Why I Don’t Shoot Weddings (And What I Shoot Instead)

People ask this a lot. “You’re a photographer—why not weddings? That’s where the money is.”

True. Wedding photography is lucrative. It’s also not what I’m good at, and pretending otherwise would be a disservice to couples and to myself.

Why weddings aren’t my focus

Different pressure

Wedding photography is high-stakes emotional documentation. You can’t ask the couple to re-do the first kiss or the vows. There’s no second chance. That requires a specific temperament and skill set.

I respect wedding photographers immensely. It’s just not where my strengths lie.

Different client relationship

Weddings are intensely personal. You’re documenting one of the most important days of someone’s life. The relationship is deeply emotional.

Corporate event photography is professional. Clients need reliable coverage of their business function. The stakes are different. The relationship is transactional in a good way—clear expectations, clear deliverables, less emotional weight.

Different shooting style

Wedding photography requires anticipating deeply personal moments and navigating family dynamics. Corporate events require understanding business context and brand requirements.

I’m better at the latter. I can read a room for networking moments and key interactions. I understand when a speaker’s gesture matters for internal comms. I know what makes an exhibition booth shot useful for marketing.

What I shoot instead

Corporate events: Networking mixers, team gatherings, client events, product launches.

Exhibitions: Trade shows, art exhibition openings, commercial displays, brand activations.

Conventions: Conferences, industry summits, panel discussions, keynote presentations.

Why this niche works:

My design background is actually useful here. I understand how corporate event images get used—marketing materials, social media, annual reports, internal communications. I’ve been the person briefing photographers on exactly these needs.

Weddings don’t benefit from that background. Corporate events do.

Specialization serves clients better

A wedding photographer who also shoots corporate events is splitting their focus. A corporate event photographer who also shoots weddings is doing the same thing.

I’d rather be excellent at one thing than mediocre at two things.

If you need a wedding photographer, I can recommend several excellent ones in Melbourne. If you need corporate event coverage with a design-informed approach, that’s what I do.

The exception

I’ll shoot personal celebrations that have a professional element—retirement parties for colleagues, milestone events for business partners, industry award ceremonies. These sit in the overlap between personal and professional.

But traditional weddings? There are photographers who specialize in that and do it better than I would. Hire them.

Corporate events, exhibitions, and conventions in Melbourne. Currently booking at portfolio-building rates. Get in touch