Where to find a photographer. Where to Find a Photographer Features of Professional Photography

A section in which we publish useful materials and collections relating to all the subtleties of the wedding, and introduce you to the work of wedding photographers who have their own special and individual style of work.

Most recently, our editors have prepared a large material about. After the publication, we received a huge amount of positive feedback and requests from agencies asking them to introduce them to new wedding professionals. Therefore, today we decided to draw the attention of our readers to talented regional photographers.

Their portfolio includes thousands of frames, their arsenal of working equipment weighs several tens of kilograms, their works win international wedding photography competitions. To decide on the choice of a photographer, you do not need to surf the Internet, call agencies or listen to word of mouth. Just read our material and choose. Here they are.

Sergei Bulychev

City: Nizhny Novgorod
Genre: wedding reportage
Considers: constant cooperation with the largest wedding agencies professional success
Against: to turn wedding photography into a photo shoot
Consists: in the world's largest associations of wedding photographers ISPWP and Fearless Photographers
Attracted: for publication in well-known international and Russian blogs

Sergey is one of those people who considers a recommendation from a client to be the best reward. However, he participates in professional competitions and exhibitions.

International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers, TOP-20 in the Humor category, 2016
- International Wedding Photography Award Wedaward (16 collection winner)
- Best wedding photography Wedisson Award 2016 (17 collection winner)
- Finalist MyWed Award 2014 in the nomination "Wedding erotica"
- Finalist in two categories of major international competition Sony Photography Awards 2008

About 3 years ago, I began to realize that I love wedding photography not so much for the shooting process itself (although this is also important and valuable), but for the opportunity to meet new interesting people. I love meeting the families of my clients, interacting with talented colleagues (organizers, videographers, artists, etc.) and discovering new corners of the world. All this thanks to the camera.

Of course, beautiful staged portraits are important, and I do them, but it is paramount to capture those moments when people experience the most vivid emotions: the dance of the bride with dad, the grandmother's hug during congratulations after the ceremony, or the very moment when the groom first sees his beloved in the image of the bride going to the altar. It is necessary to show not just how people look, but to convey their essence. This can only be done through the captured moment. "Look at the camera and smile at the count of three" doesn't work here. Most often, a person does not even notice that he was photographed. These are the frames that mark my models when they see their photos. After all, when a person looks at such a picture, he suddenly again begins to feel about the same as at that moment.

Wedding photography is one of a kind. Unlike portrait photo shoots, family shoots, image projects, the task of wedding photography is to remain relevant through many years. I wish that 20 years later, when looking at a photo book, my clients would not explain to their children that “this was fashionable before.”

What is the most daring photography experiment you have ever undertaken?

Once, for the sake of a professional experiment, I went to Chernobyl. I wanted to feel this atmosphere and learn more about the event that took place 2 months before my birth. The trip left a strong impression, and the photos are still on my blog in the "Travel" section.

More than I would like, and everything is necessary! Given the increased responsibility for wedding photography, you need to think about spare cameras, lenses, and flashes ... I'm not even talking about memory cards and batteries. I always work with an assistant, and for two of us we have at least 3 cameras, 10+ lenses, 4 flashes and 300+ gigabyte flash drives. My main suitcase weighs 15-20 kg depending on the shoot. Sometimes this becomes a problem, especially when I am flying to other cities and countries, and it is important to take all the equipment in my hand luggage, because everything will simply be damaged in luggage.

Eugene Tyler

City: St. Petersburg
Considers: that fashion comes and goes, but reportage and classic photography remain
Never: n misses important points
Dreams: be the first to film a wedding in outer space
One day: became a member of the underwater shooting with whale sharks

Among the top five of the 1500 photographers of St. Petersburg on the most popular wedding portal of Runet Gorko.ru.

What is the most important thing in wedding photos? What result should you strive for?

I strive to ensure that every time, looking at their wedding photos, clients experience the same feelings as on that special day, and enjoy them again and again. All important and significant moments should be captured in the form of a beautiful family history in photographs.

For me, Moscow is new opportunity unleash your potential and show your eye for beautiful wedding photography. I am always charged with positive from shooting in new places.

This is a constant non-stop, which begins with meetings at the beginning of the year, professional development in the spring, filming in the summer and processing in the fall and winter. I combine all this with interesting projects, master classes, shooting for the soul and self-development. Free time, which is very small, I spend with my wife and children.

Obviously, these are cool people who love to smile and appreciate beautiful and high-quality photos that you can trust. All of them are certainly united by a craving for good, positive and kind, perhaps non-standard, which I always strive for myself.

City: Ufa
Genre: staged report
Dreams: shoot something extreme on the verge of breaking down equipment, for example, in a parachute jump, or hanging from the roof of a high-rise building
Proud of: the title of the best photographer according to the Wedding Alliance, a publication in the magazine L'officiel.

