Magda's Blog

Marissa Morrison – Wedding Photographer

Well, where should I start. Marissa Morrison is a wedding photographer I came across – I want to say quite recently but i think that would be a lie. The first time I came across her name was about this time last year when I was still on my maternity leave and I was looking for inspiration and motivation to start a new a project. I was looking at different types of photography, looking at the style, angles that the image was taken at and the composition. Wedding Photography has always been something that I have been interested in since I was a teenager.

When I think back to 10 years ago. I loved looking through wedding magazines making a mood board for my big day – like what dress I would like to wear – having different dresses cutted out of the magazine that I really like, to the details like what way my hair would be to what type of flowers I will have, jewellery, the small details like the decoration of the church or the place you will have your party in after the ceremony, the types of images I would like to get capture of my big day. Close ups, far away capturing everything, mid range or even the behind the scene of getting ready etc.

I wanted to look at the work of Marissa Morrison is because of her story and how she got to where she is now. She started of her business as a single mum and a college drop out. With no degree in photography she still managed to become a successful wedding photographer. She did study black-and-white film photography as well as the magnificence of the dark room. Her journey began just after she had her first born, where she wanted to capture the memories and the growth of her baby. It all started as something for herself but that’s when she realised that she wanted to do for others as well. She started to photograph everything you could possibly think of. Buying lots of stuff for the newborn session, the basket, crochet blanket, clothes and wee hats that she could dress the babies in to create the most marvelous photos for her clients – since she was only starting out she didn’t charge loads as she wanted to gain experience but also new clients. She still felt like she was missing something, that’s when an opportunity came and someone ask her to photograph their wedding for them. In my opinion it was like a turning point in her career.

The fire was truly ignited almost a decade later, when my first born graced the world with his presence, and I so yearned to preserve each phase of his quickly growing world. I recognize that you are also longing to achieve this for your memories. I want to partner with you in this journey of everlasting reminescence! I give God the glory for giving me such an amazing opportunity and the skills to pursue my passion.
From https://www.monsoleilweddings.com/about

Looking at her work and how far she got on her own while being a single mum is an inspiration to everyone. That once you put the work in into your dreams it can happen it will take a while and you shouldn’t give up even if you feel it is not working as it is. Businesses can take a while to become successful and to get your name out especially when there are lots of other wedding photographers about. You could have a big competition but you just need to make sure that your marketing is good. Good way to get your name out there is through word of mouth. It is essential that you have a good website with the best images and there should be something that will keep your possible client wanting to contact you and not someone else.

Marissa has became that successful, that she started a doing a web-seminar and started to have Wedding photography masterclass to teach other photographers her way of becoming successful with the intention of helping them to become successful as well. She knows what the struggle it takes to be one of the best photographers. So she shares her story on how she became her and how she found her own unique style. Also talking about how when she was stuck and felt like she wasn’t improving she went to couple of workshop to gain more knowledge, useful techniques but also how to improve her business. Which i think it is very important to do as trends are changing, people have specific needs and if you want to stay in business it is necessary to take some classes to improve.

Here is Marissa’s statement to why she does the web-seminars and the Wedding photography masterclass : WHY I DO WHAT I DO

You know, I remember when I first began this journey, and I had no direction or guidance on how to grow my business. Even after a few years into my career, I found myself struggling to attract my ideal client so that I could photograph what REALLY inspired me. I’ve so been there!
This passion & journey has been incredible, and I’m continuing to grow and pursue even bigger goals! I’m able to plan out our entire year in advance, I’m able to be fully available for my children, I’m booking my absolute dream clients, and we have financial freedom! Seeing the life this passion has provided for my family, I feel the urge to help others find the same success! Truth be told, this is my purpose! Regardless of where you are in this journey of pursuing your passion as a career, I want to help show you an easier way! When I first began, I wish I would’ve known which moves would bring me closer to my goals. I made so many mistakes, and I don’t want you to have to walk the same trenches I have – so let’s create a clear path that you can follow with thorough education as well as weekly guidance! You deserve to reach your full potential as quickly as possible!

