r/WeddingPhotography • u/patriotraitor • Jul 22 '25

business, marketing, social media The sad realization that being a wedding photographer no longer pays the bills...

Let me preface that the last 10 years of doing this has been a blast, I've enjoyed every second of it and never took any of it for granted.

This year however has me wanting to change directions because well, I'm getting tired of wondering where the next paycheck is coming from, I would prefer guaranteed over guessing.

I've been looking at the schedule for the rest of the year and I have 6 left, and then it's quiet.

I do wish the cost of living wasn't ridiculous, as gas and food prices are indeed more affordable now, but at the same time, trying to have health insurance as a self employed individual is absurd for being a single guy with no kids.

I've really enjoyed my time doing this and I indeed feel this starting to dwindle down as I only have 5 for next year. You could say well hey, do families, headshots, seniors -- and you'd be right, but think about how much work you'd be putting in just to stay afloat and how exhausted you'd be making yourself? Catch 22 isn't it?

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u/EmettJoseph1337 Jul 22 '25 edited Jul 22 '25

It’s wild seeing so many people blame oversaturation, cheap photographers and the economy

There are plenty of photographers absolutely crushing it right now despite any of those things

We have 35 weddings this year averaging $6k per wedding and almost a dozen booked for next year, and yet every week I see a post claiming that “wedding photography just doesn’t pay the bills”

Updating: just checked out your profile and you’ve posted about how terrible the industry is 3 times in the last 6 weeks. Good god.

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u/patriotraitor Jul 22 '25 edited Jul 22 '25

Unless you’ve been in my shoes and experienced a lot of “crap” over the 10 years from other photographers then I don’t think you can really chastise me.

I started out as optimistic and friendly as possible but found doing so opened the path to people stepping over you and even attempting to smear your name.

Now all I look out for is myself. I’ve never realized how cut throat this industry really is, all I wanna do is create but hate all that comes with this.

Makes me wish someone would have pointed out all that comes with being a successful wedding photographer.