So I'm shooting my first wedding tommorow and the flash I ordered isn't getting here in time and im kind of stressed since its inside a venue at starts at 4pm,sun sets by 6pm, I'm shooting on a Nikon d5100, got 3 lenses all the way up to 200mm but only the prime lense is auto stability/focus.I'm a film major college student who works as a sales photographer part time, been doing it for a little over a year, I've done a quince(sweet 16 but at 15 for Mexicans girls), and a baptism on top of my sales work. I'm not professional but I'm definitely not a complete begginer,I did my previous work for family and this wedding I'm shooting for my cousins husband's family. They're aware I'm not a professional with modern gear and im charging 285$ for about 3 hours. I've learned alot being a sales photographer at different places(margaritaville, Dave and busters.etc) but I've never done this before, it's someone's special moment so I know there's a lot at stake. I looked on fb market for a ttl flash as it's for a wedding but to no aveil,any tips to help me out? Fortunately adobr lightroom/photoshop comes clutch with editing so that makes me worry less but I want to do my best to not have to waste time editing pictures to make them look properly exposed and all, I'm sure it'll be a fast paced event so taking my sweet time adjusting settings isn't gonna work, I'm confident I'll get good shots but the lighting situation as the day goes by worries me as the default flash isn't nearly enough to cover past a certain distance and it's just not as good as an external quality wise.

Hey all,
I know there are many people like me so I hope someone found an solution to this:
I was thinking how can I edit faster and there are different aspects I can get faster with, but the main problem is just procrastinating, watching youtube on the 2nd monitor, chatting with friends etc.

Has anyone found a helpful tool or solution to this? I was thinking of a simple app that blocks distractions for you etc. Can anyone recommand if you use it?

Hi folks, I'm going to deep-dive into meta ads this coming holiday season, while I have time off shooting. Has anyone done a course (hands-on) or an informative tutorial (paid or otherwise) that worked well for them?

Keen to check out some offerings (no spam please, just real recommendations!)

Looking for advice! I’ve laid out brand new packages and pricing to launch on the first of the year, and I guess I’m just looking for reassurance that I’m not raising my prices too much. I’m in the Sacramento, CA area and I’ve needed to raise my prices for a few years now but I’ve always struggled with imposters syndrome. Right now I charge $2,200 for one photographer, 8 hours of wedding day coverage, I usually edit around 700-900 photos for their online gallery (I never limit how many photos, that’s just an average) and they get a custom USB drive. My other package is $2,750 for 2 photographers, 10 hours, and a complimentary engagement session. We also offer video packages from $2500-3300. I would like to start aiming for higher budget weddings. After some research, it looks like photographers in my area are charging around $3000-5000 for similar offerings. So my new prices are going to be $3,200 for one photog and 8 hours, and I’m including a complimentary engagement session. $4,000 for 2 photogs, 10 hours, engagement session, and an heirloom album. Video packages will be $3,500-5000 (my husband doesn’t want to book as many wedding videos this year so we priced those pretty high.) I personally think my work is good enough to charge these new prices, I’ve been shooting weddings on and off for 10 years now but went full time into it 4 years ago. I’ve even created a wedding guide to start giving out when a client books with me. My focus this year is going to be on giving my clients a luxury experience. Even with all of that, I’m really nervous about raising my prices by almost $1,000. I’d share my website but it’s currently being worked on and updated for the new year so it’s out of date. Here’s my IG for reference of my work: https://www.instagram.com/dreamcaptureweddingphoto/profilecard/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

I'm a wedding photographer and this video just reminded me why I love what I do. So much inspiration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9vGI49TvVc&t=205s

Hi Everyone,

I use Squarespace to host my website and I currently do not have client proofing gallery although I would love to get one. It's not exclusively popular where I am from to have a client proofing gallery but I want to up my game and I really like the idea.

I have been pondering switching from Squarespace to Pixieset just to have website and gallery in place which is the same price for what I pay for Squarespace. The other option would be to hold on to squaresapce and use something liek cloudspot. I do not need a CRM so that is not a selling point to me.

Would migrating from Squarespace to Pixieset be a good idea? Is there a client proofing gallery that you use that you prefer? Do you have any other pieces of advice?

