Advice for New Wedding Photographers

I had an article published in Photographer Monthly not so long ago, if you didn't get the chance to read it, here is the full, unedited version, specifically aimed at advice for new wedding photographers.

Feel free to comment on the photography blog and get in touch with any questions.

For the right type of photographer, weddings can be a deeply rewarding profession – both creatively and emotionally...

Allister Freeman explains...

I never really saw myself as a specialist wedding photographer, admits Allister Freeman, a pro wedding photographer. I originally worked as a photographic assistant in London's fashion and advertising scene after leaving university, in the first few years I fitted weddings in and around my other photographic commitments but over time I got drawn in and now I’m totally hooked!

Any tips for people wanting to turn pro?

Wedding photography is a tough, competitive industry and has been so for the last few years. If you’re considering turning pro, Allister has some sound advice - try not to make hasty, expensive decisions that will set you back in terms of profit and development. For instance, don’t throw money at unnecessary marketing or feel the need to buy the latest upgrade of the most expensive camera.

It obviously helps to have good kit but it’s so much more important to spend time building your skills and knowledge. When you've done your first year, you then have the knowledge and goals to make much more informed and productive decisions on your business.

The most important tip I can give is to develop your own unique style of shooting.

I use natural and available light so I can accurately reproduce the day. It helps create contemplative, meaningful images. I only use flash when absolutely necessary as I find it intrusive in certain situations.

If you don’t create a strong, memorable style you’ll be lost in the mass, walking down a very well-trodden path. Develop your people skills and a friendly, unflustered approach that will encourage trust and confidence during a wedding. This goes an incredibly long way.

The greatest challenge faced by today's photographer?

I believe the greatest challenge for photographers is still to come and will probably peak over the next few years.

Digital technology has come a long way and, coupled with the internet, has completely turned the media world on its head. With the current rate of change, the industry will be very different within the next five to ten years.

The most important, and also the hardest thing to do as a photographer, is to have the capacity to change with the times. This is not necessarily in terms of shooting but in actually marketing and maintaining a consistently successful photography business. Even if it is outside your comfort zone.

With the onset of new technologies, certain areas of the industry will undoubtedly move on. Many of today's digital SLR cameras have the ability to shoot HD movie footage and I already know of some photographers offering a fusion of still and movie products to customers.

It's by no means a new approach but it's likely to be a temptation for some and may gradually evolve into another type of business within the wedding market. Although I'm not convinced a discerning customer would want it.

Your motivation?

My motivation comes from creating meaningful images for my customers. I'm constantly looking for new ways of making photographs at each wedding. Positive, honest feedback from my customers is also incredibly motivating and something I strive for.

I take inspiration from a lot of places - I follow blogs written by photographers that inspire me and constantly have my head buried in books, usually one featuring the work of social documentary photographers.

It's very important for me to make genuine, contemplative images. Working closely with subjects builds an incredible amount of trust, this trust then enables me to capture very intimate shots throughout the day.

Essential Kit?

There is no 'essential' kit, a good photograph should be able to be made using any camera. I personally like to use fast prime lenses and small bodies with good high ISO noise levels, this enables me to shoot in very dark situations without the need for flash.

Good Wedding Photography

Not only do I have a responsibility to document an event accurately and empathetically but also I have a duty of care to my customers to produce genuinely good wedding photography.

The initial contact is made because a couple finds my documentary style of wedding photography appealing however, once we have met, it's then all about relationship building. Familiarity, and ultimately rapport, are as important as my camera and will be a significant factor in a couple's decision making.

It's imperative they have complete faith in me to be able to create their wedding photography, regardless of the inevitable pressures on the day.

What concerns me at present is clarity within the wedding industry or the lack of it. In particular the general perception of what it takes to be a good wedding photographer. There are several mistakes that people are innocently making because of this perception, the main being that what you shoot with matters and not in fact who is doing the shooting.

A good documentary wedding photographer is that because they have talent and skill and a finely tuned, well-practised eye for composition, lighting and storytelling - all under pressure and done discreetly. The camera and lens are a means to an end when used by a competent photographer with intuitive people skills.

Digital imagery has rapidly evolved since the turn of the century with breathtaking advances in camera technology - the digital camera has become an indispensable tool for business. There is now huge interest in photography; everyone knows either a keen amateur or professional simply because it's now so accessible.

