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All-In Wedding Photography
The business podcast for wedding photographers who want to build a booking system that works.
If you're tired of feeling stuck and alone in your business, this podcast is for you.
Join wedding photographer Alex Stead with co-host Ren as they break down funnels, marketing, pricing, and business strategies together in a way that actually makes sense.
New episodes every Thursday - hit subscribe so you never miss one!
All-In Wedding Photography
Hobby To Pro: 3 Things You Need To Know
Alex and Ren discuss the critical transition from hobbyist to professional photographer and the three key elements needed to make this shift successfully. We break down specific strategies for getting consistently booked without feeling lost or unsure of your direction.
Ready to transform your photography hobby into a thriving business? DM Alex with your questions or topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes!
how you doing alex, I'm not doing too bad. Ranny, no, no, I'm gonna go for a big hike tomorrow, I think, where are you going?
Speaker 1:somewhere far, I don't know not as far as last time, I hope no, but I think I just need to reset my brain yeah, going to woods, going to woods.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what are you at? How are you doing?
Speaker 1:pretty good, yeah, pretty good feeling the beginning of wedding season, yeah feeling it, feeling it, yeah, so good, I do love wedding season do you? What do you love about wedding season?
Speaker 2:like I like being busy. Yes, I like being on the go. I, I like meeting really nice people, a lot of really really good things. I'm also physically tired a lot more Like a collie. Yeah, you know what needs to happen for me to be less physically tired Hike 12 kilometers, I get that though. Yeah, it's funny enough because it actually makes me feel less tired. Yeah, I, it's funny enough because it actually makes me feel less tired.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know. Work body tired is different than like recreational body tired.
Speaker 2:Yeah, also, I switched my holster system, your holster system, my holster system.
Speaker 1:You switched your holster system.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm really excited about that.
Speaker 1:I've seen it. It's hot, isn't it? It is going to be really good for your back and what's hotter than that?
Speaker 2:What's hotter than a good back? I saw this TikToker post a review of it and she was like, if you're still using the over-the-shoulder, like hold fast, money makers, you're probably in your 20s, and if you're using a spider holster, you're probably your 30s or 40s. I was like God, yep, I turned 32 this year and I switched to a hip belt instead of the shoulder system and, my God, my back feels so good after just one wedding. Good yeah, it's amazing actually.
Speaker 1:You had a nine hour wedding this weekend.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, barely felt it, whereas usually I come home and my shoulders and my back are so sore I end up taking it off during the reception because it's like it hurts too much, whereas, uh, I switched to the spider holster. If anyone's wondering, um, it's a little bit of an investment. I was a little bit nervous. I've been wanting it for a couple years but always being like it's it's kind of expensive, but you know what else is expensive? Physio.
Speaker 1:Physio Literally yeah.
Speaker 2:I remember I went to the doctor once and I've been shooting weddings since I was, like you know, seven years old Actually since I was 14, though, so like not much off, no, and the doctor was like yeah, you have like a curve in your back, probably from carrying these heavy cameras for 15 years yeah right, so something had to give.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's a great system. I have my two cameras on it. It's got like a cool locking mechanism so you can have it like fully locked, fully unlocked, or locked like a little trigger that you can pull when you pull your camera off which is really so fully locked.
Speaker 1:You can like Benson Boone is that his name? Yeah, you do a flip.
Speaker 2:You can do a whole flip a little moon, miss, flip, moonbeam, moonbeam, and you can fully unlock them. So when you are standing still you can just be grabbed. So during ceremonies that's really nice, so I can be flicking them in and out so that you can do a like $30,000 flip if you want. Exactly, they both just go crashing to the floor. Actually, at this wedding that was this weekend, there was one point where I forgot that I had the bottom part of my bag on zips On zips, yeah, and my flash fell out.
Speaker 2:I mean, flashes are hardy little creatures and you flashed everyone with my flash um, it was like a two foot drop from a chair to the floor and like flashes don't break, you know, they're basically indestructible um, but everyone was like, oh my god, they all freaked out. I was like it's fine and they definitely thought that it was a big deal. It was kind of dramatic I was like I'm just clumsy. It's fine. Yeah, but it wasn't nothing.
Speaker 1:Fell off my holsters all day I want maybe, that you know how the hard drives we use. We try to use the lissies with the rubber, rubber bumpers. I want that on everything you touch. For weddings.
