How to be a successful Wedding Photographer in Malaysia
Professional wedding photographers capture the intimate moment when a bride and groom promise each other to become one. When it comes to recording a client’s wedding, they know the appropriate shots, angles, and precise moments they need to shoot. A Wedding Photographer in Malaysia enjoys advantages that can help professionals become more successful in the business.
A lot more goes into running a successful business than just having a service to provide. Many people have had brilliant ideas or a gift but have not managed to capitalize on the talent. In this article, you will learn how to achieve your dream of working on your own, providing a unique service to deserving clients, and taking your business to the next level.
The cost of setting up a wedding photography venture
There are certain things you have to have at a minimum when venturing into wedding photography as a business. These are just the basics to get a Wedding Photographer in Malaysia to get started. One can add equipment as they progress:
- website with a portfolio
- marketing plan
- Equipment
- insurance, taxes, business license, and bank accounts
Details can make or break your wedding photography business. As a Wedding Photographer in Malaysia, you’ll need to pay attention to the details of the wedding and business. These details include your wedding photography contract, what you promise your clients, and your ability to keep track of the different weddings you might have at any given time. Being customer-centric is also essential for a budding photographer in Malaysia.
Always listen to the client
There is a reason that corporations spend so much money on figuring out ways to make customers happy; it’s easier and cheaper to keep a customer than to get a new one. The same goes for the wedding photography biz. If you know how to please your customers happy you’ll get repeat clients, referrals, and a better reputation in your community. Here are some simple things to remember to be a successful Wedding Photographer in Malaysia:
Patience is essential
Remember that your photographic skill didn’t happen impulsively, so don’t expect that your business will thrive overnight. Making a profitable venture takes time and effort; it might even fail if given all the right ingredients.
Also if it fails, learn from your mistakes and keep trying. Be patient and do anything possible to get your business off the ground. If you have to learn how to design a website just to put up your site, do be it. You may even have to do free shots for some couples, get it done if the need arises. Do it build up your, don’t give up.
Photography equipment
Setting up a wedding photography business requires you to have the suitable gear to get the job done, on location and at home. However, don’t get into debt to get it done. Some photographers buy brand new top of the line gear spending lots of money only to realise that they were unable to make the business work. You can start with affordable cameras and some reasonably priced lenses and upgrade as you go along. While the gear may be similar to other types of photography one significant difference is the number of backup items a wedding photographer has to have.
Backup plans
The most important lesson is to have backups of everything: from cameras to lenses, computers to images, memory cards, backup just everything you require. You may never need any of them, the one time you don’t have a backup camera, anything might happen, and you will have just cost a bride and groom the memory of a special day. Even with photographer’s insurance, in such a situation, you’d be hard pressed to justify the failure to the insurance company, let alone the couple. Memory cards may fail, cameras lock up, images get deleted, and nay computers crash, to avoid these mishaps, backup is necessary.
Marketing your business
Your portfolio is online, and you are eagerly anticipating your first call or email, and…nothing happens. Without a well defined marketing plan, you will not see many returns from your portfolio. There could be several pitfalls along the way to a good marketing plan, including wasted time, money, and increased frustration. It may take time to understand. However, you can learn a lot through Google.
As the new Wedding Photographer in Malaysia, avoid print when promoting yourself. Avoid marketing off of the internet. Initially, it has little returns unless you’re in an area where internet usage is minimal. The two primary areas of online marketing are paid for advertising and bum marketing. They work well separately and together and also require good Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Have the required licenses
A business license may or may not be necessary for your area. It’s been a while since I got mine but I remember thinking it was going to be a hassle. It was effortless and even easier to renew it every year. It’s also incredibly cheap in most areas and adds certain credence to your business in the eyes of clients.
The guidelines above are to help you get started as a marriage photographer in Malaysia. Malaysia is an ideal place for a destination wedding and knowing the scenic spots would be an added advantage. You can capture some destinations and include them in your portfolio for couples in need of a wedding photographer.
If you are a fan of photography, then beginning your photo and video service could be the appropriate business for you to start in Malaysia. Wedding photography can be quite lucrative while a Wedding Photographer in Malaysia can explore other niches such as baby or infant photography. Remember that as the chosen photographer, you have the responsibility of creating memories for the couple, their loved ones and coming generations, so be sure not to mess it up.
