A new year brings new opportunities to improve your photography skills and refresh your business. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a full-time wedding photographer, it’s important to periodically evaluate your business and set goals. We can’t think of a better time for fresh starts and new goals than at the start of a New Year. 

If you’re looking for new ways to better your wedding photography in 2021, look no further. We have compiled a list of the top New Year’s resolutions for wedding photographers.  

Image by Monika Skolimowska

Experiment With New Styles Of Photography 

New year, new creative inspiration. One of the strongest New Year’s resolutions for wedding photographers is often to expand horizons by trying new styles of photography. For example, if you always shoot traditional weddings, try finding elopement clients. 

It’s easy to get comfortable in a specific niche and by challenging yourself you’ll awaken your creativity. Challenge yourself not to avoid things because you’re unfamiliar with them. Pushing out of the comfort zone will keep you from missing out on great opportunities to expand your photography skill set. 

If you’re not sure where to start, here are fun options to look into: 

• Elopement photography 
• Courthouse Photography 
• Backyard Wedding Photography 
• Vow-renewals 

Network With Other Photographers Or Professionals 

Social media is designed to bring people together, on both personal and professional levels. One of the best ways to develop connections with other wedding photographers is through the use of Facebook groups. Photobug Community maintains a Facebook group that allows wedding photographers from all over the world to connect and network with one another. 

Trust us when we say, magical things happen when talented wedding vendors join together on projects like styled shoots. They are a popular way of connecting and working together outside of comfort zones without the typical pressure of a couple. It allows you to build vendor relationships in your area and provides an opportunity to update your website or social media pages with specific styled content that might be missing in your portfolio.  

Image by Earth Below Photo

Stop Comparing Your Work To Others 

Wedding photography would be very boring if it all looked the same. There’s beauty in diversity and that uniqueness is celebrated in the Photobug Community. Make a resolution not to compare the successes and style of other wedding photographers and celebrate your achievements—big and small. Concentrate on your own skills and maximizing your own opportunities.

Update Your Marketing Plans

Whether you’re looking to expand your audience on social media or focus on upping your SEO game, making marketing plans a priority this year will be key. You might be the best at what you do, but if you’re unable to reach your target audience then bookings will be difficult. This is why marketing yourself is just as important as your images themselves.

Good news, refreshing marketing efforts don’t have to break the bank. There are lots of budget-friendly marketing resources that can be optimized—like strategic Instagram hashtags and simple SEO changes—to benefit your wedding photography business. 

Experiment With New Gear 

The wedding photography industry is always growing. From new gear to editing software, there’s constantly new have-to-try photography equipment being released. This doesn’t mean spending hard-earned money on new lenses or camera bodies. Instead of simply collecting, make it a goal this year to frequently organize and declutter your gear. Sell your dusty unused equipment to make room for the new gear you might be purchasing this year to up your photography game. 

Rediscover Your Passion For Photography 

A career and hobby are, for many, two very different things. As a full-time wedding photographer, it may be easy to lose sight of your passion amongst the workload. Make this year a year of purpose and intentionality. Challenge yourself to find purpose in your photography and rediscover why you first picked up a camera. 

Image by Heather K. Purdy

Now that you have the best new year’s resolutions for wedding photographers settled, it’s time to start taking the steps to get where you want your business to be. If you want to better your wedding photography business but don’t know where to start, the Photobug Community is here to help. Go check out our 10-day challenge—a step by step guide to getting your photography business in check for 2021.