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06/30/2006 10:59:43 AM · #1
I like this new section...

I have decided to stop trying to figure out how to make money with photos and just do it. I placed a few ads in the newspaper (luckily I work at the paper so its free) and I now have booked 2 small weddings. I need to figure out what to charge. So a few questions...

1.where is the best place to have wedding prints done, I am looking for quality and price. Also, I will need to put together an album for them as well, so if I could get both prints and album from teh same place that would be great.

2.What should I charge for my time? I have no reputation, no clout in the photog community. i am essentially a nobody and would like to charge accrodingly. My thought is super low rate and deliver a quality product could go a long way w/ word of mouth and referals.

any help is welcome.
06/30/2006 11:13:43 AM · #2
From my personal experience:

I recently began wedding photography also. The first few weddings were done for friends and my fee was mostly a wedding gift - in other words, mostly free for the experience & shots to add to my portfolio. Then I got serious and booked a couple of pro jobs, but priced them modestly because I'm not considered one of the BIG PROs in this area, but still offered them the proofs/albums/stuff the others offer.... well lesson learned... I made ALMOST NO PROFIT! Between buying the proofs, album to put proofs in, building the album (some new software needed), buying the album, it all gets expensive.... not to mention all the editing time! SO, my prices immediately doubled. If the others can ask that price, so can I. And I get it.

Check around in your area & see what others offer and for what price. Then set yourself similarly. Don't forget to get a signed contract before you do anything! Also, get atleast 1/2 of the money up front (I ask for the other half when proofs are delivered, but some ask for it on the wedding day).

Cheapest quality prints I've found is .19 each at Smugmug, but I order albums from Asuka books, Bay photo or Millers (I let the bride choose since they each offer pro-quality books, but look very different.

Hope that helps.
06/30/2006 11:14:30 AM · #3
Originally posted by Jmnuggy:

I like this new section...

I have decided to stop trying to figure out how to make money with photos and just do it. I placed a few ads in the newspaper (luckily I work at the paper so its free) and I now have booked 2 small weddings. I need to figure out what to charge. So a few questions...

1.where is the best place to have wedding prints done, I am looking for quality and price. Also, I will need to put together an album for them as well, so if I could get both prints and album from teh same place that would be great.

2.What should I charge for my time? I have no reputation, no clout in the photog community. i am essentially a nobody and would like to charge accrodingly. My thought is super low rate and deliver a quality product could go a long way w/ word of mouth and referals.

any help is welcome.


First, I'm shocked that you've booked two weddings without knowing what to charge. You need a contract, which includes pricing, etc.

Second, as far as prints go, it all depends on how serious you want to be. //www.mpix.com, //www.adoramapix.com, etc., are okay for "semi-serious" with good quality. They do not, however, offer online proofing, order entry, ROES, or anything like that. //www.pictology.com is a good step up from that, but you have to pick a lab, etc.

There is no "best" place. It's all about what you like and how much quality and service you insist on. All the cheap places have different disadvantages, and all the expensive places are, well, expensive.

Best of luck.

Edit - Adorama also offers .19 prints and does a better job than Smugmug, IMHO. Both are perfectly acceptable.

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 11:17:02.
06/30/2006 11:14:57 AM · #4
First of all, do these brides know that you have never shot a wedding before? There is nothing wrong with not having done it before but the client needs to know this is the case and be OK with it. That is just my opinion.

It seems to me like you have just woken up one day and decided you wanted to be a wedding photographer and because you could, posted an ad on the paper. It doesn't look like you have really given it any thought at all. There is more to wedding photography than just taking the pictures. The first thing you need to do is do A LOT of homework. Find out what others are doing and try to find out a little more of the business before you shoot your first wedding. How did you book 2 weddings without knowing what you'd charge them?

Another thing, I realize that while you are getting started it's perfectly fine to do a couple freebies or low paying weddings but the "super low rate and deliver a quality product" just doesn't cut it. You will not only be underselling your services and won't make any money, but you will not be helping wedding photography as a whole. Do yourself a favor and don't undercharge. These are all points you will eventually figure out on your own.

