Couples whom are planning to wed will always choose their wedding photographer very carefully and will spend great time looking at photographers’ portfolios and resumes before making a final decision. However, as someone new into the world of wedding photography, you will have no real experience and it might be hard to start out. Here are some tips on how to get your foot into the door.

1. Mirror a Professional – Ask someone who already shoots weddings for a living if you can shadow them for a day without a camera, unpaid of course. From this day out you will learn many things such as how to be discreet and how to spot those special shots that the couple will treasure.
2. The next time, ask this photographer or another if you can shadow them with a camera and take some test shots. The happy couple will not use yours but the professional might be able to give you some hints and tips on how to improve your shots.
3. Ask a couple who are planning to marry if you mind taking shots beside the photographer that they have already booked. You would do this free of charge but this way, you will be taking serious shots and you can give the couple the option to buy any of your pictures at a reduced rate, as you are still learning.
4. Once your confidence levels have increased and you have done the above a few times, ask an engaged couple if you can be their only photographer. You will already have some sample photos to show them and as you will not be taking a fee for the day, they will also benefit. The only money that you will make here is from any prints that they decide to purchase for themselves afterwards.
5. The final step is to go it entirely alone. Over the previous months where you have practiced and learned the trade, you will have built up a wedding photography portfolio. You can now begin to use this to entice new customers into hiring you for their future weddings. Good luck!