Whether you want to know how to become a professional commercial photographer or how to become a professional photographer in general, the quickest way to start making money with your camera may be wedding photography. Our Fstoppers tutorial How To Become a Professional Commercial Wedding Photographer is finally here! Lee Morris and I have spent over 3 years planning and 2 years filming and editing this tutorial on all things wedding photography. The goal behind this 14 tutorial was to create the most comprehensive resource on everything it takes to create compelling wedding images as well as the tools needed to start and run a successful wedding photography business. No matter if you are brand new to photography or if you are already shooting weddings professionally, this 14 hour tutorial will teach you everything we know about wedding photography so you can either start your own business from scratch or take your existing business to the next level.
Please note, for lack of a better term we have called this a "DVD" but for reasons explained in the promo video below, we have decided to make it a digital download.
Why Wedding Photography?
As we explain in the promo video above, wedding photography pretty much fell into both of our laps. I believe many photographers have the same wrongfully biased opinion about wedding photography as I did when I first picked up a camera. The idea of dealing with dramatic bridezillas, going hours without food or drink, and having to take cheesy photographs all day was not my idea of a good day at work. But after shooting a few weddings, I found that wedding photography was incredibly fun, creative, and way more stress free than I ever imagined. In fact, what I realized was I was taking the best photographs the bride and groom had ever had taken of themselves and their friends during the happiest day of their lives. And the reason I was there in the first place was because they loved me as a person and valued my creativity behind a camera. What originally started as a dreaded favor I did for Lee Morris quickly became my passion, obsession, full time job, and eventually my career.
The most interesting thing about wedding photography is that there is a market in every single city. I believe wedding photography offers an amazing opportunity for anyone interested in photography as a hobby or career; through wedding photography, you can become 100% self employed as a full time photographer!
What We Hope To Share:
Our goal with this tutorial isn't to make everyone a millionaire or turn you into some sort of rockstar wedding photographer. Lee and I aren't either of those things. What we want to teach you is how you can take better photographs, start your own business, and hopefully shave off at least three years of trial and error during those initial startup years.
8 Chapters containing over 27 topics over more than 14 hours of content
Chapter 1
Intro - What is “Commercial Wedding Photography” - Mandatory Gear - The Importance of Assisting - Composition, Exposure, White Balance
Chapter 2
Advertising - Bridal Portraits: Lighting 101 - Pricing
Chapter 3
Meeting With Potential Clients -The Engagement Session - Designing Your Website - Music - Slideshows - The Importance of Video
Chapter 4
On Camera Flash - Getting Ready and Details - The Ceremony - Fusion
Chapter 5
Formals and Groups - Interview with Pye Jirsa
Chapter 6
Four Ways to Light a Reception - The Cake - The Rings - The Departure - Taxes, Write-offs, and Accounting
Chapter 7
Interview with Cliff Mautner, one of the top wedding photographers in the world
Chapter 8
Post Processing - Creating a Photobooth - Photo / Video Slideshow, SmugMug.com - Delivering Your Final Product - Final Words
Patrick Hall is a Charleston Wedding Photographer based in South Carolina. Lee Morris is also a commercial wedding photographer based out of Charleston South Carolina.
Preview Video: How To Light Posed Wedding Photos in a Church (Click for Full article)
Preview Video: How to Photograph Engagement Sessions (click for full article)
I am a an intermediate photographer who is really close to becoming a pro. So I Bought and Watched all 14 hours in about 2 weeks hoping to get those final touches for my business. I really liked the material but I just wished they covered posing in greater detail then they did.
1.They had a couple that was photogenic for an engagement session, but no actual bride and groom shot.
2.I was hoping they had a posing list that has good flow and you could go to if you're out of ideas during the wedding. Like start by these standing ones first, then the sitting, then may be more creative ones.
Other then that I feel good having this purchase.
Hey Alek, yes I agree that it would have been nice having a shoot with a couple dressed up in formal wedding attire but honestly I don't do that much with "posing". Obviously Lee and I make sure people look comfortable in the final photographs but compared to other photographers we don't get too specific with "put this hand here, and that arm there". For me, if you pose people too much it starts to look either unnatural or overly romanticized which can be fine if you want that look but for most of my couples they aren't super models who need overly dramatic poses. I just want people to look natural and comfortable.