I prefer a one stop shop and value for money. Most of my work is on my instagram and its what gets me most clients anyways so a website isnt ALL that either (although important)

Thanks

So I'm finally making the change from squarespace to wordpress many years too late. Hoping to get some feedback as to which direction to go re:themes and templates. I've seen many people touting Kadence and it's child themes as being very SEOed but was wondering if a theme like this - https://themeforest.net/item/solene-wedding-photography-theme/25611487# - would be fine if I am also going to learn and implement SEO and such from the Fuel your Photos course. Hope that makes sense and Thanks very much in advance.

Hi everyone! What do you when a couple reaches you out by email asking the price list or when you are available etc. you reply and they dont even respond to it, not even a thanks, we have decided to go with another one etc. its so annoying.

What do you do?

A place for gear talk. No question or post is too big or too small. Photos welcomed.

Hey everyone, I’m looking to order a wedding album from Artifact Uprising and am hoping to catch a good deal during black friday or cyber monday. Does anyone know if their wedding photo books or custom albums typically go on sale? I’ve heard great things about their quality, but I’m not sure if it’s worthy. What have your experiences been with their holiday discounts? 📸🎉

Update - ok, being looking for deals and here's what I found.

Best Artifact Uprising Black Friday deals:

• 20% off the Holiday Gift Guide (ArtifactUprising.com)
• Artifact Uprising photo prints on sale (ArtifactUprising.com)
• Artifact Uprising photo books on sale (ArtifactUprising.com)

I’m thinking of purchasing this blazer for weddings as the price seems really good. Anyone use this or have any reviews about their experience with this jacket? I currently use a blazer from Zara which has been great as it is super comfortable, it fits nice, plus it’s stretchy for constant movement throughout the day for those low and high angles. Is this a good jacket?

The price tag is very intimidating for me but I’m thinking I could sell my Tamron 35-150 f/2-2.8 and a couple others for this. Maybe keep the 28-70 f/2 on one body and a 135 f/1.8 on the other for the reach, but I’m still theorizing…

Are you equally as interested, and if so, what lenses would you swap out? If you’re on somewhat of a budget, which lens(es) are you considering selling and how do you rationalize the trade off? Alternatively, which kidney do you plan to sell to purchase this lens?

need advice on simplifying my photo album workflow.

• do you let clients choose their album cover, color, or text for the cover?
• do you let clients select the photos for the album, or do you create the layout yourself? or do you offer both options and then start creating it?
• do clients review the digital layout before you send it to print?
• can clients request modifications to the layout (e.g., change, remove, or resize pictures)?
• do you include something in your contract like this: "if you don't choose the pictures for the album within 90 days of delivery, the album will be created by me and can be picked up from the company headquarters"?

here’s my current workflow:

1. i create the digital layout using photos i select based on my vision.
2. i present the layout to the couple and allow them to make as many changes as they want. all changes are made in one session.
3. clients choose the album model, colors, and text for the cover.
4. once finalized, i get their approval and send the layout to print.

the main challenge i face is that some clients take too long to decide on changes. for example, i still have an album pending from 2022 because the clients haven’t given me their final approval, despite multiple reminders.

Hey gang

I know this might not fit this sub but I find the responses and experiences here quiet helpful.

I need some help dealing with corporate clients and payment terms.
I do all kinds of event not just weddings, my terms are pretty simple payment is due on the event date, or day after. If they issue a cheque I pick it up at the event, or if electronic payment, a day or so later. It's all in the terms of the contract.

Some corporate clients seem to totally ignore this, they pay whenever they normally process payments. The usual is every 15 days, 30 days, or even 60 days if it's a large enterprise client.

Not all clients are like this, some will have payment ready, or even before.

Curious how you deal with this or what might be the best or better approach.

Thanks!

I did not get any hardware except a cool little bag from wandrd, but I bought Nerrative Select Pro

Ask or talk about anything at all that you might think does not fit as a main thread. Nothing is too small, too basic, or too off the wall. Newbie questions are welcome.

I dug into deals for Photp Stealers and thought I’d share them here in case anyone is interested. Some affiliate links to be upfront but I got lawyer bills lol.

