“It is a profound honour as a photographer to witness two people falling in love.” This quote by renowned photographer Jesh de Rox encapsulates wedding photography’s essence the best. Somebody found their soulmate;they have designed a wedding of their dreams, and you will capture the extravagant affair.
From the groom arriving on a motorcycle convoy to an infinity pool hosting a mirror mosaic wedding tent, weddings across India and the world have become grand celebrations of love. A wedding photographer documents the entire event before it even starts to moments long after it ends. What makes the field different from the rest is the demand which is not driven by the economy’s highs and lows. Here’s an overview of what a career in wedding photography entails and the perks and challenges that accompany the domain.
Building a Full-time Profession in Wedding Photography
#1. Combine Creativity and Training to Become a Nuptial Photoshoot Whiz
Professional wedding photographers are known for their compelling storytelling skills and expertise in using vibrant imagery to deliver Instagram-worthy pictures. However, for a well-founded career in wedding photography, professionals must know how to shoot nuptials creatively, pose couples with poise, manage diverse lighting conditions, and understand photography business’s nuances.
Mastering the art does entail formal education. Institutes like Pearl Academy offer a year-long course in wedding and events photography, packed with seminars, workshops, Masterclass and whatnot, allowing candidates to be ready for their professional practice.
#2. Be Equipment-Savvy
The necessity of lugging a hefty backpack comes with pursuing a career in wedding photography. Once a professional, one must carry and be familiar with using a backup camera, medium zoom lens, memory cards, lens cleaning kit, batteries, speed-lights, tripods, flash diffusers studio strobes, umbrella, lens hood, and many more.
Moreover, you also need to consider how to conduct any post-processing requirements, because no matter how good your skills are or how good your tools are, you will have to edit the images to make them look perfect. Now, for editing you can either strap down and start practicing and learning new skills and technique, or alternatively, you can outsource your editing requirements to skilled professionals like SmartPHOTOeditors who have a vast and varied experiences of handling complex photo editing assignments from a variety of clients.
#3. Keep a Portfolio on Yourself
For a career in wedding photography, a portfolio should feature your best couples’ portraits, artistic shots, black and white pictures, vintage craft, and more to highlight the existing work and storytelling method. One must not be hesitant to work for their loved ones; these account for an excellent opportunity to polish skills and create a work collection.
Those who pursuea course in weddings and event photography from globally acclaimed institutes like Pearl Academy can create a solid portfolio with their college experience covering weddings across states in India.
#4. Master Numerous Styles
From that awkward chuckle to those loved-up moments between the customs; chronicling these on the reel can be tricky. New trends like underwater shots, aerial cinematography, documentary-style nuptial photography, etc., continuously append the wedding ceremony scenario; professional wedding photographers must grasp various styles to snap memorable pictures.
However, the industry is more than its technicalities and requires newbies to be ready for a fast-paced wedding photography business. Have a look at the things that comprise the field’s inside world.
Always on Your Toes
From mansions to beaches, luxury hotels to forests, weddings have many key intimate moments between the groom and the bride, and the hugs, tears, and stirring speeches. To capture them as they are, one must be prompt and alert. Wedding photographers can’t afford to stand at the ice-cream counter because they may miss a special hug before the ceremony.
Flexible but Long Working Hours
A career in wedding photography offers a dynamic lifestyle. Wedding seasons usher in a lot of work, but one may have to sit quietly during the off-season. The working schedules may be flexible, but they will be long, especially in Indian marriage ceremonies that easily take more than ten hours to conclude.
A career in wedding photography is lucrative if one understands the craft. The field entails commitment and creativity; if you have those, you are good to go!
