Sunday, April 18, 2010

Tips For The Would-Be Bridal Photographer

By Rubert Wong

You are creating something that people will keep for years to come. You are capturing a very special moment in people's lives. Your clients - the bride and groom to be - will want the best and will want the quality guaranteed. If you are a photographer you might want to consider photographing weddings because there is a lot of money to be made by doing them. With the money comes the risk which you must manage well.

A disclaimer should be included in a well written up first time contract. A disclaimer is something that can prevent you from being sued later on. For example, you should include that you are not responsible for pictures that might get lost after you send the film away to get developed, or pictures that do not come out clear due to equipment failure. You do not want to be sued for breaching your 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. Make sure you discuss with your clients what their requirements are. There could be a particular family member that they want photographed separately, or a certain group of people they do not get to see very often.

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. Who will be in certain photographs should be discussed with the client as well. Not every client will be the same so pay attention to what they are saying.

When you schedule your clients in make sure they pay you a deposit. At least 50% deposit should be paid prior to the wedding. 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.

Photoshop is a good program to use if you are going to be processing the pictures yourself. 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.

At the end of the day doing wedding photography can be a lot of fun and you can make good money at it. You may have to take your people skills to the next level but the financial returns will be worth it.

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