tina___cliff_t

<p>After buying the Canon 40D's for work, it kills me when I take pictures with my old point and shoot at personal events. The quality difference is just unreal. I tend to break out the 40D just for my daughters birthday parties now. haha But there are some things I just don't want to risk it (trips where I might be out on water and could or have fallen in etc), or sometimes having a smaller camera that fits in a purse is nice! <br>

I was just wondering what some of you use or would recommend? </p>

<p>I do not have very much confidence in the schedule (which was completely switched around from what I suggested), but what can I do besides tell them of the consequences? I was REALLY REALLY hoping, they would agree to doing a first look, which I was told was the original plan before the groom decided he did not want to see her, I've still put a bit of pressure their way to go back to this, but like I said, they both seem to have just done the "no this is fine, I don't want to think about it anymore", sent me their revised schedule, and said that's what they want to do. </p>

<p>We don't charge by the hour, so we've also gone over the fact that it won't cost them more to have us there for a VERY long day, which is why the plan was originally to get all the photos before. So they could go strait to the reception with no waiting in between. </p>

<p>But at this point, I feel like I've listed out the times for them, told them all the downsides and upsides of the different options, but when they say that's what they want to do, I can't exactly force them to do it a different way. </p>

<p>I feel almost as stressed as when I was planning my own wedding, I'm hoping for that relieved feeling the day after when you know everything turned out fine. </p>

<p>Thank you everyone for helping, The wedding is around the corner, and I'm almost sure this is going to be one of those times you go..."Live and learn" . We are doing more than what our contract says we're responsible for, somehow in the mist of all the back and forth I some how said yes to many things I should have said no to, or added a extra fee and didn't. I am thinking about giving out a numbered "must have list" for people to fill out that limits the amount they can put on there to keep time down, and so that couples don't have a complete free for all, and we end up with a 4 hour shot list or something that's not really reasonable. </p>

<p>We originally were going to have a photo booth set up, so that they could get pictures with all of their guests...though it was supposed to be more in a during the reception and relaxed vs the assembly line it kind of turned into. :/ </p>

<p>They've pushed all their family photos back to after the reception per the brides mother, I did finally convince them to let me have 5 minutes between the ceremony & reception to get one photo of at least everyone on both sides of the family...and it was actually me convincing them that they will WANT that photo. I also did tell them that doing portraits of just the two of them the next day would be a great idea (and recommended at this point), but when I told her it wasn't free, she didn't want to do it. </p>

<p>I think I am also going to pull up a contract stating that I advised them that moving all these photos to after the reception was not a good idea (I honestly told them kids get cranky, spill things on themselves, people leave, people are half undressed, or drunk). But at this point the bride and groom were just done with everyone and have caved into what other people want (which I hate when this happens). </p>

<p>I feel like a broken record and a downer because I keep having to remind them that they are planning the day as if everything is going to go perfect and down to the minute...and that never happens. Its a sad truth but I've yet to see a wedding run completely smooth, on time, and everyone happy and ready to take photos with full cooperation...</p>

<p>So thank you again, I will have to let everyone know how this turns out. I really hope it goes well, and they are happy. </p>

<p>I need to have that saying tattooed somewhere. (I often feel like I go out of my limitations) We did seem to get it mostly worked out, it is still not idea, but the two of them are no longer over stressed about the time (I really though the bride was going to cry earlier) Also found that most of their stress, like usual, was coming from family members putting in unwanted opinions, so I might need to bring my game face the day of the wedding.</p>

<p>How do you talk with couples about their amount of photos and how much time you'll need with out feeling like your flat out telling them what to do on their wedding day? I feel I do need to make sure they aren't setting themselves up for failure (and me by giving me 5 min to take a million photos) but I also don't feel like its my place to tell them "No you can't do that, you have to do it this way" etc</p>

<p>The guest list is actually only about 60 people, but the original list had a lot of double ups (Bride,Groom, Dad), (Bride, Groom, Mom), (Bride, Groom, Mom, Dad)...I had asked her to really think about who she felt strongly she needed to have singles with (Dad vs their neighbor etc). <br>

