A profession that is both rewarding and tough

A wedding photographer can be a very rewarding job with the responsibility of capturing moments and turning them into memories.  It is a tough job as you are on your feet for several hours during each wedding and you can kiss your weekends goodbye!  Shooting photos on the weekend and editing during the week will likely be how you spend your time if you are fully involved in the profession.  You are also dealing with people undergoing large amounts of stress. A wedding is arguably one of the most important days in the lives of many people.  The best thing you can do as a wedding photographer is prepare. From making sure you have everything you need to scoping out the site of the wedding, preparation will is essential in contributing to the success of your practice.

Wedding Photography is more popular than ever

Photography in general is more popular than ever. Today everyone is carrying a camera on them in the form of a smart phone.  The advancement in technology has also played a large roll. No longer is film needed and is replaced with memory that can be reused several times.   Wedding photography is more popular than ever due to how easy it is to distribute photos and how easy it has become to view them.  Moving away from film has allowed photography to evolve into more of an art than before.  Through software, photos can be transformed with effects and filters that were not possible before.

The equipment you need

Digital Camera – The most obvious piece of equipment in a wedding photographer’s arsenal is the camera. Usually a full-frame DSLR camera can start at $1,500 and can go for two to three times the amount depending on the features.  Not to mention, this does not include the lenses!  Additionally, some wedding photographers often carry multiple cameras.  This can sometimes be a safety measure and sometimes due to the photographers wanting to capture the event with multiple lenses.  Another important feature in modern SLR’s is the ability to shoot video.  Video is often a requested medium for wedding photographers.

Lenses – Lenses are equally important as the cameras they are attached to. High quality glass can create beautiful bokeh that will impress the customer.  Additionally, a lens needs to be fast to capture a wedding as people are often moving around (especially on the dance floor).

Flash/Lighting – The proper lighting can make a huge difference in your photography.  Ideally you will want to equip your camera with a flash as you often won’t get to shoot with proper natural lighting during the events.  In some cases you may also need to purchase lighting to properly light certain settings.

Computer – after a weekend of shooting you are ready to begin working on the photos you took. You will need a computer that can hold your photos and run photo editing software.  Your time is limited, so you will not want a computer that slows you down.  An accurate monitor is also essential.  You will want an accurate representation of what the customer will be seeing.  Retina displays can be expensive, but will help you view your photos in clarity and with color accuracy.

Software – Often the wedding photographer’s weapons of choice are either Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop. The software will allow you to fine tune your photos to perfection.

Printer – Printing your own photos is a great way to get the most out of your wedding photography gigs. A wide format printer will allow you to print both standard and enlargements using one printer.  Additionally, with proper nesting, you can be quite efficiency with printing on roll media.

Drone – Drone footage has become the newest fad in wedding photography. If people don’t mind the annoying buzz sound produced by the drone (it can be pretty awful), then they might be interested in having their wedding captured from an alternative angle.  Drones make this possible, but they can range quite a bit in cost.  Starting at around $800 for a consumer grade drone can go upwards to several thousands depending on the model.

In Conclusion

As you can see there is quite a lot of wedding photography equipment needed to run your own wedding photography business.  In addition to having the correct equipment for the job, you have to have the proper knowledge of how to use the tools, how to take photos in certain settings, and how to provide excellent customer service.  If you master these items there is a excellent chance you will run a successful wedding photography business.

Providence Capital Funding can help you with purchasing the wedding photography equipment you need.  Filling out an application takes just minutes!