I decide to get into wedding photography over 6 months ago. I have done a lot of research since then, I've assisted other pro's and I have second shot as well. Only now do I feel ready to actually take on a wedding by myself, and even then, it freaks me out sometimes. I will be shooting my first solo wedding nearly 8 months after I decided to do wedding photography and I am not sorry I took my time. Don't rush into something like this because it could potentially ruin some poor bride's day.

I don't mean to be a bitch, just telling it like is. Sorry, I can't help you with the prints thing. As far as albums, you will probably need to get them from different supplier, print people don't usually make/sell professional wedding albums.

June
06/30/2006 11:26:18 AM · #5
If they booked you sigt unseen and without a price...see if they'll pay $1,000,000 and give me half!

While I support folks getting into the wedding photo biz, i don't take the job lightly. I got into it partly to make money, but also becuse a wedding is a once in a life time event and the couple deserves good photos and a quality album. Too many 'weekend warriors' go out and screw up wedding pics and teh b&g have to live with the results for the rest of their lives. So this is NOT a job to take lightly.

To get good results, technically speaking, takes a certain level of equipment. Perhaps you can make to with less, but perhaps you can rebuild your car with a crescent wrench too or do an appendectomy with a steak knife - but if you call yourself a pro you use the right tools.

two bodies, you MUST have a backup. extra batteries.
shoot RAW and have enought CF for 500 pics.
flash - you can make do with most any decent hotshoe flash, but unless it's an outdoor daylight wedding you need flash, and will want it outdoors anyway.
if you have enough flash or that daylight wedding then you don't need fast glass. it helps...
there are shots you cannot miss - the kiss, bouqet toss, etc, etc. so you need to be thinking ahead and be ready - lens, settings, etc.
can you pose people? I mean more than 'stand over there, look at me and smile'? It takes time to learn it, but if you want good pics, and good pics make happy clients and that means more business for you then you need to learn posing.

It's a business - so if you want to be successful you need to know business stuff - taxes, record keeping, sales tax, insurance, budgeting, etc. YOu can take the best pics in the world, but that's only about 25% of the 'business of photography' (25% being PS and 50% business)

for labs - mpix, whcc, profilmet are all good. (.com)
I use profilmet.com - they have 8x10s for $1 if price matters but also have better quality for more money (for that you get color and contrast adjustment, density adjustments, etc). free shippin in a BOX via UPS, not usmail in an envelops (it makes a difference if you're a pro)
for albums, and you make money on selling albums so you need to learn this part of the biz too, and how to sell them and what size and colors and styles sell too. ArtLeather albums are the best IMO, for the money and profitability and they make you look good. only available to pros so you'l have to have a website/biz cards/etc to appear to be in business. apollo imagizing (illuma albums), albums inc, TAPP, asukabook are all good albums.

and remember, regardless of what the bride says, teh wedding pics she's been seeing (for years) are in all those bridal magazines and websites and things like that - and THAT is what she expects her wedding pics to look like! They won't, you and i know that (she's fat and ugly and having her reception in a firehall afterall) but that does not lower her expectations or how you should handle yourself.

as to charge? I've done free to an upcoming one for $2000. Next year i hope to push that to $3700. Once you see how much work it is (to do it right) you'll agree with 99% of the working wedding photogs out there - no pice is enough LOL.

check out the wedding forum at //www.fredmiranda.com for lots of info an dadvice.
06/30/2006 11:31:30 AM · #6
I am not a wedding photographer but I shoot all other types of events ( Fundraisers, sports, private affairs ).

Your rates could be all over the place depending on the level of service you offer and you will get as many different answers here as there are people responding.

A couple good rules of thumb.

1)..Find out what some of the common package/pricing is in your area. A sure fire way to destroy your business is to price yourself so that you look like a hobbyist. If you ARE a hobbyist and are not worth much I would not be selling yourself as a wedding photographer. I don't do weddings for this very reason. I am not prepared to ruin what may be the most important day of a couple's life and their wdding photos CAN NOT BE REPLACED. And I am better than 50% of the people selling themselves as wedding photographers in my area.

