How to Start a Wedding Photography Business

We've all taken a picture of someone at some point in our life. It's not that difficult, a camera is basically an extension of our eyes. if we can see it, we can shoot. If you can make money at it, wouldn't that be great.

I've always enjoyed weddings so a few years ago I decided to supplement my income by doing some wedding photography. So in the next few paragraphs you'll get my tips on how to break in the business.

So these are my quick and easy steps to becoming a wedding photographer.

Step number one in becoming a wedding photographer is to read. If your main income too will be your camera, then learn it inside and out. They're not that complicated, f-stops, aperture, iso speed. Get yourself a good photo book and learn the basics.

Then pick yourself up a cheap DSLR, preferably something like a used Canon 40D for under $500 and a cheap 50mm lens. Don't worry about the biggest and the best cameras, once you get better and you know what you're doing you can spend some serious money on a pro body. For know the 40d or any similar DSLR will do. The 40D won't go to waste, you'll use it as a backup camera later on. For more info on cameras and technical specs you can check out dpreview.com.

Once you've picked up your camera and a lens, I recommend you shoot. Just take pictures of anyone and anything. You should shoot all the time, you're going to make mistakes. The idea is to make them now.
Ask your friends to pose for you, I'm sure they'll help out if you ask them.

At the same time you should join a wedding photography forum, that's where I learnt the most. A good free forum that has a good mix of pro wedding photographers and amateurs is photoonthenet.com.

Next thing is to setup a website. You can go to zenfolio and it's pretty much automated, hey I was able to do it myself. Put some of your better pictures on there.

Once you've got the website setup, the next step would be to place a few adds on Craigslist offering to do free weddings. You should do at least 2 free weddings, where you are completely honest with the soon to be married couple about your lack of experience. The truth is no-one will give you a chance without out a wedding portfolio, and of course you can't get a wedding portfolio if no-one give you a chance. So it works out for everyone, you get a portfolio and they get free wedding pictures.