In one sense this is a positive aspect as people are more aware and appreciative of a good photograph however for brides and grooms, the task of researching and finding their ideal wedding photographer and understanding what it takes to be a good one has never been harder. The process is often a daunting, confusing and misleading task.

The internet is supporting a saturation of photographers at the lower end of the market. It's incredibly easy to set up a company on the web and when combined with greedy wedding directories, irresponsibly taking on as many subscriptions from 'photographers' as possible, effectively endorsing them, it inevitably creates a fog for couples to work through.

Go onto most online wedding directories and you will be presented with considerably more photographers than any other wedding related service. There are often very little or no guaranteed credentials too. Letters after a name or a society's logo on a photographer's website can mean exceptionally little and the term 'award-winning wedding photographer' is used all too freely when the majority of the time it represents next to nothing, for instance, it may materialise that they came third in a regional print competition several years ago.

Flashy, template websites will aid poor photographs, so much so that couples will often overlook the photography and ultimately the wedding photographer. Whilst it is vital to have a great website and strong marketing; from a great photography logo to overarching branding, it needs to be backed up by even greater photography and fundamentally a photographer that couples can trust and invest in.

Over time the dust will almost certainly settle; the internet may not be such a muddle for couples to use as a resource; weekend snappers and pixel peepers will realise that it's not such easy money and perhaps word will spread that it's probably not such a bright idea to get a friend of the family to 'machine gun' a wedding, after all, there really are no second chances.

I try not to get caught up in technology. Essentially, it's the person you hire and their perception of what it takes to be a good wedding photographer.

I read a great blog article recently by a US wedding photographer named David Mielcarek, you might like to take a look if you found this interesting.

Documentary Wedding Photography in Gloucestershire

I recently had the pleasure of creating Sacha and Charlie's documentary wedding photography in Gloucestershire. I'm shooting more and more weddings in Gloucestershire, especially the Gloucestershire-Cotswolds.

It's such a charming and memorable region to host a wedding. A considerable number of my customers either live and work in the city or reside in the London suburbs, a Cotswold wedding appears to be the ultimate retreat. There are some fantastic wedding venues there - ranging from the small, elegant manor and spa to the grand estate.

Sacha and Charlie's marriage ceremony was at Rendcomb church which dates back to the 12th century. The reception was held at Sacha's parent's home further up the village where an impressive marquee was waiting to receive the wedding party.

The whole event was exceptionally well planned and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, the images really speak for themselves.

Documentary Wedding Photography - My Ethos

I was also recently asked why I work alone at weddings - my ethos...

I have taken on second wedding photographers in the past and now with the benefit of hindsight can confidently say that I am considerably less intrusive and intimidating and more approachable than two, sometimes three photographers shooting the same wedding.

The familiarity that I am able to achieve by approaching a wedding not unlike a guest enables me to make very intimate and honest, natural wedding photographs.

I use small cameras and lenses, very rarely use flash and dress like a guest too, in fact, people will ask me from time to time how I know the bride and groom. This is when I know I'm doing a good job.

I am aware of very few wedding photographer teams that can pull this off, and from this handful even less that are documentary in style. This intimacy and trust are only achievable when working on your own, not through overzealous coverage. For the vast majority of the two photographer market, the customer appears to be getting very ordinary 'blanket' coverage - from the moment the bride wakes to kick-out time.

Maybe that's just what the customer wants. Though I'm not so sure. I would guess that the majority of customers are a little mesmerised by the thought of having hundreds and hundreds of great photographs to look back on, getting quotes like "every little detail".

Sound familiar?

The customer may get every single detail photographed and probably a mugshot of each guest but they will almost certainly be left feeling disappointed.

It's simply impossible for a photographer to supply that many 'exceptional' shots in his or her own style if they are focussing on getting absolutely everything and everyone.

Some may say that statistically two photographers are better than one because of the volume but it simply does not work like that. It's highly unlikely that two photographers of outstanding quality, in terms of timing, composition and people skills are working on the same wedding - if they're that good why not photograph on their own?

I genuinely believe that you get out what you put in - hire a team of photographers to document a delicate event and subtleties will be missed due to the low level of comfort and familiarity between subject and photographers, subtleties that would remain present with a delicate touch.

My reportage style is and always will be about quality over quantity, coverage of a consistently high standard from start to finish. I don't see the benefit of having hundreds of mediocre, average snapshots with the odd 'good one'.

Consistency - every photograph included in a series of wedding images I would be comfortable displaying in my portfolios, it's that simple.