What is the most important thing in wedding photography? What result should you strive for?

I believe that there is no one main element in photography, everything is important here: technique, emotions, an interesting angle, choosing the most advantageous point and location for shooting. But the most important thing is the emotions and mood of the picture. If the moment is caught in the most effective phase of its movement, then you will be forgiven a lot: the composition or some technical mistakes, even the color or shade will fade into the background.

The frame should be easily perceived by the eye. If the viewer pays attention to some mistakes, or something confuses him, then the moment is lost, and the frame is simply not finalized. The photographer needs to strive to give a stable result not only in the collected series, but also in each photo separately.

How is working in Moscow different from working in the region?

In my opinion, there are more opportunities for creativity in Moscow. Plus, the Moscow customer is more demanding and more versed in many areas of fashion and style, including photography.

What was your first wedding in Moscow like?

I got to my first wedding in the capital quite by accident. The main photographer who was supposed to shoot the wedding had an accident on the way to the newlyweds. I was free that day and got ready very quickly, even managed to get to the ransom. It was back in 2007, the weddings were completely different, many paid Special attention walks and staged photo shoots in parks. As a result, the newlyweds were pleasantly surprised by the result, everything went easily, I was confident in my abilities, so the result at that time was very decent for me.

How to find contact with the newlyweds and liberate them?

It is important to find out what the newlyweds are interested in, what their views on life are, when and under what circumstances they met each other. The photographer is like a doctor. Must be a psychologist, and an interesting person, and an expert.

Phone: +79177591343

I remember that it was my first wedding. The first time I filmed a wedding for friends with a very simple camera, as a student, at that time for an interesting $ 300 (I still don’t understand why they paid in bucks!). I started my work in Moscow, as I studied and lived here. The main question of my friends and colleagues is “Why did you leave Moscow for St. Petersburg?”. My answer is simple: "For love!".

Meetings are one of my favorite “procedures” at work. You get to know each other, find out what people live and are interested in, whether there are points of contact to freely communicate on these topics during the shooting day. Be sure to bring my photobooks, because on paper the work looks much more interesting than even on the best monitor. Usually 30-40 minutes are enough for a positive decision and the conclusion of an agreement, but only if we really agree that we are suitable for each other. It happens that at a meeting you understand that the couple wants to see what you don’t do or don’t like to do. I always honestly say that it is worth considering the choice of a photographer. And yes, I always recommend my cool colleagues if I myself am busy or do not fit according to some other criteria.

A difficult question, because in this genre, whatever one may say, shooting is mostly classical. The scenery, people, the tone of the holiday, venues are changing, but so far it has not been possible to experiment, probably this is a challenge! It's time to come up with something. In general, I recalled a case, during a walk the guys took soup surfers (inflatable boards the size of a real surfboard, you stand on them and row with an oar, the main thing is to keep your balance) and in wedding dresses right an hour before registration we went to surf the Neva. Even television has arrived. Not my experiment, but I'm glad that I took part in it and everything ended perfectly.

Who are your clients? What unites those who choose you as a photographer for their wedding?

Most often these are young couples under 35 years old. I don’t know how it happens, but in 60% of cases I shoot chamber weddings with up to 50 guests. Cozy, warm, very touching. With most of the couples I communicate now, with some we are even friends. What unites? Yes, perhaps, that we are on the same wavelength. We have the same sense of style, fashion, color, understanding of how a wedding can be held in our time and that a ransom is not an important part, and a limousine or a car with plastic rings on the hood does not mean the coolness or success of the event. Couples listen to me, I advise them, I advise makeup artists or where to look for dresses, so as not to be like a “wedding cake” and so on. In general, I want to become more than a photographer for my couples.

What trends, in your opinion, set the taste and style in wedding photography today?

Every year the trends change, but it's nice that now there are a lot of resources showing how you can hold your wedding. The same Instagram has made a huge contribution to the formation of stylish weddings in Russia, sites for brides. Most often, this is a light “European” style, pleasant decor, a fitted dress, natural colors and eco-materials. I like this style, maybe in a couple of years there will be something else interesting. This pleases, the main thing is not to stand still!

Lyosha Che

“I am the person who is engaged in one of the most aggressive types of art - photography,” Lesha writes on his VK page. He comes from Chelyabinsk, but works throughout Russia and even beyond its borders. She is not shy about being a child, loves to create new creative projects and cheerfully answers questions from the editors of our magazine.

What genres do you work in?

I work in absolutely every genre my client wants. But of course, I give my preference and low bow to reportage shooting. Reportage in its purest form is like capturing the notes of aromas in a fine wine. Difficult, but when caught - proud!

What is the most important thing in wedding photography? What result should you strive for?

