We were lucky to catch up with Matthew Sowa recently and have shared our conversation below.
Matthew, appreciate you joining us today. Covid has brought about so many changes – has your business model changed?
Yes, COVID-19 has likely impacted many wedding photography businesses, including mine in several ways. Here are some key ways the wedding photography business model may have changed:
1. Shift to Smaller, Intimate Weddings
Impact: During the pandemic, many couples opted for smaller weddings, elopements, or micro-weddings. As a result, photography packages may have shifted to accommodate these smaller gatherings rather than large-scale events.
Adaptation: Offering specialized packages for small weddings or elopements could be a way to cater to this trend. Also, consider focusing on more intimate, personal moments during smaller events.
2. Increased Focus on Virtual Meetings and Services
Impact: Virtual elements such as live streaming or virtual guest attendance became more common during the pandemic.
Adaptation: Incorporating live-streaming services, virtual photo albums, or interactive online galleries might become a part of your business model, catering to couples who want to share their wedding with distant guests.
3. Flexible Rescheduling and Cancellations
Impact: Many couples had to reschedule or cancel weddings due to lockdowns, restrictions, or travel issues.
Adaptation: Offering flexible contracts with easy rescheduling or postponement terms has become a common expectation in the wedding industry. Consider updating your terms and conditions to reflect this, so couples feel confident booking with you.
4. Increased Competition
Impact: The wedding industry has seen a surge in competition as photographers may have adapted in similar ways to offer new services, while others may have entered the market due to layoffs or changes in the job market.
Adaptation: You may need to differentiate yourself more than before by offering unique services, better customer service, or focusing on niche photography styles (e.g., documentary-style, fine art, or vintage).
5. Changes in Client Expectations
Impact: Clients may have a new understanding of the value of photography, seeing it as a key way to capture and remember an event that may have been affected by uncertainty.
Adaptation: Focus on delivering great photos and a memorable experience. Tailor your services to create a calm and supportive environment, which is especially important given the stress many couples may have experienced during the pandemic.
6. Increased Digital Demand
Impact: With fewer in-person events and more virtual gatherings, there’s an increased demand for digital photos, albums, and online sharing platforms.
Adaptation: Digital galleries and instant access to high-quality images have become more important. Offering these services, along with printing options for clients who want physical photos, could appeal to new client needs.
7. Marketing Adjustments
Impact: Wedding photographers had to rethink marketing strategies due to changes in how weddings were happening and where couples were searching for vendors.
Adaptation: Utilize social media platforms, particularly Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, to showcase how you can cater to new, post-pandemic wedding trends. Tailoring your marketing to highlight your flexibility and creativity can resonate with clients who’ve experienced wedding disruptions.
8. Emphasis on Emotional Connections
Impact: Weddings became more emotionally charged for couples, especially when the future of their wedding celebrations felt uncertain.
Adaptation: Emphasizing emotional storytelling and focusing on capturing the essence of the couple’s journey could be a way to connect with your clients on a deeper level. Many couples now value more personal, emotional photography.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Born in Poland, Matthew Sowa earned a degree in photography from the primary Warsaw College of Photography and has received additional training and study at the Institute of Art Photography in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Matthew has been a Manhattan wedding photographer for over a decade covering more than 1000 weddings. His documentary approach is balanced by contemporary portraits created in dramatic style. He infuses his work with enthusiasm, spontaneity, and a fresh, original eye. His passion and unique perspective are reflected in intense and straightforward compositions, often in black & white form, leaving nothing distractive between the content and the viewer.
Matthew Sowa is a full time NYC Wedding Photographer, wedding photography contest judge, a friend-ambassador of DreambooksPro ( https://us.dreambookspro.com ) A member of Professional Photographers of America since 2006 (PPA), International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers (ISPWP), Fearless Photographers, Master Wedding Photographers of North America, Wedding Photography Select, Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI), World Best Wedding Photographers and many more. Earlier in his life, he freelanced for Warsaw’s daily newspaper and the Euro-Press Agency. His photographs have been enthusiastically acclaimed at various exhibits in Poland and New York.
