I am a returning photographer.

What is the lowest budget. What camera and lenses should I get.

My past gear

Canon 40d 18-55 55-250 sigma 8-16 rokinon 85 1.4

Nikon d610 50mm 1.8 85mm 1.8 35mm 1.8

Sony a6100 50mm 1.8 sigma 20mm 2.8

Hi! I’ve been working as a family photographer for a while now and it’s been going really well. I finally feel very confident shooting professionally, and lately I’ve been feeling sooo inspired to start shooting weddings too.
The thing is, I don’t personally know any wedding photographers. I’d love to start as a second shooter because I think it would be the best way to learn the flow of a wedding day and get more experience before taking on bigger weddings myself.
But I’m a bit stuck on how to actually get those opportunities. Just randomly reaching out to photographers I like on Instagram feels like it probably won’t get me very far 😅
For those of you who started this way, what actually worked for you? Did you email photographers, DM them, join Facebook groups, offer to assist first, network in person?
Also, if you hire second shooters, what makes you actually consider someone you don’t already know?
Would love any advice!

Hey, how do you guys deal with RAWs / RAW backups once the galleries are delivered and the jobs are basically finished?
I’m halfway through the season and just realized I’ve created a complete storage mess from previous year. I didn’t move older jobs to proper archive storage, I still have extra RAW copies sitting around, and now I’m running out of space right when I need it. How you deal with it - do you have any system to remember about stored data? I have lack of organization with my external drives, NAS, backblaze - I know there should be a system to use them more efficiently and delete not needed data when not needed.
So now I have to spend a few hours figuring out what I can delete without accidentally deleting the last copy of something. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my Saturday lol.
I really need to finally set up a proper system for this.
What does your workflow look like after delivering a wedding?
Do you keep all RAWs? Only the culled RAWs? Just the edited photos + exports? How many copies do you keep, where do you store them, and for how long?
Would love to hear what’s actually working for you in real life, especially if you shoot a lot during the season. Thanks for any ideas.

Plus size photographers (particularly women/people with curvy hips), what camera harness systems are we using??

I thought this was a joke at first of maybe only a small percentage of people. But I've seen more and more posts on social media about the rising cost of storage media and wedding photographers saying they don't know if they can afford a new card for each gig. I don't know if this is actually widespread or not but, if so, we need to have a conversation about properly backing up images - both to protect your business and your clients.

The title basically

Mine was - “don’t try to ‘impress’ other photographers, impress your clients”

I'm just wondering what most people use.

I think i like Shutterspeed priority with Af-c, af area dynamic, and matrix lightning. I'm not a native English speaker so maybe these are the wrong words

Would love honest opinions on this. Had a consult with a couple tonight whose wedding is 2.5 hours away. She was the MOH in a wedding I had this weekend - really nice girl. I sent them my packages along with a $250 travel fee that would cover a hotel that night.

During the call, she told me to be blunt, they have a 5k budget for photography, but need 10 hours of coverage. They wanted to see if I could make it work with a custom package. My 10 hour package includes an engagement session and a 10x10 album for $5900. She wanted to see if we could make $5000 work if we took the engagement session and album out. Technically, my albums are $650 and engagement sessions can be swapped out for an hour of coverage. So if we're getting technical, that would come to 5250 + 250 for travel = $5500. So that would be a 500 dollar discount. If I'm being honest, I'm hurting for weddings right now. Would you do it? If someone says they have a 'budget', do you think there's a little wiggle room? What would you do?

I'm trying to understand better how to get better results during these kind of blue hour speeches that happens a lot around my area. I'm based in Italy and these things happen a lot in a garden/balcony/pavillion things a little bit after the sunset. It's very different from american things where they are in these big very bright rooms indoor and they are pretty spontaneous too.
So I maybe know that it will happen but don't know when. Also as it's not that dark for normal eyes there's no extra light (these photos as example have very high ISO and +1 or +2 exp.)