To relive it all: to rejoice, empathize and admire, regardless of whether you were part of this day or not - this is probably the most important thing. And slightly wet eyes and a sweet smile of the newlyweds when viewing photos are the result that is my priority.

Nothing. Feelings, like GOST, they are all similar. Whether it's Moscow or the regions, it doesn't matter. We are all very similar when we begin to sincerely love. Only the background changes.

What is the most daring photography experiment you have ever done or want to do?

Those experiments that were in the past no longer seem so bold, so they are not even worth mentioning. And those that are still in the plans are so bold that I'm scared to talk about them!

What trends, in your opinion, set the taste and style in wedding photography today?

I believe that the West, no matter how it is considered, still brings us taste and style in everything. And wedding photography is no exception. What exactly are the trends? There are many of them, and while I answer this question, half of them are probably changing their course ...

How many cameras, lenses and other gadgets do you have in your working collection?

Well, why scare readers with incomprehensible and terrible names and numbers? Let me just say that all necessary equipment to create amazing pictures I have, and its weight is no more than the importance of the photos themselves!

Denis Kalinichenko

During the interview, Denis seemed to our editors to be one of the most strictly organized and laconic people. It is true, time is money, and instead of a thousand words, the best thing is not Raffaello, but an impressive list of awards and, of course, photographs.

Best wedding album award "Grani", Nizhny Novgorod 2017
- Best wedding photographer Wedding awards, Volga region, 2016
- Best wedding photography WEDDISSON award (17 collection winners)
- The best photographer in the nomination "Seven wedding moments", Nizhny Novgorod, 2016
- TOP-20 best wedding photographers in Moscow according to prophotos.ru magazine, 2015
- Finalist MyWed Award 2014
- TOP-30 best wedding photographers according to Prophotos.ru magazine, 2013
- TOP-10 best wedding reportage photographers in Moscow according to zankyou.ru magazine, 2016

What is the most important thing for you in your work?

I will say briefly. I love weddings. I like to shoot all day and work with open newlyweds. The favorite among the genres is reportage. The most important thing is to catch some bright moment. For example, when the bride hugs her mother and cries. Such pictures will live for a long time and will always be the most valuable.

What does a photographer's work schedule look like?

24 hours a day, 7 days a week shooting and photo editing. I like to hold meetings with clients in my office with a cup of delicious coffee.

Who are your clients? What unites those who choose you as a photographer for their wedding?

They are beautiful, loving couples. My clients say that it is very easy to work with me. This is probably my go-to recipe.

Irina Paley

City: St. Petersburg
Genre: characterizes as a collective - about people's lives, about the variety of images, about key events, about the specificity
Loves: shoot complex projects and step out of your comfort zone
Dislikes: Fine art photography
One day:“recaptured” a couple from another photographer. I filmed a love story for the guys and eventually fell in love with myself and my work.
Believes: in what lies ahead for even more professional success

In 2008, Irina was selected as one of the seven "First Ladies of Wedding Photography" at the Wedding Biennale event held in Moscow. Today she is the only lady in our selection. On her fragile shoulders, Irina is ready to shoulder the burden of responsibility for photography and a backpack with equipment weighing more than 10 kg.

Among the professional awards - multiple "photo of the day" on the resources of MyWed and wedlife.ru, victory in the summer "Wedding Photography Competition" held by the Association of Wedding Photographers, 2nd place in the winter. Irina is also a finalist of the annual MyWed Award competition in several categories at once: "Special Effects without Photoshop", "Guests", "Cutting the Wedding Cake", "Element", "Ceremony".

What is the most important thing in wedding photography? What result should you strive for?

The photographer needs to feel and maintain a balance - when to take control of the situation, when to step aside, disappear, turn into "eyes" and shoot what is happening without interference. I am a supporter of a delicate attitude towards the client. If the frames turned out to be ethically controversial, I will weigh many times whether to give them to the client at all or immediately send them to the trash. My goal is a result that does not depend on whether inspiration has descended. I strive for a guaranteed creative individual style - this is the first sign of the professionalism of a wedding photographer.

What do you remember most from your first wedding in the capital?

I honestly don’t remember her, because it was in Moscow that my professional activity. I lived in the capital from 2004 to 2010, all these years actively shooting. I had my first experience of an international wedding, Russian-Italian, in Moscow, and back in 2007 or 2008, I first saw bonbonnieres at a wedding, which were handed out by an incredibly smiling (which also struck me then) Italian bride to guests at the end of the banquet. For the first time in Moscow, I filmed a Catholic wedding. For the first time in Moscow, I shot a numerous national Tatar Muslim wedding. Together with an assistant, she filmed both the ceremony in the mosque and the holiday separate for men and women, and the most difficult thing at that time was to shoot portraits of the bride and groom without hugs and kisses, which are prohibited according to traditions. In a word, Moscow gave me a lot of unique, first experience.