2)..If you pass the first hurdle (above) then offering a day rate combined with various packages is a good way to go. The day rate pays you for your time and expenses and sets a minimum charge to the customers. I charge $1,000 a day (8 or more hours). This includes my travel expenses up to 2 hours one way. Further than 2 hours I charge additional. If I need a second shooter (for big events) I charge $250 per shooter. I charge extra for editing. Many of my events that run 8 or more hours I will shoot 600 to 1,000 photos. Charity golf tournaments are a common occurance for me and there are not as many set-up shots there as in weddings so I may charge more for all the edits. Also, because many of my shots are used in magazines and promotional advertising, I get royalties for their use as well...which I have figured into my pricing. Editing should be figured into your charges. I charge $100 per hour but your mileage may vary. It takes me another day to edit photos so figure another $800 to $1,000.

I would think a beginner wedding photographer that actually has some skill should charge around $2,000 to cover everything (time, travel, editing, and misc). Maybe to make this deal a bit sweeter I would throw in some hours of studio time for the pre-wedding photos or some engagemnet style shots (not more than a few hours worth).

Here is a trick.....To make a deal sweeter...never DISCOUNT your basic services...Offer EXTRA VALUE! Like I mentioned above. Throw in some pre-wedding day photography, some extra prints...all kinds of things that don't subtract from your basic event day charges.

If you are not comfortable charging reasonable rates for your services...maybe you are not ready to be the sole photographer at a wedding.

Remember, even if you give your services away FREE...people expect a certain ability and if customers are led to believe you are capable enough to be the only wedding photographer...they will not protect themselves and back you up. If that is true..you should charge fair market prices.

The biggest problem I have with beginning event photographers is they give away their services because they are not ready to shoot an event and that is a recipe for disaster.

I have a couple shots I took at events I went to. I was paid to fly to Las Vegas and shoot an event for my company that featured Buddy Guy (hes a blues guitarist for all the infidels ot there :-). I didn't charge a lot of money for the shoot but I made a lot of money when several of the shots were used in magazines. You just got to know how the photos will be used in event photography.

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 11:36:46.
06/30/2006 11:50:00 AM · #7
A solid lab that I use for all my clients prints is

JD Imaging

Their ROES system is first rate, easy, and prices are very good.

Your costs should or will eventually dictate your prices. No one can stay in business without paying the bills. Your overhead (aka business or operating costs) will ultimately determine what you charge.

Prepare a thought out business plan and see how much it will cost you to provide professional quality prints to your clients. Then determine how much time and labor you will have into preparation, shooting, editing, etc.

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 11:58:13.
06/30/2006 12:06:54 PM · #8
Originally posted by idnic:

Between buying the proofs, album to put proofs in, building the album (some new software needed), buying the album, it all gets expensive.... not to mention all the editing time! SO, my prices immediately doubled. If the others can ask that price, so can I. And I get it.

last year i did the proofs ina book - too much work.
this year i'm doing proofs on the web. so-so results.
next year - 4x6 prints in a proof box (//www.npdbox.com/photobox.asp) a 4x6 proof box is like $1.50! tell the bride - pick the pics she wants in her album and give them back to you. easy as pie. she can keep the rest (whether you return the ones she gave you is up to you - she gets thos images in the album anyway). Use a lab that prints the filenames on teh prints and you're good to go. //www.winkflash.com/ does 4x6 prints for 12c each and 99c shipping and filnames are on the back - fuji paper good quality (plenty good for proofs)