Speaker 2:There was this one time kind of on you one time at a wedding. Every story I start one time at a wedding this was years ago I had my shoulder holsters and they kind of like they flap around. Yeah, you know, like there wasn't. They weren't really like attached to your body tightly. No, like they're. You can't see me.
Speaker 2:I'm making little like arm wavy motions yeah so I was walking with a couple and I like kind of swung around and forgot that I was like next to a cliff oh, I thought you were gonna say a child, uh I thought you were gonna smack. No, I smacked it against a giant cliff and my camera fully like cracked.
Speaker 1:Is that your a9 with the broken screen?
Speaker 2:no, no, no. This was like my, oh, your last, like a very old Nikon that I don't have anymore.
Speaker 1:How did you break the display?
Speaker 2:I put it in a puddle to get a cool reflection shot and did you get it? Yeah.
Speaker 1:Was it worth it?
Speaker 2:No, I got it fixed. The camera works, it's fine. It's fine, yeah, not indestructible.
Speaker 1:See, a flash would have never broke. No, I could put my flash in the tub with me.
Speaker 2:Don't do that, it's not that far into the one season, but on that note. So yeah, I crashed my camera into a rock and the whole top part of the camera came off it just like literally like shattered into pieces. So I picked them up with my pocket because I didn't want to litter and then, me being the dumb ass that I am, I touched the camera. I was like oh no, and it fully electrocuted myself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I got a big zap. That's like when the waiter comes and they're like, don't touch the plate, it's hot Touch. And Alex has to touch the plate. What is it? The spot, um in churchill square.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, we always go to this one mexican restaurant and when he comes, he's like and you, quintanas, quintanas. He's like, don't touch it, because I know you're going to. Yeah, and then I got to. I don't have um fingerprints anymore. I did that once with a car, the cigarette lighter.
Speaker 1:You put your finger in this. No, I pushed cigarette lighter, pulled it out. I went. Why? Because I have to touch things. Oh, that's not fair.
Speaker 2:I have to know. But yeah, so I smashed my camera, touched it and then that's why you have two cameras. That's what the backup camera is for.
Speaker 1:Aside from listening to every way that Alex has broken herself and her gear, what else are we going to hear about from you today?
Speaker 2:Just a full episode on me being a dumbass. It's basically what people come here for, right. So today we're going to talk about going from hobbyist to pro and, surprisingly, you can be a pro and still electrocute yourself and still be a dumbass. And still be a dumbass you don't need to be smart to be a professional photographer, and I am living proof. I'm not an intellectual, I just take pictures. That is a famous quote, is it? I didn't just make that up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that is a famous quote I didn't just make that up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, helmet newton, I think his name is helmet. Yeah, the photographers who are in the hobbyist phase and no longer want to be in the hobbyist phase, they want to be in the pro phase, they want to be booked, they want to be booked, they want to be booked and busy and blessed and making dollars, making bucks, dollar, dollar bills, bills. So like I remember this period. I mean, I was only four years old, but I do remember being a hobbyist photographer and being like, yeah, I'm like, how do I get to the next level, where people are asking me to shoot their weddings and I'm not just harassing my friends to take their photos? So there's this period. Right, that's always really awkward because you know what you want. It's like when you have a crush, you're like I wish you would just talk to me or she would just talk to me, and they're not, and you're like what do I do? What do I gotta do?
Speaker 1:what do you have to do? I'm sure is like is it the same to get a crush's attention? I wouldn't know, I don't know you have to do. I'm sure is like is it the same to get a crush's attention? I wouldn't know, I don't know. You have applied your marketing strategy to Tinder profiles and it's worked.
Speaker 2:I once helped a client get 100 matches.
Speaker 1:It's just branding.
Speaker 2:It's just branding, like, the way you optimize your website is the same way you optimize your Tinder profile. It's all the same, okay. So if you are, a hobbyist on Tinder.
Speaker 2:As a photographer, you know you're probably here. Maybe you are harassing your friends. Maybe you're photographing families or grads right now trying to like bring in some dollars. Maybe they're giving you some money. Maybe you have photographing families or grads right now trying to like bring in some dollars. Maybe they're giving you some money. Maybe you have a price sheet. Maybe you have an Instagram and the feed looks okay, but like you don't feel like a real business owner and like you're waiting for proof that you're ready.
