What is an Associate?

The actual definition of associate is “a partner or colleague in business.” Translate that to the photography world, and it means that an Associate photographer is a professional photographer shooting on behalf of another photographer’s brand. The owner of the photography company still does the editing, shoots the engagement session, and manages all the client communication, booking process, and scheduling. The associate simply steps in on the wedding day in place of the lead photographer.

Why would I hire an Associate photographer?

1. If you are drawn to a certain photographer’s brand, including their style of shooting, editing, and mission statement, you might consider using an Associate photographer. The reason photographers often create an Associate photographer program is to maximize their service to couples.

2. If you have a more limited budget, sometimes an Associate might be a good option. For example, the Cynthia Dalene Photography associate package includes a discount of 10% off.

3. Associate photographers are usually trained personally by the lead photographer, which means they will be proficient in posing, lighting, directing, camera gear, and treat the clients with care and respect, as the lead photographer would.

What are possibe downfalls to working with an associate photographer?

1. Working with an associate photographer can make clients feel a bit nervous because they usually haven’t met before the wedding. It might help to think about it like hiring a painting company. You hire them for their reputation and their proven work. If the painting company has grown, it might not be the owner coming to your home every time, but someone who has been thoroughly trained by them. It helps to trust the brand you hired.

2. Despite the lead photographer training them, associates are unique people with their own personalities, so it’s important to know that no one can exactly replicate the lead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why have Associates chosen to work for another brand? There are various reasons photographers choose to work under a brand. Some associates have a different full time job or are a stay at home mom, with a passion for photography but not necessarily the desire to lead their own full blown brand. Others have their own brand as well but enjoy working alongside other professionals, building vendor relationships and assisting when they don’t have their own weddings booked.

Can I see past work they have done? If you’d like to see past work the Associates have done, ask the lead photographer. Most times they will be able to show you a few galleries they have done!  

Who do I credit when I talk about my wedding photographer? All credit should be given to the main photographer you hired and their brand.

The Cynthia Dalene Photography Associate Program

At CDP, I have a few associates who step in for me on wedding days when I am already booked or unavailable. These are photographers who I have worked with many times, have led many weddings of their own, and I trust to capture my client’s day. My associates will capture your wedding day, but I still do all the client communication, timeline building, contract and invoicing, editing and engagement session. The CDP associate program contains a small, talented team of ladies who I personally trained on:

• Posing guidance
• Natural lighting + flash
• Following timelines and staying oraganized
• Camera equipment

I only hire photographers who I believe provide my clients the same level of customer service as me. I look for photographers who are caring, encouraging, and approachable. Finally, I require my associates to shoot on the same type of gear, so the quality and resolution of the images is always just as equal to mine.

“We had a great experience with Cynthia Dalene Photography. Cynthia took our engagement photos, and she was so much fun to work with! We ended up loving her associate photographers just as much! 

Cynthia does a fantastic job of staying in contact and communicating. She responded quickly to any questions we had, she worked so well with our wedding coordinator, and we were able to get the timeline planned just right. She even texted the day before the wedding to check in with me, which I thought was very thoughtful!

All of our photos turned out amazing. We are so happy we worked with this group and recommend them to anyone 100%! We are excited to use her services for any future pictures we may need!” –Kamie, 2023 bride

*All images on this page were taken by Associates of the CDP team