You HAVE to check out the competetion. to to some bridal shows and see what they charge, what albums they use, etc. Your potential customers will and if you don't measure up, well, they'll pick the other guy. I offered the 'coffee table book' type album and when i saw that 100% of my competetion used artleather (and little else) i added them to my line - and they sell. Almost nobody here wants paper paged books like asuka or illuma as a main album. My booking rate DOUBLED when i added artleather books to what i show clients. They're not that much more costly and the quality is - wow. REAL leather, i mean it smells sooooo good, comes ina prettybox with tissue paper, their name on it...wow factor. add in they are REAL PRINTS that will last 100+ year vs a paper book that is bascially fancy injet, on pages that tear easily...no contest. Put a 2" think artleather next to the same page count illuma and it's not contest what the bride chooses - everytime. cost? iMount deluxe in 8x10 is about $80 plus $20 for 20 8x10 prints - $100. An illuma is so close in price why bother?
06/30/2006 12:28:16 PM · #9
Thank you for the info. Im sorry if it sounds like I did this spur of the moment, but I didn't. These 2 clients know my situation as a newbie to the professional world of photography and I know their situation, getting married and don't have any money. To be honest I think there is a need for cheaper wedding services here because of the number of colleges which produce young poor couples and the nature of the area where wages are low and quality of life is high. To me that means they need someone who will do weddings for less than $2000. Im doing it for the experience now and in the future I can stop shooting these weddings and move into a more expensive arena.

In all my freelance work which has been for 4 bands, a music festival, family portraits and other prints here and there I usually sit down and come up with a rate that is advantageous for both of us. I don't mind doing things a bit cheaper because its an investment for the future. Also if I do things well and the price is lower than expected the value of my service is even higher in the clients eyes which turns into positive word of mouth.

I asked these questions to gather some additional information from a usually supportive audience. I am perfectly capable of coming up with rates myself, I just thought I would ask and compare my ideas.

I do have the equip to handle a small wedding on my own. I have my gear listed, as well as access to a Nikon D70 w/ assorted glass. A sigma 500 flash, 3 1GB cards, 2 2GB cards, plenty of batteries, tripod.
06/30/2006 02:57:55 PM · #10
Justin,

I totally agree with you, and I am doing the same thing as well. For some couples $2000-$7000 for wedding photography is just too much to pay. So should those couples have to settle for having a friend take snap shots? I don't think so, and while I am getting experience and building my portfolio I am perfectly willing to "work my way up" so to speak. I am honest with clients about the fact that right now I do photography part time, I am a microbiologist by day (I know WEIRD combination huh). Sure, there are a lot of clients who aren't going to use me because they want someone with more experience, and are able to pay the higher fees. I hope someday to be able to get several grand for doing a wedding, but in the mean time...there is a demand for quality, slightly less expensive wedding photography. I did my first wedding for only $200, but I felt that was reasonable at the time. They were taking a chance on someone with no reputation, to have asked for the full price my competition gets...well to me that is just laughable. I am now (after just two bookings) increasing my prices to $600. This gets them my attention for the full day (no time limits), a collages.net website for their proofs, a CD/DVD slide show of their proofs set to music, and engagement pictures. I have seven weddings booked right now...but have only actually done one. As soon as I have a few more clients to show work of I am going to increase my prices a little more.

I have used Mpix in the past for my portrait prints, but for wedding prints I am going to choose a more professional quality lab. I haven't decided yet who I am going to use...but I am leaning toward candid2000 right now.

A few things that you really have to have (even if you are doing wedding photography for people you know)

1. Contract...make them sign it. I even make my clients initial each item.
2. Insurance...just in case....
3. Backup equip.

It sounds like you have the backup equip covered...definitely make sure that you get the contract...and if feasible the insurance also. If you need to see a contract PM me, I would be happy to send you the one that I use.
06/30/2006 03:22:37 PM · #11
I too started with people that 'couldn't afford $2000' for wedding photography.

90% of them are lying.

Why do i say that? Cause i am shooting for those folks this year, and, well i got $250. The church, a non profit benevolent christian 'giving' oraganizion got $1000. Excuse me?!?! And that was a monday wedding cause a weekend wedding was $1500! Another wedding (i did for free for my portfolio) because well, the b&g are 'poor' - well, that church got $700 for 2 hours of being open. the preacher got $150. They honeymooned in cancun. they bought a house the next month.

