would be a good time to remind them about what they can realistically expect as previously discussed. A week before the wedding you will want to contact them again to make sure that all of the plans still exist and no last minute changes have been made.
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 far ahead of time. Usually a couple will at least start looking for a photographer anywhere from a month to a year in advance, sometimes even longer. At the initial meeting, you can show the couple your portfolio so they can get an idea of your wedding photography style. You can also discuss any promotions you have at that time, or explain to them all of your specialty products and pricing. This is a great time to answer any and all of their questions.
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 contract has been signed, and a deposit has been collected, you will want to keep in touch with your clients. About a month before their special day, contact your clients and make sure all of the information they previously provided is correct. Also, now would be a good time to remind them about what they can realistically expect as previously discussed. A week before the wedding you will want to contact them again to make sure that all of the plans still exist and no last minute changes have been made.
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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