katrin_d.

<p>None. I don't want my couples to look back later on and go "oh, yeah, 2012 ... Tebow who?"<br>

<br /><br /></p>

<p>RE: Why would anyone refuse to do a wedding? If you are already booked ask one of the local photographers to cover it and maybe see if they will give you a few bucks for the referral. It seems like a no brainer to make money. Staying home and sitting around watching the 2012 Olympics doesn't pay the bills<br>

<br />Easy enough to answer. I don't photograph weddings at the local Elk's Club [been there, done that]. I'd really rather sit at home and mow the lawn or something similar. I'm not a body with a camera. If my heart isn't into it, I am not going to do it. It's not about taking any "gig" that comes my way, it's about having fun doing what I love doing and attracting the right clients...which I am incredibly stoked with. My website/portfolio weeds out those candidates that aren't "my" clients. Otherwise, I might as well have kept my corporate job. </p>

<p>Composition - why include the dead grass at all? Re-frame - even it it's spur of the moment or crop differently in post.<br>

The processing .... you know, it's like Instagram, kinda neat when it came out but a fad now. Some people have never seen all the sparkly filters applied so they go "oh, new, cool" but it's really not. Filters, to me, should enhance what's already there, not overpower and not mask an exposure or framing or any other error ... something that's quite common, to blow the exposure and throw some "Lord of the Rings" magic on et voila! To me, that's not what good photography is. A good photo should stand the test of time and not be gimmicky. </p>

<p>I am sorry but I am not in love with it. Heavy handed editing [looks like a fall filter with an extremely heavy vignette] - the grass is still blotchy ... this looks dated already. I guess it's a matter of taste but it's not great photography, I'm sorry to say, it just isn't.</p>

<p>"“Also only amateurs don't edit heavily.” - so according to your theory, somebody as amazing as Jerry Ghionis would be an amateur? <br>

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<p>Vail - I'm not sure why you titled this "why you need to cull" ... a couple of the images are clearly staged such as the bride dragging the groom up the stairs, the bride on the toilet, the "bug-eyed" vicar is a clear keeper, so are the humping dogs ... yes, some are bad but this article has little to do with why we should cull images.</p>

<p>Ken - the bride does look very happy. I'm just wondering what made this one a keeper - she looks a bit sweaty, the shadows create an unflattering cellulite effect near her armpit ... there appears to be shade in the background.</p>

<p>Since you had 10 months to prepare - why didn't you assist actual wedding photographers? A wedding is nothing like photographing families where you have time, do-overs and what not. So wedding photography is NOT "just" photography.</p>

<p>As for me, I'm still excited before every wedding - that's after close to 20 years. I figure if I ever lose that, it's just a gig and I better figure out how to make it exciting again. Or find another job where people's "big day" is not just another gig for me for a paycheck. </p>

<p>You know, you've received wonderful advice with regards of deleting any photo that you wouldn't want out there and then re-number when you export. That's one part.<br>

<br />The other is that you're dealing with a bully. A bully doesn't stop. They will go and go and go. If you offer an inch, they'll take a yard. So when you deliver the photos, make it perfectly clear that that's all there is. Delete the rest. Tell him that any further contact should go through your attorney and that you will not respond to any further contacts. Then stick to it. If he shows up somewhere and threatens you, have him arrested. Bullies can't be reasoned with. It's not how they operate. If they smell fear, they'll take you for all you're worth. The only thing you can do when you encounter a bully is stand firm. Mean it. Follow through. Don't waver. </p>

<p>Best of luck!!!!!</p>

<p>90% of this business is not about photography. It's about marketing, networking and business.</p>

<p>I've done it [my regular 40 hour job while being a full time wedding photographer]. You'll work long hours BUT you have the security of NOT HAVING TO BOOK every client that works through your door. Yes, you'll work insane hours [which is where outsourcing editing comes in very handy] but you have health insurance, a retirement plan and paid vacation/sick time. All that goes out the window once you become a full-time photographer.</p>

<p>My best advice: talk to your spouse and start working part-time as a photographer. Don't touch your "regular" income. Put it into savings. See how it is to just live on your spouse's income and whatever you make being a photographer without having to find out the hard way. Added bonus, you'll have some money saved up when you take the leap.</p>

<p>Also, retain a good attorney. A good accountant as well. Start with a business plan. Figure out the legalities, business insurance, contracts, registering as a business ... come up with a marketing plan. In short, do your research. Good luck!</p>

