"Newbies" - Advice from a photogapher

[bms]

<p>Aimee, I get the point and I am with James on this one. I do not fancy myself a "pro-photographer", I am clearly an amateur. However, there are excpetional cirumstances, mostly around money, which will probably become more common now. I did one wedding for a friend without a budget, though I agonized about it for weeks. Talk about a stressful job (and I have a job that most people would consider stressfull)! I think I did a decent job at it, though I am sure a seasoned pro would have easily beat me hands down. Said I never would I do it again, until one of our former secretaries asked me - she and her groom are in their 20's, just had a baby, having a low budget wedding. So here I go again. Unfortunately I do not have time to go off to courses/workshops (I love photography, and would if I could). For the one wedding I shot, I educated me as best I could by DVDs, reading and did my homework on the location. But it is vital to be honest with the "customer", paying or not. I agree there is a risk the B&G take with a newbie, and it should not be someone who picks up a Canon Rebel on the way the the wedding at Best Buy. Call me arrogant, but on the other hand I have seen horrible exampels of "pros" (in a sense that they were selling this as a business) delivering work inferior to mine. Just as there is cold and "cold", there are pros and "pros". This is just my amateur opinion, if you make a living with wedding photgraphy, I understand if you see it differently.</p>

[aimee_pieters]

<p>Benjamin,<br>

You have clearly made an effort to educate yourself. My suggestions were for the people who post on this forum on Wednesday for a wedding on a Saturday with no clue about what to expect or how to approach the situation. Then to justify that it's OK because the B&G don't have a budget? I'm trying to help the newbies to do a better job and give our profession the respect it deserves. There is a lot of free education available online that anyone could make the time for. <br>

As you now know, this is a LOT of work and it's always when everyone else has free time. Even the social life of a photographer is different because of the hours we work....-Aimee </p>

[rick_m.]

<p>So you have to start somewhere as MaryBall said. Somebody will be your first wedding. It is better to practice on a few freebies for people who truely can't afford a photographer than it is to practice for money. Not because they are less deserving of good work but because you can serve two masters at the same time. And as she said, you owe it to them to do as much preparation as you can. Even if you go to the library and check out wedding photography books then practice with your brother and sister in white and black; you simply must prepare yourself. Visit the venue. Talk to the clergy. Find out the limits and PLAN to overcome them by getting advice here. The fact that someone can't afford a photographer does not make the day any less special. Simple human kindness necessitates that anyone attempting to shoot a wedding burn the midnight oil to be the best that they can.<br>

But Aimee has a point too. If a photographer is charging a single red cent the rules change. As a professional I want to deliver a great product whether I am getting a $50.00 tip or a $5000.00 retainer. Aimee talks about the respect the profession deserves. A professional of any kind puts the customer, patient, client first. To put it more simply, the <em>quality</em> of your work should not change one bit based upon the amount you are getting paid. The same logic that justifies the inexperienced photographer accepting the lower paying gigs also reminds us that, to the bride and groom on a budget, the $300.00 you may charge IS a lot of money. </p>

<p>If you need to practice contact some local clergy. Offer your services free to people the clergy refers who simply can't afford a photographer at all. And Free means no money for disks, no free meal, nada. Work as hard as you can at the wedding. Have a plan, do excellent post processing and present a product with which you can be proud. After you have done this a few (10 or more times) then maybe you can consider charging for a wedding. There is nothing wrong with getting started. We all did. Just do it the very best you can. Remember that you are practicing to do $5000.00 weddings. For the practice to give you an value you must produce $5000.00 results. </p>

<p>Every photographer (every human being for that matter) should do pro-bono work for those who need help. It is a kindness of great measure when a photographer of the caliber of Aimee or Marybell offers their time to someone in need. But I am certain of one thing. The product they give to the freebie will be every bit as good as they can make it. Neither of them would dream of doing a halfway job regardless of the pay. And that is the real message for an amatuer or new professional. Shoot every event as if it were the Lord High Mayor's banquet. Never scrimp. There is little more rewarding than having your pictures bring tears to someones eyes except this....bringing tears to someone's eyes by giving them a gift they could never afford. </p>

[aimee_pieters]

<p>Rick,<br>

Very well said -thanks for taking the time....-Aimee</p>