Speaker 2:Really, the confidence comes after you get the systems in place. Clarity and structure are actually what you got to put into your business to create the business that you want. So there's three things that we're going to talk about today and the difference between dabbling in photography and being a booked photographer. All right, so I'll call it like the booking basics. So there's three things of the difference between dabbling in photography and being an actual booked photographer, between dabbling in photography and being an actual booked photographer. These three things are one clear message, one ideal client and one offer. So I'm going to break these down for you and tell you what they mean. So one clear message.
Speaker 2:Most people on their Instagrams and their websites and in their captions of their posts are going I shoot couples in love. My dad gave me my first camera when I was eight years old and they try to sound like poetic or they're trying to speak to like a very generic general idea of what they think people want, or maybe it's just like I'll take anyone's pictures. Even Might just be that right. A lot of times you'll see people like really muddying the waters and their instagram is like it's grads, it's families, it's couples, it's newborns, it's it's real estate, it's everything they're shooting, it's just like whatever work they did that week they are putting on instagram with like love this client, it was great, um. And they're hoping people like just know that they do weddings, even though they're not really sharing any of that Like. Maybe they only have like two weddings in their portfolio and that's from six months ago, so they're only sharing like newborns and grads. But if you want to be booking out weddings, you have to be sharing weddings and you have to let go of the rest. What you can do is make a separate Instagram account just for weddings Right, if you're like I don't want to give up you know I'm still clinging hard to that Like. I do want to be booking other stuff, to make a separate account that's just for weddings Wedding people like to know that you specialize in weddings.
Speaker 2:So what you really want is like people to inquire with you and be like oh my god, I feel like you're talking to me. I feel like I'm special when I come to your Instagram, your website, whatever it is you're posting. So an example of this is like a student of mine who changed their website headline from just like her name photography to wedding photographer in Toronto for couples who don't like posing that's not exactly what it was, but like couples who want to feel present on their wedding day, right that sort of vibe, focusing your site only on weddings and elopements, not family sessions or everything else Inquiries will actually go up. You'll get a lot more wedding inquiries when you are not showing everything, and I learned this firsthand. I remember this period of myself of being like you know what. Now I'm going to focus on weddings and I went from shooting like 15 weddings a year to 40 weddings a year immediately.
Speaker 1:I don't think that I scare anybody away by having a strong message Totally.
Speaker 2:That's a really good thing to say is like I find that too, Like I still book family sessions. Yes, Like I do a lot of commercial work. I'm not sharing it on Instagram, but people are like I know you do weddings. Would you photograph my family? Would you photograph my maternity?
Speaker 1:session. It's really easy to tell people like I think people who want the really like cool vibe that cliffside elopements like is easy for me to portray and something that I do really enjoy attracting. I think that they want to bring that into whatever ceremony they are having.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I think just like really being clear on like what it is that you do, having a clear message, just like all roads lead here, and like we can do other stuff, but you're not promoting that. As long as you are promoting one solid thing, people can still book other stuff right, the standard venue.
Speaker 1:Inquiries are going to come in either way yeah.
Speaker 2:So, like you know, for couples who want something real, not a performance, can be a really good way to do that with. Like this is what we're going for. This is the road right, and people who naturally feel gravitated towards that are going to be much more called to it versus. I got my first camera when I was eight years old and I'm here to photograph everything and everyone.
Speaker 1:Because I don't feel spoken to. What the message is. Advertising is non-traditional, adventurous, laid back, calm vibes Like that is what I think is really being conveyed. Is the emotional side. The technical service package, the package and what it includes. That is kind of the second, that's the afterthought.
Speaker 2:Yeah, totally, and this leads really really well into the second point. So first point is one clear message. Second point one ideal client. So this ties in really well, because I think a lot of people don't have a clear idea of who their client is. Um, you know, they're trying to be for everybody, or they're like just ungrateful for any booking, um, or sometimes they're like they create content for like they think a wedding is, because they don't have a lot of experience with weddings. So they're like, well, this is what a wedding should be. So that's what I'm going to talk about, but it's not actually what.
Speaker 2:You know, weddings come in all shapes and forms and for a lot of different people, and people want different things out of their wedding. So, instead of building a brand based on, like what you think you should be doing or what you see other photographers doing, you can build the brand that speaks to like one ideal person. And how I typically like suggest to my students to do this is think of a legitimate person, or create a person, name them and build a backstory for them. So, like you know, jennifer is 28 years old and she has three dogs and she lives in the city but wants to live in the country and you know, like this whole big story, you know, maybe she goes for walks to all the bakeries on weekends that she loves in her neighborhood and she does all these things and create this like really elaborate picture of like who is this person that's going to hire me for their wedding and what in my messaging is showing that I want to work with her. You know, again comes back to dating, basically like you were trying to create a profile that speaks to the person that you want to match with. So, instead of posting every single shoot, show the work that would draw this person in.