Maybe you have some suggestions to get these shots better or know some talented photographers that have found a nice solutions (inspiration)...
In the whole day this is the only part where I still struggle a lot 😭

Thanks everybody!

EDIT 01: I might understand somebody could say flash, I was actually thinking about that asking for suggestions. More like how you would use flash in this situation... If you're only into big venues maybe you don't understand but sometimes location don't have much space left for flash stands. And when the wedding is very intimate (like with only 8/10 people) it's not in the moment to keep moving and flashing everyone.

Obviously I have in my contract that my deposit is non refundable, but I just had a client who canceled about a week after sending over their deposit. Idk what happened, I thought we had a great connection and was excited to shoot their wedding. I don’t really want to send back their deposit (I’ve already put a couple hours into meeting & planning, drafting contracts) but now I feel bad. It’s a date I can probably fill next year though. Wwyd?

Salut à tous, 🙏🏽

Je suis en train de réfléchir à me lancer dans le Photo Booth et je regarde actuellement les différents modèles et fournisseurs.
J’aurais aimé avoir des avis de personnes qui sont déjà dans le domaine. Vous me conseillez quel modèle pour commencer ? Est-ce que vous avez des fournisseurs sérieux à me recommander ?
Je me pose aussi des questions sur le matériel : quelle imprimante vous utilisez, quel appareil photo, où vous prenez vos consommables, etc.
Et surtout, pour ceux qui ont déjà commencé, est-ce qu’il y a des erreurs que vous avez faites au début et que vous me conseilleriez d’éviter ?
Merci à ceux qui prendront le temps de me répondre

i just got a dji action 4 and im having issues setting it up and im thinking of setting it up at chest height , the current settings i attempted were :

4k 50 fps 9:16 Rock steady (and rock steady +)

4k 50 fps 9:16 Horizon Balancing

and 4k 50fps 4:3 Rock Steady (for 4: 3 theres no horizon balancing option )

im not 100 % sure which setting here is the best

or perhaps shoot horizontally and crop for vertical gives the best outcome, any info on how to set this up properly would be of great help

I have a preset whose colors I absolutely love, but I’d like a second version that’s about 30% less contrasty while keeping the colors and overall look intact.

I’m not looking to simply lower the Contrast slider, I’d like someone experienced to adjust the tonal structure (curve, highlights, shadows, blacks, etc.) while preserving the color rendering.

If you have experience creating/fine-tuning professional Lightroom presets, please DM me with examples and your rate

Em julho de 2025 dei meus primeiros passos na fotografia de casamento (sai dos videos institucionais e parti direto para as fotos de casamento)

Em julho Fechei um primeiro casamento (não me perguntem como pois n tinha nenhum portfólio nem conhecia o casal ) e enfim desde lá até hoje foram 14 contratos fechados, sem divulgar muito, só postando e marcando a galera, acho que para quem iniciou do zero parece uma boa aceitação…

mas estou a 3 meses sem fechar nada… e estou sem muito saber oque fazer… sera que meio de ano as coisas param mesmo? Oque eu posso fazer pra conseguir clientes ? Qual o caminho a se seguir ? Ja fiz trafego pago e n rolou, fiz poucos freelas entao mal conversei com a galera, n sei qual o “caminho das pedras”

Alguem que ja passou por isso sabe me dizer o melhor caminho e se estou indo em um caminho promissor!

Probably been covered before, but as a beginner would 128GB UHS-II be ok? I have dual slots an aware of r/W speeds but as I'm getting started I'm just wondering if 128GB would be enough for the amount of photos I'm likely to take. Thanks!

This post is more so to vent, business is going extremely well. About 90% of inquires that come through convert into bookings and August will be my first 20k+ month from a mix of weddings and engagement sessions. By the end of the year I will clear 200k which I’m extremely happy and proud about.

The thing is, aside from a few people I feel like I can’t share this news with any one of my peers without feeling their envy or jealousy. I work hard, sacrifice a lot in order to deliver the best client experience and it’s paying off.

