It’s Time for a Reality Check!
Presented by Pete Wright
March 18, 2012 | 3 pm to 6 pm
According to the U.S Census, in 2009 the United States had the lowest number of weddings since 1968. A 40 year low in weddings along with a surge in the number of photographers willing to photograph them meant the game was changing and the rules we used to play by were now out the window.
Now the brides are returning to the market in 2011 and they are spending on average $5K more per wedding than they did in 2008. So with brides coming back and spending more money, now is the time for photographers to get a reality check and learn everything they need to know on how to get those big budget weddings to book with you. Brides are more savvy now and know the difference between the photographer that is using Photoshop to fix photos and the ones that use it to enhance them, they are more willing to pay for quality.
Brides have the world at their finger tips as a resource to find the perfect photographer for them, the World Wide Web has grown. They also now expect more for their money when they book a photographer for their wedding day. What that means for photographers is, WE HAVE TO BE BETTER! We have to take better photos, be aware of all of the places brides are looking, know about the latest trends in our industry, and we have to be able to quickly adapt. It is no longer ok to sit back and wait for the phone to ring, now you have to be aggressive and market yourself unlike ever before.
Come sit in with Pete Wright as he speaks about the changing wedding photo industry. He will reveal the things you need to do to improve as a photographer, the things that brides now expect, the best places to be found by brides, and the things you need to do to make sure that you stand out in a very crowded market. It’s time to upgrade your business and do a complete reboot so that you are doing all of the things that the modern bride expects to see from their wedding photographer!
About Pete Wright
M. Photog. Cr., FP
As a fourth-generation artist and a second generation photographer, Pete Wright was raised in North Carolina in an environment rich in art and photography. His photographs were first published when he was 14 years old when he accepted his first paying job as a photographer working for a regional newspaper. Years later, in 1997 PW Photography’s first studio opened in Greenville, North Carolina. The following year the company moved to Richmond, Virginia. The studio’s work has ranged from portraits and weddings to sports and editorials.
During his 25 years of working as a photographer Pete has earned the distinction of Master Photographer and Photographic Craftsman from PPA. He also received Photographer of the Year honors from PPA five consecutive years from 2007 through 2011, has been awarded several Fuji and Kodak Gallery Awards, was accepted into the PPA Loan Collection multiple times, has been featured in several national publications and is fortunate to have lectured around the world about his passion for photography. He loves to teach and inspire others to follow or find their passion in photography and use that passion to build a successful business!
Pete is a true believer in the term “Pay it forward” and feels it is his responsibility to be an open book, sharing his own knowledge, and to help create educational opportunities to expose new photographers to a diverse and talented group of photographic educators. It is his life’s goal to see the photographic industry survive and thrive in change!