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ILoveCoffee2047
Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:46 pm Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| Photography has been a hobby of mine for a while and I am ready to make it a career. I have a portfolio of shots I've done, but I have not done a wedding professionally. I do have all the professional equipment, and I am not just a kid with a camera. I am a 25 year old who has practiced and studied. So my question is: If you are/were getting married, would you let me do your wedding, free of charge? All you would have to do is buy the prints. I would just provide the CD with all the photos. Or, I could have them printed or whatever, and just charge the exact cost, so I would make no profit. I just want to build my portfolio. All opinions welcome. THANKS! |
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Ian Arthur
Joined: 29 May 2007
Posts: 90
Location: Helensburgh/Glasgow
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:46 pm Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| im not getting married but i think this is a good starting ;poin t for you, I do paintings and did one for free and got a lot of customers from that who are now paying for my paintings so good luck |
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IamMARE4042
Joined: 11 Feb 2008
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:46 pm Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| No.We actually did something like that when we got married and I ended up with about ten pictures.Thank goodness we also went to a studio that day for a sitting. I will always regret that choice we made. The photographer was a graduate of a NYC art and photography school. |
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IamMARE6905
Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| We didn't. We hired a professional. It took us a while to find the right photographer, we wanted one that had an outstanding portfolio and used a Hasselblad. It was worth the search.I am looking at one of our wedding pictures on the wall right now. Fantastic. I am glad we spent the money. |
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idobestbuyonlinepp
Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 31
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:46 pm Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| Heck no!Your wedding is a thrice (once) in a lifetime event.Don't risk it on someone who might take fuzzy pictures and miss the most important moments.Spend the money to hire a professional in the following areas:1) Photo/Video2) Entertainment3) The RingYou can save money on just about everything else. Congratulations, and good luck!---- Edit ---Sorry, I was multi-tasking and answered your question without reading the rest of your information.I would suggest that you work with an experienced wedding photographer for at least one year, so that you can get experience in doing wedding photography.Things are much different once you get out of the studio. You will need to learn which shots are important, as well as how to work with the other professionals that are involved in producing a wedding. This takes knowledge, skill, and advanced people skills, as everyone feels that their job is the most important.At a wedding, you have to do YOUR job, and your job has an impact on the jobs of everyone else. Catering has to wait until you finish taking pictures of the bridal party after the wedding. The DJ has to program around your needs, if you ran late getting to the reception. You may have to deal with environmental issues, such as rapidly declining sunlight or a facility that does not lend itself to nice photographs.There are so many variables in every wedding that no two are alike. I was a professional disc jockey for many years, and I have personally done well over 2,000 wedding receptions, and about 100 wedding ceremonies. I can tell you from experience that photographers can be a pain in the arse, because they always are worried about going overtime and having to charge more money, when they already are the cause of the delays.It really used to burn me when a photographer wanted me to rush the course of events because S/HE had to get to another wedding that day! ugh!Anyway, get your experience under someone else's tutelage, so that you can make your mistakes when they don't affect your personal reputation.If this is to be your career, I wish you the best of luck. By the way, never give away your negatives or a CD. You will want the residual income that comes from reprints.Good luck to you! |
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Illopamas
Joined: 28 Sep 2007
Posts: 9
Location: All
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:46 pm Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| Hey!When i started out i shot weddings...i only charged a small fee but wedding photography is not my cup of tea...i prefer fashion photography. So as to your question, perhaps you can offer your services for much lower prices (get some of your cost back) but be sure your confident and provide your potential clients with as much images as you can for their viewing. Be honest and let them know that you're just starting out but remember these are the photos that they (and all their friends and family) will look back on for years to come. Do you have any upcoming weddings that you are attending? Perhaps you could practice at those or even contact local wedding photographers and assist them to learn more, you can get an idea of different angles, compositions etc but assisting someone who has been doing it a lot longer. Good luck!!http://www.vanessamariephotography.com |
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ihjw
Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 10
Location: New York
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| If you have never shot a wedding or in low light before I don't recomend doing it. It's a one time shot. If you are interested in being a wedding photographer take some courses and intern with a pro. For there is no kiss the bride again so the photographer can get the shot in the wedding. |
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Hypnotized
Joined: 05 May 2007
Posts: 16
Location: usa
