Contrary to what some may say, there are no “bridezillas,” according to Orange County, California-based wedding photographer Frank Salas, M.Photog.M.Wed.Photog.Cr. Also, he adds, “that is not very nice.”

If a photographer is complaining about a bride, chances are it’s because that photographer didn’t properly communicate with her before the event, he says, which led to confusion and unmet expectations. Salas’ decades of experience “making mistakes” means he is qualified to make that observation, he says. “These are words of wisdom coming from a veteran.”

AN EARLY START

Salas’ photography journey began his junior year of high school, when his parents wanted him to get a part-time job. Since he was enjoying a photography class at school, they connected him with a cousin who was director of photography at a wedding studio with about 20 photographers. “He trained everybody,” he says. Salas relished his weekends and summers photographing weddings, and the training and on-the-job practice sharpened his skills. “It just kind of clicked at the time,” he says. “But I had no idea that it was going to be anything else.”

It was. After high school, Salas worked for four different studios before launching his own wedding photography business 37 years ago. “I’ve had no other occupation,” besides wedding photography, says Salas. “When people say, ‘When are you going to get a real job?’ or even during COVID, ‘What else can you do?’” he chuckles, the answer is always, “I just take pictures.” And, after all these years, he still loves weddings. As a parent and a family man, Salas says he relishes the universal joy he witnesses when extended families come together, sometimes after many years. “You hear people say, ‘It takes a funeral,’” for families to reunite. “Well, it’s the same with weddings,” he says. “It’s taken a wedding to gather everybody.” And he’s honored each time he gets to capture those moments.

BRING THEM INTO YOUR WORLD

Over his almost four decades of experience, Salas knows that a key to a smooth, low-stress, and beautifully photographed wedding is plenty of straightforward advance communication. Most wedding clients have no idea how their day will unfold, much less the logistics. Even if they hire a coordinator or planner, their schedules often don’t match up with the photographer’s needs, Salas explains. So, when he receives the wedding day timeline from the planner (typically several weeks prior to the event), he reaches out to the couple for an in-depth conversation. This is when he explains how much time he will need to capture images and how the typical timeline is set. For example, he asks when the bride will be dressed and ready instead of just asking when the hair and makeup artist is due to arrive—and advises if there truly is enough time to make the necessary photos.

Salas uses this back-and-forth with the couple to explain how he works and how much time he needs for each piece of his process. He also will share his thoughts and advice. “I think what separates the true veteran photographer from a really good wedding photographer,” he says, “is that you’re allowing them to come into your world, allowing them to understand what you’re doing that day, step by step. Then they’re all in with you.” Having a detailed, transparent conversation with the client also protects the photographer, he says. “You’re covered because you’ve already communicated to these couples that, ‘Look, your coordinator wants me to be here at 2 p.m. but I’ve got this long list of photos. It’s not going to take me 20 minutes to do this.’”

That said, he emphasizes that this conversation is not a list of demands but a gentle gathering of information. “Take notes, ask questions, and listen to them,” Salas advises, “because then you’ll succeed and make them happy. … You hit a home run because now you know, and that’s how you get five-star reviews.”

HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED

When Salas started his career, 99% of the time he would meet with couples in person before the wedding. Today, he says, he meets about 20% to 30% of them in person, with the rest often preferring to communicate via social media apps like Instagram or Facebook. Salas often schedules engagement photo sessions with couples to get to know them and directs them to email when he sends important documents. One of those documents is a wedding party form. Here is where the couple lists family members from each side, names of the wedding party, and vendors. They note important family dynamics Salas should know about such as divorces, remarriages, and who should not be photographed with whom. Salas memorizes these names and details prior to the wedding day.

In addition, he asks about any specific, important images they would be upset to be missed and adds those to his photo “wish list.” “It’s our duty to make this stress-free for the bride,” says Salas, of wedding photographers, “so that the day of the wedding, she doesn’t have to think about any of this. She shouldn’t have to worry about, ‘Did you get a picture of her grandma?’ That’s already been discussed.”

Some photographers cap the number of weddings they work each year, but not Salas, whose passion for wedding photography and his stamina mean he books as many as he can. “I think the most I’ve done myself in a year is 60 or 65,” he says. In recent years, he’s averaged 40 to 45 weddings per year, in addition to other events. “If I can average three to four per month,” he adds, “that’s a good thing for me, at a minimum.”

In his whirlwind schedule, Salas takes time to read through responses from his clients to his post-wedding client survey, where he asks for feedback across many areas, including asking, “If there is something you could have changed, what would that have been?” He keeps these replies in mind as he speaks to current and future clients, and learns how he himself can improve. It can be hard to hear criticism, Salas notes, but it is necessary to strengthen and grow, both as a business owner and a photographer.

He also works to elevate his photography by participating in PPA’s Merit Image Review (MIR) and International Photographic Competition (IPC). “Most photographers never get better because they never get their work critiqued,” he says, “especially critiqued by [trained] judges.” Salas’ images have been finalists in PPA’s IPC for the last three years. He also worked toward and received his PPA master of wedding photography degree.

A LUXURY BRAND

Frank Salas Photography is “Orange County’s premier luxury photography studio,” according to his website. That is not just a phrase; it takes many years of hard work and lessons learned to cater to that luxury client base, he explains. First and foremost, Salas takes care that his images reflect the level of quality that marks a luxury brand. His social media also continuously portrays those images. He also has spent years cultivating relationships and attending events within high-society and high-end social circles. “You could be the best photographer, but if your social skills are not good, you won’t get referred by people,” Salas says, adding that many of his referrals come from luxury venues, where Frank Salas Photography is on their preferred photographers list.

To capture the luxury client, branding should reflect the luxury standard. For example, look at logos and marketing materials for luxury brands, both in photography and in other industries. Note their designs, styles and colors, and use them as your guide when you create a brand or revamp a current one. Another consideration when attracting luxury clients is how you as the photographer present yourself, Salas says. Think about what you wear on the job and how you behave. Do you show up on time? Does your wardrobe blend with the clientele and the environment? When a company or venue adds you to their preferred vendor list, you become an extension of their brand, Salas says, so they need to know you are going to deliver.

Lastly, he explains, maintaining a luxury brand means responding to clients as quickly as possible. With this many years in business, Salas says, it’s natural to him. “I am a fanatic. I mean, I am a rare breed. I will get back to these people 24/7,” he adds. “Even event planners will tell you that if I’m still up at 1 in the morning, I will respond.” To streamline his processes, Salas has created about 15 different template email responses to ensure his clients and potential clients receive timely replies. He likens a client contacting a wedding photographer to someone contacting a plumber when they have a leak. If you reply even 24 hours later, it’s too late. “You’ve got to be the winner,” Salas says, with almost 40 years in business as evidence. “You’ve got to get back in seconds.”

Amanda Arnold is a senior editor.