| The average budget for a wedding is about $15,000. | | | | being the main photographer so just offer to be an |
| Now this can vary from person to person, and there | | | | assistant to the photographer and you will have a |
| are obviously a lot of weddings which have a much | | | | decent size portfolio in no time. |
| lower budget and others which have 5 times that | | | | It will not take a huge amount of pictures for your |
| amount for a budget. | | | | clients to know what kind of work your produce. If |
| According to most wedding planners, the happy | | | | you have 3 or 4 pictures that they just fall in love |
| couple should set aside 40% of their budget to go | | | | with, you have a job. |
| towards the photography. This is great news for you | | | | You can get a website or blog and market your |
| if you want to be the one taking the pictures. | | | | wedding photography services too. Make sure you |
| Are you wondering what kind of camera you need | | | | have your location on your website because most |
| to make money shooting weddings? | | | | people will find you by typing in the city and state |
| I have photographed a lot of weddings and I am | | | | they live in and something about photography. |
| always amazed by how fast technology moves. | | | | How much do you charge? |
| There are digital SLR cameras on the market right | | | | Be honest with your clients. If you are just starting |
| now that make your job so much easier as a | | | | out, let them know you don't have a lot of |
| wedding photographer. For under $1,000 you can get | | | | experience. But remember, they have already seen |
| a camera that will make you up to $5,000 or more | | | | your work and they are hiring you because they |
| for each wedding. | | | | know you will do a good job. Starting out you don't |
| So how do you get started? | | | | want to charge too much, but don't rip yourself off |
| The thing that will get clients to hire you is your | | | | either. I would not charge less than $1,000 for a |
| portfolio, so if you don't have one here is a method | | | | wedding, but this will include all of your time, a CD or |
| you can use to build it up. Take pictures at every | | | | DVD of all the images and maybe a few prints on |
| wedding you attend, and do it all for free. Perhaps | | | | the side. The more weddings you shoot the more |
| you friend is getting married. Take a bunch of candid | | | | people will know about you and want to hire you and |
| photos and be creative with your shots. Since you | | | | the more you can charge. |
| are just starting out you don't want to pressure of | | | | |