It has taken months of planning and preparation. There is electricity in the air. Or, it could be the unsettled anxiety brought on by the rain clouds still hanging ominously overhead. This is meant to be an outdoor event. The wedding planner s conferring with the groom. They are debating arranging shelter in the form of gazebos. The groom s hesitant, as that might interfere with the seating arrangements. The bride would not be too impressed. You empathize with them. But your real concern is how none of your equipment is waterproof! It is your first big gig. And you are already having doubts about running a professional portrait photographer Nanaimo.

With the massive uptrend of people wishing to join the ranks of wedding photographers, the profession s garnered a somewhat glamorous mystique. Aspirants lose sight of it being work, until they start getting booked, that is. They find themselves commuting to, sometimes, foreign locations at odd hours. In a business built on referrals, reputation is everything. So, catering to unusual requests from clients simply comes with the territory. In a sense, it is like working in the service industry.

Getting work in this field requires recognition. But if you are not working, how are you supposed to get recognized and ever acknowledged for your abilities? It is a standard catch 22. There is no simple solution to this situation. And why every artist knows that unrewarded talent is virtually a proverb. Oftentimes, one will work for years just building up the courage to finally put their work out there. Only for critics to take a savage dump on it from a dizzy height. But, take heed, it happens to everyone. Being criticized does not make you special, just pretty average. Being able to keep bouncing back from the criticism though, that is a sure sign of being on the fast track to success.

With business booming, and the competition heating up, it is invaluable that one s skills be distinguishable from the rest of the pack s. To that end, downtime should be spent in developing one s craft, learning the latest cutting edge techniques, applying them religiously until they become second nature and can be relied upon at a whim s notice. The goal is not only to please, but to impress.

That is why a special effort must be made to always make a good impression. When around 80% of a cameraperson s business is based on the referrals of past clients, knowing how to put one s best foot forward becomes the name of the game, Tom Brady. When it comes to occasions celebrating holy matrimony, a wholly collaborative affair, networking and treating everyone respectfully, besides being the right thing to do, opens doors to future prospects too.

Eventually, once the bookings start coming in, great care must be taken to not overcommit yourself. Not as easy as it sounds. Every client places a slightly different set of demands on your time. Which is why itis standard practice for many photographers to only accept about fifty percent, or less, of the work they are offered. If you cannot get by without letting some offers go, it is probably time to raise your rates.

It still requires conscientious scheduling keeping everything on track. Apart from the time consuming work that post production entails, a photographer has to be available to respond to impromptu queries, managing expectations, punctually arriving at shoot locations, then editing and arranging the images into the specific packages as requested, before finally forwarding the polished product off to the new bride and groom and all other relevant parties. Whew! That was already a mouthful. Just imagine actually having to do all that legwork.

One of the main perks of being self employed is it affords you the ability to set your own schedule. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. As much as you love your career, there is so much more to life than earning a paycheck. You owe it to yourself, and your loved ones, to dedicate at least a few days of your week to something other than turning a profit. After all, you are an aspiring artist and art cannot be rushed, so enjoy the process!