Whether it's a good or bad economy, one thing is for certain - there will always be weddings and work for freelance photographers.

Word-of-mouth advertising works well no matter what product or service you are selling. But it works especially well if you are a photographer in the wedding pictures business. When a bride is pleased with the quality of your work, she will pay a $1,000 for your time, talent, albums for each of the parent couples, wall photos, and her album. But it is her album that everyone she ever knew, or ever will know, will be invited to look at.

Most of your work will come through referrals from brides who were happy with your work. You should also promote your business, however, by showing samples of your work to florists, bridal shops. boutiques, and caterers who normally have a lot of wedding business.

Just tell them you would be happy to send business their way, if they will do the same.

Always sign a contract with the bride so there are no misunderstandings. Specify exactly which photos will be taken, and of whom. Always include a "Release Paragraph" which states that you are not responsible for the loss of photographs resulting from camera malfunction, accidents in development, or film lost in the mail. You may also want to include a "Model Release" which will give you the right to use any photos as samples for advertising purposes.

Make certain the bride completely understands what your fee is, and what she will receive in return. There are various ways you can price weddings:

1) Offer a complete package that includes an engagement photo for the

newspaper, formal bridal portrait, and coverage of the rehearsal party,

wedding and reception.

2) Coverage of the rehearsal party, wedding and reception.

3) Wedding and reception

4) Wedding only

Weddings can be a goldmine. It's not uncommon for a complete package that includes an 8x10 album for the bride, and a 4x5 album for each set of parents to run $1,000 or more. Many photographers set a $500 minimum charge for weddings. Even if you only did two weddings per weekend at the minimum charge, you could easily make $52,000 per year. Two complete wedding packages per week would earn you over $100,000 per year. That's working one day per week! Now imagine how much money you could earn working full time!

Dance recitals are only once a year, but taking photographs of beautiful children in their costumes can mean increasing your back account substantially.

Dance schools are every where, and they come in all sizes. By offering a photo package of one 8x10, two 5x7's, four wallet photos, and one 5x7 class photo, you can make anywhere from $1,000 for the smallest classes, up to $5,000 for a class of 400-500 students. If you make the teachers responsible for posing the students, and offer one pose per child, you can process the largest classes in just a few days.

Children's sports, such as Little League baseball, football, hockey, soccer, and basketball offer a very profitable opportunity to make fast cash for a freelance photographer. Every team (and the hundreds of parents in the stands) all want group shots and individual photos of every player. Most leagues will have at least 8-10 teams, with up to 30 children on a team, depending on the sport.

The person to approach for working out arrangements for a photographic session may be the coach, a director, committee, or sponsor. Dealing with one person works best. Check with the city or county recreation department. They will know who is using their facilities.

Some of your best clients can be real estate agents, residential and commercial contractors, and architects. Real estate agents know that photographs are more effective in advertising a home or business than the typical classified ad. Doing all of a real estate agency's listings can add substantially to you income.

Insurance companies will reimburse a policy holder only for those items they have documented. Increasingly, insurance adjusters are urging clients to photograph everything that's covered by their policy on their home or business. It's difficult to argue with a photographic inventory and for that reason people will pay you to photograph their possessions and file them away in a safety deposit box.

When you take family portraits it's best if you don't use a studio. People always act and look more natural in their own homes or yards. Family pets are also easier to include when they are in familiar surroundings.

You can promote your "on location" family portrait service in the Sunday newspaper. Note the fact that they won't even have to leave the comfort and privacy of their home, because you will come to them. Charge an initial fee, which includes the first portrait (16x20s and 20sx24s are not uncommon) plus travel expenses and other shooting costs. Always promote the Christmas card portraits, which the labs will offer.

When church members become old enough to become regular members they are confirmed and officially admitted to the church. Churches usually want group shots of the entire class plus individual photos for each family.

A bar mitzvah in the Jewish faith is similar to confirmation. When a boy turns thirteen, he then becomes a recognized member of his religion and the synagogue in a ceremony. With a confirmation and bar mitzvah are joyous occasions that are followed by a reception for family, friends, and religious members.

Pets and animals add up to a multi-billion dollar business in America. What animal and pet owners spend every year on food, grooming, pet-sitting, pet-walking, health products, and accessories is staggering. Offer your services as a pet and animal photographer and they will buy that also. There are freelance photographers who make a good living just going from one show to another that features horses, cats and dogs. Get in touch with your local veterinarian, who should be able to provide you with the names and addresses of sponsors for the various shows and organizations.

Some large antique dealers have photos taken of their items for sale, and send the photos or color slides of special or unusual pieces to other dealers or customers.

When auctioneers are hired to auction off items from an estate, bankruptcy, a large business or industry, or any other large job that has valuable items on their list of sale items, they will often use color slides for TV, ads, brochures, and other promotional pieces.

You can make some fast cash by making arrangements with a golf course or country club to have action photos taken of golfers when the hold tournaments and there is a crowd. Set up your camera on the first tee for foursome shots and action shots as each player swings.

Back in the 1940s and '50s photographers would travel the country and go door to door. For a fee, children could put on a cowboy hat, vest and chaffs, and climb onto a saddled pony to have their picture taken.

All you have to do is rent a gentle-natured pony, have a three-piece (one size fits all children) cowboy outfit, and an assistant standing by just in case the pony gets skittish, or the child decides to jump off. Then make arrangements to appear at 'crazy days' festivals, school carnivals, family reunions, shopping mall promotions, parades, or any other place where crowds gather.

Make arrangements with the band or booster club and make arrangements to take color group photos of the band and individual members. Mail sample prints to band directors outside your area and arrange for appointments to show your work and explain package offers and fees.

Contact the senior class advisor and make arrangements to take graduation photos of seniors in their caps and gowns as they practice before the actual graduation ceremony. If you don't have a portable background, use the stage curtains. Borrow a diploma from the school that each graduate can hold.

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