<p>Depends on your clients, their budget and your branding.</p>

<p>My more upscale albums are Couture and Graphi. For "regular" coffee table albums, I use WHCC [love, love, love their customer service and turnaround] as well as Asuka. I've also had a sample folio done by Simply Color Lab and was very happy with the quality & customer service. </p>

<p>I highly recommend going to one of the trade shows in Jan/Feb. to see what's out there in person. </p>

<p>Did they drop out? Sorry, I haven't submitted anything in a while since my season just started. Vail, I think you can do both - a yearly subscription for 129 or go month-by-month for 14.95 - here's the link to their FAQ pages: http://twobrightlights.com/helpcenter/faq/?id=17</p>

<p>I've been using TBL (paid version) for over a year - thus far, I've had weddings published on Style Me Pretty, Yahoo Shine, and a bundle of other wedding blogs & magazines both here in the US and abroad [i hail from Europe so I like being published 'back in the old country' ;-]. I love the ease of use - you upload the files and client/vendor info ONCE and can then submit to either exclusive or non-exclusive publications from their drop-down menu (which is rather extensive). It is such a huge time saver and has been an incredible tool for me. I couldn't be any happier.<br>

<br />Like yourself, I found the free trial a complete waste so I went with the paid version.</p>

<p>I have the Nikon 24-70 you speak of and I love it to pieces ... it is an amazing lens (using it on the D700). However, I would ask myself (you in this case) - what are you hoping to accomplish by buying it? You're not using a full frame camera so I would be inclined to NOT purchase to purchase a 1900 Dollar camera that is suited for a full frame camera.<br>

<br />I don't think I've ever advocated buying a camera over a lens but this might be one of those cases. I used to shoot with the D90 and it is ok in daylight. However, since I'm photographing plenty of barn weddings (read: low to no light), I found it to be not up to par under less that optimal conditions, the noise at higher ISOs was all too noticeable (even after noise reduction) .. the list goes on.</p>

<p>But I guess it comes down to the conditions you shoot most under (dark churches, off camera lights, on camera flash) and what you're hoping to accomplish. I totally get "wanting" something ... just figure out what it is going to help you with before making the purchase. </p>

<p>To quote what you said not too long ago "I'm in the low end market so style is overrated to me. Long as the couple gets some well exposed, focused <a id="itxthook3" href="../wedding-photography-forum/00aN5D" rel="nofollow">pictures</a> that doesn't look like they were taken by a 3 year old, they are mostly happy."<br>

<br />Looks like maybe "just ok" isn't good enough. At least not for this bride. Maybe you want to push yourself and produce more than passable work. Just a thought. I am really having a hard time with anybody in any profession who doesn't give it their all and doesn't push themselves to get better.<br>

While you appear to have taken down the photos, I am not sure why you'd even show photos where people have their eyes closed. Those should never ever make it through the first round of culling. </p>

 

<p>I'm seeing so many photographers - actually, businesses in general - that bend over backwards and operate based on "the customer is always right" even when the customer is dead wrong. Those same people will advise you to "offer a discount, do whatever it takes to make the client happy or else live in fear of negative word of moth/review". That's one way to run your business. Of course, if you botched something, you do everything within your power to make it right. However, you didn't do anything wrong here.</p>

<p>The other way is to be firm, yet nice, and let them know that they approved of the final design and that you hope they're stoked that everything came in in time and that they love the design. I personally wouldn't offer a refund for something that is not my fault but that's me. I don't believe in caving just to make people shut up and go away. I run a really fair business, I don't mislead people, I am honest and I expect them same in return so that's why I really don't cave to such requests. Usually it's something that can be resolved with a quick phone call and follow up email.</p>

 

<p>Please. A professional planner would have apologized for using your photo without permission. Apart from that, planners are a dime a dozen these days. Quite frankly, I'd stand firm on this one as well. My experience has been that bullies will be bullies and not people I want to be associated with - famous or not. ;-) Apart from that, those who brag the loudest about whom they know and whose wedding they have done are all bark and no bite.<br>

I think the only lesson to be learned here is to not put out any photos that don't represent what your actual standard is.</p>

<p>I never fail to be amazed by how many people are so nonchalant about copyright infringement. It is theft. And false advertisement ... taking something somebody else created and advertise yourself to clients using that person's work. It makes you a thief who is committing fraud.</p>

