this is the most asked question among wedding photographers. Everyone wants a bigger piece of the cake. But only few believes in themselves.
So lets start the Topic : How to Setup your Wedding Photography Business?
1. Gather Enough funds.
Nothing comes for free so does the project. Funds are essential for any business start-up( at least sufficient enough). As you need a to buy Full-frames, lenses and lights which are all expensive. Than you need a computer at least 2 machines to begin with . We'll be creating a separate blog for building your our own PC with various budgets in mind.
2.Building your portfolio
This is a tricky part, I believe you or your firm first need to set your style.
The word STYLE can be little confusing. Well let's just take best 3 photographs which you absolutely love from the last wedding you've shot and that's your Style.
Now always keep in mind to show your style of shooting in your portfolio. Because, if you don't, you'll definitely gonna have problems with your clients.
If you show something which you do not like, but it is generally very popular, For an example :
We at Shutterbug Photography love to shoot at night and create something which is dramatic or dream-like which is our genre, but that ain't the most appreciated genre in weddings. I believe light and airy is the most popular genre in wedding photography India.
So, if a client comes to us, looking at our portfolio. We know for sure what he expects from us.
3. Getting the leads
Here is where the issue comes in, how to get leads.
Well, there are many sources of generating leads. Online media is one of the best option of spreading your name out there.
Sources like,
Instagram.com,
Facebook.com,
WedmeGood.com ,
Weddingz.in
Fearlessphotographers.com
are best for getting the quality clients, but nothing is free in the world, is it?( Except for Oxygen i guess, definitely not in cylinders)
But you have to make sure you invest into marketing, no matter what.
Else, all you have to do is wait for you older client to refer you to someone or may be a friend's wedding?
4. Create your Website
It is the most basic requirement in today's time. If someone searches you on google and try to find you, how are you gonna found? may be a Facebook page? but that isn't very professional is it? how do expect a big fat Indian wedding if the client thinks your not upto the mark?
Your website is the place where you are the commander, and everything would be according to you. So, make most out of it. Give your site visitor a taste of your style.
Also you can express your views in your own blogs so people would know you and your ideology better. Which may help you have a better start with your upcoming clients.
5. Meetings
The first Impression describe you and your firm. Make sure you dress well, I mean not "very classy", that would be a over kill. But something like a nice shirt, sneakers and a black jeans?
Or you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in, just make sure you don't show up there in your pyjamas.
Keep the approach very nimble, don't force things on your clients. Give them a genuine advice. Try to become friends with them. If they're gonna spend 3 days with you, they have to be comfortable.
Listen to every detail they give. Try to carry a notebook with you for any pointers( Just Incase you forget about the talk later on and regret).
Here's our short write up on how to expand your wedding photography business in India.