THE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS
A short time ago the Independent Newspaper approached Cream Wedding Photography and we gave an interview based around the above information on entering and the state of the wedding photography industry. This was subsequently published in the Education & Careers section. The text below contains the details that we supplied for the Article.
Traditionally, wedding photographers have been sole traders working from a high street shop offering wedding photography alongside studio portraits and commercial photography services. Couples getting married booked the services of a local photographer to shoot their wedding. This has been the state of play up to the late 1990s.
The Internet has revolutionised the way people access information. The world is now at our fingertips. No longer are couples restricted to just one shop window but have a whole world of photographers’ shop windows in their living rooms.
The ability for anyone to create a website, together with other factors, such as the high level of students leaving colleges and universities with a degree in photography has resulted in a small army of photographers entering the market all jostling for the opportunity to photograph weddings. The revolution in digital photography and the availability of digital cameras at affordable prices has created an explosion of Weekend Wedding Photographers – amateurs who make a second income from advertising their services. The photography industry is not regulated and anyone can set up shop as a Wedding Photographer with little, poor, or no skills in this specialised area.
Sometimes, an established photographer will take an unskilled assistant to a wedding to get more of the less important shots. This is often done for no pay but allows a wannabe the ability to make up a portfolio of photos and put them on their own websites. Looking at these photos usually gives the game away, as the bride and groom are not looking at the camera but are obviously posed for the main photographer. Many photographers’ websites show these types of shots. We do know of people advertising their services as wedding photographers who have never even photographed a wedding completely by themselves. One person who, straight out of college, set up a website with these very type of shots and is advertising their wedding photography services with prices starting at £1,900.
Established wedding photographers have seen a great reduction in their business from the above factors. Gone are the days when they could name their own price. This has had an unfortunate knock on effect. Some established wedding photographers have set up a second business offering a cheaper service. They are marketing this as ‘Budget Wedding Photography’ and selling it as ‘Simple’ ‘Affordable’ ‘Budget’ ‘No Frills’ or ‘Easy’ wedding services. They hide their true identity with a second name, web site, and a separate email address. Unfortunately for unsuspecting couples, these photographers are frequently sending their unskilled assistants or use local inexperienced student wannabes for this type of shoot.
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