fotografz Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Well, the season is over for me now, and I'm a little bummed out, sort of ... got some decent new work to show, but I have to get on the stick and advertise/make more contacts. Heck, I'm even completely out of business cards. Like the Cobblers children who went without shoes, I haven't attended to any marketing for the future. Now I'm done with this year's weddings I can turn my attention to selling (even though we've booked eight decent sized 2006 weddings already without doing anything). The web site needs an overhaul with new work done this year, and I think the images need to be a little bit bigger... your opinions would be invaluable. How's everyone else doing? Lots of weddings still booked for this year yet? I had to cool it because I knew I had a bunch of work at my Daytime job that was coming in the fourth quarter 2005. Anyone need a second shooter one of these Saturdays? I'll work cheap, and bring my own gear. Here's a few samples from 2005 weddings ... <a href=http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder.tcl?folder_id=540005>Hire Me</a><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostfx Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Very nice shots. Where are you located? DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_rubinstein___mancheste Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Unfortunately for me my main wedding season is the winter and I'm still stuck here at home with crutches. I've had to turn down all weddings until mid Janurary and the amount of money I've lost this winter is double what I made in the past year. I'm trying to open a portrait studio catering to my regular clients in the area (i.e. the Orthodox Jewish Community), the main problem has being finding a location that is big enough for very large family groups (10+ being the norm not the exception) but still local enough to be considered by the clients as 'in the community'. Not easy at all. It's also a large expenditure when I'm stoney broke! BTW and off topic Marc, I'm trying to teach myself to use Av on the canon cameras, I've metered with an ambient hand held meter since my AE-1 days and shot in manual. Is it normal that the camera underexposes by 1.5 to 2 stops whenever there is any small amount of backlighting or even a small percentage of white in the frame? It's annoying the heck out of me with the 5D and I borrowed back my old 10D which is just as bad. Center Weighed is slightly better but evaluative really sucks.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colleendonovan Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 You're kidding right Marc??? I would die if you came and photographed a wedding with me. Maybe that's what you should do. Market yourself as an assistant, but one who get's paid a LOT!! And of course you would have to stipulate that all of your expenses would have to be paid also! It could work!! I only have one more wedding this year in December. But, this has really been my first year in business so I'm hoping next year will be a little busier. Two weddings a month would be great, and I could take Senior photos for every kid out there and not get tired of that. I love Seniors!! Why are you changing your website? I think it looks great. I love the fact that it isn't just all white, but the colors you do have are pretty subtle. Good luck with your marketing. I'm racking my brain trying to think of something really cool for the bridal fair in February. Thanks for your advice in the other thread about the couple. I just hope the guy doesn't freak out after the wedding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacy Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 I have 2 weeks off now- then 2 weddings in November and 5 weddings in December. I'm going to try and work on marketing a bit during this break too. We have a big bridal show in January that I need stuff for so I'll start thinking about that. What you should do with your time off Marc is write a PS instruction book. I'm always amazed by your images- the light looks so surreal in some of them. I bet most of us here would be happy to pay $30 for some stapled paper :) I don't know if you would want to travel here (IN), but today someone called with a very nice wedding for next October 14- but we're booked. A greek wedding and reception at the Omni (one of my favorite places for a reception). Anyway- she asked me to send her some references and I would be happy to give her your name if you're willing to travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daydreamsart Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 It looks over for me, but it's only been my first year with weddings and only word of mouth for marketing them. It was a great first year and convinced me that I love this area of photography and want to concentrate my marketing in this direction. I need to finish up a wedding, 2 senior portrait sessions and 2 families that are on my desk, then I can maybe start my overhaul. With the GREAT stuff I've learned here (from you, Marc, and others), I'm going to re-do everything from my business cards to my website. I'll be looking for second opinions here along the way. As for your site, I like it as is, but you could go a bit bigger with your images. My screen is set to 1024 x 768 and there's plenty of white space around the images. The bigger the better when it comes to beautiful pictures and impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kari douma Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 I am done for the year too. My next wedding isn't until the end of January, then spring! I am starting to wind down all my other jobs too, seniors and families. I need to overhaul all my pricing, flyers, business cards, and buy some new equipment to play with over the winter :)! That would be a laugh, Marc assisting ME! I think it would end up the other way around, even if it was my job! wouldn't it be great for some poor bride who could only afford a bargin photographer like me to end up with someone like marc working her wedding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted October 31, 2005 Author Share Posted October 31, 2005 I can't believe it Stacey, I just booked October 14th 2006 today!!! Met with the couple yesterday and they called not 2 hours ago. For crying out loud, I'd have done it. I love out of town wedding shoots. Thanks so much for thinking of me. Anyway, Bruce, what setting do you have the meter pattern set on? I telling you it's a bit depressing not having a wedding coming up soon. I sometimes whine about it all when we have one on top of the other, but I do so love to shoot that when I don't have one I whine even more ; -) I've also decided to dump a hug amount of well loved but less used gear and will be going to a H2D and 22 meg digital back ... especially to shoot weddings. The AF in that new camera is phonominal. Plus all my Hasselblad CF lenses can now be used on it via a new auto stop down adapter. Toys are us. But it'll turn me into a camera retailer for the whole winter. Is it spring yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_rubinstein___mancheste Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 It was Ben and evaluative, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff_henry Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Nice shots Marc! I'm finished also. Had my last wedding for '05 on 10/22. I was offered one on Thanksgiving weekend but declined. Ended up with 23 shoots this year, down from 32 last year, but my fee was higher. I'm now in about same boat as you, well maybe closer to Todd F.'s boat. Not sure which way I'm going in '06. Studio I shoot for wants me to change over to digital. I have a 20D but have not used it for any of their shoots. Even if I sell/trade my 1V and EOS-3 for a 1D Mk II or 5D I don't see how I will ever recoup my cost at studio's pay rate. Studio is not willing to pay me more if I use digital even thou they have an extra cost of about $10/hour when I shoot film. They are largest studio in market and there just aren't any other studios to shoot for, at least that could offer more that a couple of wedding per year. As I see it I have only two options: 1) Put up a web site and shoot for myself. Problem is I am retired and my wife can retire in about 18 months. After she retires we want to travel. I'm afraid I will never recoup cost of starting my own business. And, of course, having to book 6 to 12 months or more in advance does not help with my time table. 