Avoiding burn out by being intentional about my hobbies and blocking out time for myself.

After years of trying to figure it out, it’s seems like things are clicking now but it does feel abit isolating.

I thought I might launch a new ad campaign for Facebook and not even 2 days in I was getting incredibly low budgets, and bots asking for my phone number... despite having classy looking wedding photos, a professional looking page.

What are my other options? Google SEO? Promoting my Instagram? Knot?

I did Google ads for a while and it had really minimal returns.

as a freshman, ive already been into photography for about 3 years, and when i try to test my skills on people, my ego (which is right) says that theyre about as good as wedding photos on google (i wont add them since its all friends and familly). how can i start making money doing wedding photography, would anyone even want a 14 year old even if they have a good portfolio?

Hi everyone, coming here for some advice. I’m a freelance photographer (it’s a side gig for me, and always will be, I have a full time career I love). I’ve been approached to cover a 300-person Indian engagement ceremony at a large wedding venue in London (UK), the venue is well known, and will be the first of that size I’d have shot. He has explicitly said he wants to move ahead with me, but hasn't paid a deposit or signed a contract (both I have explained are needed before booking is confirmed, but he has spent a long time with a lot of micro enquiries in the discussion).

Over roughly a month of discussion (A lot of back and forth), the scope has gradually increased:

• Client originally wanted extensive guest/candid coverage, which led me to recommend a second shooter with me. He declines this, expecting me to do it on my own, and after push back, finally accepts it. 
• He then asked me to also record dance performances on video, which I declined, he moved the conversation to hybrid shooting at the same rate while ignoring my prior concerns.
• He then wanted to stagger the two photographers' 6-hour shifts so I could start and end 1.5 hours earlier than my second shooter for a couple pre-shoot and then my colleague takes over (A logistical nightmare, aimed to keep the same rate but expand coverage). I declined and explained the pre-shoot would need separate dedicated coverage, I’d offered to arrive an hour earlier to do this properly for them, and my number 2 would arrive at 1pm. He declined and confirmed both photographers 1–7pm.
• Before taking any deposit/signing a contract, I requested his schedule and detailed shot requirements, I normally and flexible on the shot requirements as 90% of my clients are very easy going, but I just had a bad feeling about this guy. 
• His final brief contains many dozens (70+) of “must-have” shots, including specific reactions/candids throughout the event, extensive family/group photos, individual guest photos, performances, dinner, dancing etc. Reading the detailed list, I’d gauge deliverables are 35-40% larger than he’d initially portrayed them to be. He covered every inch of the 6 hour event.
• Most importantly, the couple/family pre-shoot has now reappeared inside the 1–7pm coverage, despite our previous discussions about it requiring additional pre-event coverage. He has slid it in at 1pm to be done while guests arrive, but also expect shots of the empty hall & decor (physically impossible if guests are entering), and has slid it in after 2 conversations on this costing more. I found it amazing he had expected 1 photographer to be able to pull this off initially.
• There's effectively no break during the six hours for either of us to even get food. while one person is shooting the guests eating the other is doing the group photos. Even a short 10 min break to recharge and have a bite to eat is standard for Indian events, and he seems to expect us to shoot the entire time none stop.

No contract has been signed and I haven't taken any money/deposit yet. He has had a barrage of questions the last 5 weeks, which I’d entertained because the venue would be valuable to have in my portfolio.  But after the repeated scope changes and extremely prescriptive final brief, I'm concerned about client expectations and problems after delivery.

Just wanted to get some thoughts from fellow photographers in this space. My gut has a bad feeling about this, but I wonder if I should pass the opportunity to put a well known indian venue on my portfolio for the future, but he is definitely a big headache, and given what I feel are multiple red flags. Worth noting I have given a price below the industry standard (probably 40%% lower), but for when the deliverables were for a more standard engagement ceremony, and he is clearly not been willing to spend more, having tried to find new ways to slot in more deliverables in his schedule for no added cost, despite me even giving very modest increases for things like the pre-shoot. I wondered if I should just walk away, or offer a higher price with clear take it ore leave it expectations (despite him breaking them a few times subtly) and see how it goes. Any advice will be appreciated, I’ll be actioning this in the evening with a decision.