Big Box Stores - https://photostealers.substack.com/p/black-friday-deals-big-boxish-edition

Small Businesses - https://photostealers.substack.com/p/black-fridaysmall-business-saturday

If there’s anything anyone is looking for let me know and I’ll see what I can find.

Anyone know where to get quality flat lays at an affordable price. Bonus points if there's any black friday deals!

View Poll

Hi all,

I’m an amateur photographer, hoping to try and get into wedding and family photography.

I currently have a Fuji xt2 with the 35mm Fuji lens. It’s a great camera but not sure it will cut it for quick paced weddings.

I wanted to know what you all use and recommend, as hoping to invest in a new camera and lens. I like Fuji, also love Canon.

My budget is around £1.5k-2k. Is that also enough for what I’d need?

Thanks 🙏🏻

I am at a loss.

I was hired for a wedding in September. It was the first wedding I have done without a second shooter. It was a small wedding that was contracted for 6 hours but I had total confidence in myself that I could do it alone. I was 2 days away (unknowingly) from my second miscarriage of the year.

I showed up to that wedding and literally gave it my all. The bride was extremely demanding but I happily did everything she asked me to and I even went beyond that and made sure to ask her if there was anything else additionally that she wanted after I knew I had several solid options. I distinctly remember taking photos of her and her loved ones on the grooms side, every single time she asked me to. (They flew in from out of state)

The venue was extremely small. The lighting wasn’t ideal the entire day. But again, like any photographer would, I did the absolute best that I could have done. The bride asked me, for a second time, as I was about to leave at her wedding if/when they would be receiving sneak peeks. I explicitly told her that as of right now, sneak peeks are subject to my schedule. (This wasn’t the first time I told her) They are not included in my contract at all. However, I do always strive to deliver sneak peeks to my clients in a timely manner.

Cut to literally the day after her wedding. She immediately starts emailing me inquiring about her sneak peeks and her gallery and how soon it would be done. She continued to email me if not every day, at least every other day. It finally got to the point where I RESPECTFULLY told her that sneak peeks aren’t guaranteed as of right now as much as I loved providing them. And that while i understand the excitement and anticipation of receiving her wedding photos, i nicely asked for her understanding that she was the 5th wedding in line to be edited and while i would have (and did have!) her full gallery out in the time, i also have 10+ other sessions to edit that aren’t even weddings.

I sent her a gallery of sneak peeks 30 days after her wedding.

Needless to say, I got her gallery out before my 8week cut off. I don’t hear from her. A few days later, I receive an extremely lengthy review that is unnecessarily nasty about how dissatisfied she was and how unprofessional I am. I should be extremely embarrassed for the photos I turned over to her and she will highly recommend anyone NOT to use me. She claims that everyone she has shown the pictures has gone on and on about how terrible they are. After carefully writing out a professional response, I addressed her review on my PUBLIC business page. Again, as professionally as I possibly could. I owned up to her dissatisfaction, tried to remind her that while apparently I did not live up to her standards, I am human as is everyone else. I offered to help find a resolution to her issues.

She claims that her entire wedding gallery is horrible and she only got 8 good photos. (Yet, a photo that wasn’t included in her sneaks was set as her profile picture…….as well as posting a collage of her bridal portraits). She didn’t like the candid shots at her reception and said all of the photos were of the backs/sides of peoples heads or everyone was making weird faces. After reviewing her gallery several times, I don’t quite understand. In some of the photos, yes, you could see sides or backs of heads. BUT, that was not the focal point of the image.

I’m not going to say that these were the best wedding photos, because they could have been better. However (not an excuse), it is my first year in the industry. SHE KNEW THIS GOING IN. We had several conversations about how my first year was going. I only charged her $700 for 6 hours because I am still gaining experience and learning.

Now she is going through the images on my business page and laugh reacting to them.

I feel like she is trying to ruin me. I am only getting started and I feel like I should just call it quits while I’m ahead. I removed reviews off my page because she kept commenting and wanted to fight.

I feel like she’s going to keep at it and start publicly posting in local groups about me or even start messaging my future bridal clients.

Thanks for reading. I know this post is lengthy. Has anyone experienced something like this before?

