Wedding Photography, Standing Out From the Crowd

Pin It I had an email from someone asking what this image was all about so I thought I'd share the story with you. It always makes me chuckle. As you probably have worked out from now I love to work outside of the box, in fact I totally deny the existence of any boxes in most cases.

This is a major advantage when it comes to advertising. Most photographers are great photographers but are pretty useless at marketing. For instance the number one objective for adverts is to be seen. The mistake most photographers make is to put one of their best images of a couple next to their text in an advert. As everyone else does the same they become invisible in a page full of adverts and anyone viewing are left struggling to find something that catches their eye. The idea behind this advert was to firstly attract attention and secondly to put across a little of me into the ad so people realised I am not some stuffy, boring, taste like chicken photographer. When people book me they know they'll enjoy the experience.

The shoot was semi set up in that the bride had got married earlier in the year and was up for a laugh. We met one Sunday morning and had a dry run through of what was going to happen. Basically Toni (my assistant) would go into the supermarket and put some stuff in a trolley and when she was ready call on the mobile. It was then down to us to come in take the trolley and get the shots we needed before getting thrown out.

The shoot took about five minutes in total (but about a week in planning). Did we get asked to leave? You bet but not before the manager was surrounded by her own customers stating the bride should be allowed to do what she wanted on her wedding day. We made our excuses and left. I know the right way would have been to approach the store and ask but in the real world it's a lot easier to apologise than ask permission. We got the images we needed and nobody was hurt. I can imagine the amount of begging letters and PR departments it would have taken to get permission prior to the shoot. Five minutes in and out no problems!

Another photographer once asked me if this approach didn't put some couples off, my answer, "I hope so. There's only so many weddings I can shoot and if this puts off people who aren't happy to have a laugh that saves me having to do it".

Incidently I wouldn't advise anyone to place adverts in the press / magazines there are far more productive ways of letting people know you exist. But if you are going to place an ad, don't place an invisible one. In fact I'm currently working on a book about marketing a photography business in which all of my secrets and methods will be revealed, if you have signed up for my regular tips from my website you'll be informed as soon as I've finished it.

The bride shoot in the supermarket will be one of the pictures for my upcoming calendar "Brides" that should hopefully be finished in the next coming months (yes the other images are just as mad). FANTASTIC FUN! I love my job. Happy shooting