Do you have a favorite or most popular filming location in Moscow?

I am a supporter of choosing places for reasons of optimal route, this is an extremely important caveat for any large city. A huge advantage of Moscow and St. Petersburg is the abundance of places where you can shoot, this will not be difficult, as in regional cities, where good parks and beautiful places without panel houses in the background can be counted on the fingers of one hand. I love Chistye Prudy with their romantic trams, and the abandoned pavilions of VDNKh, and Gorky Park, and the site of the Academy of Sciences, and the Mosfilm film town, and the evening GUM, and Kamergersky Lane, and Neskuchny Garden, and the Bolotny Arrow. In general, Moscow is beautiful and diverse! The administration puts a lot of effort into the transformation of the city, some temporary installations are constantly being installed, all this is scenery for filming. Without reference to Moscow, in any city in the world, I love observation platforms.

I recently shot business portraits for two psychologists. One of them said that I am very "psychological", that is, I know when and what to say to a person in order to help him in such an atypical situation as photographing, to feel calm and confident. I never systematized this part of my knowledge, everything came with experience and on a whim. If it is possible to name honesty with the client, emotional openness to him and calm positive as a recipe, then, perhaps, I have it.

What is the most daring photography experiment you have ever done or want to do?

I shot a photo project in Spain based on a story I made up about the Little Mermaid and the fisherman. Conducted retro-shooting in original costumes of the 20s in St. Petersburg. Filmed a reconstruction of the acquaintance of one of the couples in Moscow. My favorite work is a story based on the film "Once Upon a Time in Vegas", filmed in a villa in Tuscany right on the day of the wedding! Last year, she shot a pin-up bachelorette party in Barcelona in an inimitable beauty. Starting this year, I also offer aerial photography and aerial videography to my clients. Do I show courage in such situations? No, only imagination, since my professional level allows me to be calm about the success of the task, the main thing is to clearly formulate it. Courage is needed for photographers in hot spots.

What trends, in your opinion, set the taste and style in wedding photography today?

Perhaps taste in photography is not a temporary or relative phenomenon, but a certain constant, an absolute, in contrast to style. There is a client for any style shot “tasty”. There are no trends that can change the desires of the client in photography. Trends are more likely to influence young professionals who are still in search of their direction.

Alexander Shevtsov

Alexander and Karina are like two sticks of Twix - they fit perfectly on the job site. A male and female look at many things helps to liberate the newlyweds, to find an individual approach. The career of wedding photographers is the result of photo experiments in the past. The guys tried to shoot different things, received positive feedback from their colleagues, mostly foreign ones, and eventually opted for reportage shooting.

How do you think working in Moscow differs from working in the region?

A couple hours of travel. But seriously, like in any other industry, Moscow has more scale, more opportunities and more interesting projects. The growth ceiling is higher. We are not that far from Moscow, but there is still a delay in trends. People are generally terribly conservative, and this affects the wedding industry as a whole. But due to the proximity of Moscow, new people with a completely different way of thinking and a desire to develop are increasingly appearing.

What is the most important thing in wedding photography? What result should you strive for?

We have long understood that a wedding is made for a couple and their guests, and not for photographers and videographers. And you need to shoot for them, their children and grandchildren. If, at the same time, you manage to take some wow shots that the photo community will appreciate, this is the best result.

What does a photographer's work schedule look like?

There is much less filming in winter than in summer. But in winter we spend a lot of time on training, preparing for the season and other wedding-related matters. We always try to evenly distribute all the work and not sew up. In wedding photography, the morale of the photographer plays a very important role, so you need to try not to burn out by the end of the season. To do this, it is very useful to outsource at least part of the routine in order to free up time for rest or other household chores. Moreover, it is much easier to develop without risking current projects.

What trends do you think are setting the taste and style in wedding photography today?

We think that wedding photography should always be based on the classics with a few touches of current shooting and processing techniques. Here you need to feel the edge. Unfortunately, now the photo is divided into the one that clients need and the one that is highly appreciated in a professional environment. I am glad that more and more good photographers are talking about this and promoting it. the right approach to the point. Now is the time for opportunity. Thanks to the development of the Internet, you can follow the top world-class photographers from almost anywhere in the world. The main thing is not to be lazy.

Alexey Pogorelov

The geography of the cities in which Alexey works is impressive: today he is in St. Petersburg, tomorrow in Moscow, the day after tomorrow Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Crimea are waiting. He jokes about his mode of work: shooting, dating, shooting again, dating again, and somewhere in between all this to eat and sleep a little.

What is the most important thing in wedding photography? What result should you strive for?

For me, the story is important for the viewer to experience the wedding day with us. Style and variety matter. In photographs, I appreciate sincerity, feelings. You want to look at a real photo and immerse yourself in the plot and atmosphere.

