Wedding photography is tiring for a photographer

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Tom
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How many times have I attended weddings as a photographer to meet guests who claim to be ex wedding photographers and how 'I would never photograph a wedding ever again!!!'

As a wedding photographer in Liverpool and Manchester and having literally come off the back of 3 weddings (Thursday, Friday, Saturday), I can in many ways empathise with their opinions.

I like to think that I am good at my job. I always maintain a positive attitude during the day; smiling, joking, making decisions based on the weather, not keeping the guests waiting, lighting the photographs manually, VERY quickly, so as to not keep the bride and groom waiting... And to VERY high standards, those which reflect the prices I charge. I ALWAYS receive compliments and bookings from the weddings I have attended. I am REALLY good at marketting and I could also sell snow to Eskimos, so anyone who hasn't heard of my company will generally book...

I've done this job for 7 years, I still love it, but I am exhausted from what is expected of me and always maintaining that lighteneing fast, happy go lucky attitude I maintain at around 80 weddings a year.

I used to be a psychiatric nurse. I worked with people who had serious issues including drug abuse, schizophrenia and pedophillia... However, being a successful photographer in the wedding industry is more physically and mentally exhausting than the job I used to do.

I always compare myself to the sad clown... (Or Barrymore!!!)... Always appearing so happy to be at such a fantastic event... But when I leave and return home, I'm absolutely EXHAUSTED by my act and the pressure of maintaining such high standards in the posed photographs and reporatage photography I take. Its like being REALLY good at a computer game and playing it for 12 hours... Do that 3 days running, week after week and it would tire anyone!!! Or a boxer, fighting 12 rounds... 3 days running, week after week...!!! You get the picture?!!?

When I talk to REALLY successful videographers in the industry who I work with regularly, they say they also feel the same. Its one thing attending 10 weddings a year, its another atending 80 weddings a year... I am unfortunatley (Or fortunately) in a position now whereby I will never earn anything like I earn now doing any other job... No matter what I choose as a career path, Wedding photography is something I will always do.

I absolutely love photography, I love my job, I love weddings, I love people viewing me in a positive light. I am however tired. Maintaining a positive attitude towards the job if you are successful is the hardest thing. ANYONE wanting to make a career in wedding photography should consider what I say.

I'm not moaning, I just want those who read this to maybe look at the success in the photography industry in relation to weddings more objectively, rather than just 'Wanting' to be a wedding photographer.

This is a job that is so highly pressured and so emotionally draining it is unbelievable. If you can hack it (Or think you can), then go for it. I can, but I'm just telling you how I feel after 3 weddings on the bounce and how physically and mentally tired I feel. I'll do it forever, but think about it before you step in to it and try to make a REAL go of it.

Tom.
Where memories are made http://www.atmosferik.com
 
Interesting read. But I would like to add 1 bit of advice...

Firstly, I'm not a wedding photographer, but there is one thing I've learnt about business.... And this goes for any business.... Learn when to say no, and to say it often. Like 80 weddings a year... my lord, that's a truck load! If I ever get into wedding photography I wouldn't intend to do more than 50 a year at an absolute MAXIMUM.
 
karmagarda said:
Firstly, I'm not a wedding photographer, but there is one thing I've learnt about business.... And this goes for any business.... Learn when to say no, .
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A lesson I havent learnt yet :( not weddings.. sports... I atake on too much and make myself ill sometimes... Just hard to turn down jobs because I need the busy times to offset the slack times...
 
KIPAX said:
A lesson I havent learnt yet :( not weddings.. sports... I atake on too much and make myself ill sometimes... Just hard to turn down jobs because I need the busy times to offset the slack times...
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I can understand that, I have been in the same predicament. I suppose there are different approaches or solutions to the same problem. Mine was to adjust my living costs to come in line my average earnings as opposed to working to cover my living costs. Although, I do understand that it's not always as simple as that either.
 
