Wedding Newbie - Do I have talent and how to proceed

[lindamccague]

I have enjoyed photography for the past few years and am wanting to move

towards being a professional photographer. I have done several portrait

sessions (mostly paid) and even was asked to do one wedding in 2006 that I did

and was paid for as well.

 

I have decided to start taking a more proactive approach. Rather than having

people ask me for my services (which was why I started to consider photography

as a career) I am going to try to immerse myself in it.

 

I went on craigslist yesterday looking to see if there was anyone looking for a

new photographer to shoot their wedding for a budget price. There was and I

contacted her. She was looking for a student to expand their portfolio which is

what I would like to do. I'l also signed up for to start a photography program

at the local college next week. I had sent her the link to my pics in my

portfolio here and she contacted me and liked them and wants to know how much I

will charge for the wedding.

 

She wants 4-6 hours of shooting and a coffee table book and CD of high res

images. I was thinking of charging $100/hour plus the cost of the book with

about $100 of my design time for making the book. I know I will be able to do a

very nice book as my main business up until this point has been custom photo

cards. I was paid $650 for the last (first) wedding I shot. It was so much work

though... it was an indian wedding and it went over 2 days. I did a DVD

slideshow to be shown at the reception that was pics of them as little kids and

I had to scan over 100 photos etc. etc. I also edited 200 photos for a regular

album for them that they needed 3 days after the wedding.

 

The bride of the indian wedding asked me to shoot her wedding before I had ever

considered going pro. She worked at the grocery store and had seen pics I had

taken over the past couple years of my kids and loved them.

 

Anyway, I guess my questions are: Do you think I have any talent? I can get

some nice pics, but there are a lot of ones that get deleted that aren't so

good. Is it like that for everyone? I just make sure to take enough shots to

get some good ones.

 

Do you think charging $100 / hour is reasonable. I just know how much work it

is to edit photos afterwards that I don't want to go much less than $100/hour.

 

For equipment I have a Canon 40D, 17-85 IS USM, 70-200 2.8L IS, 50 1.8 (I will

purchase the 50 1.4 in March (wedding is in June), 580EX II flash.

 

Is starting weddings this way (by just jumping in) getting over my head. I only

accept jobs if I feel I can do it well. I think I can pull it off. :) I'd love

to hear your thoughts. Thanks! Linda

[craig_shearman1]

1) Read "Wedding Photography: Art, Business and Style" by Steve Sint and memorize every page. 2) Either at the college or a photo school, find a basic course in wedding photographer. Don't know where you're located, by the Washington School of Photography here in D.C. does a weekend-long intro course that let's you get both some hands-on experience in a church with a model bride and groom and some sample pix to show. 3) Wedding photography is usually priced as a package, not by the hour (although some set a limit of how many hours and then charge hourly beyond that). If $650 didn't feel like enough, charge $1,000. But don't charge anything unless you absolutely know what you are doing. Once you charge, you are holding yourself out as a professional and clients will expect professional results. If you don't deliver, you will be ruining your reputation before you even get started.

[edrodgers]

What he said, also:

 

I think you need a bit more practice before going pro, and you will need backup equipment. You should at least have two bodies and two flashes.

 

I think you should go slow. Take your time and work at it. It requires intensity to continually improve yourself. When you are getting consistent results, and everyone is happy with your work, take on a little more.

 

I do think you have potential, But there are many photography "errors" in your photo.net gallery. Focus jumps out at me first.

 

Best of luck!

[david_garcia10]

Hello, Linda! I'm a newbie as well-I've been reading a lot of stuff and many pro photographers can't stress enough the need for a backup camera especially when you start charging for stuff. So if you don't have one yet get one even perhaps a 20D and backup CF cards? You never know when your camera dies on you. Anyways, goodluck!

[davebell]

I would suggest doing a few for free, or at the most just travel expenses etc. and not charge. That's what I did and I improved, in my humble opinion, in leaps and bounds between the 1st and 4th one, then freebies stopped. Not charging takes the pressure off you, which helps a lot when learning. One wedding is certainly not enough experience to then justify charging.

[candice]

You never know what a job has in for you, weather you think you can handle it or not till you get there. Do what David said do some for free.

[William Michael]

In regards to your equipment and a professional engagement:

 

You are critically vulnerable in regard to your system`s redundancy: you NEED a second body and a second flash.

 

You are vulnerable apropos lens speed especially at the wide: 50mmF1.8 (or F1.4) will not cut it in a tight spot or with a large group or both.