I believe SLR Lounge has a tutorial specifically on poses which is an excellent tool if you are interested more in that aspect of people photography.
I've made it through the first three videos (five to go), and It's definitely like a good book you can't put down. Since making the switch to specializing in engagement and wedding photography, There has been so much helpful information in these videos that's new to me, and there's a lot of great refresher material like using outdoor studio lighting. Although my website is fully developed, the tips and tricks regarding SEO, Google AdWords, and Facebook Marketing has been really helpful and useful.
From a business standpoint, $300.00 is nothing compared to the wealth of information contained in these videos. Best $300.00 I've put toward my business since buying my first prime lens.
Hi there!
I bought the How To Become A Professional Commercial Wedding Photographer DVD and WOW It's awesome, but I having some trouble because it's a lil bit outdated. I'm trying to advertise my web as you did in the advertising section but now facebook it's so much different. You think you guys can help me out?
Hey Naiky, what exactly are you trying to do with Facebook? The section shouldn't be that different although the actual ad pages might be laid out differently now. I think Facebook can be more powerful now because it gives you even more criteria to limit your campaigns to very specific types of people. What specifically are you needing help with?
I only have a specific budget to my campaign ad every 14 days. In the DVD ad section, Morris says that I can establish even a dollar if I want to, but the truth is, when I go to Facebook, it has to be a minimum of $5.00 per day. Given the circumstance, I chose 'Lifetime Budget' which it does let me set my specific budget, but once it ends, it doesn't let me renew the same ad from a new start day. I contacted Facebook community, but no one can't help me out.
I just Purchased the Commercial Wedding Tutorial and burned to my DVD. I tried playing in my DVD Player to watch on TV and it could not read it but it works on my computer..., Anyone have any tips on what I did wrong?
Anyways excited about watching to see how good this really is..!! Stay tune for my review!!
I believe you might have to burn it to a Blu-Ray disc because it is 720p which is higher than what DVD players can export. It could also have to do with being a playable disc vs a data disk. Data disks will play on a computer through a media player where a data disc may not play on a DVD player.
If you have an apple tv, chrome cast, smart tv with USB you can also just sync the footage to your tv and not have to deal with media at all. Hope that helps
Thank you Patrick, I will give that a try.
I understand this is not a review and will be summarily deleted; but can someone please tell me what a "commercial wedding is"?
Commercial wedding photography is simply a style that focuses more on eye catching imagery, studio style lighting, and overall a more modern aesthetic. It isn't necessarily in opposition to "photo journalistic style" because 80% of all wedding photos are candids and therefor photo journalistic but it is a bit more polished and refined. Edgy probably isn't the right word but it's definite more on the lines of something you would see in a magazine or billboard. Basically contemporary.
Excellent, I would highly recommend this to anyone who is considering wedding photography. I bought this because I have been interested in wedding photography for quite sometime, but my background in commercial and landscape photography has taught me nothing about this aspect of photography.
I think this has taught me so much about wedding photography, more so than any other classroom or tutorial could have, short of the practical part of actually getting out there and doing it.
Thanks a lot.
Hi !
is that DVD available for France ?
it is only available as a digital download despite us calling it a DVD. So yes, you can purchase it and download the files instantly in France.
thanks again you are the best
I watched the preview of this video two weeks prior to shooting my first wedding alone. I lit the small chapel with a single strobe bouncing off a white wall for the family formals as I saw in the video. I set up a lumopro at the reception and made some of the shots with the flash coming back toward the camera. Maybe most importantly I relaxed and had an absolute blast shooting the wedding, something I was not sure I would ever be able to say. The video is not quite in my budget yet but just as soon as I can purchase it, I intend to. I've no doubt it will be worth it every penny.
Need this sale NEXT month!!
Lee, looking at this now and still looks like it would be a good purchase, have you any updates added to the DVDs since 2013? Also can you put up comments at the top that are more recent?
Hello guys, do you offer promo codes for first time buyers?