As for time, tonight I actually went as far as to sit down and pretty much write up their time line for them while talking with the bride, so she knows times and how long its going to take, and how late guests will be eating, and how late they will be taking their photos. <br>

I'm wondering if I should type up a small contract (that wasn't in the original) stating all these extra plans, and have them sign it saying they suggested/chose to take their photos that late at night etc, so that hopefully it doesn't come back at me later (I look a mess in all our portraits....etc). <br>

I do have a clause in the original contract that says we will try our best to get all the photos they want, but we can't guarantee them because of time constants, guests cooperation etc. (we also have a cooperation clause too). But I'm almost wondering if I should have them sign something along those lines again too.... I just have that feeling in your stomach that makes you ill. </p>

<p>The couple are very nice people, but they are planning the whole wedding by themselves and more than a bit overwhelmed, and in the beginning the bride would call just asking me questions because she didn't know, and I didn't think anything of it answering them. (Questions like: How early should we get ready? When do people usually do the toast?)</p>

<p>Then I got her shot list...and it was about 80 shots long (for just family), I explained to her that guests wouldn't wait that long to go through pictures, she did cut it down a bit. </p>

<p>Originally they were seeing each other before, and doing all photos before the ceremony, but the groom doesn't want to see her before now. Ceremony is at sunset, so it will be dark when its over... Not to mention the time needed for the family photos, bridal party photos etc we are now doing after. To save time, the bride wants to take the groom and bride photos after the reception. </p>

<p>For their favor, she wants us to take a photo of them with each person/family who attended the wedding. We'll be printing the 4x6 out at the wedding, and putting it into a frame for the guest to take home. We talked about this before, but I didn't realize this is all before dinner. So guests will be waiting through formal photos and then these photos before dinner is to be served. </p>

<p>The bride and groom are really starting to stress over the time line its going to take to fit in the many photos they want, especially now that they are splitting the time up before and after the ceremony, and that it will be dark by time the ceremony ends, and somehow I was oblivious to the fact that I some how became their wedding planner unintentionally. And now I feel like I've got myself in some scary waters, and everything is getting tense and crammed...I'm worried they will be missing photos because of so many and the time crunch, or not like the pictures of the 2 of them since they'll be taking them late at night. You would think being almost through my 2nd year, I would have been better at not getting is this deep. </p>

<p>I'm just not sure what to do from here to hopefully avoid a possibly catastrophe.</p>

<p>Thanks William, I see your point, maybe I'll just stick with what I'm doing. :) </p>

<p>I thought it would be a way for them to go out together, and its always nice to get little things like this w/ a card. Most of the time I still talk with the couples we've worked with. </p>

<p>Thanks. At the moment, I usually just send out a Thank you card w/ a gift card to a nice place to eat. But I don't offer it up as a bonus, I just like to say thanks for giving me business. haha<br>

The most recent one I've seen was $50 off for each referal, and I thought about doing something similar, but the more I tried to plan it out, the more complicated it seemed. <br>

Thanks Nadine for helping. :)</p>

<p>I've seen a few photographers in my area advertise money off for referrals. I was just wondering if anyone else has done this, and how you might set it up? Do you set a time limit, discount limit etc? I'm assuming the couple only gets the discount if the person they referred books with the photographer, or is that not always the case?</p>

<p> I was also thinking, what about if your already booked that day, technically they referred a couple to you that would have used your services if you were not unavailible, not sure how that would work out. </p>

<p>Thanks for any tips on this.</p>

 

<p>I love photobooths! They are so much fun, we just started doing one too, and couples LOVE the photos from them. We have it set up to print 4x6 print outs of the pictures so guests can take a copy with them, its just a basic photo printer, but its worth it to watch everyone run around and show their pictures to the rest of the guests. :) We also lay out some of our cards next to the printer on a table. I hope youkeep doing this, its a great way to get to know people. </p>