ACCOLADES & RECOGNITION
Top 10 Manhattan Wedding Photographers 2023 – Wedding Rule
World’s Top 10 Wedding Photographers 2022-One Eye Land
New York Wedding Photographer-Best Fearless photographer 2020
The Photographer of the year 2019-Master Photographers of North America
Top 100 Fearless Photographers of 2019
The 12 Best Photographers New York City 2019 by Peerspace
Top 10 Fearless Photographers of 2018, 2021
Top 10 Masters of Wedding Photography North America 2018-2024
United States Top 10 Wedding Photographers 2018 – One EyeLand
Best Wedding Photographer New York City -Zankyou.us 2015
New York Top Wedding Photographer – Best of Wedding Photography
One of 100 Top Wedding Photographers in the World by ISPWP 2016-2024
One of the 20 Best Wedding Photographers of WPS 2016, 2017, and 2018
One of The 31 Inspiring Wedding Photographers From Around the World – Filter grade.
One of The Best 100 Wedding Photographers of The US and Canada SLR Lounge 2016
PDN Magazine’s Exposure Global Photography Celebration of the Image Winner 2017
Multiple Winner-Rangefinder Competitions
Top 100 Fearless Wedding Photographer of 2015-2024
Lensculture Street Photography Winner 2016
Magnum Awards Photography Winner 2017
WPPI International Competition Winner
The 100 Best Wedding Photographers in NYC 2018 -Nicholas Purcell
World’s Top 10 Wedding Photographers 2018,-One Eye Land
Best New York Wedding Photographer by Photographerusa.com
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Growing a wedding photography clientele requires a mix of creative marketing, excellent service, and relationship-building. Here are a few strategies that have proven to be effective for many photographers:
Building a Strong Portfolio and Website: Your website https://www.matthewsowaphotography.com/gallery/portfolio/ is often the first impression place potential clients will visit, so having a polished, easy-to-navigate website with a well-curated portfolio is crucial. Make sure it highlights your style, diversity in shots, and showcases your best work.
Referrals and Word of Mouth: Weddings are a word-of-mouth industry, so building strong relationships with clients and providing exceptional service often leads to referrals. Offering incentives (like a free engagement session or prints) for clients who refer others can encourage this.
Social Media Marketing: Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are essential for wedding photographers. Regularly posting your best photos, behind-the-scenes content, and stories from clients creates a personal connection and encourages engagement. Consider collaborating with wedding influencers, venues, or planners to gain exposure.
SEO and Blogging: Blogging about weddings you’ve shot, offering tips for couples, and creating location-specific content can boost your SEO rankings. This helps you show up on Google when potential clients are searching for photographers in their area. Keywords related to your photography style or popular wedding venues can make you more discoverable.
Networking with Wedding Vendors: Building strong relationships with wedding planners, florists, venues, and other vendors can lead to recommendations. Many vendors will gladly refer clients to trusted photographers because it helps build their reputation.
Client Testimonials and Reviews: Positive reviews on Google, wedding-specific platforms (like The Knot or WeddingWire), and social media go a long way in building credibility. Encourage clients to leave reviews, and don’t hesitate to ask for testimonials you can feature on your website or marketing materials.
Engage with Past Clients: Stay connected with past clients and keep them engaged through email newsletters or by posting personal milestones like anniversaries or baby photos. These interactions help you stay top-of-mind, and they might recommend you to others in the future.
Combining several of these strategies and being consistent with your efforts can lead to steady growth in your wedding photography business.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
For many, word of mouth and referrals from past clients are powerful sources of new business. Social media platforms like Facebook. Instagram and are also key for showcasing work, as they allow potential clients to find inspiration and connect with vendors directly. Building strong relationships with other wedding vendors (The venues, planners, photographers, florists ) can also lead to referrals. Online wedding directories, Google SEO My Business, and reviews on sites like Google,The Knot or WeddingWire can be great for visibility, too.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.matthewsowaphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthew_sowa_photography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthewsowaphotography
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-sowa-b7a93915/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/matthew-sowa-photography-new-york
- Other: https://vimeo.com/374308426
Image Credits
NYC Wedding Photographer – Matthew Sowa
www.matthewsowaphotography.com