You think its tough being the photographer.....try being the general manager doing 70 weddings a year for the last 22 years! At least you don't have to kick the guests out and send the rest to bed when they're REMOVED
 
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Had a quick look at your prices, now although you are already earning a very nice sum of money from each wedding, if you have got weddings coming out your ears, maybe you can afford to put your prices up. Even if you loose a couple of weddings, you will make up the lost weddings in the extra money your earning. You will also lower the amount of weddings you will be doing each year :)
 
Dude. You ever tried Asian wedding photography? Then you'll know what tired really means. ;)
 
atmosferik said:
I always compare myself to the sad clown... (Or Barrymore!!!)... Always appearing so happy to be at such a fantastic event... But when I leave and return home, I'm absolutely EXHAUSTED by my act and the pressure of maintaining such high standards in the posed photographs and reporatage photography I take. Its like being REALLY good at a computer game and playing it for 12 hours... Do that 3 days running, week after week and it would tire anyone!!! Or a boxer, fighting 12 rounds... 3 days running, week after week...!!! You get the picture?!!?

http://www.atmosferik.com
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3 Days a week and you expect sympathy - get a proper job man :p:LOL:

On a more serious, and less cheeky ****-taking note, do you have staff i.e. people you can use as an assistant? If not, maybe you need to look at your business plan and see if you can fit this in somewhere?
 
80 weddings a year @ ££££.££ :thinking: Your OXO box must be overflowing :D x 7years must be time to retire I reckon :LOL:
 
I have done weddings as a lone photographer and also as a business running 5 or six part time operators.

At least when you are just one of a number you can get a break. and take a weekend off.

But I will agree that wedding Photography whilst it is often fun can be exhausting.

80 a year on your own quickly becomes too much.
 
Time to look at what Gary said about increasing prices and reducing workload. Either that or outsource some of the work like PP and album design to a graphic artist?

Or get an assistant to take some of the pressure off and as they improve they could perhaps shoot some of the smaller events.

Glad to see you are so busy but time to look after yourself too. :)
 
I've just looked at the OP's website. If you're already managing to clock 80+ weddings a year, why offer 20% of current prices?
 
FlyTVR said:
I've just looked at the OP's website. If you're already managing to clock 80+ weddings a year, why offer 20% of current prices?
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They are pretty specific offers. It's far from 20% off everything.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Dude. You ever tried Asian wedding photography? Then you'll know what tired really means. ;)
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Or Turkish Weddings...:eek:
They can go over three days, though the norm here in Germany is about 48 hours...

Again, lots of money, so pretty hard to say no, especially after all the effort of breaking into an effectively closed market...
 
Although I often forget this myself - money is not the be all and end all folks.

Nearly three years ago I was admitted to hospital for a 6 month stay. My problems all spouted originated 9 years earlier by being far to ambitious, working stupid hours and NEVER knowing when to say "no" (in fact I still don't).

Tom - I agree with you; weddings are so tiring. I've never shot three on the bounce but even one kills me - although I do tend to shoot for the whole day which can easily be up to 12 hours. There's very little respite at a wedding and there's no way you can take a lunch break or whatever.

I think the important thing for you is to reduce your workload (or share it with an assistant). Learn to say "no" or at least learn to say "maybe". And don't forget to take to time to stop and smell the flowers.
 
ryanyboy said:
Although I often forget this myself - money is not the be all and end all folks.

Nearly three years ago I was admitted to hospital for a 6 month stay. My problems all spouted originated 9 years earlier by being far to ambitious, working stupid hours and NEVER knowing when to say "no" (in fact I still don't).

Tom - I agree with you; weddings are so tiring. I've never shot three on the bounce but even one kills me - although I do tend to shoot for the whole day which can easily be up to 12 hours. There's very little respite at a wedding and there's no way you can take a lunch break or whatever.

I think the important thing for you is to reduce your workload (or share it with an assistant). Learn to say "no" or at least learn to say "maybe". And don't forget to take to time to stop and smell the flowers.
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Agreed, but when there's bills to pay and a newborn to consider, then it's all hands to the pumps...lol
 
Yowsers. OP you're missing a trick here, it's been pointed out already above: price vs. number of weddings.

A good mate of mine does 30 a year at around £3k a pop. I think I prefer his business model :)

P.S. With all that money coming in have you thought about getting a hotshoe spirit level ;)
 
80 weddings a year?

Something is going to give. What's your average spend per client.

I do no more than 35 personally.
 
Looking at your prices, you're only charging £500 for all day packages if they just want the disc? People are going to jump all over this, hence the heavy workload. As has been said, increase your prices and take fewer bookings but without losing out financially.

Also, unrelated, but a couple of your links to your packages on the homepage don't work.
 
atmosferik said:
I am REALLY good at marketting and I could also sell snow to Eskimos, so anyone who hasn't heard of my company will generally book...

