can anyone be a wedding photographer?

Is there a course or training specific?

Question Asked: 21/11/2018

Wedding Date: 9/08/2018

Most Helpful Response

White Cat Media

(12) · NSW

Posted: 15/03/2025

Depends what you're asking!

In one sense, anyone can hang up a sign and say that they're a wedding photographer. There's no organisation that enforces standards. There's no degree course.

(There are, of course, general photography degree courses, and there's countless courses available online in wedding photography.)

In another sense, not everyone should be a wedding photographer, and not everyone wants to.

Many professional photographers really don't want to do weddings. For instance, my sister does product or editorial or travel; she hates the pressure of weddings and the stamina required to lug gear around for potentially 16 hours. And I have a friend whose main thing is drag queen photos for posters, and he hates event coverage. He wants a controlled environment where can take time to finesse the details, and where he can add substantial creativity during the editing to produce one or two amazing images from an hour or two of shooting.

Wedding photos -- dealing with thousands of photos after a shoot -- are a very different beast from fashion or studio work.

So what does it take to be a wedding photographer? Gear is bottom of the list. If you simply spend, I don't know, $20K-$30K on equipment, you can come to the party with the most modern bodies and lenses. But you can also spend just a few thousand, on older bodies and lenses, and how you shoot is infinitely more important than what you shoot with. 

More important are:

-- technical skills

-- creative eye

-- knowledge of how weddings flow

-- some sort of social skills

-- logistics and planning skills

-- stamina

-- patience (for the editing)

-- some sort of business skills

Very few wedding photographers I know are chill people. They need to project calm on the day, but they're also "on", they're reactive, they have nervous energy, and they're stressed. Taking photos is a matter of continuously thinking and looking for opportunities. It's mentally and physically exhausting. What's going to happen next, where's the best place to stand, what adjustments do I need to make to the camera, etc.

Answered by: 6 Experts

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Daniel Apps Photography

(1) · Sydney & Surrounds

Posted: 3/12/2019

Not all photographers should be wedding photographers let alone someone with no training and a camera. But if you are wanting a cheap option or have a friend looking to practice or up skill maybe they could be a second shooter so you have a fail safe if it doesn't go to plan with their shoot. They maybe able to learn from the wedding photographer.. 

Gordon Jovic Photography

(5) · Sydney & Surrounds / Able to travel upon request

Posted: 21/11/2019

Basically YES!

Although, only very few can shoot a full wedding correctly and without errors. 
This is why looking at a few of their albums is paramount.


Grant Hoskinson Photography

(7) · Sydney / Australia / Worldwide

Posted: 6/09/2019

No.

Billy Button Photography

(1) · South Coast NSW, Southern Highlands, Sydney & Surrounds

Posted: 22/11/2018

Anyone can use a camera and learn the settings, and call themselves a photographer, but its only a small amount of people that have the creative eye,flare, and passion for photography. capturing moments no one else sees, this is what makes you a great photographer 

Valley Photography

(0) · Statewide,

Posted: 22/11/2018

Hi 

most wedding photographers go through some training either TAFE or university others have assisted professionals and then branched out on their own

cheers Felicity 

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