The right way to get into wedding photography

 The right way to get into wedding photography  We often get negative comments with regards to new wedding photographers, everything from people not being ready, not having the right gear, charging too little, giving the industry a bad name etc. We even had a new angle on this with regards to the 'Spray and pray' teaching and the 'Rock Start' who are teaching all the wannabe wedding photographers.So what is the right way to start into wedding photography, how should an amature whose only experience is as an Uncle Bob progress to being able to work as a wedding photographer. I mean everybody here had to start somewhere.I'd be interested to learn how you got trained up, and what way would you like to see people enter the industry?As somebody who is is very new to the business (shot my first wedding in 2009 and very slowly building) my biggest fear was messing up and ruining somebody's day. I wanted to learn to do it right, but there is no "right path" to take to make sure you do. To me if the industry wants to sort this out, they need to have some sort of regulated training scheme so that the bride and grooms can check where a photographer stands. And I don't mean some society that you pay £100 too so you can put there logo on your website!Something on the lines that you first start as an assistant, then onto second shooter, once enough experience is gained from second shooting the photographer could be checked to make sure their photography, workflow, album design and business knowledge is to a level that would make them safe to make the leap to main shooter.At least then if a couple can't afford the cost of full time experienced photographer, if they go with somebody who has gone through such a system they will know although the photographer is new to shooting on their own, the risk is minimised and they have the training to a certified level.