How is working in Moscow different from working in the region?

A lot of creative, unusual couples! The presence of a variety of venues, ideas, people with whom you make a wedding. Moscow is my favorite place for filming.

The most important title is the choice of my clients and the trust to shoot one of the most important days of their lives. And with some - long-term friendship. When you keep filming for them the big story of their family and children.

How to find contact with the newlyweds and liberate them? Do you have any special recipe of your own?

Laughter, laughter and more laughter! A friend photographer is more than just a wedding professional. Most often I just try to tune in to the guys, find out what is important to them, where their dreams end, if they end at all. All this is important for future shooting.

Phone: +7 906 521 51 50

Anton Varsoba

The weather was terrible, and the couple was beautiful. This is how briefly you can characterize the first experience of wedding photography in Moscow. A lot of time has passed since then. Today Anton is actively working not only in Moscow, Samara and St. Petersburg, but also in Europe. Grateful clients do not skimp on good reviews and publish Anton's works in huge numbers in various social networks under the hashtag #varsobabozhenka.

How do you think working in Moscow differs from working in the region?

The number of hours spent in the sky. First of all, a change of scenery, new acquaintances, some discoveries and, consequently, new emotions.

How are meetings with young people going?

Openly, cheerfully, I almost never fit into a certain time frame, I want to tell everything and explain why it is so.

Who are your clients? What unites those who choose you as a photographer for their wedding?

We must have the same tastes, views on life, on some things. They must understand and perceive my work.

What professional regalia and successes are you proud of?

I cannot say that I am definitely proud of the titles that I have been awarded on the wedding portals. The recognition of colleagues and clients is sometimes much more important and valuable.

What trends, in your opinion, set the taste and style in wedding photography today?

This is a very broad question: sometimes Europe dictates fashion to us, sometimes design and art, sometimes specific events and personalities. Sometimes the public just gets fed up with something and there is a demand for a completely opposite trend. It's also about who gets inspired by what.

Anatoly Bityukov

Anatoly is a versatile person: he graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics and the Faculty of Law, has been fond of various types sports. Still, his main love was photography. I have spent more than 10 years with a camera in my hand - I studied photography at LOMO College for four years, worked as a sports journalist, and, of course, a wedding photographer. During this time, he managed to earn himself an impressive track record of titles and awards. Here are just a few:

TOP-50 fearlessphotorgaphers, 2014
- best photographer 2015 by SPBWEDAWARDS
- The 150 best international wedding photographers for 2016
- multiple finalist for MyWed Award, WPPI, WPJI, WPS, ISPWP

What is the most important thing in wedding photography? What result should you strive for?

I really like to look at people's emotions, pure, sincere, which can only be caught without interfering in the situation and foreseeing it. I was once told that the most important thing is to have something to remember in old age, and you always want to remember what really pleased, filled your heart and made an emotional explosion. It seems to me that the most important thing is the atmosphere, the atmosphere of that day: light, color, emotions, loved ones, everyone who surrounded me. That's what really matters to me in my work.

What do you remember most from your first wedding in the capital?

To be honest, I don't remember my first wedding in Moscow. For me, all weddings are equally important, so I don’t see the difference in which city it takes place. Moscow, Russia, Europe, and at least any other corner of the planet - photography in every corner of the world gives the same pleasure.

Who are your clients? What unites those who choose you as a photographer for their wedding?

For the most part, my clients are those for whom it is important to have a good time, arrange a fun wedding for themselves, and not for someone else.

How many cameras, lenses and other gadgets do you have in your working collection?

For a good shot, the number of kilograms hanging on the photographer during the shooting is not important. But at the same time, as a good collector, every camera and every lens is precious to me. Every season I update equipment.

Evgeny Shamshura

Eugene studied at the Medical Academy for 6 years, and then worked in a pharmacy for a whole year. He was so bored that he bought himself Sony camera Alpha, took the first thousand shots, fell in love and changed his life forever. Today Evgeny Shamshura positions himself as a family and wedding photographer. Everything that he does in his life, he tries to do with soul and love. Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Crimea, Italy, Georgia, Spain - for the sake of good shots, he is ready to go anywhere in the world.

First place in the TOP5 rating of photographers in Nizhny Novgorod according to the Gorko portal.
- Winner in the Nizhny Novgorod annual wedding award "Frontiers" in the nomination "wedding series".
- Repeated finalist in international competition MyWedaward 2014, 2015.
- Winner in the international competition MyWedaward 2016 in the nomination "Group portrait".

What is the most important thing in wedding photography? What result should you strive for?

The history of the day is very important to me. So that not only my newlyweds can remember their day in great detail, but also their grandchildren can fully see the day through the eyes of their grandparents. It is necessary to strive for such a full-fledged story, to make it beautiful, bright.