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:46 pm Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| No... *I* would not use an amateur but then that is because I do wedding photography myself and know what is involved. They are many who do use a friend or relative for their wedding photography. Sometimes the results are ok, and in your case I believe you probably could do a good job, .... but at other times weddings done by amateurs are horrible. I have sat with many past brides telling me how much they hate their wedding photos and they WISH they had hired a professional. Unfortunately, there are just too many people today that think that anyone with a digital camera is automatically "a photographer". Of course, you know that is hardly the case.So, I pretty much agree with all the other answers here, but I think there are some other things you are not considering. Even though you are wanting to do it for free.. things can HAPPEN... and often DO.Do you have BACKUP EQUIPMENT? At least a spare camera body and flash unit. Just doing the job for free means nothing if your camera or flash fails and you can take no photos. Your couple will have no decent photos and your ability to get a business going will be made all the much harder if you have that kind of failure under your belt.Do you have LIABILITY INSURANCE? As you should know, people will sue over any and everything today. If something happens that can in any way be connected to you, then you could face big trouble. If someone trips over your case, or your bump into someone and knock them down, etc... you don't want to be left open to a lawsuit by some cretin.Do you have CONTRACTS? ALWAYS have in WRITING everything you are going to do for the photography services before AND after the wedding. You don't want anyone to be able to say you "promised" something and it be just your word against theirs. You and the couple must sign the contract, INCLUDING a statement allowing you to use ANY of the photos for promotion purposes. I used to not have this in my contract and once had a couple raise heck with me because I had a photo of their flower girl on my website. I just took it off and apologized, but that is the kind of thing that can happen.So yeah, shooting weddings is VERY stressful and is TOTALLY different than any other type of photography. No matter how good you feel you are with a camera, the wedding situations just require training and experience unto themselves.Don't be discouraged though. Follow the other's advice and work with a pro, or at least go to lots of weddings and just observe a pro at work.... and have those other items in place I listed!The best of luck to you.steve |
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ifojenvnhryui
Joined: 01 Jun 2007
Posts: 29
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:46 am Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| SUGGESTION:I think you ought to consider the following:1. Do a course in wedding photography - or accompany a GOOD professional on several weddings first. (The Guild of Photographers in the UK used to do an 'accompany a Master Craftsman' scheme, so you could see the top players in action - brilliant!).2. Post the same question in a wedding forum - some people simply CAN'T afford a professional photographer, in which case you'll probably be doing them a favour.If it was me and I was desperately short on funds, I would rather the guests had a picnic or a BBQ and ALL the cash went on the best photographer I could get my hands on... the photos would be far too important for me. I'd want sympathetic and efficient organisation - and to be able to relax knowing me and the one I loved were going to get amazing images: I couldn't do that with an inexperienced shooter, but then I'd be the fussiest customer around!! |
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IcomyCrolomal
Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 25
Location: IR
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 1:46 am Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| Dude be a second shooter at a wedding, follow around a pro a few times. Would I hire an ameteur - never for nothing I care about. |
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IceQueen
Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 20
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:46 am Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| Working for free is a tough way to "make it a career" - I understand you want to build a portfolio of wedding shots...but at least make them pay your expenses, but you'd be better off in the long run taking an apprentice type role for an established photographer. |
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IamMARE9975
Joined: 11 Feb 2008
Posts: 108
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:46 am Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| Many good wedding photographers are not photography school graduates. Some never apprenticed under a seasoned professional. The technical and artistic knowhow can be obtained by anyone who is willing to work at learning and improving their craft at any hobby, not just photography.. But shooting weddings is a little different than building furniture, making a quilt, or even shooting landscapes. It's not that there's only one right way to do it, there are many good approaches, but no second chance to get it right. You can't ask for a do-over on the first kiss. If it's missed, it's gone. That is one reason why people who value capturing the moments of their "special day" spend lots of time in the search for and lots of money to hire just the right person for the job.If you do have good basic photography skills, make some visits to a few pros and see if you couls assist for a few weddings and get a start on learning the ropes. Take your portfolio with you. It might take a while to find a mentor, but if you can it will be well worth itAnother alternative is to advertise on craigslist. Lots of brides there looking for a deal, and maybe at theknot.com as well. Many photographers shoot their first weddings free (or in the film days, at cost) in order to build a portfolio, so that's not unusual at all. Be sure to get a contract stating you can use the images in your portfolio and for promotion of your business.Visit several pro websites to see what is current and classic in wedding photography. Practice posing your friends or family, maybe even keep a scrapbook of the ones you like best. Go to photo.net and the wedding and social event forum. There is an archive there for first time wedding shooters. Here is another link that you might find helpful.http://www.rokkorfiles.com/Wedding101-page1.html You will need backup equipment of everything, camera bodies, flashes etc. You will need fast lenses for low light. You need to understand how to bounce your flash and use fill flash, and how to gel to match ambient and drag the shutter. So if your low light and flash technique ain't up to snuff now is the time to get it down pat. Really try to find a mentor in the beginning to help you along, especially if you're serious about turning pro. Good luck. |
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ILoveCoffee
Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:46 am Post subject: Anyone getting married? Would you hire an amature photograph |
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| Nope - not a chance. But I'll tell you what I did for my first Wedding. I asked the bride (who I knew already had a photographer) if I could come be a second photographer. She gave me the name of the photographer and I called and asked him. He agreed on the condition that I did not sell the bride any of my shots and didn't show them to her for 6 months. This allowed me the experience and shots for my portfolio, him all the profits, and I gave the bride a small album of the best shots for her 1 year anniversary. |
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