I am part of an expat community group in Germany and a girl was asking for a photographer there. Even though I only am doing it professionally until recently, I wrote to her that I was interested and asked what's the occasion.

Well yeah... It's a wedding. Even though I love to shoot weddings in the future, I told the girl that I had no experience with it. However, I also plan to start a one on one course next month where I would be working very closely with the photographer.

She was cool about it as she was not looking for someone professional. She asked me to show some of my work. I only did 2 couple photoshoots and apparently she liked me.

Now she's asking me what exactly is included? Is there a maximum of pictures? How many hours would I be available and how much would it approx. cost.

Now tbh I feel already privileged to just be part of that and I'm really grateful to have this kind of opportunity.

Can you please help me answer those questions? Like it a good idea to give her some kind of packet with the hours, shots and prices and higher the price a bit relatively? Or to straight away offer my maximum capacity? I really want to do this wedding and I want to be sure on what answers I give.

Is it okay to ask what's her budget so I can avoids the risk of pricing too high or undervaluing myself? Or is it too late now?

The wedding will be in the same city where I live so there will be no extra travel costs. However I don't know how much should I charge as a newbie. For the record, I live in southern Germany so please also give me some advice related to that (prices etc)

Hi all, I’ve been in the business for just about a decade. I was a full time photographer (weddings, families, branding, headshots… I basically never picked a focus and was always stuck in the “I’ll take photos of whatever you want if you pay me” mentality that comes with the first few chaotic years. I existed mostly on referrals and having a good spot in a couple markets.

Last year I joined a nonprofit in an area that I really care about and drastically cut my photography business down to weekend warrior status. In hindsight, this was probably a mid-life crisis. I’ve certainly damaged my business but it’s still there and I’m still getting bookings.

I want to take this winter (when I appreciate the stability of a steady paycheck) and re-educate myself in marketing / business growth. When it comes to weddings I am basically starting from scratch as my client referrals have all dried up. I am thinking about taking a digital marketing class (Cousera type of thing) as things have changed drastically since the last time I had to focus hard on marketing for clients beyond word of mouth. Has anyone done this and found it worthwhile? Does anyone have any recommendations?

What has been your tried and true way of getting bookings? How do you market? I hear some say they book strictly off just posting on ig. Others have said they have to market. I have been in business for 10 years now but struggle to book each year. I haven’t ever done any marketing but I always book at least 10-15. I would like to increase my rates and still book that many or at least book 20 for 2025. Trying to figure out I can do this. Please share what works best for you to get your bookings!

We use a hodgepodge of methods right now. Checks are great except for the fact that they're slow and have gotten lost in the mail. Venmo and Zelle have been the best. We just tried Stripe and that 3% fee really hurt on the size of the contract.

Would love to hear your best practices. Thanks!!!

I'm wondering what all of you are doing when you are almost at the spot where you consider yourself you don't want to take on more bookings. Do you significantly raise prices for the next few spots? Or what is your approach?

P.S it seems to me that 2025 will be an incredibly popular year, of course this may depend on other factors and it could be just an individual thing and not an objective truth.

Ask anything! All questions from brides/grooms/couples/other vendors can be asked here in the weekly thread. All other threads from non-wedding photographers (brides/grooms/couples/other vendors) will be removed and asked to be reposted in these weekly threads.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Camera: Elevate Your Photography Game

As a seasoned photographer with years of hands-on experience, I’ve explored countless camera models and honed my skills across various challenging genres—HDR landscapes, stunning Milky Way shots, mesmerizing fireworks, and even the thrill of wildlife photography. While capturing the perfect moment and applying the right techniques are crucial, the truth is undeniable: your gear plays a pivotal role in achieving truly breathtaking results.

Why the Right Camera Matters

Gone are the days when photographers had to limit their ISO to minimize noise. Thanks to rapid advancements in technology, today’s flagship cameras boast incredible capabilities—ISO levels soaring beyond 2000 or even 3200 without sacrificing image quality, cutting-edge sensors for superior light capture, and autofocus systems so fast they seem almost psychic. These innovations ensure that even the most demanding shots are well within your grasp.

Investing in the right equipment isn’t just about staying current—it’s about future-proofing your craft. A high-caliber camera can serve you well for the next decade or more, enabling you to push boundaries while keeping pace with the ever-evolving art of photography.

