Finding a job

[pendennis]

..I just wanted to know if there's an entry position for weddings? Or even another field of photography where I can support myself. I don't accept the fact that one needs years of experience to get started.

My hunch is that if there is a wedding photographer who is willing to hire you or even let you hang out for no pay, you are probably looking at the lower end of the skill/experience level of wedding photographers. As such, what little experience you get doing that might be useless or misleading.

When considering such an arrangement, I suggest that you look critically at his/her portfolio as if you were thinking of hiring him/her. If the portfolio looks wonderful, then you have a good chance of actually learning photography. If not, keep looking.

Meanwhile, there might be an entry-level position with another photographer in some other field, but you're going to have to use your imagination to find him and be hired. Some real-estate photographer, or something like that with the need for a "grip" to man-handle the lights, etc. might actually be something to look for.

Appreciate this post. The guy is Definitely not an amateur photographer though. The guy I know uses a Sony a7r2 and a 24-70. He's helped the other guys a few times and has great photos. I know what equipment it takes to photograph a wedding, I just don't have the money for a full frame yet. I want to save up for a canon 5d mark 4 with 24-70. It's one of those scenarios where I have what I have and want to do something with it.


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Again, just buying a Canon 5D won't begin to help you meet the equipment requirements. Basic equipment costs start in the low thousands, and move up quickly from there. You haven't mentioned anything about lighting. A single on-camera dedicated flash will work for Uncle Barney, but lighting will require several (think four or five) flashes at a minimum. The Canon body will be a primary, but you also have to have an additional Canon full frame as a back up.

You have to know your equipment by touch. You don't have time to grope for differences in control placement. I stopped just at the dawn of the digital age. My primary cameras were three Mamiya 645 Supers. And lenses were redundant - 2 55mm W/A's, 2 80mm's, 2 150mm's, etc.; and multiple film backs and inserts. I also ended up with a fourth 645 Super, because one was sometimes in the shop for repairs.

Oh, and I kept a loaded Nikon F5 kit in my van - just in case.

I had almost thirty years of wedding and portrait experience, and I dropped out of wedding photography long before I gave up portraits. (That's another animal altogether.)

The hours of preparation, and post-shooting are long and hard. The wedding days ran to sometimes 26 hours.

 

[KmH]

Do you want to do retail or commercial photography?
What formal training (college) have you had?
Have you researched the current state of the photography industry in the city you're moving to?
Have you identified potential photographer employers in the new city and researched their business and hiring requirements?
Have you started making contacts in the photography industry in the new city?
Do you have any business management (of any kind) experience/training? You might have to start as a receptionist, an office manager, or a grip (lighting and rigging crew).

Frankly, I think you're going about doing what you want to do in a manner that isn't likely to get you what you want.
There are not a lot of photographer jobs out there, beyond being a 1 man self-employed business.

 

[FotosbyMike]

I would agree with most everything above, but it is a two edged sword, you need experience to get the job and you need the job to get experience.

If someone is willing to show you the ropes of wedding photography do it but only do it if you are willing the learn, willing to take feedback, willing to not hang out with friends, stay up late editing, playing with the camera, play with lights...etc. Know your equipment and find out what the other photography is using and know his/her equipment.

But with that said you more in-likely will need a real job with Friday nights and weeks off. You will need to put a little money aside no matter what amount to rent a lens or lights for the weekend.

I use to shot weddings 2003-2013 and they can be good money but also a pain in the a$$. And to me with all the bureaucratic, social stigma, cheapskates, bride/mom-zillas, (aka BS) I don't do them anymore. I don't any of these issues to take away my passion in one (human) mistake or disagreement.

I wish you the best of luck.

 

[astroNikon]

Everyone gets lambasted when they say they want to be a "pro" photog and don't have all their ducks in a row.

If you friend is willing to let you "help" then there would be no negative aspect of that. Why not, right ? You gain some insight on what your friend goes through shooting a wedding.

Everyone starts somewhere ...

 

[Pedro_lopez]

Everyone gets lambasted when they say they want to be a "pro" photog and don't have all their ducks in a row.

If you friend is willing to let you "help" then there would be no negative aspect of that. Why not, right ? You gain some insight on what your friend goes through shooting a wedding.

Everyone starts somewhere ...

I totally understand where people are coming from. I can see it seems like total disrespect to those who put years into getting where they are, but I wasn't asking for the get rich quick kind of answer. I was asking about where to start, simply because I know deep down this is what I want to do. It's not one of those "Christmas gifts" that I got interested in.

I also never claimed to have all my ducks in a row so all these questions while well founded are not what I was looking for. Do I have a plan? No, that's why I came on here looking on how to start a plan. Do I know how the entire photography business work? No, I was actually going to go to school for film and minor in business to get and idea for the work field while also doing photography.

I did say I was looking for something soon but nothing "professional" more like an assistant to a photographer what ever field it is. In film it's a "grip" so I guess something like that for a photographer. I wouldn't even mind working at a camera store if that's what starting at the bottom of that field is.

Point is, I hate what I'm doing now, but I do love when I'm out with my cameras working on something or even on my computer editing. More so then to call it just a "hobby".


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[SCraig]

Point is, I hate what I'm doing now, but I do love when I'm out with my cameras working on something or even on my computer editing. More so then to call it just a "hobby".

A lot of people are in that same situation, but the bottom line is that having a job one hates is better than not having a job at all. I understand what you mean, I've been there to. Many of us have at one time or another, it's just part of life for most of us.

But think about this: You finally get the job interview of your dreams. You walk into the owner's office, sit down, and are told this: "I've talked to a dozen people today who have about the same qualifications as you do. I'm going to hire one of them so convince me why that one should be you." How do you answer this? What are you going to say to convince him that you are the one for the job? Coming up with an answer that will get you the job over all the others is your so-called starting point.

Someone in your position is a ripple in a pond of others just like you. You have to stand head and shoulders above the others to be noticed, and until you can do that you probably won't get the job. You have to have an edge, something that makes you stand out in the crowd.

 

[chuasam]

I'm not looking to be a head photographer or even second shooter right away. I just thought I could take my friends offer to learn at a few weddings. I wouldn't mind helping out with equipment or lighting as a way to learn, but I do feel that waiting around until I have hundreds of dollars of equipment isn't gonna help me get any further. I want to be able to make money in photography in order to pay for my equipment so I have a justification to spend the money. Renting for an event is also an option if I need a second camera as back up. Other then all that I would say yes experience is what I'm lacking and I just wanted to know if there's an entry position for weddings? Or even another field of photography where I can support myself. I don't accept the fact that one needs years of experience to get started.


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"Hundreds of dollars" Try thousands at a minimum and tens of thousands more like. If you want to get into this, you need to have basic skills and equipment to start. I don't shoot weddings except under great duress, but if I did and was looking for an intern, I would expect that he/she would have their own basic kit, and would know how to set up lights, prep bodies and lenses, understand what was needed for each shot, etc. Think of it as applying for a position as builder's helper. If you don't have your own basic tool kit, hammer, saw, tool belt, etc, and the ability to cut a 2x4 to a particular length with a particular bevel, you're not going to last long.

the next wedding I'm shooting is my GF's personal trainer. I'm assisting as a favour.
After that, I'm helping my GF shoot my brother's wedding *LOL*
Not paid for either so whatevssss...