<p>I love the one where the girl has a plunger on the guys butt, what made you think of a plunger for a prop? lol </p>

<p> </p>

<p>Yes, definetly have a contract. Out lineing what you are giving them for free. Are you just provideing them with a CD, are you going to edit the pictures, not edit? What happens if they are unsatified, or a mishap happens (camera mis functions etc) and decide to take you court even though they didn't pay you? Make sure you cover your butt. </p>

<p>I would ask again (if you hadn't already asked recently), and show them specifically which photos you want to use and why you want to use them. If they say no, then you really haven't lost anything by asking, but then I wouldn't use their photos. If they find out later, it could cause some bad word of mouth. Making you seem untrustworthy. </p>

<p>I guess we have been lucky. Thanks for the help. I wasn't sure what to expect. :) </p>

<p>I don't offer a lot of prints because I give clients the digital files too, but I like to include some so they can see the difference between a professional lab and walmart. Most of the time, I get a pretty quick response as to which pictures they want ordered (within 2 weeks), sometimes they order the same time I show them the photos. I have two couples though, that have taken more than a month, and still no response really. So I was just wondering how long others have waited for a client to pick out their photos? And what you should do if it starts taking a while (6mo-1yr etc)? </p>

<p>If I was spending my time in a dark room instead of the computer i would like it soooo much better. I loved spending time in the dark room, I dunno, there's something about developing your own film and photos that just felt good. </p>

<p>BUT... now everything I do is digital. I think I would spend much less time in front of the computer if I wasn't so picky though. </p>

<p>I agree with the idea, but I think the instant cameras like this aren't a good idea. By the time the bride and groom pay for a camera to put out on each table etc., they feel like they don't have any money left for a good photographer. And the pictures from those things rarely turn out unless its a really well lit reception, or one during the daytime outside. There is a website, and I can't remember it off the top of my head. But you can send your event link to all your guests, and ask them to upload their digital pictures from the wedding. I think this is a better way to go.</p>

<p>Sometimes I think you just have to be the bad guy, even if its an awkward situation. I agree, it would drive me nuts to have someone re-posing my shots. The following around....eh..not so much it happens. I would have said something early on though to him, that I only had a limited time with the bride and groom, and that he is welcome to take as many pictures as he wanted once I was done. I luckily only had to do this once, and the lady was not happy with me. I wasn't rude, but you could tell she was used to running the show.</p>

<p>I use canon so I can't comment on how long the batteries last for nikon. BUT...I Can tell you about when I rented batteries & a camera. One of the batteries I had rented was bad. I could charge it, it would show fully charged, but when you used it in your camera, it would lose the charge in less than an hour. I got my money back for the rental, but if that had been my only back up battery it would not have been good. So I would say get the extra battery. Even though most places test their gear, you just never know, its better to be prepared. </p>

<p>As far as I know its the same as taking photos of people in a public place, and you don't need the consent of the guests. </p>

<p>These two were ready to leave for the honeymoon before the ceremony even started, so I thought that last kiss of the night next the exit sign was fitting. haha. </p><div></div>

<p>I'd be interested in this too. Though possibly something that prints decent 8x10's etc too. We have a couple rural high schools around us that we've been going back and forth with who would be interested in prints on the spot (at prom etc).</p>

<p>So it more about solely supporting yourself off the photography, rather than how often or how much time your putting in? </p>

<p>I was just wondering what is usually considered part-time vs full-time in this line of work? </p>

<p>Just barely started our 2nd yr here. I personally had shot family members weddings while in college, and then I started planning my own...and for fear of getting the book thrown at me, had the smallest budget ever for a wedding, and started out of frustration that I couldn't afford a good wedding photographer. My husband had been doing photography with me (more hobby than school-career based) for a while before, and so he helped me when we first started. After a few weddings, he does quite a bit on his own though. <br>

I don't know if I would say we are successful yet, since its only our 2nd year (and only about 2 months into it). On our first year we averaged about 24 weddings, and are starting to get pretty decent word of mouth though. </p>