Speaker 2:Right, maybe it's sometimes like going back through old work and pulling and re-editing some shots that are maybe like you. You know you can crop in a shot that's like just hands or like just the dress flowing and make, make it black and white and repost that to speak to this more like carefree, vibey, feel right. Maybe you can talk about like all the bakeries in your town that you love, going to know what your dream clients actually care about. Like maybe for you, once you've built out this persona of the person that you would really like to work with, you realize like what they really care about is like a really quiet, stress-free day without any of like the traditions that they feel like they should have. Now you know how to talk to them. Okay, we're going to focus on creating captions and bio and website copy and photos that are about like building a quiet, stress-free day. You know, weaving that into everything day. You know, weaving that into everything. Clarifying that dream client makes everything easier and it makes pricing easier too, which ties into our next point, because you understand what they value and what they care about and what they want out of their day.
Speaker 2:All right, so what's the next point? So the next point is one core offer. So I think a lot of people have these like really elaborate package PDFs, these really big menus with like silver, gold, platinum packages. Or build your own package with like 18 different options. Right only side marios. Yeah, versus again, when you think about like your core message and your core client and bring these together into like what does this look like for what I want to offer and what this person wants to buy? Yes, and building that out. So one example of this is like, if your ideal client is eloping from like out of province, having an include an engagement session is probably not going to speak to them, right? Because they're not going to be here until the wedding day. That doesn't make sense.
Speaker 1:They're going to every time go.
Speaker 2:Do we need the engagement session? Or maybe this isn't a photographer for us, because clearly they don't understand that we're eloping, yeah, right. On the other hand, if your clients are mostly local, like people who are in your own city who are having like full day weddings, where they want you there for the full day, right, having your packages start at two hours and ending at six hours is also not going to make sense because they're going to go. Well, she doesn't offer full day packages and that's what we really want. So it really depends on you and your client. I've seen photographers offer. They just have one offer that's like up to full day, right.
Speaker 1:Like an hourly rate, no, just one full day offer.
Speaker 2:That's it, okay, and photographers sometimes do that really well. Yeah, where it's like we just have the one option however many hours you need, that's what you're going to get. It. Okay, right, like we'll be there from start to finish. Yes, gotcha, regardless of what that looks like, you're not paying an hourly rate, you're paying for the stress-free knowing that we're there. Okay, which, again, for couples who really really value not having any stress, not having any worry, knowing their photographer is going to be there for everything. Again, if that's your ideal client, that's great For someone, let's say, like me, who does a lot of elopements and specializes in elopements, having packages that make sense for people who are eloping.
Speaker 2:My packages are more like they're hourly, but it's like we can go on like one hike with this package. With this package, we can go for a hike and then get a beer downtown, and with this package, we can go for like a really big adventure and explore a lot of different places. That's sort of how I package mine up. Yeah, right, which speaks to my ideal client who most of my ideal clients want to go for a hike and get a beer.
Speaker 1:And that is really one two or three locations.
Speaker 2:That's it. Yeah, but you've said it Three, five or seven hours.
Speaker 1:But you've conveyed it, I think in an offer that it's not talking to the like one, two or three locations, because that's kind of photographer speak. Yeah, it's saying like this experience, this experience or that experience.
Speaker 2:Exactly so, making it very easy for them to like picture themselves in it. So this is, instead of just being like, oh, here's all my pricing information and sending that over, curating it to your ideal client. You know, I actually just have two fully different pricing PDFs, one for elopements and one for weddings, because they're not the same person, so I don't put them on the same page. Right, I have two ideal clients, so they're getting fully different funnels. Yes, right, they're not seeing the same information. Pricing is like it's the same page. Right, I have two ideal clients, so they're getting fully different funnels. Yes, right, they're not seeing the same information. Pricing is like it's the same hourly rate, but it's packaged in a way that makes them feel seen and heard. So, instead of having just like a general packages pdf or like here's all my rates, build your own package. Or having like way too many options and confusing people, create like a single option for your ideal client or like, say, maximum three.
Speaker 2:I was going to say For my elopements it's like you know, one hike, hike and a beer.