Bite me that they can't afford it. They are lying.

What they really mean is they don't value photography. If it was important they'd spend money on it, wouldn't they? They could cut costs someplace else. For my wedding the church was free, the preacher $25.

With low end weddings you get low end photographs - i mean, uglier venues, no limos, smaller weddings - and you will find usually little involvement in the photography activity. And you'll be the last one hired.
I didn't get a wedding (probably a good thing) - the church was $795 and booked 14 months in advance. The reception was at a fancy hotel - so you know it was not cheap. 3 weeks before this wedding date she had yet to pick a photographer and was looking at my least expensive package. She drove a BMW convertible about a year old.

Can't afford it? BS. A few sure, but most just don't feel the need to spend the money. Move upmarket and you'll see the difference inthe client's attitude.

Other examples: They buy my cheap package ($849 for 5 hours and an album!) and 175 people are there, including the former mayor of the city and the all go to the reception, all videotaped by 2 guys (i bet they got more than me). Or a free one i did - for thank i'm giving them a few prints and a DVD of all the images...that was 5 months ago and they have not picked up the images yet...it was NOT the price, as it was free!

They don't value photography so they won't spend money on it.

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 15:26:21.
06/30/2006 03:32:58 PM · #12
Prof Fate
good advice. I totally agree with you. Do you think a few cheap weddings are a good idea to 1. build a portfolio for future gigs and 2. justifies the fact that I have never done a wedding.

06/30/2006 04:18:27 PM · #13
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

I offered the 'coffee table book' type album and when i saw that 100% of my competetion used artleather (and little else) i added them to my line - and they sell. Almost nobody here wants paper paged books like asuka or illuma as a main album. My booking rate DOUBLED when i added artleather books to what i show clients. They're not that much more costly and the quality is - wow. REAL leather, i mean it smells sooooo good, comes ina prettybox with tissue paper, their name on it...wow factor. add in they are REAL PRINTS that will last 100+ year vs a paper book that is bascially fancy injet, on pages that tear easily...no contest. Put a 2" think artleather next to the same page count illuma and it's not contest what the bride chooses - everytime. cost? iMount deluxe in 8x10 is about $80 plus $20 for 20 8x10 prints - $100. An illuma is so close in price why bother?


Prof_Fate, where do you get your ArtLeather books? Who do you order them from?
06/30/2006 04:19:17 PM · #14
Originally posted by pix-are:

Prof_Fate, where do you get your ArtLeather books? Who do you order them from?


ArtLeather
06/30/2006 05:41:50 PM · #15
Originally posted by Jmnuggy:

Prof Fate
good advice. I totally agree with you. Do you think a few cheap weddings are a good idea to 1. build a portfolio for future gigs and 2. justifies the fact that I have never done a wedding.


You need to shoot a wedding or two to know if you like it. It can be a long day, and when people are depending on you to proved the pics of the most expensive day of their lives (to spend $20,000 on a wedding is too easy) and there are no do-overs, it can be stressful. Then you have 200 to 1000 images to edit - well, edit as in pick the 300 best ones to show the client. THEN you get to wait...months maybe. The client then decides they need the album and a 16x20 on canvas in a week. yeah right...

Each wedding is different and that makes it fun, er, challenging? I;m enjoying it and slowly getting over the stress part as my confidence builds and i feel capable of consistenly delivering good images.

Then you have to develop a style...that takes time. It's hard to get practice at weddings. You can take 300 shots of a flower in a glass vase, change this or that and shoot some more. For wedddings...one this week, next one in a month, then 3 in a row..and each one is different.

You need a portfolio. brides want to see pictures of brides. You can have all the best dog flower and car pics in the world and she won't care.

You need the business stuff figured out - this is teh hard part as there are no manuals on this stuff. Website? biz cards? pricing (as in price sheets, album prices, print prices). A bride says 'send me some info' - what do you mail? good paper, cheap paper, envelope? It's her first contact with you so make it a good one! She wants to meet and see your albums/prints....umm, where? You're the pro, so what order do you show stuff in? DO you ask questions? What questions? You should have some order and idea of a sales presentation - what makes you better/special/the one to hire? got a philosophy? If she asks "how long you been doin' this? or 'Got backup equipment? or 'DO you preview the church? - you got convincing answers?