 

You should consider, at the first opportunity changing, your main zoom lens: the EF-S 17-85 F4 ?F5.6 IS is really too slow (but manageable) for the main zoom lens for Weddings: also the varying aperture throughout the zoom range can be a limitation which constantly needs to be addressed on the fly, especially when framing / shooting quickly under time limits and pressures. In this regard the EF-S 17 to 55 F2.8 IS is a better choice.

 

Re other things:

Are you good and do you have talent?

 

There seems only your portfolio here upon which to judge: yes you have talent, and an eye, especially to capture emotion in the `traditional portrait` and variants of it.

 

Though each of the five images on your portfolio I viewed, enlarged, have technical errors, not many of these would perhaps be significant to the AVERAGE customer. But there will be customers that come your way who know the product, and some who know it well.

 

Just as examples:

The Bride attending her stocking or shoe is a very nice image: BUT the Shutter Speed was too slow as there is movement in the Cross. And the crop is poor, it renders the hands cut inappropriately, which spoils the flow of the viewer`s eye which should traverse from the Bride`s face down, across the breast`s cleavage, down the arms, to the slipper / stocking, then back up the right leg and under thigh into the negative space and then finally back to the face.

 

As another example: The cake, does not have adequate DoF and IMO is poorly framed. It seems, even without being there, a better viewpoint (to camera left) could have given a more manageable DoF, placed the flowers better around the gold posts and excluded the OoF background large photograph which is quite distracting.

 

The B&W young girl (facing camera left tight head shot) is a nice high key image, but is soft, (perhaps intentionally in post production?), but looks to me it is an OoF and DoF issue, and whilst high key work is great and captures the eye: one must never blow the highlights and the highlight are well gone in this image.

 

 

You make a good point about how efficiently you shoot is very important: IMO it is not much point a professional needing to shoot 1000 to get 100, but there are some who do.

 

Wedding photography is usually charges for a package, (as mentioned above), or at least charged for the for the shoot, not by the hour: but there are some (me, at this time, for example) who charge themselves out at an hourly rate.

 

I mention this because I charge myself out to the new owners of my old studio: NOT the client. I consult reconnoitre, plan, shoot and then go home. I get paid for that time and expertise.

 

You however are dealing with the client and have to supply the end product to them, so it is important, if you are charging `by the hour` that cost reflects all the work you will be doing and the products you will be supplying.

 

I encourage a proactive approach, and whilst doing a few Weddings pro bono is a very good suggestion, and certainly in keeping with being very proactive: however I believe assisting to an experienced Professional is more in keeping with the hardware you carry at this point in time: and the specific regard to your equipment this course of action should, in the short term, be fait accompli.

 

 

Considering the other issues of the post I suggest, that you ruthlessly evaluate your experience and skill sets before venturing forth, IMO, in this regard, assisting for several Weddings would be invaluable to you, however your ego, adrenaline and grit might just carry you on this you on this point : but it cannot on this issue of hardware, not even God can do that.

 

Proactive with system redundancy; experience; and a solid plan is good.

 

Proactive with adequate gear, but little experience and ego and grit is possible, and sometimes dangerous and an adrenaline rush.

 

Proactive with dead camera; dead flash; lens too slow and big egg on face: is business suicide.

 

(note: even if it is a pro bono gig, it is still a professional engagement and they are clients: that is how it will be viewed).

 

WW

 

[savagesax]

I won't rate your work, but make sure you get a contract written up by an attorney or search the web for wedding contracts.

[gpjoell3]

William, I think you nailed it right on.

 

Linda, the reason most suggest you work with another Pro Photographer is because you will gain invaluable experience without the stress of getting the perfect shot. You may get paid enough to build onto your equipment, which should consist of much more then you have. Another reason is, you can gain experience without ruining your reputation. Just remember, you can photograph 40 weddings a year and have 40 different locations, 40 difference lighting situations, 40 different problems that arise, and 40 different brides.

 

Imagine this, you are successful on your second wedding and feeling good. You contract a third wedding and you are told that you can not use flash and you have to shoot totally from a balcony. At this point, you have to evaluate the situation and decide whether or not you have the right equipment and the technical skills to do the job. You still have to get the preparation shots and the shots just before the precession begins. Then you have to get to the balcony and capture the rest of the wedding. You will have lens changes to do on the fly, ISO, WB, and Mode Changes. You may have to set up a tripod and use a cable release. The point here is most experience pro photographers have experienced it all and will be able to explain in detail to most brides exactly what it will take to capture their special day. They will not have the lame excuse that this is only there third wedding and they are sorry for all the dark, blurry, unusable photos of their once in a life time wedding.