2) Stop shooting for studio, sell a little extra eq. and go back to enjoying my photography hobby. I don't shoot weddings for the money, most of which has gone to purchase needed photo eq. for weddings. However, I refuse to continue to work for the slave wages studio wants to pay. Even thou I don't shoot for the money, I have pride in myself and my work and am tired of making the other guy rich. What to do? What to do? I'm afraid I can't hire you, but come Jan. and Feb. when the snow is up to your a**, you can come to So. Texas and we can sit on the river bank and I'll bring the beer and tacos. Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Have about 5-6 events but most of them are in November. Not a lot in December. Must be a trend this year. Some Decembers have been busy in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.m. Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 I have one wedding left for November...the 19th if you're interested in joining me in CT :) I'm still shooting a bunch of engagements and have 14 weddings booked so far for 2006, but I'm really looking forward to the winter break! Best, Reina<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_levine Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 We have 1 or 2 events left, and that's it for the season. Once the cold weather arrives, it becomes risky to schedule catered affairs. From now untill the end of March, there is always the possibility of snow here(in upstate New York). So most people won't chance it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_dutchman1 Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Take a vacation now that you have the time. I still have six to go, plus some holiday events. January is a busy sales month, so I'm looking at February for my next vacation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenPapai Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 (Ben R. -- I always pictured you as about 20 years older than that shot.) <p>I think the "large" images you post to your own Web pages should be 800 pixels in the long dimension, and then also stamp them with your © logo since often times a passable 4x6 inch print can be had from such 'small' large images. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted October 31, 2005 Author Share Posted October 31, 2005 Oh my Ben, you should have called me Mike in retaliation : -) Hmm, I usually shoot in evaluative when using AV , but I prefer some underexposure even though you are suppose to get the histogram to toe the right side. As far as strong light sources causing the underexposure, yes that does happen, but I judge it pretty fast now and correct for it. Have you tried one of the other metering modes? Or maybe we all should be just using manual. It's so easy to just meter the grass or a middle tone, slightly adjust, and shoot away. Yeah Nadine, the pattern is weird sometimes. In previous years I had good Novembers and some in December. This year nothing. I did turn down one on December 17th, because it's the day of our world famous Christmas Party (WaaaHooo!). I gave it to Marcin Harla whom I met through p.n wedding forum. And I have a couple of holiday events to shoot before years' end. Strangely, the commercial stuff dried up for the remainder of the year also. One decent job coming in early December and that's it. I can't take much in December or January anyway. We're working on a huge new ad campaign for a client, and I have to jet off to supervise a TV commercial shoot in January. Darn real job is getting in the way of working. But hey, Santa Monica ain't all bad in January ...if you're from Michigan ; -)<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_rubinstein___mancheste Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Ken, if I were to tell my true age then I would lose all credibility I have on this site, albeit I am a full time wedding/event photographer and just lost 10,000 GBP between September and January due to being laid up with this stupid foot. That photo has an interesting history to it eventhough it's truly awful from a technical point of view. If you are referring to the landscape stuff, to hell with them if they want to print a crappy 6X4" it doesn't bother me, it really doesn't. Those images at full size prints need to be seen to be believed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrin ballman www.crossl Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Looks like I'm done now, although I did have a December inquiry. Day job gets demanding this time of year though - but in the meantime I need to redo the web site and packages - price increase time! So far three booked for 2006. Always love the pics Marc! - inspirational . Here's a couple favorite Brides from 05....<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_rubenstein___nyc Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Oh, come on Marc... Bruce is the guy you don't like. I have one, maybe two gigs for the rest of the year. The biggest was doing the formals of my younger son for his Bar Mitzvah.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_rubinstein___mancheste Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Oh my G-d! minus the freckles and that was me at my bar mitzva! To this day I refuse to let my wife see the video, I'd never live it down. It's bad enough when my Father in Law comes for a meal and spends the whole time looking at my wedding photo and then back at me and laughing. I was in the army then and very slim and fit compared to now...<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooks whittington Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 We have 6 more weddings before the end of the year.... Wish we had some time off! ~brooks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_rubinstein___mancheste Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 And nowadays....<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anner Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Still have a few more to go and too many to catch up on. It's getting to the point where my full time job is getting in the way of fulfilling my client commitments. Wish there were more hours in the day- or I could somehow make time stop. How much an hour for editing, Marc? That's where I find I don't have enough time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_rubenstein___nyc Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Must be something about Bens and guns. Even with the clip out of the rifle, the person running the range wasn't thrilled with where I was standing.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikal_grass Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Marc What happened to the "joy" of shooting film at the weddings? The desire to shoot with the 'blad overwhelmed everything else? I don't blame you, though. Mikal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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