Top Wedding Photography Trends for 2013

Top Wedding Photography Trends for 2013

It’s no secret that competition in the wedding photography industry has gotten fierce. More and more photographers are entering what has become a very lucrative and growing market. On the flip side, there are also many couples who are willing to let their “photographer friends” shoot the big day.

So it goes without saying that building a competitive edge is key to finding success. To learn more about how the top wedding photography trends today, we talked to wedding photographers in our community who have been running successful businesses for years.

We covered the bases, too – everything from shooting style to client budgets to advertising. Here’s what they had to say:

Shooting style:

Nearly every photographer we talked to described their shooting style as some form of photojournalism: “fine-art photojournalism”, “photojournalistic style, balanced with family portraits and classic couple shots”, and “candid, documentary style photography with a touch of fashion and editorial” were just some of the ways they described their photography.

And while we still see a lot of it, photographers indicate that vintage-style is becoming just that – vintage. Couples want their big day documented just like any other newsworthy event, with a few setup shots of Aunt Mildred thrown in for good measure. “Ultimately, a wedding will always be a story of poignant moments, with a record that needs to be timeless,” says New York-based wedding photographer Brian Dorsey.

Photo by Brian Dorsey Studios

Photo by Brian Dorsey Studios

Hobbyists vs Pros:

The wedding photography market is an over-saturated one. More and more hobbyists turning full-time make it even more so. The competition is tough, but pros feel like this just pushes them to work harder and become the best of the best. Also, many pros aren’t necessarily seeking the type of client who’s just as happy having their DSLR-wielding friend take over.

“My advice is to work on finding your own particular niche,” says UK-based wedding photographer Lisa Devlin. “Too many photographers think that playing it safe is the way to go, but if you try to appeal to everyone, you will end up appealing to nobody in particular.”

In a similar vein, Chip Litherland of Eleven Weddings Photography says, “There are clients everywhere, it’s just a matter of finding the right ones.”

Photo by Chip Litherland

Photo by Chip Litherland

Prints & products:

The trend of 2013 on this front is professional, high-quality photo albums. Even in a time when most photographers are providing the bride and groom with downloadable image galleries or DVDs, clients want a physical reminder of the big day – and for someone else to do the hard work of creating it.

“I started including one book with each of my packages and feel like I’ve received more inquires from clients excited about a book!” says Betsi Ewing, who was recently voted into The Knot’s Best of Weddings for 2012. “I also love giving them to clients…it’s something they can hold to and share with others in such a special way. Much better than staring at your computer screen.”

NYC-based wedding photographer Missy McLamb agrees: “While some clients prefer to make their own prints and books, many clients still value the artistry and design abilities of the photographer.”

Photo by Missy McLamb

Client budgets:

Most of the photographers we talked to plan to raise their prices in 2013, even if in small increments. Professionals should work to continue developing their skills, and their prices need to reflect that. Despite the flagging economy, wedding photographers do not plan to lower their prices – they still strive to attract a certain type of clientele.

Fine-art wedding photographer Alexandra Tremaine says, “I’ve been very strict about keeping my rates and not lowering them so as not to attract the wrong client.”

One new trend we see is an increase in “a la carte” options, or add-on’s, that let the bride and groom customize their package. One wedding photographer sets aside $700 worth of prints and products, to be used however the client chooses. This gives clients the freedom to chose a much or as little as they want, while you still get the base amount.

Photo by Alexandra Tremaine

Pricing structure:

The standard package for 2013 among these photographers is:

  • Somewhere between 8-12 hours of shooting
  • Second shooter/assistant
  • Online photo gallery
  • DVD of high res images
  • Photo album
  • Prints or option to order prints from the online gallery/DVD (i.e. the rights to print)

Common add-on’s are larger prints (11×14 in., for example), engagement shoot, photo booth, and “trash the dress” shoot. Interestingly, these photographers don’t usually offer canvas wrap prints – there just isn’t any interest from their clients.

Most photographers also believe that beautiful presentation is still important. Branded packages, chocolates, and hand-written thank-you notes are all examples of ways photographers are making their clients feel special. One photographer even suggests giving more prints than in the original agreement – it makes the bride and groom feel like you’ve gone above and beyond, and helps secure more referrals.