Show big to sell big. You want to sell a 12x12 60 page album, then you SHOW a 12x12 60 page album, NOT a 2x2 10 page one and ask them to imagine it bigger. So you need sample albums (2, 3 7? what colors, sizes or types? you want different weddings in each!!). This takes time and money.

What you gonna call your business? It they give you a check, can you cash that? Take credit cards? Payment plans? Need a license for this business? You have competition, and some of them are not gonna be nice and may turn you in to some gov't agency (not collecting sales tax, no biz license, etc). Then you're up a creek without a paddle...

So go have some fun! LOL
06/30/2006 05:44:18 PM · #16
Originally posted by idnic:

Originally posted by pix-are:

Prof_Fate, where do you get your ArtLeather books? Who do you order them from?


ArtLeather


//www.artleather.com/contact_us/Local_Sales_Rep.shtml and call your local rep. Some albums are discounted if used a studio sample. your rep can show you albums, prices, etc and will help you - you sell albums they make money too.

My local rep also is a wedding photog, a vrey nice buy willing to loan albums, give advice and answer questions.
06/30/2006 07:53:47 PM · #17
I agree 100% with Prof_Fate when he says people can afford a lot more for a photographer than they are telling.

What are the most important purchases for a wedding?

The Brides Dress.........

The Wedding Cake.........

The Venue................

The Photographer......

And you know....I wouldnt put too much seperation in there.

A great photographer can make the venue appear better than it was. A good photographer can make the bride appear better than the dress or mother nature allowed.

A bad photographer (meaning one that lacks technique beyond getting exposure close) can make the whole affair look worse ..even if you were married in the Sistine Chapel by the Pope with a gown by a Top Designer and a cake by Emiril.

One of your first duties as an aspiring photographer is to learn how to councel your clients on the mystery, art and beauty of photography. You are the expert, you paint the picture, you are the one giving advice on memories that last a lifetime. If you can't do it...then get all the details, find a real professional and give them the job with a split and you back them up.

If people want to be pros the fist rule is act like one. Put your interest in building a portfolio or being seen as the nice guy last.

Personally, anyone who shoots a wedding before being an assistant I question their desire to be a pro becasue they seem to lack the talent and desire to learn their craft correctly...Sorry if that seems harsh but I take this stuff very seriously.
07/01/2006 02:12:34 PM · #18
How did you book 2 weddings without knowing what to charge?

Originally posted by Jmnuggy:

I like this new section...

I have decided to stop trying to figure out how to make money with photos and just do it. I placed a few ads in the newspaper (luckily I work at the paper so its free) and I now have booked 2 small weddings. I need to figure out what to charge. So a few questions...

1.where is the best place to have wedding prints done, I am looking for quality and price. Also, I will need to put together an album for them as well, so if I could get both prints and album from teh same place that would be great.

2.What should I charge for my time? I have no reputation, no clout in the photog community. i am essentially a nobody and would like to charge accrodingly. My thought is super low rate and deliver a quality product could go a long way w/ word of mouth and referals.

any help is welcome.

07/01/2006 03:01:05 PM · #19
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:


check out the wedding forum at //www.fredmiranda.com for lots of info an dadvice.


I can't check it out, because you need to be a member. I can't become a member, because they don't allow registration with free email sites like gmail, which is all i have.
07/01/2006 04:32:52 PM · #20
We use CPQ out of Cleveland, TN and then we can have reprint orders sent straight from our Collages wedding site to the printer (example Collages wedding layout). If you go with Collages they can send print orders directly to about 20 different labs including CPQ and Mpix or Miller labs (its the same building and print service but MPix is the consumer side of the company while Miller labs has been around for print customers for a long time). I don't know who Pictage uses (may be their own print lab) but its another presentation service that allows you to present your wedding work and also sell reprints. We used to handle this but the whole presentation is just very tight with these organizations and our add-on sales have more than doubled by using such services.

