How I Started My Wedding Photography Business

How I Started My Wedding Photography Business In The Beginning Although, I dabbled in photography since my early teens, I can’t say I was in to photography. Just for one simple reason, well actually two reasons. 1) Even back then film photography and photography in general was fairly expensive in Macedonia and 2) I was taking snaps, not really thinking about light, composition… Baby Steps I picked up a camera with intent, when I actually wanted to do something more then just taking snaps, in 2007/08. I was living in Prague and needed an outlet of sorts. And photography was the right meditation for me. Roaming around the city. Looking for the perfect moment, light or just trying to find an interesting subject had a really profound effect on me.  It connected me to fellow photographers and opened my eyes to see the world a bit differently. Soon after a friend of mine asked if I’d like to join him to work on stock photography. I said yes. Why not. I don’t know what stock photography is, but what the hell. It turns out it is a nice and relatively easy way of making money with the camera.   I mean, just the idea to work, earn and live from photography was very far fetched 15-20 years ago. And this stock thing was a God send. I could continue living in Prague, shoot there, post on stock sites and earn money. Why I stopped stock and turned to weddings is a different story altogether. First Wedding And then – out of the blue, back in early 2009 my friend asked me if I’d like to join him to shoot the wedding of a mutual acquaintance. After a brief (2 seconds) pause, I said yes. Arguably best decision ever. A decision that flipped my life upside down. But wedding photography? It was considered the lowest of the low in the photography world. Maybe on the same level as cruise ship photographers. It was for people that don’t have anything better to do over the weekends or someone to fill in gaps in the family budget. Back in the day the sentiment of most photographers I knew (in Macedonia and around the World) was: Weddings? Yuck! Probably that would be my reaction if someone asked me if I’d evet like to shoot weddings for a living if it wasn’t for Flickr and a bloke named Edward Olive. Hardly anybody knows him now, but back in the day he was truly a breath of fresh air in the wedding photography. Highly documentary style of shooting. If memory serves me correctly, mostly done on film. Harsh contrasty edits. I loved it. So June 2009. Wedding No. 1.  My gear: 5D and 50mm/1.8 lens. The plastic fantastic. No flashes. My knowledge: Less then gear used. Literally zero. I think I went to only a handful of weddings in my entire life. And I am not a wedding fan by any means. But here we are, trying our best. When I look the photos now, I love the edginess and ruggedness of the images. Pure unadulterated documentary photography. Zero posing. Zero interference. The edit of the images, when I look at them now, is shit. But hey, sepia and split tone editing was acceptable in 2009. The photos were posted online, just for fun and people started calling. Next Episode We needed to think fast and adapt. In the 2010 we had three weddings, in 2011 that number jumped to 16, and in 2012 it skyrocketed to 45 weddings that year. And I don’t think that we went below 45 till 2016 when I decided to go on my own. But, that is a whole different story. Most Important Lesson Learned Timing is everything. I will talk more about this in one of the next blogs.  Facebook Instagram GET IN TOUCH

Flash Photography Mistakes to Avoid at Weddings

Weddings are one of the most important events in a person’s life, and capturing those special moments is crucial. Flash photography is often used to ensure that the pictures come out clear and bright…

Flash Photography at Weddings

Flash Photography at Weddings The image above is shot with a flash. A simple cheap Godox flash. On camera. I love the light from a flash. Especially when done right. I mean, if I didn’t tell you, would you know? Or not? When I started shooting weddings I had some experience with flash photography. This is back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Back when strobist photography was hugely popular. But, I didn’t use it at weddings. It was always easier to crank up the ISO and shoot wide open. Plus there was a frenzy of not using flash at weddings in Macedonia (and I think the World) in those days. Well, not always. Very fast I noticed that wedding receptions can be extremely dark. Even for the 5D original at then massive 3200 ISO and for my 50mm f1.8 (the infamous plastic fantastic). I got myself a 1.4 lens, but alas still not good enough.  I started experimenting with flash. On camera. Off camera. In hand. On a light stand. Long exposure. Shutter drag. Firs curtain. Second. I soon realized that flash is not just about giving more light so you don’t get high ISO muddy pictures. Or a help to get things in focus. Imagine freezing time during a moment of pure joy – that’s the magic flash photography brings to weddings, transforming everyday pictures into extraordinary keepsakes. It’s all about embracing the power of light, capturing the waves of love and delight on such special occasions.  Unlike fluctuating natural light, flash steps in with a burst of artificial brilliance exactly when needed. Packed with flexibility, it bathes subjects either indoors or under glittering night skies equally well. Grasping these nuances paves photographers’ way towards crafting striking images that spotlight not only the beautiful couple but also emphasize their perfect venue and vibrant celebration mood! One really exciting part using flash during nuptials is its stunning ability to freeze motion. Every sweet sway during the first dance or exhilarating bouquet toss comes alive without any chance for motion blur interference – thanks to this clever use of flash! Any emotion and move from both bride & groom or loved ones emerge clear-cut within these images! With careful adjustments on direction and intensity levels; details like an intricately woven gown pattern, tasteful decorations even subtle expressions become unmissable highlights! The artistic touch between intense lights and softened shadows definitely adds drama – making each image simply irresistible yet forever memorable. While acknowledging flash photography’s countless advantages during a wedding, it’s crucial to respect subtlety. Skillful application of flash accentuates the moment without overpowering warmth and sincerity of these delightful occasions. Wedding photographers master this art balancing both aspects remarkably. They potently preserve splendid instants discretely not stepping on ‘feel-good’ factors either. In essence, flash photography is simply unbeatable-ideal solution for capturing nuptial bliss when you need it the most! From motion-freezing to inducing depth plus conquering critical lighting scenarios. In one of my next blogs, I will write about my 5 top tips about using flash during a wedding (that you can also use elsewhere). Cheers. Facebook Instagram GET IN TOUCH