How to Become an Elopement Photographer
Hey friend, I was once where you are now!
Let me tell you a story… and I promise I’ll make it quick.
I’ve always loved photography, but a few years ago a DSLR was put in my hands again for the first time again. It had been a few years since I had held one, and almost instantly my passion was reignited. 🔥
…and then, when I thought it couldn’t burn brighter… I saw a photo of a couple saying their vows on a mountaintop. Only them. It was stunning and romantic. At that point I couldn’t put my finger on why— but it INSTANTLY resonated with me.
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you feel that same spark.
From the bottom of my heart, I think that eloping is magic. A sort of magic that the world needs more of. And the more elopement photographers in the world, the more of that magic there will be.
My journey to becoming an elopement photographer hasn’t been quick nor easy— but it can be for you. That’s why I put together this guide!
Best Gear for Elopement Photographers
This is the gear that I keep in my bag that I love! I’ve recently switched to a Sony mirrorless system, which is the way to go if you're starting off now.
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 ART for Sony
Photographing elopements may seem like an easy task, but your gear quickly becomes straining without the right assistance. Here are the things that help me perform better on the day of:
Pelican Case (I use this to keep my batteries dry!)
Here is some of the most important emergency gear that I keep in my pack for my elopement couples! These items have been lifesavers while facing the elements.
Clear umbrellas (At least 2)
Fleece-lined nude leggings (I keep a variety of sizes and skin tones)
Finally, these programs are my go-to’s for working on my business behind the scenes!
Honeybook (The best CRM for wedding photographers. This link gets you 40% off!)
Sandisk Extreme SSD (A trusty external hard drive that can withstand travel. Back up your photos in 3 or 4 different places!)
Wandering Weddings Membership (The best place to market as an elopement photographer!)
How to Become an Elopement Photographer
1) Build Your Portfolio.
This is the MOST important thing to do when you are first starting out in photography.
If you’re reading this and not booking up, friend… keep building your portfolio. Plan styled shoots that look just like the elopements you want to book. Fully develop your style and show that you’re an expert when it comes to photography!
Don’t stop at a few styled shoots. Despite having a portfolio of real elopements and weddings, trust me, I’m still building my portfolio CONSTANTLY. If people see an epic elopement in your portfolio that really connects with them, they’ll be magnetized to you!
Don’t wait for the opportunities— create them.
Never EVER turn down an opportunity that allows you to keep growing!
Tips on building a stunning portfolio:
Don’t only do a few portraits! Plan vows, a first look, etc.
Ask vendors to collaborate with you. Be clear about what you’ll give them in return! Chances are, they’d love photos of their work just as much as you’d love to take them!
Prioritize diversity when building your portfolio. Don’t tokenize people, but rather communicate that you want your portfolio to represent your beliefs and the clients you’d love to work with!
Nail your posing skills. Need help? Check out this free chapter of Adventure Instead Academy, where you can watch the behind the scenes of a full day elopement!
Adventure Instead Academy is about to relaunch on March 16! Shoot me a message to get a link to the course that will give you Maddie Mae’s Permission Posing Course for free when you buy the main course. 🤗
2) Create an Incredible Brand
Trust me when I say this— I totally understand the struggle. Creating a solid brand is HARD. When I first started photography, I felt absolutely lost when it came to creating a brand.
I bought an endless amount of guides, and read about a million articles about how to create an irresistible brand. Not all of them helped me.
Through all of that, I learned something important— an incredible brand goes far DEEPER than just some colors and a name.
The absolute best advice that I’ve learned when it comes to branding is from Maddie Mae’s Adventure Instead Academy. She says to approach your branding as if your client is blind.
While I won’t go into exactly what she means… I will say that even after all of the branding advice I’ve received, the advice in the Elopement Photographer Course quite literally brought me out of the dark when it came to branding myself. After months upon years of trying and EPICALLY failing to create my brand, I was instantly able to build a brand that I feel 1000% confident in.
The videos below were a GAME CHANGER FOR ME!
3) Become a Marketing Pro
Okay, so you’re a photographer… now a branding expert… and a now have to be a marketer too?!
Yup.
You know that saying about pouring too much from one cup? It may seem like it applies here… but I PROMISE it doesn't.
I like to think of it more like wearing many hats. A bunch of badass ones, at that. 😉 (I tried to think of some badass hats for this analogy, but all that pops into my head is the overabundance of Carhartt beanies that exist here in Portland. News flash… I have multiple and add to it. 😂)
Hats aside… marketing may seem like an impossible task. I challenge you to change the narrative!
