Building a wedding portfolio even if you haven't shot a wedding Pt. 1 - Wedding Guest Edition

Issue #14.1

[Read Time - 5 minutes]

It’s a Catch 22 for sure.

“Catch 22” - An impossible situation because you cannot do one thing until you do another thing, but you cannot do the second thing until you do the first thing.

– Cambridge Dictionary

You need a portfolio to build a wedding business, but you can’t build a portfolio until you’ve shot some weddings.

My first suggestion is to be a second shooter for an established photographer.

This is a bit of a no-brainer because as a second-shooter you can build your skills with no wedding experience, and if the pro you’re shooting for is cool (most are), you can learn a ton.

But let’s say you’re not sure if you really want to commit to this fully, but you still want to get a taste for the life of an illustrious wedding photographer.

I’d still say, try second-shooting, but I get it, you’re on the shy side and don’t want to pull that trigger just yet.

Your next best option is to take photos at a wedding you plan to attend.

Before you do this...please keep reading.

I never had a big problem with an enthusiastic photographer shooting around to practice their skills during the day. Not all photographers feel the same way, however.

Step One: Let the hired pro know you’re there to practice your photography...NOT be a second shooter.

The happy couple hired a pro for a reason.

They don’t need your photos...you do.

You can get some incredible photos with absolutely no expectations or responsibility (I’m a little jealous, I won’t lie.)

As for me, the hired pro, I have a job to do, and as long as I can do it freely and without obstruction, I don’t have any problem seeing another camera there.

The way I looked at it is that I’m already paid, so if someone else wants to come and take some bonus photos for my couple, that’s cool.

Again, not all photographers feel this same way.

By simply introducing yourself to the hired professional and letting them know you’ll be taking some photos AND assuring them you won’t be ”one of those people”, you’ll prevent things from getting weird (and no one likes weird on a wedding day).

Step Two: Know your boundaries.

You’re not there as a second shooter.

You’re there as a guest.

You’re not working, you’re practicing.

You’re dipping your toe in the beautiful pool of wedding photography. That’s it, nothing more.

You’re at a wedding you’ve been invited to AND you brought your camera because you love photography, enjoy weddings, and you’re considering this as a potential career opportunity - that’s fantastic, but please:

Be 100% upfront with the hired wedding photographer, and please stay out of their way.

DO NOT, under any circumstances, stand next to the hired photographer and take the same shots they’re taking.

You’re just going to embarrass yourself for starters (comparing the pro shots with the amateur ones won’t make you look good), and you’ll fall out of good graces with the hired photographer VERY quickly.

And as a bonus, it’s tacky.

You might consider gathering some groups during the reception to show off your “group skills.”

That’s fine, but I’ll give you a pro tip: Those photos won’t help your potential portfolio.

Some photographers might also say that’s encroaching on their turf, and they wouldn’t be wrong. Not all photographers appreciate what you’re doing.

Limit your exposure, which is a nice way to say, be discreet and/or invisible.

Again, you weren’t hired to work that day, so enjoy the wedding and click on the side.

Step Three: Take advantage of your vantage point.

At a wedding, I can’t sit in the third row and grab some great POV shots of the bride looking at her groom...but you can.

Choose your seat wisely, you can get some incredible photos AND from an angle and proximity that even the hired photographer can’t get.

At the reception, things will be a bit more relaxed. Try not to look like you’re working, but grab some artistic shots of the flowers and table settings. The cake is usually in full view as well.

Be careful during the first dance because a wedding photographer with any decent skills will be moving to get a good shot since the couple is in constant motion. Please don’t get in their way.

There is another bonus you have over the hired pro.

They don’t have the luxury of waiting to see that sweet moment when dad kisses mom while they watch their only daughter in the arms of her husband...you do (although we are looking for it).

Be creative and grab something artsy and cool - a silhouette or a unique detail - something the hired photographer might not be able to get.

I’ll say it again, you can get some incredible photos with absolutely no expectations or responsibility.

Perhaps you can take it one step further by framing a favorite photo and gifting it to the couple with a thank-you note. (Something small like a 5x7 is perfect).

Then, when people are visiting the newlyweds, see that shot, and comment how great it is, the bride can happily say, “Oh, my cousin shot that. She’s got a great eye and is building her own photography business.”

Now you’ve made the short list of potential wedding photographers, if the inquirer needs or hears of a need for a photographer.

A Polite Warning

Professional photographers understand that EVERYONE has a camera pointed at the couple - but phones do not count.

When we see an actual DSLR at a wedding, we know “someone came to play.”

Many photographers (myself included) have a line in their contract that says something about being the primary photographer at the wedding, aspiring or not.

I’m not a jerk about enforcing that, but it’s a real thing, and if you make waves (by becoming less than discreet), you’ll jeopardize the relationship between the bride and the hired wedding photographer. And you don’t want to do that, do you?

Remember, IF your ultimate goal is to join the ranks of the local pros, don’t start by burning bridges you haven’t even crossed yet.

The wedding industry in any community is small, and they all talk.

Be cool, grab some fun shots, enjoy the wedding, and you’ll get everything you need and not make any enemies.

Bonus Tip: Chat with the hired pro...but not too much.

If you engage in your stealth photo assignment correctly, they will not even notice, and THAT is both a good thing and the goal.

Most photographers love talking about photography, and some weird ones, like me, LOVE talking about the nuances of weddings.

Later in the evening, when you see the photographer “working the room,” take the opportunity to thank the hired pro for letting you practice a bit.

When you talk, ask a question or two, but NOT about cameras or gear, please.

Take an interested in the process of being a wedding photographer and you’ll probably take away some outstanding tips or insight.

I’ve hired second shooters from someone chatting with me, following up, and showing me their work.

How’s that as a way to break into your dream job?!!!

This is long enough for now.

In Part 2, I’ll cover another angle to build your portfolio that does not involve crashing weddings.

“You can’t ever be embarrassed about hustling.”

– Jason Calacanis

Building your first wedding portfolio is one of the little parts of the “inner game of wedding photography.”

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