After teaching photographers how to elevate their businesses for over four years, I have thoughtfully and carefully developed a proven system that will revolutionize your wedding photography business. This innovative mentoring program is focused on more than your photography or your business. This is about unlocking your full potential, finding success in your business, gaining creative fulfillment, and creating the life you’ve always dreamed of!
From : https://www.monsoleilweddings.com/education

All images belong to Marissa Morrison, Here is the website i got them of : https://www.monsoleilweddings.com/portfolio/7015/a-new-orleans-wedding

Im including these images just to show how good of a wedding photographer she is. How much of an inspiration she is to me. Wedding photography is something i have interest in but looking at those images i wonder whether i will just as good as her one day. I will like her story should be talk about as you never really hear of people like her.

Self-Employment

From all the research I have been doing and looking at different photographers 95% of them are self-employed and running their own business. I’m not to sure whether I would be able to do my self as it takes a lot to run a business – all the requirements from HMRC – HM Revenue and Customs.

Needing to take care of everything by yourself and once your business is running and making good profit and you keep on having new clients. Then you could think about getting help or employing one or two people to help you run it. I will be looking at the information that I will be able to find on the government website.

https://www.gov.uk/set-up-sole-trader

Set up as a sole trader

If you’re a sole trader, you run your own business as an individual and are self-employed.

You can keep all your business’s profits after you’ve paid tax on them. You’re personally responsible for any losses your business makes. You must also follow certain rules on running and naming your business.

Check what counts as self-employed if you’re not sure about your status.

How to register

You need to set up as a sole trader if any of the following apply:

you earned more than £1,000 from self-employment between 6 April 2018 and 5 April 2019
you need to prove you’re self-employed, for example to claim Tax-Free Childcare
you want to make voluntary Class 2 National Insurance payments to help you qualify for benefits

To set up as a sole trader, register for Self Assessment and file a tax return every year.

Your responsibilities

You’ll need to:

keep records of your business’s sales and expenses
send a Self Assessment tax return every year
pay Income Tax on your profits and Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance – use HMRC’s calculator to help you budget for this

You’ll need to apply for a National Insurance number if you’re moving to the UK to set up a business.

VAT

You must register for VAT if your turnover is over £85,000. You can register voluntarily if it suits your business, for example if you sell to other VAT-registered businesses and want to reclaim the VAT.

Working in construction industry

Register with HMRC for the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) if you’re working in the construction industry as a subcontractor or contractor.

Naming your business

You can trade under your own name, or you can choose another name for your business. You do not need to register your name.

You must include your name and business name (if you have one) on official paperwork, for example invoices and letters.

Business names

Sole trader names must not:

include ‘limited’, ‘Ltd’, ‘limited liability partnership’, ‘LLP’, ‘public limited company’ or ‘plc’
be offensive
be the same as an existing trade mark

Your name also cannot contain a ‘sensitive’ word or expression, or suggest a connection with government or local authorities, unless you get permission.

ExampleTo use ‘Accredited’ in your company’s name, you need permission from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Check which words you need permission to use, and who from.

You’ll need to register your name as a trade mark if you want to stop people from trading under your business name.

By reading all of that information, it made me realise that self employment isn’t really a option for me as it just very confusing and I feel like I would become lost at the start and probably get a fine if I do something wrong and that really scares me. I think I would prefer to work with or for someone but I don’t really see myself running my own business any time soon as its just isn’t for me.

I do understand that you can be both employed and self-employed at the same time, so you can work for an employer furring the day and run your own business in the evenings. For example I could be working part time for someone and then on my days off be working on my photography but I just don’t know yet if that would be something I would want to do. Maybe with time I will be able to convince my self but at this moment in time I’m not really convince for self employment.

Commercial Photographer

This is another career in the photography industry that I would want to look into to so then I will be able to decide if that is something I would like to do. I will discuss some field in the commercial photography.

