This was definitely not the blog post I had scheduled for today, but after seeing this article spread like wildfire in my photography community,  it seemed like someone needed to say something that hardly anyone else seems to be thinking. There’s definitely a lot of opinions on this subject on both sides of the fence … and it is definitely a sensitive subject because there’s no clear right or wrong answer here.

But first, let me start at the beginning.

The Backstory

A couple hired a professional photographer, as well as a DJ, to be vendors at their wedding. At the wedding, the DJ pulled out professional photography equipment and began to shoot his own images “for promotional and social media purposes.” The photographer immediately said something to him, offered her own images for him to use, and he declined and continued to shoot anyway. Less than 12 hours later, his images were all over social media, tagging the couple and he had them posted under his professional photography company, not his DJ company. The wedding photographer did have an exclusivity clause, too.

So how is this NOT a problem?

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a LOT wrong here; lack of professional courtesy, for starters. But this “take my own damn photos” mindset is a SYMPTOM of an even bigger problem: photographers aren’t sharing photos with vendors, for them to use for their own marketing, promotions and social media. There are many who do, like Randy and me; we make sure that our vendors receive our “favorites” gallery by Tuesday after the wedding, and the full gallery is generally delivered by that Friday (yes, we have a 5-7 day typical turnaround for weddings). But there are many who do not, even after being asked by the vendor to send them. Repeatedly.

This is a huge problem because as a result, vendors are taking it upon themselves to capture images of their service or product. And let’s face it – the first round of photos are usually the most exciting, even if they are taken with iPhones and have Instagram filters on them.

How can you be part of the SOLUTION?

Take photos for vendors. There’s no better way to serve your fellow vendors than to think of them while shooting. Take details shots of tablescapes and flowers, of hair and makeup and people out on the dance floor shaking their groove-thang’s to the DJ’s music. These photos will also serve your clients, because they are part of the details they’ve painstakingly worked on for months and months and make great additions to wedding albums!

Always give credit to vendors. Always. Always, always, always. Just like us photographers get into a tizzy when people share our work without crediting us, other vendors like to be recognized as well. Florists, rental companies, cake designers, jewelers, venues, coordinators, planners, invitation designers – everyone involved with the wedding deserves credit. This means giving them a shout out on your blog, giving them credit on social media shares and tagging them whenever possible. We all know word of mouth is the best form of advertisement!! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had vendors thank us for giving credit, saying that other photographers simply don’t do that.

Last but not least …

Share, share, share. Like I mentioned before, we share our galleries early and often with all of the vendors. We give them access to all of the images, in full resolution, through our digital galleries set up through Pixieset. We allow them to download whatever they’d like and we encourage them to use our images to promote their work (we just ask that they give us credit). What better way to establish a trusted relationship with a vendor than to be the ONE photographer who stands out in a sea of professionals? Not to mention, I’ve been told by several vendors that they simply won’t recommend photographers who don’t share images. Ouch!

Whether or not the DJ is right or wrong can certainly be argued (and it is being discussed all across the wedding industry); but, I can promise you this:

If you treat the vendors you work with well, and you do your best to serve them within the best of your ability – they’ll never feel like they have to bring their cameras to take photos. They’ll never feel like they have to snap a photo of their product or service, because otherwise they’ll never see it again. They’ll never bust out their iPads and their phones, and use those photos as marketing because they know YOU will serve them well.

That, in turn, shows them that you’ll also take care of the people they send your way (hello, more referrals!).  I’m just saying – great service, kindness and initiative goes a long way in the wedding industry.

So tell me, how do you be of service to the vendors you work with?