Wedding Photography Portfolio
Showcase Your Work In Its Best Light!
Trust me, without a decent wedding photography portfolio images you will get nowhere fast. You need to build up a solid, well presented set of images to display to possible clients and/or wedding planners and vendors. First impressions count for a hell of a lot. How you present your photographs and yourself can make or break that lucrative wedding deal.
The Chicken and Egg Scenario
"How can I get bookings if I don’t have a portfolio and how can I get a portfolio together if I can’t get booked?"
Simple, work for free : )
Sounds mad I know. However, there are plenty of couples out there that are willing to take a chance on their wedding photos if they are free. Especially if you can show competence in other areas of photography where you do have work to show!
There is no better way to build a portfolio than to go this route. Even if you worked as a second shooter (still a good idea too) for an established professional wedding photographer, it wouldn’t really be you setting up the shots and taking responsibility.
Note: The pressure is relieved a little if you draw up a contract. One that states the wedding photography is free and alleviates you from any responsibility should things go wrong. You are then free to experiment and work hard at your portfolio with less pressure than if you were being paid. You can then call it all your own work.
Do a couple of these and gradually bring money into the equation. Don’t jump in with extortionate prices now just because you have a portfolio:
Presentation
Even if your images are great, if they are poorly presented you may as well have taken them with a camera phone. With the right presentation, care and effort, you can make even the most mediocre images come to life.
Prints
Make them big (A4 - A3) but not too big. Mount them well into a nice, professional album or book that the clients will be happy to flick through.
Maybe have a couple of extra large prints or canvasses to show the quality of your work and equipment…this sometimes puts peoples mind at ease regarding digital (although that fear is fading fast now).
Albums/Photobooks
Once you have a good set of images from one or more weddings, have a sample album or Photobook made up. I have one that includes a selection from many weddings and another that hosts just one full days wedding. Clients like to see some consistency and continuity throughout your work.
Slideshow
Get yourself some decent DVD slideshow software and make up a slideshow or two set to music. You can host these online to promote via email and/or have a hard copy to show on a laptop, TV or digital projector.
For a free trial of a DVD slideshow making program that will do the job nicely, follow this link and download it now. The trial will last long enough for you to make up a few and get a feel for it and you can use these straight away for your wedding portfolio. Free DVD Slideshow Trial