If so how did you start? Im wanting to branch out and get experience shooting weddings. Not so much for money but would like to get experience in that area of photography and I could
use extra cash if i got good at it. I have a prime, 17-70mm and 70-300mm lens right now.
Every body in my family is married already and so i dont really have connections. Wanting to see how you started out shooting weddings.

I shoot everything , what caliber for weddings is the question

I used to compare weddings to drug dealing.  If you screw up, your career is screwed, but the money is so damn good sometimes it's hard to keep from doing it.

That said, I did a few weddings for friends or for other photographers who didn't want to do it back in the mid 2000's.  These were small affairs.  It typically went like this:

Bride: Can you shoot my wedding? I don't have much money
Me:  Sure, I'll do it for $500
Bride: Great! I want this, this, this, this and this shot.  Oh, we're only getting married because I'm pregnant.  Hay can you come over here and get a pic of me and my girls smoking up before the ceremony?
Me:  Uh.....wow
Bride:  I'll pay you soon I promise
Me: I'm not giving you the pics until I get paid in full.  $500
Bride-6mo Later:  Here you go.
Me:  *facepalm*

If you're just looking for some experience in doing it, go to Photo.net or some place.  They are always looking for beginning photographers to shoot.  Just make sure you fill them in on expectations and don't let them book without confirming they know what they are getting.  I think local bridal forums or registries have people looking for the same.

Also, if you want to build your portfolio in a safe environment, find a young couple and have them do portraits with their wedding dress on.  You can start doing that, then move onto actual weddings.

I did a few weddings for friends, back in the film days.  I had a fairly nice Canon with a mid-telephoto macro lens.  It is easier to get all the shots posed with a helper.

I worked for free.  Dressing room shots were the most fun.    

Take multiple shots of everything and you will be fine.  People want video these days too.

Find a couple wedding photographers that you can assist and second shoot for. Second shooting is fun because you don't have to deal with all the stress of making sure you get everything. You also have the added advantage of being able to experiment with fun/cool shots while the primary gets all the "safe" shots.

I get asked to shoot one or two a year for acquaintances. Not friends, otherwise I'd be enjoying the wedding... but old co-workers/mutual friends who have seen my work. I'm sure I could transtition to it full time, but... fuck... that... shit...

They are a test of just about every aspect of your photo game. Three of them have been destination weddings, so I was shooting for 2-3 days. They are a challenge and can be pretty damn fun, but when I'm done I'm very happy to be back in the comfort of the studio shooting product.

What's your experience?

I've done a few and that was my fair share.  

To be a good wedding photographer, you need to be a good photo journalist, good architectural photographer, good product photographer, good portrait photographer and a good fashion photographer.  Plus, you need to be a good leader to keep things under control.  All on the fly, with little opportunity for preparation, no control over conditions and you get no second chances.  

But if you are decent and can handle the pressure and don't mind giving up your Saturdays, you can make an extra thousand dollars(or more) a weekend.



ETA.....My one and only tip would be to carry two of anything that can break or malfunction.......Because that's exactly what will happen.

Ive been shooting weddings on the regular for the last year and a half. The first wedding I shot was 8 years ago for some friends then I shot one for my SIL 6 years back. Both were because I was the guy the the "nice camera that takes good pics". I thought they were fun to do and figured it could be a way to make some side money. Fast forward to last year.


I have now shot a couple dozen with him and a half dozen on my own. I'm booked just about every weekend this summer and I like it. I make a couple hundred when I second and walk away no worries. When I shoot on my own I make a couple thousand. It's a little more stress, but not too bad. I hire an assistant when needed for bigger stuff, but mostly shoot them on my own.


I would say take what portfolio you have and reach out to some local photographers. Get up on Craigslist and whore yourself out on the cheap and see what happens.

Honestly i just started taking "serious" with a DSLR pictures for about 4 months. But before that i was always a sucker for photography, using my iphone and point and shoot. DSLR's really was night and day for me.
So much more you can do. Im also really fast learner, i look researching anything. I take my camera with me everywhere and at first wanted to take pics of nature, landscapes and that sort. Ive taken
portriats of my wife and kids. In those 4 months ive been shooting in manual and am very quick to change exposure on the fly. I still have a lot to learn but im willing to learn.

Thanks for the replies everybod!, right sounds like a good idea to offer at a cheap price to build a portfolio and be a second shooter

Since you mention your wife and kids... Use them. Shoot a lot. Take your camera to all family and social gatherings. Be "that guy". Focus on trying to tell the story of the event/gathering. Use those shots as portfolio.

 

Before I started building a wedding portfolio I use my family photos and photos from any family gathering I could go to. If you ever get invited to any partys ( I shot a salon grand opening for a friend of my wife once I got an album printed from adoramapix and used it as a selling tool) bring the camera.


The real key, as others have said, is story telling. The technical will come, but if you can't put together a series of photos that tell the story of the event... Well, you get the idea.

I couldn't agree with this more. I loved being a second shooter. Not so much primary. As the second I could be creative and focus on detail shots, candids, etc. It was much more enjoyable. I'd also do some of the getting ready shots.

With just 4 months under your belt there isn't a chance in hell I'd suggest taking on a wedding. You need to know your gear and how to adjust for different scenarios, lighting, etc immediately. Things seldom go as planned. Do you have backup gear? I had a camera shit the bed while the bride was walking towards me. If I hadn't had a second body I would've been screwed. Backups goes for flashes, cards, and everything else.

Be careful with this. I don't know which market segment you would like to eventually go for, but the cheap weddings usually do not produce portfolio material that you would show $5k clients.

For someone who's just starting out from scratch, doing 3-5 cheap weddings would be ok for experience.  Just don't get bogged down in them.  Nothing is destroying photographers careers more right now like other cheap photographers.

Experience yes, portfolio material not as much.

There will always be cheap photographers and somebody that will undercut you on price. Like any other business, you have to sell on everything else and not price.

It's good for experience, and to find out if shooting weddings is REALLY the gig you're looking for. There's way more stress and less control than many people expect or can deal with.

Remember that every hour of shooting can translate to one or more hours of editing and post-processing for even modest results. Price accordingly.

Which is why I don't do it.  I've got enough stress just trying to run this business on my own.  

I don't think I'd want to hire somebody trying to get experience for my (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime event. ymmv.