Each year there are more than 20,000 graduates with degrees in photography released in the U.S. alone by colleges and universities. And every year there is a new crop of brides and grooms looking for a wedding photographer to cover their once in a lifetime event. Some of my biggest competitors are also my best referrers.
More than professional courtesy, it’s a commitment from all of us to each other. We do this for a living. It’s our full time job and we have a passion for what we do. We support each other because we know there is plenty of room in this industry for creative, talented and committed photographers.
The entry level for a wedding photographer seems to be getting easier with each generation of digital cameras. Amazing advancements in technology allow nearly anyone to take a decent picture bringing in a whole wave of inexperienced “fake it till you make it” photographers. Additionally, anyone can take out an ad in a bridal magazine or website as long as you pay for it. There are no standards or professional ethics in place. I understand that everyone has to start somewhere—I was once there myself. But I never misrepresented my experience or abilities to any client. That’s why it’s important that you do your homework when considering any photographer and why we refer to our competitors. Now, more than ever, it’s important that we educate our clients and help them see the differences.
Recently, I was honored with a request to join a group of the best wedding photographers on the planet. The International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers is committed to raising the standards in our industry. All members must meet strict requirements for membership.
* At least 2 years in business
* At least 50 weddings as the principal photographer (not as secondary or backup)
* Sponsorship by an existing ISPWP member OR two email references from recent clients and two email references from fellow professional photographers
* Website review
* Agreement to operate your business in accordance with the Code of Conduct
* No unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau or other similar consumer protection organization
This is all well and good you might say, but what is more important, creativity or consistency? With all my years in this industry, doing nothing but photography for the past two decades, my thoughts are that consistency is the more difficult of the two.
I’ve worked with assistants who will pull off an artistic image on their first wedding. It may even make it into the final wedding album. However, ask them to do this again and most will fail without the years of experience behind them. Consistency is much more demanding. It requires a dedication to continuing education (most don’t even have a baseline educational background in photography) and years of time behind the camera. I don’t care how nice a camera you have, it takes experience to pull off a group shot on a summer day at the ocean with full on sun and no shade. The light bouncing off the water and bright sand will make the most seasoned photographer cringe. A professional is consistent and creative.
Being a part of ISPWP also means that I get to compete with my peers in quarterly contests. This is a fun way to be judged by a panel of the best photographers. I never enter competitions as there always seems to be so many other photographers more talented than me. However, I decided it was time to participate. I quickly ran through some of my favorite moments from the past few months and am sharing them with you. Can you guess which ones I entered in the contest?
5 comments