Tips On How To Become A Bridal Photographer

By Sally Wong

A wedding is the kind of occasion that people want to display pictures of for years to come. Your clients will be looking for a quality track record because it is such a special moment they want capturing. You can make a lot of money if you decide to be a wedding photographer. With the money comes the risk which you must manage well.

If this is going to be your first wedding shoot you will want to make sure your contract is written up properly and a disclaimer included in it. A disclaimer is something that can prevent you from being sued later on. There are a few reason you should not be held accountable for and they are failure of equipment, miss placed pictures after they were sent away, and photos that do not develop properly. Otherwise you could get sued for breach of contract.

The hourly rate and how many pictures are to be taken should also be included in the contract. Something else you should include would be the fees for developing and the fee of the album. Your client's requirements are important so make sure you talk it over with them. They might want a certain person or family they would like pictures of since they don't get to see them often, so that should be discussed as well if it is an issue.

Your clients will probably request certain photographs so make sure you make a list. Generally your clients will want pictures of the pre-ceremony, wedding ceremony, post-ceremony and of course the reception. Discuss with the clients about which shots they want and who's going to be in the pictures. Pay attention to what your clients are saying because each one will be different.

When you schedule your clients in make sure they pay you a deposit. Fifty percent is reasonable to ask for an up front booking fee. This will make sure you are covered in the event of a cancellation. So you don't end up bothering the bride and groom during the reception, arrangements should be made for when the remainder will be paid. They would think you were unprofessional and wish they had hired someone else.

If you are developing your client's pictures yourself, Photoshop is an excellent photo editing program. You can enhance the photos with all sorts of techniques such as flaw removal, montage, changing the color to black and which or sepia, as well as other unique features.

Look for ways to add extra value that you have not told them about. This will always generate good feelings. A special surprise will keep everyone talking and generating more business for you in the future. Think different. Imagine for example if you uploaded all their pictures onto a password protected part of your website so that they and their friends can login and view.

In the end doing wedding photography can be lucrative and fun as long as you build on your people skills. - 29943

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