Q&A: 3 reasons why you should give wedding images to other wedding vendors

During the recent mentor sessions either for photographers or small business owners from the wedding industry there was one topic that came up that I didn’t expect to come up. „Should a photographer give images to a wedding vendor after the wedding?“ At the same time this discussion started in one photographer group on Facebook that I am in and I was very surprised by so many different opinions. Some said „Well I work only for the wedding couple, not for the vendor.“ Others said „Sure, if they pay me I give them images.“ and again others said „Why should I give images to them, they do nothing for me.“

My opinion about this topic is a little different and I would like to address it here as it seems a hot topic for several people at the moment.

First of all this is only possible if you have a clear contract signed by your wedding couple so they know and are aware that you have the rights to use their images online and offline.

We as photographers have a very unique position on a wedding day because we are the only ones who take images of all details and products.

These are my three reasons why as a wedding photographer you should share images (of their product on the wedding day) with other vendors.

1. Be kind. Sharing an image of a wedding ring with a jeweller is very kind and they will thank you for it and be kind to you too.

2. Exposure. Sharing images with vendors meaning they will most likely use your image on their website or facebook page and they will credit you. So you are getting a lot more exposure to your images than only on your own website.

3. And last but not least they will refer you. Everytime I am sharing an image of the wedding rings with my favorite jeweller she is going to post it on her facebook site and she will always credit me. She asked if she can refer me and since then she has my flyers in her store and every wedding couple that hasn’t got a photographer yet will get her honest referral to me as a wedding photographer.

You will build real relationships with other vendors by being kind and sharing their product images with them. It will get you a great network and genuine referrals that are worth a lot more than any print add could ever do for you.

PS I would not share images with a vendor when I know the couple wasn’t happy with them.