Hello
I have just watched the free video for reseption Lightning. And there you tell us that you use a very High iso - but would not a high iso produce more grain on the Pictures? (I have a Canon 7Mark II)
I'm not sure exactly what ISO we said in the video, I'd have to watch it again, but typically our ISO for wedding receptions is around 800 - 2000 which I wouldn't consider that high for any camera made in the last 2 - 3 years. Back when I had my first camera, the Nikon D200, you literally could not go past ISO 1600 before the images were unusable because of noise grain. Now with the current cameras, you can get very very clean images when using flash at ISO 3200 if not 6400.
So yes grain is always a concern with higher ISO settings but once you open to 2.8 and set a reasonable shutter, there is nothing else you can do except raise the ISO to get a good photograph. I hope that makes sense.
Hi Patrick! I want to buy the DVD but I need to know if you have subtitles in other languages before buying. I'll appreciate your prompt response. Regards!
Hello friends! I want to buy the DVD but I need to know if you have subtitles in other languages before buying. I'll appreciate your prompt response. Regards!
Unfortunately there are no subtitles in any language for this tutorial (or any of our tutorials for that matter).
Waiting for the Xmas Deal to come back to buy it!
Hello. I just purchased the video series, based on the previews above. Question for the Fstoppers. What chapter and where can i find the video about the red gel ( to give your photos an advantage over other people taking pictures at the event) that Lee talks about during one of the previews. I can't seem to find it. Thanks, Rick
I think it is in the reception lighting section. It's when he is talking about using bounce flash along with remote speed lights
OMG.... Really?! Music on a loop in the background for hours on end?! Holy Christmas... the content is great so far, but I can hardly stand to watch/listen.
Ok, so I just watched the full DVD and it`s just amazing.
I`m from Brazil and even though we have some differences, specially regarding the market, this DVD made me think about things I never imagine was possible.
One aditional point here, the interview with Cliff Maunter is mind blowing. I`m a big fan of using flash and will not stop that, but it`s so beautiful to realize we don`t need all the gear we want to make stunning photos!
MIND BLOWING!
ps. sorry for bad english :( Still learning
Patrick, would you mind telling me what brand of speed light bracket you used during the video? I've been looking for one that will hold two speed lights in the vertical position. How does the soft box you used attach to that bracket?
Thank you.
Sure, you can find it on the gear list we made at www.fstoppers.com/weddinggear
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I would say it's about time to announce a discount on the How To Become A Professional Commercial Wedding Photographer DVD :-)
Hi I left a message somewhere but can't seem to find it. So if I purchase and within 30 days I see no value I get refunded 100% of the cost?
Yep, all of our tutorials have a no questions asked 30 day refund as outlined in our terms of service at the bottom of the FS page.
I know I may be askin dumb questions.......what about the content downloaded?Do I get to keep it even with the refund?
Well technically no, if you ask for a refund then you are supposed to delete the files.
Patrick with a money back guarantee like that I am willing to try it.....thanks
I'm currently on chapter one of this series and I notice that all of the recommendations are for Canon and Nikon. I have a Sony a7riii and a7iii. I would like to see some gear recommendations for these bodies.
Hey Emily, yes the Sony cameras are def very popular cameras to use now for weddings. This tutorial was created before the Sony A7 series was released so we did not include them. All the topics should apply to this camera system as well as the Nikon and Canons.
Hi all, I live in Paris, am a good photographer, know many of the pretty areas in Europe and speak 5 languages, BUT I am 76 years old. Am I not too old to become a wedding photographer? I am energetic, but I am no longer what I was. What do you think? Statistically, I am going to live another 5 years. Is it worth my while to try? What are your thoughts?
I would like to thank Lee and Patrick for sharing the best commercial wedding photographers tips. The videos and tutorials added in the commercial wedding photography section - offers you the right guidance on getting started! Our team at SIA Digital Studio owe a lot to Lee and Patrick.
Our profile here- http://www.siadigitalstudio.com/
Great post.. Thanks for sharing
Awesome DVD. Bought it and used some of the tips given. It helped me a lot.
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A great post. Thanks for sharing.
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Would really like to see an updated version of this course with less talking head scenes. A lot has changed in the photography world and much of the course is becoming outdated. From styles to gear to marketing methods. Hard to justify spending $300 on this course these days. Wedding photography has gotten much more competitive.