What to do with my long summer?

So I finished year one of my photography degree and I was faced with a long summer with not too much to do (I did have a job but this was only 12 hours a week). Most of my friends had either full time jobs or where partying it up in Ibiza. So I decided to something constructive and I stated to look into starting a wedding photography business.

By now I had a fairly good photography portfolio, and I was very competent with a camera, I knew all the technical ins and outs of exposure, aperture ect. but I had never actually been to a wedding! I started by contacting a local photographer (Steve at Your Hand in Mine) who very kindly agreed to let me come along and second shoot at a wedding with him, and that was it I was hooked! I loved everything about weddings, everyone was so happy it was the joining of two families, I loved the details the dress and flowers everything! I now felt it might be time to throw my self in at the deep end…

Just going to stop there for a moment, I would never have photographed a wedding solo if I had any doubt that I could do it. After all the cake is eaten and the dress is packed away, the photography is all you are left with. I personally believe that wedding photography is a very important part of the day and it is essential to get it right. The couples understood I had very little experience and this was highlighted in a contract. If you are considering photographing a wedding remember there are no second chances.

I photographed a few weddings for free, for my portfolio and then started to charge. Working for free is a tricky subject amongst photographers, I probably should have started charging sooner but I found it hard charging for what I loved doing, but then someone sat me down and told me I really should be, I not only now had experience photographing weddings but I was formally trained in photography, I had also spent thousands of pound of kit and by now I had lots of experience.

My biggest tip if you want to become a wedding photographer, is practice practice practice! Know you kit, know your angles and know your light.

Here are some photographs from my first year, in business.

WebsiteTwitterFacebook

* All photography is by unless stated. (C) Lucy Greenhill