^{Photo by peopleimages via iStock}

Engagement and wedding photography is a specialty field or niche that overlaps both portraiture and events in how a photographer approaches the job. 

Wedding and engagement photography is similar to creating portraits in that you are dealing with images of people. You want images that are flattering, elegant, and tell the story of the people. It’s similar to event photography in that it’s scheduled, has special significance, and you also are telling a story, in this aspect, about the event.

Whether you’ve been involved in engagement and wedding photography or are considering moving into this field, I’ve put together a few essential tips to help you succeed. 

Table of Contents:

• Engagement and Wedding Photography are Special Events
• Contracts, Payments, Insurance, and Order Fulfillment
• Providing Engagement and Wedding Photography Albums
• Equipment Considerations
• “Do I Need a Second Shooter?”
• Recommended Photography Gear

Engagement and Wedding Photography are Special Events

^{Photo by Dmytro Botvinosvskyy via iStock}

I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but whenever I craft an article covering engagement and wedding photography, I always include a YouTube instructional or inspirational video from someone I haven’t used before.  

I do this because wedding and engagement photography events are special, considered once-in-a-lifetime, and can be fast-paced and intense. So, I like to look at successful wedding imaging experts and put together helpful and tested hints and tips.

In this YouTube video from John Branch IV Photography, he lists some things anyone new to engagement and wedding photography needs to know. Plus, these work as great reminders for anyone already in the business. Have a look:

Whether viewed as a portrait or an event, engagement and wedding photography are cherished occasions. The resulting images are cherished as well, so having a list of images to capture is a good idea. You can use an app or a physical notebook to keep track of everything so nothing is missed.

Contracts, Payments, Insurance, and Order Fulfillment

^{Photo by Mindful Media via iStock}

I say this a lot in all genres of professional photography: a photography business is a business, not a mere hobby that just happens to generate some income. The four topics of contracts, payments, insurance, and order fulfillment are vital to handle correctly, protecting you and your clients.

Contracts are essential since they will state in specific language what is expected of you, the service provider, and the customer. It’s a good idea to include in any contract being able to use your work for self-promotion, how copyrighted images can be used, and details such as cancellation procedure.

Payments are spelled out in a contract, including downpayments, final payments, pricing of packages, prices of added images or products, and cancellation policies. A clause covering arbitration could be important, too.

Insurance is vitally important to any photographer, but I consider it a must-have for engagement and wedding photography businesses. Insurance protects against theft, liability, and damages for unforeseen accidents or problems. Additionally, we can get a specialized form of insurance, errors and omissions, which covers those horrible instances where everything goes wrong. 

Order fulfillment is also included in contract wording, specifying what physical items, such as a wedding album, are provided, how any electronic file delivery is handled, and how many images are expected. 

In order fulfillment, we should also make it a simple process for the client to add on any extras or reprints down the road. Having a printing company we like using, such as Photo Book Press, lets us stay consistent with pricing and with what we make available as a physical product.

Providing Engagement and Wedding Photography Albums

^{Photo by 3bugsmom via iStock} 

I find that engagement and wedding photography customers, more so than any other genre of photography businesses, will expect a wedding album or photo book as part of the package of order fulfillment.

Using a high-quality printing company like Photo Book Press helps us with this essential part of engagement and wedding photography. Their Premium Photo Book has sewn binding, lay-flat design, and customizable covers, making them a luxurious wedding album with heirloom quality.

There are so many options for designing a Premium Photo Book as a wedding album with several preplanned book-making templates and customizable features, including adding text and two-page images.

Engagement and wedding photography products can include more than the wedding album itself. You might offer packages incorporating other gift-type items, too. Ideas available from the same printer as your wedding album orders are custom wedding invitations, wedding-themed thank-you notes, and a custom wall calendar.

Equipment Considerations

^{Photo by surachetsh via iStock}

Anyone considering stepping into engagement and wedding photography likely has many questions about what equipment to use. You want it all to be high quality, of course, but durability is important as well. So are some useful features.

Engagement and wedding photography pros often standardize on certain types of equipment, such as Full Frame format cameras and fast primes or zoom lenses. 

You don't necessarily need the highest megapixel count camera body, but you do need the best low-light performance. For lenses, you don't always need the fastest aperture; though speed is very important in some images, lenses with the best bokeh and least distortion are highly desirable.

A good flashgun is important since many engagement and wedding photography will be under lights you can’t control. Besides exposure concerns, we also need to consider light quality and color temperature, which a flashgun puts in our control.

Wedding photographers might also offer wedding videos, so our cameras and lighting equipment video capabilities are essential to know and plan around. Most videos also require additional post-processing software for best results.

“Do I Need a Second Shooter?”

^{Photo by imtmphoto via iStock}

One of my biggest concerns for any photo job is always whether or not I can handle it all myself or if I need a second shooter. A second shooter can capture behind-the-scenes images, backup images, alternate viewpoint images of the same things you’re shooting, or video footage while you’re doing stills. 

Any insurance should also specify your extra workers, which should include certain things in the contract wording. However, hiring someone to help or not is a decision you’ll have to make on the merits of your own particular needs and wants. 

Whatever your choices are ultimately, engagement and wedding photography can be an exciting, profitable, and fun genre of photography business.

Recommended Photography Gear

Learn More:

• The Importance of a Personalized Wedding Photo Album
• Try these Fun Wedding Photo Ideas with your Next Clients
• These Wedding Photography Gifts Will Make the Big Day Even More Special