 

My last words are, professional photographers take pride in knowing that if they except a job, they are capable of producing a quality product. They are confident because they have been there and done that. My advice is to find you a Pro Photographer in your area and ask if you can work as a second. They will let you know when you are ready. What really gets me is when someone thinks that buying photography equipment and doing one event gives them the license to become a professional. I hope you are not one of those folks and you take it a little slower and work with an experience photographer until you can answer most of the questions in your post yourself.

 

George

[William Michael]

An aside, addressing another skill:

 

>>> until you can answer most of the questions in your post yourself. <<< (GJ)

 

Excellent phrase, which captures the moment and every nuance within it.

 

(and my comment is NOT in return for your remark. It is simply that your close, apropos journalistic technique, is powerful and IMO excellent.)

 

WW

[KenPapai]

Just a few quick comments -- I agree as well, your focus on some of your portrait shots is way off. It doesn't seem from subject motion but from poor focus.

 

Ditch the 17-85 zoom. It's purely a consumer lens, is too slow, and not nearly the best optics. If you can afford it get the fast 16-35 lens and another body and another Speedlite.

 

Looks like you are developing a good eye, so good one!

 

Best of luck.

[lindamccague]

Thank you all for your comments. :) I really appreciate them. I want to make sure that you all know that I in no way consider myself a professional. I WANT to become one. I want to improve and I know I need to. I know my technical skills need improvement and this is why I have signed up for the photography program. Each course is one night a week for 3 hours and goes for 12 weeks. There is a specific wedding course included that does allow you to take pictures of a model bride and groom. I am very much looking forward to it. The wedding that I may shoot is in June, so unfortunately I won't have done the wedding course by this time. I am doing intermediate digital photography first and then a lighting one (which is a prerequisite for the wedding class), and then the wedding one. I believe there are about 20 classes to do if you want to complete the whole certificate program. If anyone is interested in seeing the course here is the link: http://www.langara.bc.ca/cs/photography/home/cs_photography_index.htm

 

I am glad some of you think I have the eye. That is the most important to me. I believe you can learn technical skills, but you must have the "eye" built in.

 

Craig, I have ordered Wedding Photography: Art, Business and Style by Steve Sint and I will memorize it.

 

I have also contacted a professional photographer that I knew a few years ago that liked my work. I have asked her if I could assist. I hope that works out. I may be able to assist weddings before possibly doing the one in June.

 

Again, thank you for your comments. You are all so professional and do wonderful work. I would like to be an active part of this community and learn from you all.

 

I have a question about equipment. I agree that I would need a 2nd body and flash. I am on quite good terms with the local pro lab here as I have been printing my custom photo cards with them for the past 3 years. They leant me the camera that I shot the first wedding with (a Canon 30D and flash). I am sure they would lend me another if I do another wedding.

 

I know my zoom that came with my camera is not professional. I have been thinking of replacing it with the 24-70 2.8L. A few of you have recommended zooms that are wider than this. I would prefer not to purchase another EF-S lens as I would like to upgrade to a full frame body for my next camera. I was planning on purchasing this lens and the 50 1.4 in March... would it be better to maybe buy this zoom and a wider angle instead of the 50? Or just go for a wider angle zoom? I also have a manfrotto tripod and I even got a monopod for Christmas, I have the stofen omni bounce and I have a B+W circular polarizer.

 

>>What really gets me is when someone thinks that buying photography equipment and doing one event gives them the license to become a professional<<

 

George, I am trying to purchase professional equipment... not because I think this makes me a professional, but because I hope to save money in the end by buying it right the first time (except that slow zoom was sold to me with my camera). Yes, one day I would like to be a professional, but I know it won't be the equipment that does it.

 

Thank you again.

[KenPapai]

I have a Sto-Fen Omnibounce as well the Manfrotto, and LOVE the 24-70 2.8L. Its nickname is the Wedding Lens. smart choice to ditch EF-S lens; just start building you quality EF lens collection now and you will NEVER regret that.

 

The 50 1.4 isn't a ring USM Canon lens; it's an old-fashioned early EF USM from Canon and I can never in good faith recommend stuff like that (the cheap 50 1.8 is even worse). The 24-70 will do you very well now and for the next ten years.

 

Nice start -- nice head on your shoulders too.

[gordonholman]

Linda , Just remember , equipment is secondary! Shooting wedings, people, and events is realy about knowing your subject and what is going to happen before it happens! And captureing it ! it is yousing your personality to bring out theres! Get to know your clients well and there wishes first .