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dragon
Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:11 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| Four years ago much better business....More money. |
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kiwi5604
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:25 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| Because with the advent of Photoshop and consumer grade Digital SLR's, ANYONE can be a photographer with basic skills now, and make them look quite reasonable.That and the economy sucks to the point that no one wants to shell out the bucks to pay someone to do that. It's also regional, you'll have better business (and competition) in a large city than the suburbs in the Midwest. |
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BritneyIII
Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 3
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:39 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| There are too many people with new "professional looking" cameras who are willing to charge next to nothing to shoot weddings.$2000 is the lowest I have seen professional photographers charge to show up to shoot a wedding ... prints are extra.The average price is $3000 and up ... all prints extra.For $5,000 you get a shooter and a videographer ... again all post production is at additional cost. |
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dustistya
Joined: 08 Mar 2008
Posts: 2
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:52 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| The same jack asses that saw fast is the furious who had to go out and get Honda civics to ghetto up so they could pretend to be street racers all got cameras now! |
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JorjVasilich
Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Posts: 8
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:06 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| simply put, anyone with enough money to buy a good dslr can take wedding photos now. they think that just because they have a pro camera, they are a pro. i've noticed my contracts get smaller and smaller every year too. and what make me angry, is that just because someone can become a member of the PPA doesn't mean that they are a professional. i'm dealing with this from a local photographer who didn't know how to use her camera till I showed her. now she is a ppa member, has a new website (with stolen photos), and is undercutting my exact packages. |
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KMONEY8311763
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:19 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| Good answers above. This topic encompasses many intangibles. I think a lot of it has to do with most younger couples think only in terms of modern digital cameras and have no idea of the skill really needed to produce good photography. The same thought process is displayed in these forums day after day. People think the camera can do all the work... that all they have to do is buy a decent digital camera and ... like magic... they are as good as a professional photographer. Brides to be usually always know a friend or relative with a "professional digital camera"... so they think they can do perfect wedding photos. It is the... "well all you have to do is push a button" train of thought.I have been doing weddings for several years, and in fact am the photographer for the local David's Bridal store. I also, however, have seen huge declines in wedding work. It can be so frustrating. I have even gone to this extent to try to demonstrate to brides why they NEED someone with experience to do their weddings.... A friend of my wife was to be married. Ok.. she wanted me to do the photos.. fine! I showed her my album and portrait samples. (I do high end flush mount digital album designs). She loved my work, but would not pay the price. Being a friend I even cut her some slack on the pricing. Still too much for her. So she goes and buys a cheap digital camera and has some guy with no idea how to use it take her photos. Of course, she was sick with the results. I bought copies of all her photos and use these as examples to show people why they need a pro for their photos. Even THAT will not convince them. Still, almost weekly I hear the same old thing.. "well, my friend has a camera and is going to do it for... (insert some cheap price)". Too many people now do not even know what a good photo is. Just about all they have been exposed to, (no pun intended), is poor digital point and shoot photos, and they think THAT is photography. So a friend comes along that can maybe do photos slightly better, and all of a sudden they are a "pro". When they see my samples they do see what truly good photos, printing, design, and a beautiful album really is... but... too many will not pay the price for it.I understand money does not grow on trees, but they will blow way too much money on other things in the wedding, then cut costs with photography. Telling them that after all is said and done, it is the PHOTOS that will still be there makes no impression. They have no foresight.. they are only concerned for the moment.That can relate to another point a friend of mine has told me, knowing my frustration with the whole thing. She has said that many younger people no longer go into marriage with any intention of it being a life long commitment. They KNOW they will be getting divorced in the future, it is just a matter of time.... so why spend lots of money on photos they will not even want to see in a few years? With the divorce rate the way it is, I sometimes believe this to be very true.I have actually edited MANY photos in which the lady wanted an ex husband taken out of the photo.Did not mean to get on a venting jag here, but there is a lot that goes into the answer to your question.Personally, I am quitting the wedding photography at the end of October when my contract with David's Bridal expires. Just not worth the aggravation trying to GET bookings, .... plus the stress of doing the weddings when I DO get bookings has no pleasure for me any longer. There ARE photographers who make a fortune doing weddings, but they are a select few who are in a very elite market of extremely high end brides. Not a nut the typical wedding photographer will be able to crack easily... if ever.steve |
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jeannielunchbox
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:33 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| The economy has more to do with it than DSLRs. There has always been cheap "pros" shooting weddings. The largest segment of the market has always been the middle class. The middle class is hurting right now, you (and everyone else) have to compete in the smaller upper class market. |
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cadbury_magic_elf
Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:47 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| That's a definitive answer in my book Steve P, easily worth 10 points.Chris |
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Lenlyfrelay
Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 65
Location: World
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| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:00 am Post subject: Why is it so difficult to make a living in wedding Photograp |
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| Do you think all the top wedding photographers started out as being brilliant... ?I don't think so... a top wedding photographer has skills - and skills can be learned, but most people learn bad habits from the outset. The key is to make your images, your service, your package, obviously superior to those of your competition, so that even people who are not necessarily trained in the subject or naturally visually literate (such as an artist) can see a difference.In fact your entire approach, your product (photographs), customer service, organisation, marketing and pricing has to be one self supporting whole... it HAS to tie together. There are geographical factors in terms of economics but in every area there are those with more money and those with less - even then some of them will buy on price, but equally others with less money will search out more expensive photographers purely because more expensive (to them) will be better!Have you had any specialist wedding photography training or consultancy? I think a day or two with a top pro would probably make a huge difference to you - you sound a little dispondent and in need of a confidence boost as well.You can contact me by e-mail off line and I'll help if I can. Meantime have you thought about breaking the rules?? How can you add value to your package to cut it out from what everyone else does? ... ;)The ultimate answer to your question is:You're in an extremely competitive market, you HAVE to out compete your competition... in every area. |
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