As a commercial photography you could be getting paid for taking architecture photographs as well as interior architecture. This will include you needing to negotiate access to interesting location that have very good architectural value. Best option would be in my opinion agencies that sell homes to ask them or even try to get in contact with the person that owns the property. If this is a career that would interest me i would then be looking if any of the agencies that sell homes are looking for someone causal to take images for them – as i believe good visual of the house will make you wanting to visit it and possibly purchase it as well. You will need to carry a tripod with you at all times as most architecture images are taken with a slow shutter speed so tripod is needed as if you handheld won’t work. You will really need to think about your framing – whether you would need to remove something from the frame to make the photograph visually more appealing. The other thing you will need to be able to do is being able to capture the atmosphere whether that is through the use of lights or even using people in them or lack of them. This will be everything you need to think about but most important thing what are you trying to achieve as once you know that then everything else will fall into place.

Environmental and editorial Portraiture – this is another example that falls under being a commercial photographer. For this you would need to think about your lighting – so whether it would natural or artificial, whether you will have to use an reflector if so do you need an assistant with you. Would you need a speedlight with you as a back up if the lights are bad to take good images. Lighting is one of the important things to think about as that will determine whether your shoot will be successful, the other thing you will need consider is the location – is the space open, is there a lot of room or very limited as that will also determine what equipment you will be able to bring with you. As there will be no point of bringing portable studio lighting if there is limited space and you wont be able to put them out so a speedlight would be a better choice. Also last thing to think about is the model, who will you be photographing – for example for my project i will be photographing a lot of different artist so I will be looking them up before the shoot to see what type of work they do as well as try to plan in my head what type of shots i would want to capture but also to think about the shots they would want for their artist website.

Product and Food photography is another theme what i like to call it. This mostly include studio work but there is also times that you will go out to the client and take the images at the restaurant as that might be what they will need – this all depends on what the clients really want. This might require you to have a lot of props and product to work with, also requires a good knowledge on using Lightroom CC or Photoshop to go through the images and if they will need some editing done to them. In order for you to succeed you will need to have a very strong visual and creative idea that your client will like. As that is the way for you to become a successful photographer in this field.

To sum this all up, this would be something I might look into for a career plan for myself. As i feel that i might have a high chance in succeeding especially in the portraiture field as that is something that i really like to do and enjoy it. Its also why i chosen to do environmental portraits of creative professions for my project as I think i can get some really good images and get my name out their within the students and other artist as I will contacting outside Studios that are quite close to Belfast.

Freelance Photographer

As a freelance photographer, you are a self-employed professional who takes photos for clients. You perform jobs on a contract basis, managing your client list and workflow on your own. Freelance photographers work in a variety of specialties including wedding photography, urban journalism, and photography for travel magazines and websites—your specialty, or if you even have a specialty, is up to you. Since you work on a freelance basis, job duties are defined however you choose, but common contracts might require you to take on the role of photographer, editor, curator, contract negotiator, promoter, printer, and anything else required to run a successful business.

How to become one?

Some educational basis in photography, such as art school, can help you to pursue a career as a freelance photographer but it is not required. Experience as an assistant to a professional photographer is also a valuable qualification and can help as you develop your own portfolio. Through studying you can also develop your own portfolio or in your free time. You must also be able to market yourself, usually with a professional website and a social media strategy that showcases your abilities and experience as a photographer. These is a very good networking way to get your name out there and gather more new clients. You should also possess a strong familiarity with popular image editing software like Photoshop, Lightroom.

How do they make money?

Freelance photographers typically make money by charging clients an hourly rate for taking pictures at a photo shoot, time spent in subsequent photo editing, and for printing services. You are free to set your own hourly rates as you see fit, but must negotiate with clients individually to determine fee and payment structures in advance of all work. Experience writing contracts will benefit you greatly throughout this process and your career.

Link to image: https://www.adorama.com/alc/3-secrets-to-being-the-best-freelance-photographer

Many freelance photographers work irregular hours, based on the number and types of projects on which they’re working. They often work long days, nights or weekends to meet deadlines. A photographer who freelances for media outlets may need to be available to respond at a moment’s notice to cover breaking news, even if it occurs in the middle of the night. Freelance photographers may have several months in which they routinely work more than 40 hours per week, followed by a period of very little work.