Advertising:

While word-of-mouth recommendations still rule the wedding photography industry, 2013 will likely see a continued increase in online advertising, particularly on wedding blogs. Betsi Ewing says that 80% of her business comes from advertising on The Knot. It seems that most photographers have stopped spending big bucks to exhibit at bridal shows, and print advertising has steadily declined in popularity.

“With online advertising, you can track and see the results – and it costs less,” says New England wedding photographer Matthew Cavanaugh. Here’s an idea for the new year: include a field in the contact form on your website that asks prospective clients where they found you (social media, blog, Google, referral, etc.) so you get a better idea of what’s working and what isn’t.

Social media marketing:

Facebook is the social media platform of choice among pros in 2013, followed by (relative) newcomer Pinterest and then Twitter. Wedding photographers love that they can “friend” their clients, then post a teaser gallery the next day and tag the bride and groom. It’s a surefire way to get them excited to see all the final images, and also get your work in front of their friends and family.

Pinterest has become more even more popular over the last year, as the audience is filled with potential brides. “I post a little of my own work, but it’s mostly from other people pinning my images,” says Lisa Devlin, who makes the work on her site “pinable”. “This is probably currently the best social media for wedding photographers – brides love it and they do all the work for you!”

But, by far the long-lasting cornerstone to every successful wedding photographer’s business is a blog.  A personal blog is still the way to connect with your audience and get your work featured on bigger wedding blogs. It’s also the ideal platform for creating a narrative around your work, as well as giving people a sense for who you are and how you work. Connection is key to getting hired in the wedding industry.

Photo by Lisa Devlin

Shooting video:

At least for now, most wedding photographers aren’t interested in offering video themselves. Most prefer that their clients hire a videographer separately. That said, some are considering adding a video professional to their team as business grows or outsourcing it on a per client basis.

Wedding photographers want to stick to what they know best. As Matthew Cavanaugh says, “If I tried to do both, I wouldn’t do either very well.”

For more information on wedding photography trends today, be sure to check out our free guide How To Grow A Wedding Photography Business . Hear firsthand from successful wedding photographers and learn how set your services apart from the pack.

Next Post:
Previous Post:
This article was written by
There are 41 comments for this article
  1. Deirdre at 1:06 pm

    I have found it difficult to add an album with my current prices. At this time I cannot raise them, what would you suggest? I do have my prices listed.

    • Lauren Margolis at 4:05 am

      @Deirdre We’ve heard of wedding photographers who include the album “a la carte” (i.e. add-on), so you don’t have to raise your standard package prices but you can still show potential new clients that you offer the option.

  2. Pingback: Top Wedding Photography Trends for 2013 ‹ PhotoShelter Blog | Wedding Planning Tips
  3. GM Studio at 5:27 am

    It is a very interesting article, i think adding video on top of my photography services would be a plus but as mentioned is not easy take video and photos at the same time so the only way is to work together with a profession videographer.

  4. Pingback: Top Wedding Photography Trends for 2013 ‹ PhotoShelter Blog | What You Need For A Wedding
  5. Pingback: Top Wedding Photography Trends for 2013 ‹ PhotoShelter Blog | Wedding Ideas Tips
  6. Andrew at 7:36 am

    I actually find that very few of my clients don’t eventually have an album – I tend to book on an electronic package only and then “as a favour” to them hold my album prices for a bit and most, once they have recovered from the cost of the wedding, go for an album later on.

  7. JM @ The Bethwood at 5:21 am

    Inspiring stuff you’ve shared with us here, Lauren. With technology and the skills of talented people in the industry, being artistic has become even more boundless. Thanks for these tips and information!

  8. Pingback: For the Photographers of the Business « « Smart Wedding Planning Smart Wedding Planning - Smart Wedding Planning
  9. Genaro Shaffer at 1:41 pm

    Interesting that they offer high res images on a DVD. Are they edited? If so how do you sell prints? Especially when a photographers print prices are 4-10x the price of say a Costco print?

  10. Jim Dedmon at 9:36 am

    I try to educate my customers on the difference a properly exposed image can make, versus an unrealistic photoshop action image. While I realize its a trend to have two shooters I feel you’re hiring my eye, my vision which is singular to ….me.

