Expert: Wedding Photographics - 6/15/2008

Question
Hi John,
I've read you are a professional full-time self employed wedding photographer. How well is business for you right now since we are in a recession?  Are you doing anything different for now to help keep business going? Thanks in advance, I really appreciate your insights and thoughts.
Sincerely, Amy

Answer
Hello Amy,

Thank you for your photography business questions. I know there are a lot of photographers and videographers asking themselves those questions lately since I see less bookings posted on their websites.

I've been a professional wedding photographer for about 27 years and have been providing my services in the Chattanooga Tennessee area for about 6 years now.  I've also been a member in excellent standing with the Better Business Bureau serving Chattanooga for nearly 3 years and I have not had one single complaint in this time - which I proudly point out on my website.  I point these things out because I believe these are some of the main reasons why I have not seen any change in the number of weddings I book.  Some photographers do NOT have these selling points in their favor.

Also I have a network of other wedding vendors in and around Chattanooga who I have developed cross-promotions with so this helps generate "word-of-mouth" advertising by the vendors in my network.  So I hear from some brides every month due to wedding vendors working to sell their own services by telling brides about the cross-promotion special they have we me.

I know there are a lot of photographers who have a "doom & gloom" attitude about trying to do a photography business in a recession. I've heard some photographers advise to keep your "day job" and even go as far as saying if you have to pay for food or pictures, which will you do?  Of course, it doesn't matter what kind of work you provide as a self-employed person and what kind of work you provide even working for someone else - if people have to choose between paying for food or your luxury products/services - obviously they are going to pay for food.  Working for someone else who provides a luxury product/service is not going to guarantee you that your job will still be there when you go into work the next day.  Plenty of people are being laid off from their jobs everyday.

But there are jobs which are more "recession-proof" than others.  For example, no matter how bad the economy, we are always going to have a high demand for doctors, insurance, grocery stores, police, firemen, military and so forth.  In other words, no matter that we are in a recession, there are always going to be wedding customers who have jobs which are more recession-proof than photography - without those customers my photography business would probably be hit hard by the recession.  But since I have many customers who are in the recession-proof medical and insurance fields - I find my business is still prospering.  Those customers appreciate my wedding photography work, customer service, BBB record, fair prices and so they are happy to spend their "recession-proof" income on me.

As of June 15, 2008 I have 21 weddings on book, I have already shot 13 weddings this year and will probably book about 5 more weddings before the end of the year.  I've also already got 5 weddings booked for 2009.

In an economic recession, a wedding photographer can still thrive as long as he or she does great aesthetic & technical quality work, offer great customer service, has a great record and reputation in the community they serve, offers their services at fair market prices and has hundreds of past customers who provide great word-of-mouth advertising - especially when it is to others in their social circles who have "recession-proof" jobs.