Flagship Cameras That Set the Standard

Let’s take a look at some of the most outstanding professional-grade cameras, each a powerhouse in its own right:

• Nikon D6 DSLR Professional Camera Body
• Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR Professional Camera Body
• Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Camera 
• Fujifilm GFX 100S II Large Format Mirrorless Camera
• Nikon Z9 Flagship Mirrorless Camera

Each of these models has unique strengths, from the robust build of DSLRs to the cutting-edge features of mirrorless cameras.

Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Needs

If you’re a hobbyist, consider starting with a beginner-friendly mirrorless camera or a bridge camera. Building a solid foundation with interchangeable lenses will prepare you for professional-grade gear down the line.

For professionals, the choice becomes more nuanced. Are you a die-hard Canon or Nikon user, with an established collection of lenses and accessories? Do you value the compactness and innovation of mirrorless systems? Or do you need a camera that excels in both photography and videography?

Here are a few key factors to guide your decision:

• Portability: A lightweight mirrorless camera might be ideal for travel and wildlife photography, while a sturdy DSLR excels in studio settings.
• Video Capabilities: If you plan to explore videography, look for models offering 4K or even 8K recording, such as the Nikon Z9 or Sony Alpha 1.
• Budget: These flagship cameras are significant investments, so prioritize features that align with your specific goals.

Final Thoughts: Unlock Your Potential

Choosing the right camera is about more than specs—it’s about finding a tool that aligns with your vision and empowers your creativity. Whether you’re shooting a sports event, capturing the night sky, or documenting life’s fleeting moments, these flagship models offer unparalleled performance to elevate your craft.

Invest wisely, and watch your photography reach new heights

So there is a discount on his booked solid course right now and it is still a significant investment for me. I’m hoping there are members of this subreddit that have first hand experience with the course.

I’m having a hard time finding any reviews that are not provided by Ben Hartleys site. Even his Style and Story wedding studio doesn’t have any google reviews? Is this normal.

I do see value in the few free options he has shared through his Facebook group which has lead me to be interested in what this course may be able to teach me.

If you have taken his course please let me know your experience and whether you found value in it that exceeds the entrance fee.

I appreciate you taking the time to offer me some guidance.

Cheers

Before I get started I will post what my computer is here: Dell XPS 9520, it's a beast of a laptop, but it does run hot!

Hello people, as the title states I'm struggling with my editing process for wedding photography. I have been doing wedding photography for many years now, but recently I have stopped advertising myself due to the lack of motivation to edit and cull. Culling and editing is my worst part of a wedding. The main reason for this, is because I have never really had a good consistent process for my editing. I suffer quite bad with ADHD.

I would like to know about other people's process for Lightroom. Do you build a new catalog for every single wedding. My process for this is creating a whole new catalog for each wedding individually, I like this option as it helps me stay organised.

What previews do you use and what smart previews? I have found that sometimes when in library mode, that my images sometimes take a couple of seconds to load up. I would like this to be instant.

Do you edit from an external SSD?

What is your process for backing up a wedding, before and post editing? I usually keep everything, this was a bad idea as I've got millions of RAW's sitting there that will never be used. This I want to change. So my process for culling, I start with 1 starring images, then I go back through and edit my 1 stars, edited images go to a 2 star and images that need to be transfered to photoshop for more work, I will star these a 3. I star a 4 for ready for export. In the future I'm thinking about selecting all my unstarred images and deleting them from lightroom and disk. Is this something others do?

As for editing I tend to edit one photo from a certain area/lighting, then I'll copy the settings and select all the images from the same area or similar lighting and I will paste the settings over to them images and so on.

I have seen a software online called Aftershoot, is this software any good? I can't imagine it to be good, I would be scared it would remove images I like or to just not work as well as I need. It's quite an expensive service. I don't want to waste money on software I don't need.

I export all images at the highest JPEG quality at 300dpi.

I would like some people to sharing their organisation process for storing all your files, backing them up and where you keep them while editing?

Finally, is there any settings or preferences that anyone would recommend me changing or even trying out. I want to make my lightroom experience smoother and better.

Thank you so much for reading.