If you’re a wedding photographer, or a photographer in general, there are 7 mistakes you’re probably making that are keeping you from producing the photos you’re dreaming of! There are a lot of photographers in the industry. If you’re looking at going from mainstream to luxury, these seven mistakes could transform your business!

1. Showcasing work you don’t want to photograph. Your portfolio should be curated to show the work you want to shoot! Show the work that you want more of. It’s that’s simple!
2. Not coming from a place of value. Asking a photographer you admire to sit with you over a cup of coffee and pick their brain isn’t doing anything for you or them. It’s actually devaluing them as a person in the industry! Instead, offer to go along to a shoot to carry bags, observe, and/or pay for mentor sessions. When you see the value in learning, you’ll see the value in what you produce too.
3. Confusing money (or the word “luxury”) with value. If you think adding zeros to the end of what you already charge will bring the expensive or high end clients knocking, you’d be wrong. It’s not about how much you’re charging, but how much you’re bringing to the table. Clients who are “luxury” are looking for an experience, not just the cost.
4. Letting yourself shoot friends and family for free. If you have been in the industry for even a little bit, you sometimes get roped into photographing friends or family because they say things like “it’ll help build your portfolio!” or “I just need a few pics”. However, when they reach out to you, make sure you thank them for “hiring you”. Not the other way around.
5. Letting yourself fall into the comparison game. There are thousands of photographers out in the industry right now! Following photographers you admire is good for you, it helps you learn! However, comparing yourself to them is a dangerous game. some of the photographer’s you’re following have been in the game for years. Some are just starting out. Don’t compare your first chapter to their thirtieth. Learn from them, but don’t compare yourself to them.
6. Not investing in enough education. This is the best thing you could ever do for your business! Invest in education that changes how you think about your business, how you work with clients and how you invest in yourself and your couples. It’s the best thing you could ever do!
7. Buying lots of presets. I think I’ve covered this in a previous post, but buying lots of presets isn’t going to do you any good! Using a good preset on a bad photo will not, and I repeat, WILL NOT make you a good photographer! It just makes a bad photo. Learn about lighting, learn about posing, and learn about editing. THEN invest in quality presets that will elevate your work!

As a new photographer, there are a lot of things to learn about when you’re walking into the industry. Try out lots of things, and learn from your mistakes! I hope this article helped!

Holly Michaels