Since we're working this as an extra business we try to be careful about how much we sell so that we're glad to catch some clients who want just a DVD of the images and a print release for Wal-Mart for their own use but sometimes (like this last weekend) we get someone who isn't into digital or computers or anything techie and she wanted the whole kit & kaboodle. It can take a TON of work to build an album if you let it (be careful how much you let the bride choose to "edit" photos - we now just give them what we have after our first pass through to touch up any glaring issues like a 4" zit on the end of the groom's nose or something). We've gone from 4-6 weeks for album creation and delivery to having the prints back by the time the couple gets in from the honeymoon and we can have the album put together in 2 weeks but we never quote that to them because inevitably something comes up with someone getting sick or we forgot something else was going on week after next and before you know it we're scrambling. We have a good system and brides seem happy with it.

The learning curve on wedding photography can be not so bad in terms of how steep it is but it can be a killer in terms of dollars out of your pocket and bad press. You need to be careful about what you expect out of a wedding and what your client expects. Even if you want to learn to shoot weddings don't end up buying yourself a bad reputation by underselling the amount of effort its going to take you to give the bride what she wants and thinsks she's paying for. Professional photographers (and even semi-pros) charge some serious dollars for a reason: when the wedding day is over and the church just has to be cleaned up and the wedding cake is already eaten and the wedding dress just needs to be packed away . . well, the wedding photos are still being worked on, printed, sorted, checked and rechecked, loaded into an album and then delivered to the bride. The photos are about the only thing that she still has to look forward to after the actual wedding day has come and gone so you don't want to do a bad job or even be late on what you deliver.
07/01/2006 07:15:26 PM · #21
For those who ask how I booked 2 weddings w/ out even having a price figured out, I will entertain that question.

First I just did it. I responded to an ad not expecting a call back, but I got one and booked it. I found out what the wedding was going to be like and knew I could handle it. The other wedding called me. I do some freelance for bands and portraits and real estate and have an ad running in the paper for photog services, never did I expect to attract a wedding, but it happened.

Now what Im finding is that I actually can fill a market niche. This area is known for quality of life being very high, but employment/wages is not so good. There are 4 colleges in a small area and people stay, especially couples. They are getting married and don't have a budget, thats great because I don't have any experience yet. We come up with a price and its booked. Probably cheaper than all pros, but they would never have called a pro to begin with its either instant cameras on the tables for everyone or me. The best part is, a lot of these college couples that stay have friends in teh same boat. Once one friend gets married, you know what happens, they all start getting married. If I get this one wedding right, their friends can finance my new 5D. Thats how I think of it. I get experience for the future and they get some decent photos.
07/03/2006 03:50:20 PM · #22

In order to assist for a pro you have to find one that is willing to let you assist them. I have had terrible luck with that, but that doesn't mean that I am not serious, or that I don't understand the responsibility that I am taking on by shooting a wedding. I have a friend who is actually studying photography in college and when she came back for the summer she couldn't find a single pro who would take her on...and she had an amazing portfolio too. If they won't take her, then please explain how I will find someone who will let me assist. I am a full time microbiologist...doesn't exactly sound promising does it? But I love photography, and am really hoping to be able to learn enough here, and in the real world to eventually be able to make it a full time career.

Also, not everyone who can't afford thousands of dollars for their wedding photography is just trying to get a really good deal. I just got married 5 years ago...my parents have three daughters only 4.5 years apart. We were raised on a farm, and not a huge making money kind of farm, we were the don't know how we will buy groceries next week kind. To assume that everyone can spend $20000 on a wedding is just not realistic. And to say that if you can't spend thousands on photography means that they don't value photography is BS. I do value photography, obviously, or I wouldn't be here. I am sure that some of you have had bad experiences, and sometimes it may be true of some people, but not always.

Sorry...overly sensitive personality...

slinks away
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