New Year Resolutions of a Derbyshire Wedding Photographer
With January fast approaching and engagement season to boot, now seemed like a good time to dust off the old typewriter and get blogging again, starting with the New Year resolutions of a Derbyshire Wedding Photographer. I now have a wealth of hints and tips to share with you about how to make sure your wedding photos aren’t naff. And I will be hammering them into you over the coming months in the hope that it will make my professional life easier.
2023 has been a really successful year for me. I’ve shot more weddings than ever before, not to mention family shoots, baby shoots, and even a bit of theatre. I think I’ve really defined my photographic style and I’m pretty sure I’ve made lots of couples really happy in the process. The reviews look good anyway, and I didn’t have to pay anyone, or give out any ‘favours’ or anything.
I’ve made some great connections with local Derby and Derbyshire wedding venues and worked with some terrific photographers and videographers, building a network of people I can count on to help me out if I need.
Behind the scenes I have been teaching with Derby Photography Group, where I’ve not only passed knowledge on but expended my own knowledge in the process. I’ve had some wedding photography newcomers shadow me on jobs, helping them to get started in what can be a difficult industry.
So, what next? Here’s my 2024 resolutions for Doodah Photography. I figure if I write them down here and share them with you all then I have to do them, right?
Family and Baby photography
Having dipped my toe in with a few family and baby shoots during 2023, I’m planning on offering some mini sessions in Spring and Autumn this year. These are half-hour photo shoots which I’ll run back-to-back on a set date and in a specific location in the Derby area. They’re an affordable way to get some professional shots of your family without having to pay for a whole photoshoot. Watch the website and my socials for details of Bluebell mini sessions coming at the end of April.
Wedding albums and prints
Up until recently all my packages have been for digital images only, but I’ve already started work on offering hand crafted, luxury prints and photo art which can be ordered straight from your online gallery via an award winning high end print lab. I’ve also got a great range of sample albums on the way so you can put your grubby mitts all over them before ordering. Don’t worry though, my digitals-only packages are here to stay too.
The personal touch
Those closest to me are highly amused by this old cynic using the term ‘customer journey’ in cold blood. But forget them, I am here for you! Improvements to the customer journey have already begun with a more streamlined online booking process; and will continue with regular contact emails throughout your planning process, a pre-wedding online questionnaire, and loads more stuff that I haven’t thought of yet. Chocolate?..Maybe I’ll send you chocolate…or Prosecco. You’d probably prefer booze
The wedding photographers essential kit
A resolution to spend all my hard-earned on Amazon…hmmm tricky. I have a plan to put together a kit of exciting stuff to take with me on weddings. This will include things like clear umbrellas for the rain shots, Nosecco for the ‘spray champagne at my camera and ruin all my kit’ shots, bubbles, light wands, confetti, gimmick, gimmick, gimmick. You’ll love it!
Arrange my portfolio by wedding venue
Yes I know, my portfolio is woefully out of date and poorly organised etc etc. Before the summer madness happens I hope to update the portfolio on my website with all my latest work and arrange it helpfully by wedding venue, so you can easily find the pictures that are relevant to you.
Be a wedding blogger and social media legend
Bleughhh, isn’t this always on my new year’s resolutions list? I’ll try really hard this year, I promise. I will share with you all the intricate details of my boring life so that you may feel I am an approachable, down-to-earth and trustworthy sort of person, just the right sort of photographer for you! Don’t forget to follow me @doodahphotography on Instagram and Facebook to monitor the progress of this very hopeful resolution. Introduction video featuring my actual cringing forty-something year old face coming soon.