During the meeting, I always work positively, share my experience with the guys and sincerely wish their day to be as cool as those 250 couples whose wedding I have already photographed.

Who are your clients? What unites those who choose you as a photographer for their wedding?

My clients are couples who truly love each other, those who make a wedding not only for themselves but also for guests, those who add zest to their wedding.

What trends, in your opinion, set the taste and style in wedding photography today?

Trends? It's hard for me to answer the question. These are just my observations, some may disagree. For example, a few years ago a tilt-shift lens was popular, then the fine art style, a little later more attention was paid to reportage shooting. What awaits us in 2017 - I can not say yet. We are waiting for the season, and we will see.

How many cameras, lenses and other gadgets do you have in your collection?

I have more than 5 cameras in my collection and twice as many lenses. Sometimes I myself wonder why I need so much, but I understand that everyone is needed, and every year I buy something new.

Kirill Zorin

Kirill is a photography teacher, a workaholic and the owner of 30 kilograms of professional equipment. Kirill's photos made it to the finals of the annual MyWed Award competition, became the photos of the year on the same portal, but he himself is modest and says that the best reward is satisfied customers.

The services of a photographer at a wedding are indispensable: even professional videography will not be able to capture all the nuances of the day that will be reflected in photography. Since even a modest family celebration requires significant expenses, newlyweds need a cheap photographer who can work every shooting day to the maximum.

It is believed that wedding photography cannot be cheap and high quality at the same time. Our catalog refutes this theory. A professional photographer can inexpensively shoot a bride and groom in nature, arrange a photo essay dedicated to the wedding, think over a fashion photo shoot, and all this for less than 20 thousand rubles. You can find photography services in the right price range in just a couple of clicks.

How to use the catalog?

If a photographer offers his services inexpensively, is popular in Moscow and creates great photos, then his offer will be posted on our website. To access all relevant options, use the handy filter:

Choose a price. The “up to 20,000 ₽” category includes professionals requesting from 3,000 to 20,000 rubles per shooting day. If you need a photographer for an hour, the actual cost of photography may be lower than the price of a shooting day.
Choose a date. A good, cheap photographer is more likely to be busy on popular wedding days. To get the opportunity to order a service inexpensively, it is better to negotiate in advance. Explore the options offered. Our catalog contains examples of work from which you can get a comprehensive idea of art style every photographer.

Contacts of photographers are available in the portfolio. If you are not sure if the master is free on the right day, be sure to contact in advance and clarify this issue.

Pay attention to whose photos your friends post. If you like the pictures good reason view the photographer's portfolio.

You can also find a photographer on specialized sites such as Fashion Bank and Podium.life. wedding photographers live on Mywed, and if you want kids or family photography, visit Disfo.

2. Don't be fooled by free shoots

Yes, there are people who will film you for free. This can happen in two cases: either the photographer is completely novice, or your type is suitable for the realization of his own idea.

Beginning photographers cannot guarantee you the quality of the result. Maybe you get good pictures, maybe not. If you are ready to play Russian roulette, then take a chance! Sometimes this way you get good photo shoots.

If you approached an experienced photographer to implement his idea, it’s too early to rejoice. We must first find out what exactly he is going to shoot. Maybe he wants to film you in rags at an abandoned chicken farm (a completely real case, by the way). Do you want such photos?

The photographer will shoot you exactly the way he needs, and not the way you need.

In the case of free shooting, be prepared for the fact that the photographer will give as many shots as he sees fit. And he will do it when he wants to.

3. Expensive does not mean good

In Moscow, a two-hour portrait shoot can cost 5,000 rubles, or maybe 100,000 rubles. And it’s not a fact that a more expensive photographer will take better pictures of you than a cheap one. There are good photographers in all segments, the main thing is to look for them. And how to distinguish good photographer from bad? Correctly! From his portfolio.

4. Evaluate portfolio

Portfolio must please you. And there should be photos similar to those that you would like to receive. Let's say you want vibrant portraits with rich colors, but the photographer's portfolio is all black and white. In this case, it is better to look for someone else to shoot.

When you are reviewing a portfolio, try not to evaluate the beauty of the models and their outfits, but the work of the photographer. What is worth paying attention to?

Naturalness

If people in the photo look natural, believe me, it's worth a lot. If all the models have a tense and tense look, then, most likely, the same fate awaits you.

Atmosphere of the place

How is the atmosphere of the location captured? Do you have a story in your head about what is shown in the photo? Do you believe what is happening on it? If so, then that's a good sign.

Variety of poses

If the models stand or sit in the same way in all the photos, it means that the photographer does not know how to control the posing of the models. Most likely, he will not select for you those poses that will emphasize the dignity of your figure and hide the flaws.

