First shooters, second shooters or associate shooters are all great avenues into the world of wedding photography business and the perfect way to learn the ropes before going it alone or to supplement your income while building your own business on the side.

In this interview, James Day who is regularly approached by “wanna-be” photographers to come along and assist him on a wedding day, shares his thoughts on hiring (and being paid by) those looking to learn from him.

Surprisingly, James loves the prospect of training another photographer to be as good as, if not better than him.

Not only does he say he's happy to share absolutely everything about his business, the way he shoots, what he looks for on a wedding day, his styling, posing, lighting – he's also happy to see that photographer go on and succeed in their own right and in opposition to himself.

Here’s some of what we cover:

  • What James has changed in his business since the last time he was interviewed
  • How will changing your wedding photography pricing affect your bookings?
  • How much clients are spending today on wedding photography
  • How to minimise your expenses and maximise profits from your wedding photography
  • Should you be spending more and delivering more to your wedding clients?
  • How to surprise your clients with unexpected gifts and stand out in todays market
  • How to encourage people to do business with you
  • Why you need to invest in your clients and how to do it
  • Employing first and second shooters to grow your photography business
  • The role of a first shooter
  • Finding the right first shooter for your business
  • How to become a second shooter and excel in the role
  • Taking on a second shooter for a fee
  • Image usage for second shooters and portfolio growth – good and bad for your business

James Day Photography Podcast

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re a premium member, you should have received an email with links to your version of this episode where you can hear lots more content from where we dive deeper into some of the earlier topics plus some new ones that I pushed hard for that include:

  • Generating income by teaching second shooters
  • What you need to consider when selecting a first or second shooter
  • How to sell first shooters (associate photographers) to clients when you're booked
  • Positioning first shooters as a personality in your brand
  • When the first or second shooters go out on their own
  • Why you should be training your first shooter to become your biggest competitor
  • Why you shouldn't be afraid to grow as a photographer and be pushed
  • How you can be the best photographer possible in your niche
  • Why success needs to be shared and celebrated
  • Why you should do everything you can to look after your shooters
  • How much can a first and second shooters expect to earn?
  • What to expect from second shooters on the day of a wedding
  • Second shooters need to offer value to stay and assist photographers
  • Looking for an opportunity to help and make yourself available as a second shooter
  • How to weed out those who are not serious about learning and becoming second shooters
  • How to hone your photography skills and make yourself more valuable
  • How to build your photography portfolio as an associate photographer
  • Associating photography with having fun and playing rather than just work
  • Why you need to remind yourself why you wanted to become a photographer
  • The secret is to create a portfolio of images that reflects what you want to shoot
  • The best way to contact photographers if you're planning to second shoot
  • Be noticed before asking to become a second shooter with any photographer
  • Why James keeps changing his branding

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interview with James Day, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Our biggest competitor can also be our biggest source of referrals – James Day

Plus, access to a members only Facebook group where you'll connect with other members (and interview guests) to help, support and motivate you to take what you hear in each episode and put it into action. You will not find cooler, more motivated and caring photographers online.

James Day Photography Podcast

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know what your biggest takeaway is – what is the one thing that you’d like to implement or learnt from what was shared? Let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below.

Don't sit there and wait for someone to create an opportunity for you. Create your own – James Day

If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask James or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them below.

Taking Action – Project #leapfear

Each episode the topic of taking action does come up and for good reason. It's the photographers who actually do something with what they hear on the show that are making real strides with their business, their photography, ultimately, their lives.

Anita Watkins is a name you've heard me mention in the past – she's one of that rare breed of real go-getters with a knack (or commitment) to getting things done.

Following the episode with Amanda Schulz and her hugely successful promotion – 30 Days of Gorgeous – Anita went to work on an idea to generate business in February, one of her slowest months and recently launched Project Leapfear – in honour of her late mum.

Have a look at the page she set up here: https://anitawatkins.leadpages.co/contest/

I can report, Anita has already booked all 29 portrait sessions and has a surplus of names waiting to fill any spots that might drop out or reschedule.

The reason I know is Anita has shared all this and more inside the Secret Facebook Group for Premium Members. Yes, this is the kind of info being shared amongst members. If this is the type of thing that might motivate you to take action get involved and make plans to get things happening in your business for 2016.

If I'm surrounded by mediocre people, then I'm only going to be mediocre at best – James Day

If you'd like to take a leaf from Anita's hat and modify the “30 Days of Gorgeous” promotion for your business, you will love both the episode with Amanda and the PDF Guide that has been made available that covers how to put your promotion together in step by step fashion.

This Guide is available at Amanda’s Easy store for under $12 – and you should definitely buy this if you're a free listener! Premium Members have already received their copy free – thanks to Amanda.

James Day Photography Podcast

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

Each week I check for any new iTunes reviews and it's always a buzz to receive these… for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they really are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

I hope he becomes 10,000 times better than I am because then that will just make me want to be 10,000 times better than he is – James Day

Secondly, iTunes is the biggest search engine when it comes to podcasts and it's your reviews and ratings that help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners means more interviews and ultimately a better show.

If you have left a review in the past, thank you!

If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show and I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL and your name.

James Day Photography Podcast

NEW Q&A from Foreground Web

It's no secret I'm a big fan of Alex Vita of Foreground Web – the guy is a website/IT genius and has helped me out of a fix on multiple occasions.

In addition to his help with my websites, Alex regularly puts out photography specific and helpful content via his newsletter and blog which I highly recommend.

Following a constant barrage of questions from photographers around the world, Alex has recently launched a new and FREE resource  – a monthly Q&A  where he will answer your questions about photography websites, business, SEO & more…

Not all questions will be published but they will be answered.

If you have any questions regarding your website, put Alex to the test at: http://www.foregroundweb.com/blog/new-monthly-qa/

You can also ask questions via email hello@foregroundweb.com or Twitter @foregroundweb.

Questions can be about anything related photography websites:

  • layout/design decisions
  • not sure how to size/compress images?
  • improving an existing site or starting from scratch?
  • what to write about on your blog
  • concerns about plugins or site security
  • SEO questions
  • anything really

Alex will give you his answer (usually within 24 hours).

Every few weeks he'll collate the best questions to be published on the blog at Foreground Web.

If you have anything to add to any of Alex's answers (or can answer from a different perspective), go for it!

Alex will share relevant notes with other photographers so everyone can benefit.

James Day Photography Podcast

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Daylight | James Day website

James Day Weddings on Facebook

James Day Weddings on Instagram

Episode 062: James Day – Go Your Own Way For Photography Business Success

Jack Gilchrist

Second Shooters (blogpost by James Day)

Jill Farmer Podcast

Fight or flight response

The NEW PhotoBizX Facebook Page

Anita Watkins new Project – #LeapFear – https://anitawatkins.leadpages.co/contest/

30 Days of Gorgeous – the Step By Step Guide by Amanda Schulz

Our Incredible India – the Blurb.com PDF Book File

Blurb.com

Raw Digital and Film Lab (RDFL)

Equipment:

Fujifilm Mirrorless Cameras

Nikon Cameras

James Day Photography Podcast

Thank you!

Thank you again for listening to the show and thanks to James for agreeing to come back onto the show and again, sharing so much.

Create stuff that you want to shoot. Fake some weddings – James Day

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions about this episode, please be sure to leave them below in the comment section of this post, and if you liked the episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post!

That’s it for me this week, hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks and speak soon

Andrew,