So we’ve all had a mob behind, alongside, and, the worst ones, pushing in front of us during weddings. Maybe they’re family. Maybe friends. Maybe that up & coming photographer that wants to just build their portfolio.
Regardless, they’re guests of the wedding and should be allowed to celebrate and capture memories for themselves of the wedding day. Our couples ought to be showered with so much love and affection (and hopefully with no pushing (man it sucks when they do that)).
While a few years ago, it was more of just the Uncle Bobs hanging out with their SLRs and pro lenses they bought just for fun… More and more we’ve even got the little kids busting out their cell phones and taking shots throughout the whole thing.
What happens as technology advances more and more and ANYONE can take photos, even great photos (with the right tools) of the wedding day?
How do you compete?
Have you guys seen this awesome new project Google’s working on?
Google’s Project Glass
Now whether you believe we’ll come to that point, we can’t deny that there’s LOTS of progress going on in photography so that anyone can capture beautiful memories for themselves.
So what can you do to stay competitive?
We did a whole series on what to look for in a wedding photographer to help answer that question:
- Attention to Detail | Can you find all the little details the bride/groom planned on their wedding day? Can you capture the precious moments and reactions everyone else may be missing because they’re all looking one way?
- Night Photography | There’s a large movement of natural light photographers. It’s so important to know how to work with natural light. What flatters? What makes the shot have that much more of a powerful effect just from using the light around you? BUT how many photographer websites do you see show off their night photos? Can you take shots of the reception/evening that capture the moments, details, and emotions clearly? Can you show the beautiful multi-colored uplighting? Do you show natural skintones or are they too yellow and orange? Do you have too much motion blur? You MUST grow out of your comfort zone to learn to master this.
- Know how to build chemistry | We don’t just hide behind a camera. We have to interact and make people comfortable (and ideally really like us) and that’s seriously half the battle. They’ve got to feel comfortable enough with your direction, leadership and confident that you’re going to be capturing and creating great moments for them.
- Get Along with All Ages | Kids. Teens. Babies. From 0 to 100+, understand how to interact and get everyone’s attention and to work age appropriate.
- Capture Emotion | Don’t get caught up only on the details. Your greatest images you can get for your client capture true life emotion and the beautiful tears and smiles that are shared on their day. Many amateurs and non-professionals will just force poses or emotions. Can you capture them? Can you help create them?
- Reviews | Do you have great reviews? Get on Yelp, Wedding Wire, the Knot, even Facebook, anywhere that can help legitimize how good you are with real life testimonials and raves. Remember, it’s not just client reviews. You better get other vendors to love you! Because so many in this industry about the vendors they love…as well as those they hate.
- Heirlooms | Ah, the piece de resistance! Can you create gorgeous, lifelong, durable heirlooms for their family to treasure? It can’t look like they can just get it at Costco or Target…because then, frankly, they should if you can’t top it. Build your business to be better than whatever they can get anywhere else.
There’s a quote from Blue Man that says, “We are all competing against mediocrity.” So don’t settle. Never stop learning. Never stop growing.
…and keep in mind:
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“You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.”
– Abraham Maslow
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Here’s to growing your business in the future!
With our love,
The Parks
Stay tuned for future Photographer Hurdles. What hurdles are you facing?
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