  11. Pingback: - Smart Wedding Planning
  12. Karl Baker at 5:05 pm

    Video is the future I think, at least in small snippets, if you can add on just some bridal prep video, some poses and a few other bits through the day and fusion it you have a great new avenue to go down..

  13. Pingback: Top Wedding Photography Trends In 2013 | Valerie Bey Photography
  14. Michelle K at 5:29 pm

    Great article! I got married in 2012 and aspiring photographer. I agree with most of the things on the list. I chose my wedding photographer because of her quality, flexibility (digital > prints), and personality. I wanted digital copies of my pictures because I wanted the ability to share across digital platforms (Facebook, internet, preserve images from fire, etc.) I wanted the flexibility to make 100 copies for my christmas card or a copy for my children in the future without losing the copyright 20 years from now.

  15. Pingback: Top 10 Wedding Photography Trends in 2013 « Libby James
  16. Kevin Durham at 9:14 am

    Most weddings take years of planning yet the day can fly by and feel like it’s over in a heartbeat. That’s why it’s so important to capture those moments and not just the moments you expected, but the ones that appeared by magic.

  17. Alex, Wedding Photographer in Essex at 7:10 am

    Now that 2013 has passed, it’s interesting to read this back.
    The one thing that stands out is talk of albums.
    In 2013 I sold very few albums compared to the year before.

    It’s funny, some years everyone wants one, so you include it, then no one wants one, so you remove them. And then the cycle starts over again…

    I wonder what 2014 will bring?

  18. Pingback: Top 10 Wedding Photography Trends in 2013
  19. Mike at 11:07 am

    I’m old school having started with film. I see what I think are some great pictures in today’s wedding shoots; like the one above of the bride from the lips down. That being said, I still shoot the portrait shot in addition. It takes only a fraction of a second to pull the shot back and take that a portrait. In a few years, when a particular fad wears off, the bride is going to wish she had the traditional portrait, or group shot to show her children, grandchildren etc. My point is, remember to include the traditional shots. You don’t get to recreate the moment and you owe it to your clients to provide them years of satisfaction with the moments you are responsible to capture.

  20. Conor McGlone at 3:50 am

    Great post. It is an interesting wedding photography. I agree with most of the things on the list. You chose a wedding photographer because of their quality, flexibility and personality. Siobhan Hegarty is a skilled wedding photographer in Rome to make your wedding unforgettable for life. Visit http://www.shpfoto.com/.

  21. Anastasia & Sadi at 2:20 pm

    I love photography and know a thing or two about it myself, which is why I find your blogs so interesting. I truly get a sense of how Cambridge wedding photography really work and achieve great success. It is just like been on a photography teaching class. It is so hard to express in words the joy I get from surfing your blogs.

  22. Pingback: Capturing Special Moments with Candid Wedding Photographers in Sacramento CA
  23. Anastasia & Sadi at 8:29 am

    We can all take pictures on our mobile phones these days and on other technology devises, but no one captures the perfect image quite like a professional photographer. Are you really prepared to trust the skills of an amateur on your wedding day? By hiring a professional wedding photographer in Cambridge and the importance of their experience become extremely clear in your blogs.

  24. Pascal at 12:22 am

    A wedding is typically one of the most memorable days in a lifetime, one that people remember for years to come. For most couples, regular pictures just won’t do. Wedding photography is a big business and a very specialized type of photography.

    Basically, wedding photography involves taking photographs of wedding ceremonies and participants. However, most professionals realize that there is much more to wedding photography than simply snapping a few pictures. Only the highest quality and most original photographs will do.

    The number of photographs taken at an average wedding is staggering. The most important photographs are usually those that are of the bride and groom, and the rest of the wedding party. Subjects in many of these photos are usually meticulously posed. Candid shots are also taken at weddings as well, such as photos of the little girl dancing on her father’s feet or the bride smashing cake in the groom’s face. These types of shots are sometimes the most treasures.

  25. Grandeur Wedding Studio at 2:44 am

    Yep I agree with the steadily increasing prices. There may be things in life which we prefer a less than premium product for a cheaper price, but when it comes to something as important as a wedding photoshoot, clients definitely want the best, and so they’ll rather having higher quality service and photos at a higher price.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *