Wanting Experience

kyeezie

Hello all! I am looking for someone in the Tampa Bay area that is looking to be a teacher. I have shot one wedding on my own and one as a second shooter. I had 2 weddings in the March area for people that I work with but those have since been canceled. :-( I'm really itching to get out there and shoot more!! If anyone is willing to help me out please let me know! Thanks!:bow

sherijohnson

I am like you too, breaking into wedding photography. I am sure you can find someone that you can assist or perhaps people that otherwise would not afford a photographer willing to give you a chance.

You have to find someone you can connect with.

I happened to make a connection with someone in just the past 24 hours or so.... so don't give up.

Make sure you have some good pictures to show. That has been working for me so far. And of course keep shooting and adding to your portfolio.

fcorin13

I would suggest googling photographers in your area. Many photographers don't have studios in town (i.e. in-home studios) so you may not just run across them. I got into weddings because I was attending one & (since my hubby is a minister) was at the church very early. The photographer was there & it was a down-time for him (people were as usual running late!) so I got to talking with him. It was a small wedding so he didn't have a second shooter with him. I had my camera so he whipped out a second shooter contract (I know- now I carry them with me too) & I got to shoot with him. He gave me some great pointers & then he got the shots I took. He was gracious enough to let me use them as well for my portfolio. So- you never know when things will work out! Just talk to every wedding photographer that you can! You may not get paid right at first, but the experience is worth it!

sherijohnson

fcorin13 wrote:

I would suggest googling photographers in your area. Many photographers don't have studios in town (i.e. in-home studios) so you may not just run across them. I got into weddings because I was attending one & (since my hubby is a minister) was at the church very early. The photographer was there & it was a down-time for him (people were as usual running late!) so I got to talking with him. It was a small wedding so he didn't have a second shooter with him. I had my camera so he whipped out a second shooter contract (I know- now I carry them with me too) & I got to shoot with him. He gave me some great pointers & then he got the shots I took. He was gracious enough to let me use them as well for my portfolio. So- you never know when things will work out! Just talk to every wedding photographer that you can! You may not get paid right at first, but the experience is worth it!

What a great story!

heatherfeather

Hi-
I am glad you are wanting experience. I get contacted with questions like this several times per month. (Shoot, as a matter of fact, it happened with another gal just today! !)

I always take this approach: I will meet with the person gladly- and ask them to bring some of their gear and examples of their work. Then I just sort of watch and listen to them. I ask how often they shoot on their own and what they have done to learn the basics. Depending on how they answer these questions (and others I can't think of right now), I consider inviting them to tag a long on a smaller shoot- (engagement shoot, senior. Probably not weddings) Then I see how they do at those. But just to encourage you, I actually have a gal coming to my next wedding that has passed through all the "hoops" I have put up for her and I am super excited to see how it goes with her along for the ride.

But for sure she is a rare one out of many that have sort of waned in their desire to do this and work hard for it. Please be the other way and learn all you can on your own and use your time with the photographer to learn "the trade" "the lingo" and how weddings work. Ask lots of questions! But don't shy away from learning all you can on your own. (And don't be intimidated- everyone had to start somewhere!)

sherijohnson

Great advice Heather. See that is what I do, I make myself study all I can about wedding photography and I have photography experience since 1987 when I got my first SLR camera. And I have been in the wedding business for about 6 years now as an entertainer...so I feel very confident around weddings. Yet with a new business, there is always so much more to learn if you are to succeed for the long term.

kyeezie

Thanks everyone for your responses! I actually decided to contact the photographer that shot my wedding 5 years ago, prior to me being so into photography. I figured it was a good place to start. It is overwhelming, wondering who will turn you down, who will say yes, who will be nice and who will be mean. I was with my nephew this weekend and he asked me why I always have a camera with me. I think he is getting sick of having his picture taken and he is only 4! Wish me luck!

Scott_Quier

kyeezie wrote:

Thanks everyone for your responses! I actually decided to contact the photographer that shot my wedding 5 years ago, prior to me being so into photography. I figured it was a good place to start. It is overwhelming, wondering who will turn you down, who will say yes, who will be nice and who will be mean. I was with my nephew this weekend and he asked me why I always have a camera with me. I think he is getting sick of having his picture taken and he is only 4! Wish me luck!

And, so ... did you contact "your" photographer? And, if so, what did he/she say?

kyeezie

Scott_Quier wrote:

And, so ... did you contact "your" photographer? And, if so, what did he/she say?

Nothing yet but I am keeping my fingers crossed! I had to leave a message. I guess my next step would be to find some more local peeps and try to contact them as well. I'm scared of being turned down but that's the only way!

Scott_Quier

kyeezie wrote:

Nothing yet but I am keeping my fingers crossed! I had to leave a message. I guess my next step would be to find some more local peeps and try to contact them as well. I'm scared of being turned down but that's the only way!

You may have some luck if you can hook up with a local photography club. Sometimes you can find people like me at such meetings.

kyeezie

Now that is a great idea! Too bad you don't live here, I would love to follow you! Do I find these clubs on the internet?

Scott_Quier

kyeezie wrote:

Now that is a great idea! Too bad you don't live here, I would love to follow you! Do I find these clubs on the internet?

Yes. Google might help. We have a club in our area that is organized using www.meetup.com (this is not an endorsement as I had nothing to do with the oranziation of the club - it was a done deal when I joined). And, yes, too bad we aren't co-located.

kyeezie

Wow Scott! that site really works! I had much better luck with that than with google. I contacted another local photographer, he teaches some classes at the local community center. He can't fit me into his schedule but hopefully he will remember me when is around other photographers. I still haven't heard from "my photographer" but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

kyeezie

I am now part of a wedding photographers club here in the Tampa Bay area! the first meeting is next week, i sure hope I can make it. Thanks again everyone!

Scott_Quier

kyeezie wrote:

I am now part of a wedding photographers club here in the Tampa Bay area! the first meeting is next week, i sure hope I can make it. Thanks again everyone!

Gotta love it when a plan comes together!