Specialization

The more narrow specialization the photographer, the higher the quality of his photo. Does your photographer only shoot portraits in the studio? Wonderful! If he shoots weddings, and portraits, and children, and food for the menu, and New Year's corporate parties is a bad sign. Would you go to a dentist who works as a surgeon twice a week, sometimes replaces the therapist, and on weekends does ultrasounds for a part-time job?

Treatment

All photographers edit their photos. You do not have to understand the intricacies, you just have to like the processing. Because your photos will be processed the same way.

The main thing - do not count on the same pictures as in the photographer's portfolio. It is his the best photos for years of work. Probably, professional models posed for many.

But it still makes sense to choose a photographer with the portfolio that you like the most. What he shoots for you will be a little lower quality than portfolio materials.

5. Ask for a photo of your type.

It's good if the portfolio contains pictures of a person with your type of appearance. Not found - ask the photographer to show. If in the portfolio you see only photos of 18-year-old models weighing 45 kg, then maybe he just doesn’t know how to shoot girls over 30 with an imperfect figure. Do you want to become an object of experiments for your money?

6. Assess how comfortable you are to communicate

You and the photographer should be pleased. If something bothers you in communication, it is better to immediately find another. When shooting, you need to be relaxed. Stress will ruin even the best shots.

Take care of your comfort - main duty photographer. He will tell you in detail about the process itself. Will answer all your questions. Remind you the day before so you don't forget anything. In general, it will be a mixture of best girlfriend and mother. That's why he's a professional.

7. Meet before shooting

Arrange a meeting with the photographer a few days before the shoot. Have a cup of coffee together. He will see you live, and this will help him decide how you will pose for him. If you're shy on set, meeting on no man's land will help you too. After it, you will feel freer in front of the camera.

You will also discuss in detail what kind of photos you need. Establish contact with each other, then this will not have to be done on the set.

If after the meeting you realize that you are uncomfortable with the photographer, feel free to cancel the shoot. You won't get good pictures.

After meeting with the photographer, you should not have any questions - only joyful impatience. If so, then you are in good hands and will be enjoying new photos very soon.

There are many options. But only if you have a portfolio. If you don’t have it, but you want money and the camera burdens your hands, then the only scenario is dumping: we gain a foothold in the budget segment, squeeze out competitors (the same newcomers), work at cost, gain experience and portfolio, form our unique advantage and sift through applications in search of " their clients."

The scheme is simple and many people like it, but you have to work with everyone, not to stutter about creativity and not think about profit. Such is the price for lack of experience and portfolio.

But if you take your time and work a little:

Talk to the environment so that relatives and friends have a good idea: what genre you develop, what photos you create, how you work and what makes you special - an advantage over other current offers on the market.

Then very soon you can count on natural recommendations, loyal applications and “your customers”. Often without financial costs, but relying on creativity and personal style.

Of course, you can still delay:

work in a team;
learn how to negotiate
draw up a personal development plan;
optimize the production of your product.

And enter the market as a strong middle peasant.

For those who value the career of a photographer as a long-term perspective, and not entertainment during the school holidays, I will describe other ways to get “their clients”.

How can a beginner photographer find their first clients?

Don't complicate simple things.

Familiar. Be sure to tell your friends, acquaintances and those with whom you play hockey, football or tennis on the weekends about what you do. They are loyal to you and will probably become the first clients of a novice photographer. Or maybe just - they will recommend you to their relatives, friends, acquaintances or business colleagues, and these are leads with whom it is easy to work and, most importantly, to receive recommendations.
Cold calls. Going through your phone book and making a list of people who might need your photos is the first thing that comes to mind, but it's better to go ahead and make a list of everyone: modeling agencies, jewelry chains, publishers and magazine editors, restaurants, florists, educational and other institutions. with whom you would like to work. If you don’t have telephone sales experience, it doesn’t matter, the stores have books by Stephen Sheffman that understand the basic techniques and rules of cold calling.
… and suggestions. There is an opinion that if you take a portfolio in your hands, go to shopping center and go around all the "shops", then a couple of leads and one client are in your pocket. I haven’t tried it myself, my audience is not the same, but a colleague sculptor recommends it, so I pass on the “recipe” to the reader of these lines. Of course, one portfolio is not enough, you need to be able to conduct a conversation, hand out business cards so that they do not go to the trash can.
Information field. You can search for your first clients on social networks. In order not to be distracted by the number of subscribers, likes and shares, it is better to use the Leadscanner tool, which analyzes messages from social networks and selects those in which people write about their needs and desires in your industry - "Photo and Video Shooting". Similar messages can be found on forums, thematic portals and there are leads, but this is a manual search and filtering.
Regional competitions. Participation in municipal projects, competitions, exhibitions - an opportunity to find your first customers, but the main thing is recognition in the region, in the local market that you have chosen for your promotion. Your goal is a name that will provide an influx of leads that you will work with in the future.
… and business. If you have a financial cushion, you can try bartering with one of the local leading companies. You guarantee a high-quality and stable result, your partner - recommendations, target customers.
Acquaintance. Recommendations - not only reviews of your customers, but also flattering words ordinary people during social events. Avoid photo parties - colleagues will not become clients, and strive to get to the celebration where your target audience is expected, where you can communicate, exchange contacts and unobtrusively mention your work.
Work as a staff photographer in the studio. Another option to find your clients is to get a job at a local photography studio. Train your hand, gain experience, study and memorize all the subtleties of the local market, work for a name and recognition, accumulate a base of “your customers” and leave, taking with you regular customers. Normal practice in many professions.
Affiliate program. Giving a percentage of the profit, in gratitude for attracting a client, is cheaper and easier than searching on your own. Highly recommend not only for beginners, but also for experienced photographers.
Advertising. When nothing works, or the flow of customers is small, you can pay for advertising on the Internet or beyond.

