For newbies and wannabee Wedding Photographer:

I'd like to share how I build up my portfolio when I was starting.

As a hobbyist, I have this non-wedding website http://dinolara.tripod.com

From there, I would receive from time to time some inquiries if I do weddings but I just refer them to my friends. But in 1999, I decided to entertain one inquiry. I was very open to them that I have no professional experiences in weddings although I have few pics from friends and relatives' wedding.

Luckily, they really like my B&W and went on and booked me. I was able to close a deal at Php 40,000 which was quite high already in 1999. I only promised 15 rolls of film (12 color and 3 B&W) from 2 photographers.

I was so scared that time that I asked my friends to help me out. 5 of us covered the wedding consuming 62 rolls. I was able to produce a very nice album out of those shots and was able to book 14 more weddings for the whole year of 2000. I also made 14 more album samples.

Please share yours. :)

I'm actually trying that right now ... I sent off an email to one of my favorite wedding photographers inquiring, hoping to shoot with, etc... but have yet to receive a reply.

A client of mine for commercial works actually told me to get into wedding photography as she had a lot of referrals for me (because she liked my documentary and other commercial works). I told her the truth too - I have no actual experience.

Anyway, my point is I'm thinking about giving it a try - NOT as a wedding photographer, but to be able to shoot a wedding some time. Who knows right?

In my case... Luckily from referrals and from my website... Sometimes clientele just send an Email or SMS, with the line: "Do you also do weddings?" :)

Though I am not a pure wedding photographer. Wedding work presents alot of opportunity to be creative... That's what I like about it. However, it does require an immense amount of time and effort plus all the sweat.

Cheers Dino :) Nice Topic.

Hello guys.. nice topic.. and since i just got back into SLR photography recently, after dabbling with painting and graphic design.. i'd like to get my feet wet again with any project. I'm considering weddings though. Anyone here interested to get me as an assistant photographer? I have an Olympus E-500 with 2 zoom lenses. Thanks!

It may seems you're getting few opportunities to shoot wedding but that's only at the start. Keep on shooting whatever you see. Learn how to make things beautiful. Learn how to make the most simple things to become an art. When you got the chance to shoot a wedding, those skills would really help.

Hi Dino still remember me? =) Nice topic. I just want to know what's the most effective portfolio of a wedding photographer. There are the real album, website gallery, slide show distributed to prospect clients, etc.

Thanks.

sigh, i have to start updating my portfolio.

i still just show my two aging portfolio albums and my box of pics.

:<)

Hi Dino still remember me? =) Nice topic. I just want to know what's the most effective portfolio of a wedding photographer. There are the real album, website gallery, slide show distributed to prospect clients, etc.

Thanks.

Hi Darwin,

There's no proven formula for everybody. Remember you are going to sell your porfolio and you have to be very comfortable with it regardless what form is it. So far, website and actual albums have been very effective for me.

Thanks Dino, building a wedding porfolio is tougher than I tought =)

Thanks Dino, building a wedding porfolio is tougher than I tought =)

I second that, especially since you had to have shot a few weddings for your portfolio content. now let's see how many weddings I've done... one. :D

I second that, especially since you had to have shot a few weddings for your portfolio content. now let's see how many weddings I've done... one. :D

That's enough to make a portfolio.

It's easy but it takes some time and money to build it. It is also a never-ending process. I update my portfolio once or twice a year. :)

That's enough to make a portfolio.

It's easy but it takes some time and money to build it. It is also a never-ending process. I update my portfolio once or twice a year. :)

See... And this is already coming from a master.

The moral is: "It's not the volume of what you shoot... It's the quality of your images.":) That's why if one gets the chance to bag a wedding contract... shoot like it's your last wedding session here on earth... kahit pa pang-national geographic yung bride :D (just my humour, no pun intended). But seriously, it will help if though most of us are shooting digital, we still treat each frame as if it were slide film and this applies not only to weddings but in general photography...

IMO Think of it like this: "Wouldn't it be easier to choose from a handful of excellent photographs rather than to pick the best out of thousands that yield only a few, in building that critical portfolio?":Thinking:

That's enough to make a portfolio.

It's easy but it takes some time and money to build it. It is also a never-ending process. I update my portfolio once or twice a year. :)

The toughest part is the money he he he :Thinking:
I have to build funds before I can build my portfolio though I already had several weddings.

whoosh. i think being a wedding photographer is the most though job. its because you should posses all the skills in photography from portraiture even sports..

thanks for generously sharing your experience dino!