Are you Cool, Kitschy, or a Coot?

Issue #6

[Read Time < 5 min]

Your success as a wedding photographer is largely about attitude - YOUR attitude towards your work, your couple, their family, their friends, the other vendors and the enviable position you hold on a wedding day.

There are a LOT of people you have to interact with throughout the day, and your attitude is on full display for everyone to see and love...or not love.

Like it or not, your attitude is a direct reflection of your business, and it's your responsibility to make sure it's as favorable as it can be.

I've met my fair share of wedding photographers and seen them in action throughout the day. It might be a broad generalization, but I've broken down the attitudes/personalities of wedding photographers into three groups. Of course, there's a lot of gray area between these three, but I see three types:

The Cool, The Kitschy or The Coot.

I'll save you the suspense and tell you now, you should shoot for the attitude of The Cool Photographer. Why? Let’s break down the others.

The Kitschy Photographer has trolled waaay too many bridal websites for "epic wedding photos" and is determined to stage the ultimate wedding portfolio for themselves, I mean, for their couple.

From the bride looking down at her wedding ring with a loving smile and the last rays of sunlight kissing her hair while the groom is four feet away, gently out of focus...to the "epic" photo of the wedding dress hanging amidst the rows of birch trees adding the perfect amount of contrast to the immaculately staged winter scenery... there's almost nothing you can't stage.

But wait, there's more! Let's not forget the final embrace of the night, with our hero groom dipping his stunning bride, noses almost touching and eyes locked on each other, while the bevy of wedding guests waving their sparklers frames up the couple perfectly, everyone with a perfect smile.

I think you get it.

There are too many, dare I say, goofy staged shots like this that neglect to say anything about the wedding day or tell any kind of story.

I envision the happily married couple sitting with their teenage kids, looking at their wedding photos together and having to explain why the couple had to take a helicopter to the top of Mt. Bedford for that "perfect" wedding photo.

"But what if my life's passion IS taking unforgettable and unbelievable wedding photos of wedding couples?”

OK, I'm with you, that's a fair question. My fair answer is that IF (and that's a firm IF) your couple is down with this highly staged style and IF that is what they want their wedding photos to look like, by all means, stage away.

BUT

If this personality does not match your couple's, please do not steal precious time from the bride and groom's wedding day to pad your portfolio. This is their only wedding day (hopefully), and there's more than enough opportunity to get a groovy shot of the couple in a loving embrace without having to release 50 turtledoves timed on cue.

The Coot has their own issues. Unfortunately, they're just here for the paycheck, and if they can avoid talking to anyone on the wedding day, that's fine with them.

They've shot a lot of weddings, and perhaps at one point, they were kinda cool, but those days are gone, and that fire is just a warm pile of embers.

They might wear a photographer's vest or some elaborate harness system so they can have every piece of gear on them at all times during the day and don't have to move much (Note: the harness is also a red flag for kitschy as well...and it's still a bad idea.)

They shoot only the essentials and couldn't care less if an amazing moment passed them by.

They're not complete idiots, though. If a missed moment is large enough, they might say, "Hey, can you do that again so I can get a photo of it."

Nothing brings back memories like photographs and I think back to our happily married couple looking at their wedding photos and saying, "Remember when that moment REALLY happened…and then the photographer asked us to do it again for the photo? Ah, good times!"

The Cool Photographer is different.

This photographer cares about this day. They are honored to be there, and even when their personal life may get in the way, or they aren't "feeling it" on the couple's day, they never let it show.

They're nimble and polite. They're good photographers who care about their craft and know the importance of the day.

They work well with the other wedding vendors and do what they ca to make sure everyone delivers their best work (their couple is YOUR couple, don’t forget.)

They work together with their newlyweds to get amazing shots for their them, and they don't waste time doing it.

They know, this day is about the bride and groom, not about the photographer, and they respect this simple but powerful fact.

This is the mark of a professional. This is a good attitude to adopt.

INSIDE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY was started exactly for this reason, and this is what I want to try to guide you towards - being cool and professional.

Now when I say COOL, I’m talking about your attitude.

You don't have to wear a bespoke Brioni suit with a Bulgari watch to be cool. You don't have to have an entourage of assistants, and you don't have to have four camera bags filled with the latest gear.

You just have to be kind, gracious, empathetic, helpful and show a little artistic flair with a smile…and back that attitude up with solid camera chops.

You get the opportunity to photograph a real wedding for a real couple and deliver to them a portfolio of images that will bring their day back them.

It does not matter if it's been 15 days or 15 years. Your photos are that powerful, and your attitude will come through in how to approach your work.

It's not hard to be The Cool Wedding Photographer.

View this day, the people and the moments that happen through the eyes of the bride, and you'll be just fine.

And please, (PLEASE) leave the Kevlar utility vest at home! You're shooting a wedding, not busting up the local speakeasy.

Some people say I have a bit of an attitude when it comes to my photography - maybe I do... but I think you have to if you really want to shine and shine for a long time.

“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does - that makes you a winner right there.”

– Venus Williams

Being a cool and caring photographer is one of the little parts of the "inner game of wedding photography."

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