Dedicate yourself to becoming an expert marketer. It’s not an easy task, but it’s easier than you’d think— especially in our social media world where there are free marketing platforms left and right. Study them all! Us photographers forget constantly about how much opportunity we have at our fingertips.
It seems impossible and grueling, but I promise it doesn’t have to be! There’s plenty of knowledge to be found across the internet, and bits and pieces of valuable knowledge in Youtube videos and blog articles.
If you want all of the best info (and most applicable for photographers) I have to make sure you know about the Adventure Instead Academy again. It has some of the BEST of the best knowledge I’ve learned about marketing. Maddie Mae has a degree in it, so it’s no surprise! She’s also constantly adding more info to the course— like a recent 4 hour long live video with a Facebook Ads expert on exactly how to create effective Facebook ads.
For reference… the course contains an hour long video on Instagram alone!
To sum it up— there are opportunities for your dream clients to see you EVERYWHERE. Don’t miss them!
3) Craft an Incredible Experience
There’s SO much more that goes into this than just photography!
Once you get clients, creating an experience that inspires and excites them from the second they land on your website/instagram is more important than anything.
Being an elopement photographer goes far beyond just taking great photos!
It’s about being a guide— listening, helping, scouting locations, making sure your couple is fully prepared, etc.
In the end, it’s all about exceeding expectations! Make sure working with you gives your couples a wedding experience that they’ll remember always as one of the best of their lives.
Make sure that your clients feel cared for from the second they inquire with you
Help your clients with everything, every step of the way
Give your clients an elopement day experience that makes them feel comfortable, relaxed, and allows them to have the most incredible day of their lives.
Click to watch the BTS of a full day Patagonia elopement to see how to give the best elopement day experience possible! Seriously— this chapter of the course brought me to tears.
4) NEVER STOP LEARNING!
If you take away only one thing from this, no matter where you are in your business, remember to always keep learning.
One of my personal mantras is that ‘every bad experience forms the soil from which I grow’
I try to remember it every time I’m feeling discouraged, or like I feel like giving up.
No matter where you are in life… I promise things can get better, so long as you never stop learning from the people who have something to teach!
Never miss ANY opportunity to grow. Learning opens up endless opportunities!
The Best Tool for Becoming an Elopement Photographer:
If you want to become an elopement photographer, trust me when I say— it’s COMPLETELY possible! So long as you have the right tools.
If I had never invested in the Adventure Instead Elopement Photographer Course, I would NOT be where I am today.
I wouldn’t be booking full day elopements, getting multiple inquiries a week, or have any of the friends I’ve made in the VIP Facebook group for course members.
(PS- I’ve gained all of the money I spent on the course back and MORE)
The best parts:
Hours and hours of course videos that cover EVERYTHING you need to know about elopements. Even if you’re not wanting to fully devote your business to elopements— all of the lessons are EXTREMELY applicable for wedding photographers and videographers alike!
The course booklet that supplements the course with exercises and notes.
Even more supplementary information— like recordings of client phone calls, email templates and more.
The VIP Facebook Group that constantly adds value! (Maddie does live videos with industry experts, posts tools and data, and more)
Access to exclusive in person workshops that go even deeper into depth and help you build your portfolio and network with other photographers. (There’s one coming up in Colorado!)
The CONFIDENCE you’ll gain knowing that you’re taking the best possible steps for your business!
DETAILS / WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
WHEN: March 16 - March 26
PRICE: $1950 (discounted from $2400) or 12 payments of $195
The Permission Posing Course. Message me at @togethertheory.elope for a link to get it for free! (That Patagonia BTS is a different one than the elopement!)
The course opens back up soon! It will be available for purchase (and at a DISCOUNT- heck yes) From March 16- March 26. 🤗
The course is only $1950. In my opinion, it’s worth much more! With all of the knowledge you’ll gain from the course, you’ll easily gain all of that money back with your first elopement booking. 🙌🏼
Want the course with free access to Maddie Mae’s Permission Posing Course? Message me on instagram for an exclusive link! (I’m @togethertheory.elope!)
Have any questions?!
I’m happy to chat! Click below to message me on Instagram any time.
You deserve to take the next step for your business. This investment will only take you further!
And finally… if you still haven’t clicked to access the free BTS Patagonia Elopement Video from the course, click on the image below and it will take you there. 🙂
See you in the VIP Course, friend!
-Kayla