...I've done this job for 7 years...

...I maintain at around 80 weddings a year...
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I could be wrong but I'm guessing you are ATMOSFERIK LTD. If so, then really not meaning any disrespect here but something is very wrong.

Not having a pop or anything but if you've been doing this for seven years, are fantastic at marketing and do about 80 weddings a year then you are either not charging anywhere near enough compared to your expenditure or your financial statements are...well whack lol

Of course there could be other reasons attributed to such but I'm struggling to see what it could be?

Of course if ATMOSFERIK LTD is not you then ignore everything I've said! :LOL:
 
gman said:
I could be wrong but I'm guessing you are ATMOSFERIK LTD. If so, then really not meaning any disrespect here but something is very wrong.

Not having a pop or anything but if you've been doing this for seven years, are fantastic at marketing and do about 80 weddings a year then you are either not charging anywhere near enough compared to your expenditure or your financial statements are...well whack lol

Of course there could be other reasons attributed to such but I'm struggling to see what it could be?

Of course if ATMOSFERIK LTD is not you then ignore everything I've said! :LOL:
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You obtained the company accounts from webcheck? Seems a bit extreme in order to make a post? :D
 
No. I have unlimited access via other routes. Comes with the territory. As does sensing when something isn't quite right (some of the times lol).
 
gman said:
I could be wrong but I'm guessing you are ATMOSFERIK LTD. If so, then really not meaning any disrespect here but something is very wrong.

Not having a pop or anything but if you've been doing this for seven years, are fantastic at marketing and do about 80 weddings a year then you are either not charging anywhere near enough compared to your expenditure or your financial statements are...well whack lol

Of course there could be other reasons attributed to such but I'm struggling to see what it could be?

Of course if ATMOSFERIK LTD is not you then ignore everything I've said! :LOL:
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At least this is an honest look at the profession, although you are working yourself a bit hard my son....

I do about 200 days shooting per year (that's usually one but sometimes two or three features in a day) which are generally 12-hour days (minimum). It's probably not for everyone - thank god, it's nice to be in a niche - and when I was offered the gig, I didn't realise just how long the days would be, how much time would be spent in the car and in general, what the overall workload would be. Yep, some days I think that I could quite easily jack it in but then a shoot comes along where I have total creative freedom to shoot what I like and I come away with some cracking shots. The long days and the 400-mile journeys fade away when i get home and realise i've got another shot i can't wait to show people.

Your business model aside - I'm not saying what you should charge and what commissions you should accept - provided you get the enjoyment from presenting the clients with something beyond their wildest dreams, surely that's what keep you ticking along? I've done a handful of weddings for friends (but only one that I'm proud of), but that one that I loved doing, the B&G keep telling me they are so over the moon with what I shot, it makes me feel 10ft tall. That's what photography is about for me - feeling good :)
 
I worked with people

Thats the most important bit of your post to many prospective wedding photographers ask about kit and lighting etc etc but nothing about people skills and without the ability to interact with the customer you are never going to make it in the field of Wedding Photography
 
JonathanRyan said:
Dude. You ever tried Asian wedding photography? Then you'll know what tired really means. ;)
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Amen to that!

Asian weddings, you have to contend with some of the most demanding guests ever!

Something Nick from Boundless photos mentioned to me a while ago on the business forum. I was charging similar rates to what the OP does and had a lot of pickup in business, which was well and good for a while, but doing wedding photography on top of a demanding 9-5 job was killing me. So now I have upped my prices (in fact doubled them) and looking at improving my return on effort.
 
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I have nothing but praise and admiration for the wedding photographer. Until last year (now retired - yippee) I was the photographer with a monthly magazine. The job was a walk in the park compared to that of a wedding tog.
The reasons I have is some time ago I rashly agreed to assist a pro wedding tog (On reflection,I must have been under the influence to agree!).
It was dreadful (not the actual wedding), but trying to get everything organised - the right people in the right place at the right time etc etc, not made any easier by the fact that there was a fare amount of alcohol being consumed.....
.....anyway enough of my ranting. Just to repeat, hats of to the wedding tog - whatever you charge is no where near enough
Best wishes.

Bob.
 
Breaker said:
Glad to see that I'm not the only one being cynical - that whole spiel looks like a blatent attempt at SEO...
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Another +1

17 posts made on the forum by the OP and everyone has a link to his site. A case of spamming perhaps :rules:
 
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