Don’t do Wedding Photography (As a Beginner)

Note: This was an email sent to our subscribers (buyers of our online courses) on Thursday, 25th August 2022

Today I want to give you a real life advice when it comes to doing Professional Photography.

Which is – As a beginner, DON’T GO into Wedding Photography. The key words being “as a beginner”.

Yes, you read that right. In a country where weddings are plentiful and almost a part of the culture, I’m telling you to avoid it.

The reason for that is that it provides for a very poor Return on Investment. Not just in a monetary sense but also on your time.

What’s the reason for this?

In India, charging per hour is still not considered the norm for most photography services. You are usually required to quote a lump sum amount.

Beginner Wedding Photographers (with little to no portfolio) charge around Rs.15,000 to Rs 20,000 per wedding. This might seem decent but when you factor in the time it takes to shoot an entire wedding (sometimes multiple days), editing bulk photos and revising them, commuting back and forth with the equipment, it can present a very poor return on your time.

Compare this with something like doing Portrait Photography out of your budget home studio.

For a 3 hour Portrait Shoot, you can easily charge around Rs 10,000, even as a beginner. Yes, the revenue you generate might be less but it still offers a higher return since so many of costs associated with wedding photography don’t arise in Portrait Photography.

So while a beginner wedding photographer has earned around Rs. 15,000 after three to four days of GRUELING and EXHAUSTING work, a Portrait Photographer can make more just by doing two shoots. Since the Portrait Photographer did not have to commute and the overall shoot time was less, the photographer is also less tired and therefore derived more return on the working time.

The basic point here is that don’t just look at things from a monetary point of view. You also have to consider the value of your time.

So does it mean you should NEVER go into Wedding Photography?

No, it does not mean that.

You can definitely go into wedding photography, but not as a beginner.

The correct time to get into wedding photography is when you are at least at an intermediate level and have some prior experience in professional photography.

Because that time you will be able to charge higher (premium photographers can easily charge more than Rs.1 lakh per wedding).

And by then you will also be able to invest in a small team of assistants which is almost a must. Premium Wedding Photographers usually don’t operate solo.

P.S – This is my personal opinion. Other Photographers might have a different opinion. Let me know your opinion.