Your 6 Step Guide to Wedding Photography in the Times of Corona

The Corona catastrophe has taken the entire globe by a storm across regions, nationalities, ethnicities, beliefs and boundaries. This has had a direct impact on the livelihoods and professions of a number of people. Needless to say, the wedding industry is not averse to this situation nor the wedding photography industry. By all means, one can say that it is one of the hardest-hit given the situation!

If you’re the magician who captures precious moments, the person whose profession is to weave life into frames- the wedding photographer, then the heat of this pandemic hasn’t escaped you as well! While we all try to collectively and individually make sense of this situation, wedding photographers have to bear the brutal brunt as their livelihoods are entirely dependent upon the events. With no place to go amidst the lockdown and no source of stability, you can still be doing enough from the comfort of your home! 

Just like you find the perfect timing to capture images, so must you find the silver linings in these dark clouds. To help you with this we’ve put up a number of alternatives and measures that you can resort to in order to effectively deal with this crisis. We sincerely hope, this finds you well, lifts that dampened spirit and reinforce a belief that the ‘lens is mightier than this lethal virus’ Read on:

Communication is Key–  First things first, given the severity of the situation it is important you establish honest communication with your clients since day one. Make sure both the parties are on a similar page and have each other’s trust and confidence. As a major life event of your client has hit deep waters, remember to display empathy and understanding. That, however, should not stop you from presenting your thoughts and suggestions clearly and firmly.

Stay Updated & Chalk out a Plan– Stay updated (not obsessed) with the latest news regarding the lockdown and government guidelines. This will enable you to get a realistic picture and plan accordingly. You can thus be sure of not overcommitting to a client or underdelivering on their wedding photography. Once you equip yourself with the necessary information, prepare a tentative plan/ maintain a calendar of your commitments. This will enable you to have complete clarity so as to accommodate postponed events, additional events and new ones in the kitty.

Be Flexible & Open to Advance Bookings– In the event of a postponed function, which is quite likely to happen especially for marriages scheduled in the coming weeks, be open and responsive to your client’s request and reach a mutual consensus post discussion. Additionally, try to go a little easy (if not entirely) in terms of your refund policy. Decide on a decent figure where none of the parties is hit hard. With that sorted, also be open to advance bookings if the client approaches you for an event in the distant future for their wedding photography. Chances are, they do want to be prepared and not risk it at the last moment. So, cooperate and coordinate!

Embrace Indoor Sessions– Opting for indoor wedding photography sessions reaps two important benefits. Firstly and primarily, it is possible to maintain high standards of hygiene and sanitization- a need of the hour in such tumultuous times. Secondly, it is comparatively time-saving as you have the reins of lighting control in your hands. This leaves room for you to undertake more assignments and make up for the lost bucks!

Learn a Thing, Upgrade your Skill– This can turn out to be a productive time if you use it effectively! It is time to take that online course you’ve bookmarked since ages, dig up and explore those magazines and books you’ve always wanted to, learn new industry trends and visit the works of your favourite contemporaries and competitors! You can also delve deeper into your own craft and sign up for online wedding photography masterclasses too.

Hit up the Digital Marketplace– With the boom of e-commerce, the digital marketplace has expanded in revolutionary ways. The transition from product-based to service-based is reasoning enough for you to drop that stress and strategize effectively. There is no dearth of clients, connoisseurs and creative minds out there whom you may appeal to. Be rigorous with your research, network effectively and present extraordinarily for your virtual clients.

We hope you’ve taken some inspiration from this piece, feel motivated enough and hang in there with your high-end camera till all subsides!