Why Photographers Should Be a Wedding DJ’s Best Friend

by Chris Brower
Last Updated: May 13, 2020

Like any business, a wedding DJ business benefits from networking. One particular relationship to cultivate is one with wedding photographers. They certainly aren’t the only relationship that can benefit your wedding DJ business, but they can be valuable in so many ways that other vendors can’t.

Recommending Your DJ Business to Prospective Clients

Perhaps the most obvious reason to make a good impression on a wedding photographer is they can recommend your wedding DJ business to prospective clients.

At least in my experience, many couples hire their photographer before their DJ. (There’s a good chance they’re using the same photographer they hired back when they got engagement photos.) Thus, a wedding photographer could help you out by saying, “Are you still looking for a DJ too? I really enjoyed working with DJ Fun Times, so you might consider them.”

Word of mouth is a DJ’s best friend. Many couples form a strong connection with their photographer and might be more than happy to take the photographer’s advice.

Certainly the wedding photographer isn’t the only vendor that can help you out in this regard. There’s the wedding venue staff, event planners, etc. Anyone who can say, “Trust me, this DJ’s good” is a huge help!

And hopefully you can return the favor too if the couple has hired you before any of their other vendors.

Providing Professional Photos

No brainer, right? Even if you’re a pretty good photographer yourself, good wedding photographers can likely provide you with much better photos that you can use on your website, social media, and for other promotional purposes.

You need photos of people dancing and having a good time. And lots of them. A good wedding photographer can help you there.

Always check with photographers and give them credit. Make sure they’re okay with you using their photo. Be sure to also give them credit. This is where social media can be particularly great. They’ll see you tagged them and be more likely to return the favor by tagging you in their posts from the wedding. This helps build relationships, as you give each other free promotion.

Plus, wedding photographers can also provide you with professional photos of you too. Where do you think I got the photo of me on the About page? Naturally, I reached out to one of my wedding photographer buddies, Kelsey from Kelsey Diane Photography.

Simply put, wedding photographers can make you look good.

Providing a Second Set of Ears/Eyes

My DJ business is just me. I do a thorough sound check before events and try to walk around the room throughout the night to make sure things sound good. Naturally, though, I can’t always be sure how things sound in the rest of the room. Was that announcement I just made clear? Do things seem all right?

A photographer can often help you by providing a second set of ears/eyes. While you shouldn’t expect them to provide this added service, you can certainly ask, “How does the music sound to you? Volume okay? Are the lights okay?” and hopefully they can provide some real and professional feedback.

They’ve likely seen a lot of different DJs work and can provide valuable insights. And not only on volume or sound issues but many other things. From these conversations, I’ve gotten more ideas on how my equipment could look better, what lights/visuals I should consider, how to better market my business, and more.

Ready for the complete guide to becoming a wedding DJ? Here you go.

A Sympathetic Ear

Face it, weddings can be stressful. Clients can be challenging. Wedding guests can get on your nerves. A photographer can provide a sympathetic ear as the two of you work to navigate the night. (Be careful though to not make yourself look bad by endless complaining or offensive insults about the couple, guests, or whomever.)

Sometimes a photographer can simply tell you what’s going on. Why are things delayed and falling behind schedule? Oh, it’s because of some issue with the parents. Where’d the bride go? Oh, she’s partied a bit too much and is going to lie down for a bit (yes, a photographer has delivered this news to me before).

Some of my favorite memories are just talking with the photographers throughout the night. Keep each other apprised of how things are going.

And it doesn’t just have to be about tonight’s wedding. I love talking to photographers and learning what ways get them business, what ways don’t. What are their funny stories? How do they run their businesses? Though a wedding photography business is different than a wedding DJ business, there are many things you can glean that can help you.

How to Make Wedding Photographers Like You

First, the obvious: be good at your job. Play good music and be friendly, professional, and easy to work with. Don’t be the annoying/difficult wedding DJ that no one likes.

But here’s a specific thing: keep photographers aware of the timeline. Talk over the schedule with them, and any time you’re about to announce a new thing (bouquet toss, first dance, etc.), make sure they’re aware and ready. Photographers will be so grateful that you’re always looking out for their needs and there to make their jobs easier.

A few years into my DJ business I announced the bouquet toss without having checked with the photographer. She was, meanwhile, in a separate room changing camera lenses or some other standard photography duties. And because she wasn’t in the main room, she missed out on the bouquet toss and wasn’t able to capture the moment. That wasn’t her fault. It would’ve been the same problem if she had, say, been in the bathroom during that time. Always make sure vendors are ready before announcing events that include them.

Remember too: a photographer might not be there all night. Every now and then I’ll DJ a wedding, where the photographer was only hired to be there until, say, 8:00. Whoa! Okay, then. This is valuable to know, because we’ll want to get as many of the scheduled events done as possible – the things that should be photographed – or else the couple won’t have photographs of those.

Don’t forget to check in with the photographer too. As in, asking them if there’s anything you can do to help. Are the dance floor lights too much? Or would they like them off for a bit to help their photos?

If they’re low on batteries, offer them some of your AA batteries*. Or maybe they need to plug something in for a bit? Let them know they’re welcome to use your power strip. (Note: If you don’t have any extra, open outlets on your power strip, whoa! You’re cutting it way too close. Always make sure you have enough.)

And please, keep your dance floor lights off during the first dances! I made this mistake for years. I always turned on the dance floor lights once the dancing started, including the couple’s first dance. (When I say “dance floor lights,” I’m referring to different colors, shapes, patterns, etc., not room lights.) Then one time a photographer snapped at me (“Could you turn those off during the first dances?”). I was embarrassed but realized this made total sense, and I’ve never made that mistake again.

Photographers particularly want clean shots during these important first dances. They don’t want blue circles on the bride’s dress. That can be okay during the general dance time but not these first dances. Lesson learned!

Plus, Photographers Are Cool

You shouldn't cultivate relationships with wedding photographers just so you can "gain" something from them in terms of future jobs, professional photos, etc. You should also like them, because I've found wedding photographers to be really, really cool. I really enjoy talking to them.

Working weddings as a solo DJ can be a little, well, lonely at times. Photographers often become a great person to talk to and your co-worker for the night, in a sense. Many of these friendships have continued well past the day of wedding. It's worth your effort to make these great relationships.

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