Speaker 1:I definitely find you want to give like a couple of options. You're like, the way that usually I think we've both structured our packages is like. This is the option most people are going to pick, padded with a slightly less than a slightly more totally and that's you see that everything.
Speaker 2:If you go to buy a macbook right now, good, better, best go on the apple website and see what they have to offer. Or an iphone, just pull it up good, better best yeah, they have the middle one right, which is the one most people are going to get, the regular-ass iPhone 16 Pro, I guess is it. They have the basic bones, you know, and then they have the Macs.
Speaker 1:And I struggle a lot with this because if I know what they're going to book, I don't see the point in being like this is my like smallest package. This is like what you're looking for and this is if you want to go all out with the rehearsal and this and that and everything. And I'm like well, you've told me what you're looking for, so I'm just gonna quote you on the one thing. But then I feel like it doesn't give them context. People do like to still make a decision, they like to make a decision, they like context. Like a lot of the time, when people are looking for my smallest package, that's more or less what they ask for and I send it. And then it's like well, is there anything less or is there anything to? Can we add this or that? And I feel like for them, they just want to know that, like, the option above and below isn't a better fit.
Speaker 2:Skulldilocks. Yeah, yeah, right, you're looking for the perfect fit and you just want to know.
Speaker 1:Just want to make sure before we lock it in that like, if we wanted to spend a little less, what would we lose, and if we want to spend a little more, what would we gain? 100%.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what would we lose? And if we want to spend a little more, what would we gain? 100, yeah. So that's like really important and I think also just kind of build on. That is like having really clear next steps. So like, what do you do once you get the pricing information? I think a lot of people will just send it, yeah, and then be like oh, I got ghosted again.
Speaker 2:Versus like mine is like here's my pricing information, here's a link to book a call so we can finalize your booking. Your date's not secured until it's finalized. I follow up a few days later. Do you have any questions about it? Like having this like clear process. I even kind of in my pricing guide. It's a like there's like a you know five steps. It's like step one you are here, right. Right, like you have inquired, it's checked off, you've got the pricing guide. Step two secure your date, right. So basically just having that like clear offer. So the three things are one core message, one clear audience, one clear client and one core offer that converts clear client and one core offer that converts um ideal client. Clear message, great offer, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I think oftentimes like when you were in the stage of like hobbyist switching to pro, it can often feel like there's something like wrong with you or that you're not really sure. Like you're like I'm doing everything, but you're not really sure what the right thing is. Often, even if right now you don't have a ton of wedding bookings or like maybe not even any, building a full Instagram and website that's dedicated to weddings can feel a little scary or like putting the cart before the horse, but in reality, that is how it works. Right, you have to have a business, people to book you for that business. So learning how to run a business and how to like put yourself out there is the first step. That doesn't mean that you're not cut out for this. It just means, like you need structure in place.
Speaker 1:So I think the one clear message, the one ideal client and the one great offer, that is superb advice and I hear you on it and I think you are right that that is like Are you feeling a butt coming? No, no, no butt. And I was going to say I'm trying so hard not to say but, but how do you get there? Like okay, so I know that I need a clear message, but usually when we have these like itemized aspects, like broken down, it's like that sounds so simple. I'm just going to sit down and write my clear message. But do you like, how do you come to that message?
Speaker 2:A few different ways. You can trial and error it forever. Okay, yeah, well, you can hire a coach to work through it with you. Obviously, that's.
Speaker 1:But like what would a coach do with you?
Speaker 2:Oftentimes like I work through it with my clients, so like it's a mixture of like workbook and back and forth question and answers yeah, to get really clear on, like what my client's ideal is for themselves and their business. Yeah, and then question and answers building out their ideal client and then, okay, the core.
Speaker 1:So there's like a process. Yeah, so it seems like having a clear message identifying your ideal client and then like structuring a great offer. It seems like that is the process, but each of them has a sub process to achieve.
Speaker 2:It's all turtles all the way down. It's turtles all the way down. Having someone to like help you through it and walk you through it is just like always an easier, better, you know, more solid answer than trying to do it alone. Yeah, if you want to get help with that or you're interested in getting help with that, you can always DM me and I'm happy to chat about it. Hope you enjoyed this episode. Leave a rating and review. Or if you got questions and you just want us to talk about something else on a podcast sometime, you can also dm me. I love reading them. I love chatting with people in my dms. So, yeah, you can do that and we'll see you next week.
Speaker 1:All right, thanks for listening, thank you.