ISPWP has become an international resource for people looking for world-class professional wedding photographers.  And the people looking aren’t just brides looking for someone to photograph their wedding—oftentimes they are writers, magazine publishers, art directors, wedding coordinators, blog authors, and more.

Recently, Portland, Oregon wedding photographer Fritz Liedtke, of Fritz Photography, was contacted by noted author Maria Piscopo.  As her website states, “Maria Piscopo is a creative services consultant, an art/photo rep and marketing workshop instructor specializing in business and self-promotion workshops for associations, schools and conferences.”  She’s most well known for her popular book, The Photographer’s Guide to Marketing and Self-Promotion.

Piscopo contacted Liedtke for an article she was writing for Shutterbug Magazine, one of the nation’s largest, most established photography magazines.  “Maria explained that she was writing an article for people considering becoming a professional wedding photographer,” explains Fritz.  “She saw my work on ISPWP, and wanted to interview me for the article.  I said I was happy to help.”

With over 20 years’ experience as a wedding photographer, Fritz had plenty to share.  “I’ve seen wedding photography change from an exclusive profession for master craftsmen, to a low-barrier-to-entry hobby that everyone with a digital camera wants to enter.  Sadly, the explosion of interest in wedding photography has glutted the market, and the market has changed drastically in the past 5 years.  Everybody’s Uncle Bob thinks they can deliver professional-quality results of the most important day of a bride’s life, and sadly, that just isn’t the case.  Expensive gear does not a great photographer make.”

Piscopo’s article interviews 3 professional photographers, asking for their take on the changing wedding photography market, what’s working (and what’s not) in marketing, and advice they’d give to aspiring photographers.  “I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned over the years with others,” says Fritz.  “That’s one reason I like to write for magazines, teach workshops, and am writing a book to help emerging photographers succeed.”

“These are exciting times,” he continues.  “But things are changing rapidly, and photographers must adapt and be flexible.  I’ve been fortunate to see my studio continue to thrive; brides with an artistic sensibility really respond to our award-winning photography, and we take pride in taking very good care of our customers.”

The article, The Business End of Wedding Photography, came out in the March 2011 issue of Shutterbug, and included a 2-page spread of Fritz’s Oregon and destination wedding photographs.  The magazine also selected one of his images to feature on the cover.  “It’s a real honor to be featured in any quality publication, and it’s always fun to see my work on the cover of magazines at Barnes and Noble.  We get a kick out of that, and so do our brides.  In fact, one of the brides featured in the article went out and bought every single copy at their local bookstore in New York.”

Read more about the article on his blog, and visit the FritzPhoto website to view his award-winning destination wedding photography.