P.S.

A little parting word to novice photographers who are looking for their first clients:

The only purpose of professional communication and dating is to be in the information field of your target audience and not colleagues in the market.
Do not grab everything in a row if you know that you will do it poorly. Choose one niche, study its specifics well and pack your work into a targeted offer.
How to find your first clients? - the first, but not the most difficult question. The next one is how to keep them.

Peace to all, and passing light on the places of photographic battles.
Your,
Andrew Bondar.

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Wedding photos are a must! Wedding photos are a story, a story of your family, of your day, a story that you will tell your children and remember for many years to come. Is this day really not worthy to stay with you in beautiful photos?

Think about it in advance, start following the photographers, their publications, portfolio updates, form your idea of what you want to see your wedding.

Where to look for a photographer?

First of all, you should ask your friends and acquaintances. No one will tell about the photographer better than the bride and groom he photographed. They know how comfortable it is to work with a photographer, how he interacts with guests, how he participated in organizing a wedding, and they will simply show you photos from their wedding. In addition to the recommendations of friends / acquaintances, be sure to visit specialized Internet sites.

What should you look for when looking for a wedding photographer?

Photo

No matter how trite it may sound, but first of all, you need to pay attention to exactly how the photographer shoots! See a lot of photos, follow new series, compare, choose exactly the style, color and emotions that you like!

However, always ask the photographer to show a couple of weddings in their entirety, exactly the material that their clients received! This will help you understand how consistently the photographer shoots, whether his style and quality is maintained throughout the day, or whether he succeeds only in staged shots.

Comfortable communication

A wedding photographer is the person with whom you will spend the whole day, from early in the morning, when he will take pictures of the preparations, and ending with the final fireworks at your banquet. Therefore, special attention should be paid to how comfortable you are personally in the company of a photographer, whether he understands you, whether he listens to your wishes, whether he can arrange you for shooting. In the end, you will remember exactly the mood that was at your wedding!

Price

Do not choose a photographer only by price, because there will always be someone who can do it cheaper. However, the disappointment of bad photos will last much longer than the joy of the low price!

Naturally, it is not always worth chasing only the most expensive, because again, the price is not always an indicator of quality. Think about what will remain with you after 20 or 30 years? Choose the photographer whose photos, in the first place, you like, because this is a memory for the rest of your life.

Just compare the cost of the photographer you like and, for example, the cost of the wedding dress you like.

Participation in preparation

An experienced photographer knows how to competently draw up a walking route, talk about the advantages and disadvantages of a particular location for shooting specifically for your wedding. Working in this field, photographers know many artists, hosts, designers, videographers, they can advise where to turn to make invitations or gifts for guests, and they simply have much more experience and will be able to warn you about some subtleties in preparation.

Treaty

Every self-respecting photographer has a contract for photography services. Yes, not everyone concludes it, for many, the presence / absence of an agreement is not somehow an important factor, and someone, on the contrary, wants everything to be strictly official and documented. The contract will help you avoid possible problems with deadlines or serve as proof, in case (I hope it never comes) of damaged photos. For the photographer, the contract can also serve as protection against unscrupulous customers who refuse to pay for his work or make unreasonable claims to the quality / style / processing of images. It is up to you to conclude a contract or not, but a responsible photographer will never be afraid of a contract, he is confident in his work and will not mind if you have such confidence.

Questions

Ask the photographer a lot of questions, even if they seem ridiculous or ridiculous to you. Your wedding is most likely the first time and a lot of questions - this is normal. Find out any details about the shooting that interest you, tell the photographer your thoughts and experiences, ask for his opinion and, most importantly - trust him!

It remains only to say one very important thing - successful, beautiful and interesting shooting is only 50% dependent on the photographer, the rest is your work!

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