<p>And please, I am sick and tired of the "if you don't want it stolen, don't put it out there". You know, I park my car outside as well ... doesn't mean I want it stolen. The thief is the one in the wrong. When are we going to hold the people responsible who claim to be professional photographers and see nothing wrong by taking what is not theirs?</p>

<p>As for flash - gosh, anybody can take a screenshot if they really want the image bad enough. We as photographers should be able to display our photos on our blogs and websites without fellow photographers stealing the images. Plain and simple. We're not "asking to have them stolen" ... there is something really, really wrong with that particular mindset. Same for downloading music illegally. It is stealing as well. You are taking something that wasn't yours to take without asking for permission. So please, stop blaming the person whose images got stolen. </p>

<p>How much of a pain it is to fill dates? Not at all. As others have said already, I rely on vendor referrals as well as word of mouth from previous clients. Couple that with SEO, a blog/website that are "me" and serve to weed out the less than ideal clients and that's literally all I do.<br>

I don't recall all the leads sites out there but there are too many. Eventactive is one that comes to mind but I've never tried it. I find that couples who simply pop their data into a search engine and wait for it to spit out results are not my clients. They simply aren't. But it varies from photographer to photographer ... some of us are happy to take on any client just to book a date. Others only do very specific weddings and clients. <cite><strong></strong></cite></p>

<p>Charcoal - reading through your posts, you already have your answer seeing how much you argue in favor of getting rid of the zoom. Why don't you rent the 35 for a week and solely use it and leave the zoom in your bag?<br>

You know, the 24-70/2.8 Nikkor is the one lens you'd have to pry from my dead hands but everybody is different. Some people love their 70-200mm - I hate mine, too heavy and bulky ... I hardly use it. There's no "right" or "wrong" or "all primes are better than any zooms", to me, that's just too black and white in terms of thinking. To each their own. If you're happier with your 35mm, give it a whirl. But since you'll be losing money when selling your zoom, I really suggest renting the 35mm first to see if you like it.</p>

<p>I like it. As Vail said, the only thing I'd absolutely want to remove is the red bricks on the left side. The sunflowers aren't bugging me at all.<br>

Just wondering if you cropped it this tightly or if the posted version is all there is. Either way, it's a neat picture.<br>

Seeing that you're just starting out - save yourself the trouble to spend HOURS on a single photo ... ever. I know it's tempting. With time, you'll see what's a keeper and what's a tosser and you'll simply toss the ones you would have attempted to fix just a couple of months before.</p>

<p>I think Green is right on the money. Put yourself into the bride's shoes. You blog every wedding - at least that's what it appears to be to the outside world. Her wedding day comes and goes. No post. Of course she's wondering why her wedding didn't get blogged about. Was it because they weren't as young, pretty, didn't the photographer have as much fun .... I think you're throwing away a lot of goodwill by omitting certain clients' weddings. You either blog them all or make it perfectly clear from the word go that you only feature a certain type of wedding, strictly for advertising purposes.<br>

If I look at my clients' feedback - they ALL, without fail, thank me for the blog posts and the write-up of their day, how they've been following my blog and watched all the other weddings before them and how they couldn't wait for their own blog post.<br>

That being said, I feature any and all weddings without fail. Exception are the ones that have opted out because of privacy concerns (military personnel, DEA agents etc.) - I get and respect that. That others, yes, of course they get blogged. It keeps me on my toes so there's is no excuse because circumstances were less than ideal.</p>

<p>Amen Marcus.</p>

<p>"We haven't contacted him to take the pictures down yet as we might need it as evidence."<br>

You could always take a screenshot as evidence. However, your problem right now is that you're basing your decisions on emotion, not on logic. You "want to get him back for this". While understandable, it's not productive. What do you want in terms of an end result for yourself? Do you want the pictures taken down or do you want compensation? An apology from your photographer?<br>

He probably doesn't think your photos are as bad as you think they are; otherwise, he wouldn't have put them up on his site. Why not do the thing we should all do as reasonable adults? Talk to each other. Send him an email and ask him to take the pictures down. Ask him to fulfill his part of the contract by putting up the gallery. I get that you are emotional over this, these are your wedding photos but common sense and cool heads should prevail.</p>

<p>So you told them that you have no sample albums because you just switched suppliers? Didn't that trigger a question as to why you can't show them old albums from your previous supplier? Sorry to sound harsh but it sounds unethical to me ... I sure hope you were honest about your previous experience as a wedding photographer? If it were me and let's say all my albums were stolen, I'd buy an IPad, upload about 5 wedding galleries and bring that to the meeting.</p>