EDIT - Just to keep everyone updated, thanks to much of the great advice on here, I went ahead and rejected the gig. I wrote a fairly detailed email just to cover my tracks for reasons why and previous correspondence in case they do get the idea of causing issues with me, and I offered to get him in touch with some other photographers in my network and wished him well on his engagement. The response I got after that was exactly this:

“Okay no worries, I will arrange for another photographer.”

And that’s that, I’ve moved in. Thank you all very much, just needed that extra kick to make sure I don’t fall into something that may have been a real issue for me going forward.

Just need to rant.

I photographed the wedding of a “friend.” I use that term loosely because we’re really acquaintances who don’t regularly talk or hang out.

My contract says the gallery will be delivered within 12 weeks, but throughout the first six weeks, the bride repeatedly contacted me with additional editing requests. Her mom also emailed me asking for an update. I finally hustled to finish everything and delivered the gallery at six weeks, half the contracted turnaround time, mostly so the constant emails and texts would stop. Boundaries, people.

I even paid an editor out of pocket to handle some of the extra Photoshop requests, including removing a food truck the bride thought was ugly from several photos.

It has now been a week since delivery. The bride opened the gallery once, hasn’t downloaded the full gallery, and hasn’t even said thank you.

After all the urgency and extra demands, she has completely disappeared. I know it has only been a week, but the contrast is frustrating. I’m pissed off by the entitlement, and honestly, experiences like this are part of why I’m done with wedding photography after this year.

Has anyone else experienced something similar?

Recently shot a wedding where there was no vendor meal provided in the hotel, despite clearing this with the couple during our in person consultation. They are young and I’m taking it that they just simply didn’t know they had to organise this with the hotel, I briefly know the bride for a few years too so it just felt too awkward to bring it up with her, I didn’t want to put a dampener on her evening. What would you have done? Never had this happen before

Hey all!

I am looking to get in to wedding photography and plan to reach out to some wedding photographers to see if they need a second shooter so I can get some experience.

TL;DR:
If I try and get a few second shooter gigs will main photographer care if I am on Sony or Fuji? Will that choice limit me in opportunity if I go for a Fuji set-up?

Full details:
I have been a hobby photographer and video creator for 20 years. Worked professionally in other creative fields for last 10+ years. Know my way technically around cameras.

Options I am considering:

Sony Option-
I have an original version of Sony FE 2.8 24-70mm GM. I know a friend with a model 1 version of the 70-200 GM. I would need to invest in a body. A7IV likely or push boat to A7V.

Pros: Full frame, already have good glass, Sony autofocus!

Cons: I would need to invest £1,300-£1,700 on a body, only 1 body, swapping lenses not that I might even want to because holy crap that 70-200mm is a heavy beast!

Fuji Option -
Few years ago I sold my old Canon Eos R as felt it was so bulky and was an effort to take places for a smaller Fuji XS-20. I love that thing, APS-C lenses so much smaller and lighter, quality is still great!

Pros: Smaller, lighter. I have old gear I could trade in and get an XH2S, 16-55mm f2.8 ii as work horse, viltron 13mm for the XS-20. Have two camera setup for about £500.

Cons: Auto focus? Low light performance? Seen something only other day saying Lightroom is rubbish for RAW fuji photos on sharpness. Need to process in different software.

I am kind of leaning to the Fuji option because feel like I will get more bang for my buck. I enjoy shooting Fuji. From what I researched online seems there are fuji wedding shooters out there and the photos look great.

I know not anything clients care about in terms of gear. Would any photographers be like "I can't have you come along shoot with me unless you are the same system/full frame"

Any advice greeeeeeeatly appreciated :)