Wedding Photography

[Rionoir]

Are there any opportunities for a wedding photographer moving from America to Thailand to pick up much work?

[hughden]

I suspect that getting a work permit could be a problem.

[Rionoir]

I saw since I posted this that photographer is a thai-only profession... what's up with that?

I'm gonna be there on a student visa, just thought maybe I could get some work this way, but oh well... it's a great country to collect some stock photos. lol

[canuckamuck]

As a one time wedding photographer (long ago) I have considered what it would be like to set up shop in Thailand. Basically it’s pointless. For one thing, the amount they pay for the wedding shots is considerably less than in the west. The other problem is, that they have wedding photography down to such a formula, that unless you were willing to learn their standard routine, I feel you wouldn’t be too popular with the mainstream.

Thais often do formal wedding shots well in advance of the wedding day, so they can display them at the wedding. They are usually very cliché poses shot in a studio in a variety of costumes, some ancient some modern wedding outfits.

The area to break into would be high end weddings for the elite, but how you would go about that, I have no idea. It would take connections, and a lot of equipment.

And of course there is that work permit issue, which I think would keep you out of business as well.

Stock is probably the best bet.

[rafval]

I think there is a market photographing farang weddings here, I dont know how big, but the money is better and you wouldnt have to worry about a work permit, but dont mention that here. the hard part is finding the work, I have had a few offers thru my website, mostly koh samui from memory, I didnt end up doing most of them but someone would have. If you built a website aiming at that market and covered yourself on the legal side you may do ok, maybe liaise with people that organise weddings in phuket and samui, or the more upmarket hotels in those areas

[Rionoir]

Oh I totally intend to market to foreigners... my Thai friends have already told me that Thai people don't pay jack for their photography, but I pretty much assumed that already. I don't really want to advertise/draw attention to myself via my website or anything like that. I'm mostly worried about doing it in such a way that I'm not breaking the law, if I can...

If I am paid in a US bank account by someone in the US and then shoot their photography in Thailand... is that sufficient to keep me out of trouble?

[rafval]

Oh I totally intend to market to foreigners... my Thai friends have already told me that Thai people don't pay jack for their photography, but I pretty much assumed that already. I don't really want to advertise/draw attention to myself via my website or anything like that. I'm mostly worried about doing it in such a way that I'm not breaking the law, if I can...

If I am paid in a US bank account by someone in the US and then shoot their photography in Thailand... is that sufficient to keep me out of trouble?

I would say so, whos to know you arent a friend of theirs taking the photos for free, just dont upset anyone

[Rionoir]

just dont upset anyone

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it. This seems to be what I've heard from a couple foreign photogs I talked to in Thailand as well... so basically, try not to steal jobs from a Thai... lol