cathy_and_david_bock

<p>Bring a point and shoot, let the PAID photographer do their job (and not insult your sister by showing her that you don't respect her judgement to hire someone to do it right) and just enjoy yourself. Your a guest, you don't need anything more than a point and shoot, if that. Exactly what Lee said.</p>

<p>Personally we keep it simple. We have a single off camera 580exii on a 12' lightstand pointed down at the dance floor, powered by a pocket wizard, and we also have a 580exii (each) that we use on camera and bounce off available white for fill. Works great, is super-simple and produces great results. :)</p>

<p>Yah for the super-hot days I just wear the shirt part and ditch the tie and vest. :)</p>

<p>To make things faster in culling I'd check out PhotoMechanic. Cull in that, then import the culled images to LR. It cut my workflow time in HALF.</p>

<p>An easy way to make more money is to remove anything tiny from your packages. Things like 8x10s. A bride doesn't need 3 8x10's in her package if she's spending the money. The bride should be getting an album because it's the best way to take care of her photos. Engagement sessions help you to get comfy with them. Sell what's good for them, not good for you and you'll make more money. Remove anything tiny and if the bride really wants it she'll buy it a la carte, and you won't waste your money giving away something the bride didn't want in the first place.<br>

Again. Think about what the bride wants, not what you want to sell.</p>

<p>Also. A photographer in a tuxedo is just as rediculous as a DJ in a tux. The person looks lower class because of how they are dressed. It's like in step-brothers when they go to the interview in tuxes. </p>

<p>I usually wear black pants, black shoes, my cream button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black vest and my swanky orange tie. The wife wears here suit with a brightly colored shirt underneath. At the reception the vest and tie come off (around the time of the groomsmen doing the same thing) and go from there. Our outfits are around $500 each as we're trying to look as fashion-forward as our couples are. i.e. We make sure we look good. :)<br>

Here's me at one of the weddings we recently shot:<br>

<img src="http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs493.snc3/26939_969052039918_13713663_52749150_4815529_n.jpg" alt="" width="396" height="720" /></p>

<p>We use PickPic. It's absolutely fantastic. For album previewing check out Album Exposure.</p>

<p>Agreed. I'd just bounce.</p>

<p>Don't waste your money. There are plenty of ways to learn online for free. Spend that money on some decent equipment and do a variety of workshops with photographers around the country. Much better spent.</p>

<p>We require in our contract that we are the only professional photographers at the wedding (by this I mean the only ones getting paid or using the wedding for business purposes). I have no problem with people taking pictures, just when they try to highjack the wedding. I'd be flat out honest on your opinion of it (but be nice of course! :D).</p>

<p>I would say 75% of our work is referrals. Being in the wedding photo business we don't like to hear about repeat customers. ;)</p>

<p>Wow. LOL.</p>

<p>Agreed 100% with william. You need to have a backup body. It's just a matter of time before something breaks. Had a friend with a 1Ds Mark3 have the mirror fall out. Not cool. Thankfully he had a backup 5D to work with. If he didn't there goes his business.</p>

<p>Correct, but the reason it changes so dramatically is because it's showing the jpeg preview until the RAW file renders.</p>

<p>I just don't get the idea of seeing other photographers as 'rivals' or competition. These are people you can share referrals with who you can network and socialize with who have similar interests as you. I would 100% shoot for them without even thinking about it. I do suggest getting paid for your time though, otherwise I think that is a lack of mutual respect. I'd maybe give a discount to be nice, but at least get paid for your labor and expenses.</p>

<p>Robert --- It is my place. The client isn't coming to me because they know everything they need. At some point, you the photographer have to take your place to assist your client on managing client expectations and helping them know what they do or do not want. If a client comes to me wanting full day coverage but I know after hearing their schedule that they only need 8 hours I can tell them that they only NEED 8 hours coverage and save them the money. Clients often ask us what we think they need for their wedding day. It's part of our job to help them figure that out!<br>

And in Canada it's 'unless a contract exists to the contrary', meaning you can clearly define in your contract what rights are included when working with you, as you should in any contract for clients. The law you speak of is the 'default' situation if no contract exists and the photographer still owns the rights until they are paid. The client wouldn't be giving away rights they paid for. Last I'm saying on the subject.</p>

<p>They are being nice. They simply don't have any interest in PAYING for professional photos. They might love your work it just might not interest them. $50 is rediculously cheap - just don't sweat it. :)</p>

<p>We went full time after 2 years in the business. We decided to go for it because we couldn't stand the day jobs. Plenty of motivation there to succeed. Better to fail trying then to not go for it. :)</p>

<p>Go as an assistant first, carry bags and learn learn learn. Get critiqued next. Go to a photog and have them look over your work if they like your work (honestly love it) then ask if they ever have opportunities you'd be very interested. Go from there. :)</p>

<p>Personally I feel that anyone who doesn't have the passion to do this as a full time business shouldn't be doing this as a business. ESPECIALLY if there are weddings etc involved. These are the most important times in someone's life, and if they aren't taken seriously enough to enter into full time that's not fair to them. Now if you're just selling pictures on a webiste, that's another story. :)</p>

<p>Agreed with Bruce.</p>

<p>Marie --- Don't be bothered by 'under-cutters' or 'amateurs'. Your pricing should be nowhere near these people to even be considered competition. I don't see SLRs at a wedding I'm shooting and freak out. If I did I probably should reconsider doing this. :D In the end it comes down to being paid fairly. Ignore the cheap competition. Clients can see good work from bad work and if they can't are they really someone you want to book?</p>

<p>I'd remove small items like prints etc from any packages. Unless it's a session it's just superflous. Continue including the disc of images. If you're traditional style (judging by the hours) then consider adding more hours. As well, make sure you're charging enough for you, not basing it on whatever everyone else is charging. You're an artist selling art and art is subjective. You're not selling an oil change.<br>

Also, make sure the packages save the clients money, otherwise what's the point of calling it a package?</p>

<p>Check out Shoot Dot Edit. They're awesome. :)</p>