I don’t know exactly how I should begin on this, as in the last three years of my life, my dreams have come true. When I started my photography business late 2007 I didn’t think all this would be possible in Finland. Now I could do wedding photography as a full time job, and I have frequently worked internationally, which were all the goals that I set when I started my business. Last year I had also the great experience to see a glimpse of New York’s elite wedding photography when I had the opportunity to work with Ira Lippke.
Readers from the US and other major wedding business markets may find this a bit odd, as working internationally or being a full time wedding photographer isn’t that rare in some places. But in Finland it was groundbreaking, since there was not a single full time wedding photographer when I started, and the average price of wedding photography was below 1,000e while 1,500e was seen as “high-end”.
In these three years business has changed drastically in Finland, in both good and bad ways. As a result of emerging new photographers, the level and variety of wedding photography has improved, and full time pros who did wedding photography as a side business have lost the market.
The negative effect on business side is that too many of these newcomers don’t have good and appropriate business practices, too many of them don’t pay taxes, and some undercut the market with such aggressive pricing that full time professional photographers can’t do it while paying all the taxes and other fees and costs required to run the business.
The most annoying things are the attacks and dirty tricks by competitors; last year I was targeted by three different photographers using dirty tactics, and I had to complain to the Finnish consumer agency twice.
Last year I got married, and we’re going to have a new family member early this year if everything goes as planned. As a result, I’m going to do only a few weddings this year, and I’m currently not taking any bookings to 2012, as we’re then planning to move to the US. I’m going to pursue my wedding photography career over there, but in pace with our first child. (That is the reason why my work aboard was focused on weddings in New York; I was making some first plans).
It kills me to practically leave photography for a while, especially when things have gone so extremely well, but I’m also very thrilled with all the changes that will come very soon, and in the end, family matters more than the business.
Although I’m going to take this leap year, I’m attending to Mennään Naimisiin! Bridal Fair where you can see my latest work.
Happy holidays and very warm thanks to all of my clients for everything!
Thank You!
Oka