Working conditions for freelance photographers vary by assignment and that they don’t always know in advance the environment they’ll be working. Some will own their own studios, especially if they specialize in portrait photography, and never shoot in outside locations. Instead, their clients come to them. Others will have to regularly travel for their assignments and may not have a permanent office. Event photographers spend much of their time photographing weddings, parties or banquets, while news photographers cover everything from press conferences to accident scenes.

A freelance photographer’s job involves everything from determining the best lighting for a shot to instructing subjects how to pose. In addition to know how to operate a camera, develop film and use various photographic accessories, they really need a good eye for composition and insight into what will appeal to specific audiences. Photographers expertise in using editing software. They let you to crop and resize photos or correct blemishes and flaws such as “red eye” or blurring.

Freelance photographers can spend as much time on marketing and business as they do on taking and editing photos. Because they don’t have the steady paycheck or job security that staff photographers enjoy, they must continually build their reputations, market their work and actively seek clients. They need to also write their own business plans, create budgets, invest in and maintain their photography equipment, and handle everything from insurance to taxes.

Wedding Photographer

Wedding photography is something I had dreamed for ages. When being a child looking at all of the wedding photographs and just dreaming about what my images of my wedding would look like.

So I will take this moment now to look more in depth what it takes to become one and what skills you are required to have.

Beautiful captured moment
website : https://www.simpletapestry.com/wedding-portraits

From my research I have learned that no formal education is required to be a wedding photographer; however, photographers need to understand how to use photographic equipment and set up shots to ensure quality images. A degree or courses in photography may help photographers attract clients and employers.

A Wedding Photographer’s job is to capture the happiest moments of a couple’s big day on camera, ensuring the outcome is high quality photos – not to mention memories – that will last a lifetime.

For a Wedding Photographer no smile, happy tear or loving gaze goes unnoticed.

Below is a a very good example of wedding photographer job description what they have to do before the big day as well to know what they client is expecting of them.

Wedding Photographer Description
• Interview clients to determine their wedding photography and videography coverage requirements
• Provide options regarding background and prop choices and assist clients in determining which ones to use according to their themes
• Calculate and present clients with quotes on photography and videography coverage for their wedding events
• Communicate with photographic subjects in a bid to put them at ease for their photograph sessions
• Set up props and backgrounds to create a setting and ensure that they are properly used and packed after the shoot
• Prepare lights and flashes to be used with cameras in order to ensure appropriate subject lighting
• Capture special moments on cameras while circulating amongst wedding guests
• Ask and direct guests to pose for photographs or simply capture candid moments
• Use and maintain an extensive range of photographic equipment including cameras, lenses, lighting and specialist software
• Process captured pictures according to processing standards and digitally enhance them for maximum affect
• Assist clients in determining the best photographs and create digital album prints to keep as memories
• Perform market analysis to determine new trends in wedding photography and to keep up with the competition

Another beautiful moment
website: https://www.simpletapestry.com/wedding-portraits

The above image is a very good example that nothing can go unnoticed. The best memories are the candid ones that you don’t really know that anyone is trying to capture it. This image for me especially would bring the memories back the happiness and i would feel like I’m re-living the moment again.

The skills that would be required for this kind of job would be very good communication. Being able to talk to the bride to be and groom to see what they are expecting and go above and beyond their expectations. As weddings only last a day and you can’t re-do them as you could any other shoot. Other skill you would be needing to have is good team work as shooting a wedding on your own would be very hard and you could miss out – that’s why it will be to good to have with you like a 2nd or even 3rd shooter to help you capture the day.

Wedding photography can be very stressful as you are under time limit and you really need to be on your toes the entire time. Having you equipment ready, back up batteries charged and ready to use as well as back up memory card. There is a very long list of things you have to have ready before hand. Try and plan most of the day out. Having in your head what type of shots the couple are looking for and making sure you have them capture as the last thing you want to do is disappoint the client. As they say a happy client will bring you more clients but also good reputation.

This is a type of photography i would like to do and I’m interested in, I haven’t got a chance to experience to shoot this kind of photos. But once opportunity arise i will be ready to try it.