heikoM Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · imagine you could do whatever you want - at a wedding | |
glort wrote:
As far as being bored or unmoved or whatever, really, what do you expect?
We are photographing the same thing done the same way over and over and over again and despite what we may like to convince ourselves of, there has to be a limit to the wonderful, creative, different shots you can get of what is essential the same thing repeated over and over.
The other thing I have well come to know is that some weddings are less exciting and offer far less opportunities than others..... Which is a primary reason I think all this " have to blog every single wedding " Position is a complete load of crap.
Some weddings just aren't that fun and happening nor are the couple or those those in attendance as wonderfully dynamic and outgoing and full of fun a we would like.
And of course there is the reality.... You are getting paid to do a job.... not to have fun or fulfil your own personal agendas. The reality is you are there for the couple, not yourself so even if YOU think the shots are boring or don't move you, this is very secondary to the couple.... who probably haven't been to as many weddings in the last year as you have done in the last month.
If you were an accountant or a town planner or a plumber or any one of the other 98% of jobs out there, you wouldn't have the expectation of being paid to be excited by your work and it does apply here as well even if you don't want or think it should.
Maybe you should Hire some models and go out and do a promo shoot or ask a couple or a bride you have shot before you liked working with if she would like to get dressed up again and come out for a creative shoot where you'd like to try some new ideas? What about seeing if you can hook up with a dress designer, MUA, hair dresser etc and go out and do an advertising shoot and give them some pics for referrals? Gives the effort dual purpose then!
I used to do this quite a lot ( although they always came to me but no difference) and it was a good outlet. I have always said, "never underestimate the power of a bride" and even when it's a " Fake" bride, telling people you want to shoot one opens up some doors. Not only were reception houses more than happy for me to come shoot through the week, ( don't EVER remember getting knocked back) But I was able to easily talk my way into a whole load of different locations I wouldn't have got near otherwise. Hi rise rooftops, Private marinas and on multi million dollar yachts, peoples gardens, Factories and industrial locations, Standing in the middle of a City street and holding up traffic for a minute at a time without a single horn being blown ( Did that for a real wedding then a promo shoot).....
You want to get creative, I suggest Ditching the whole damn wedding routine in the first place! The fact you have to be here or there at a certain time is a restriction in itself. I have done a lot of re shoots the same way. Lousy weather on the day so I said to the couple Fluckit! We'll work on getting the family groups etc indoors today and we'll do another day when the weather is better later on and do some real nice stuff of the 2 of you without all the constraints.
there is a lot to that like very simple things that you can't always do on a real wedding..... Like sitting on the top of that hill knowing the sun is going to break that cloud in 10-15 Min so sitting there having a mini picnic and a drink you brought with you and chatting coming up with more ideas. When the sun breaks and the light is right, You shoot what you want and then move off somewhere else at you leisure not watching the clock because you have to bet at a location 30 min away, in 15 min.
You can also add different elements to the pics, Line up a fancy/ old/mega peso sports car/ Harleys etc. Again, real easy to do through the week when you ask one of the people that hire them for weddings and tell them you'll give them some promo shots. Go to the marina and Line up a big boat. Yahcties love pics of their money pits... Used my brother in laws boat a load of times and he'll take time off work if need be to accommodate a shoot and it's not because he likes me, He loves the pics of his boat with hot chicks on it even if they are dressed as brides.... and his wife is more than happy for it too. Then I get his mates all telling me If I want to use THEIR boats at any-time, just let them know.
You want to think outside the square and indulge your creativity?
I say go all the way and forget about shooting it on the wedding day all together and pick and choose the subjects in your pics to start with. Some people are just more into photos and creative in their own right and I'm not talking about having the most devastating looks. Some of the plainer girls I have worked with have been awesome models and the bonus thing is for promo use, they inspire other girls rather than intimidate them.
It's a case of " If she can do that, I can!" Rather than " Yeah, it's ok for her but I don't look like that!".
As far as your overall feelings, just remember, you are being paid to satisfy the clients wants and desires, not your own. If you are doing that, You should recognise your job is being well done and recognise and co0ngradulate yourself on that for the accomplishment it is. ...Show more →
Thanks Glort for the time to write this.
On my website in the about us section I have written something like that:
"We are sometimes asked why we shoot weddings. Because they are real. Because life is like that. Because we believe in love. For us, it is something special to be so close to other people on their wedding day. To experience their emotions and capture these for the time to come. Cheesy? No, life it not cheesy, it is what it is..."
That is what drives me. So I do not care at all about styled shoots. From my heard I want to document real situations, real emotions, unstaged. But I want to do it artistically. I want to exaggerate the emotions if possible.
Yes, I get paid, but I hope we get paid by our clients because they love what they saw on our website. We donīt want to do the same thing over and over again. I donīt want to feel bored at a wedding. Not only for my sake but also for the clients sake. I want to be excited. Thatīs something that will carry outwards, something the client will notice. Something that will show in the images.
If I hired a photographer for my wedding I would want him to be excited. I would want one who have a vision. I want him to try new things, be creative. I donīt want him to do the same thing he has done hundreds of times before with other couples. I want to feel unique.
So if I find a way to finetune my approach and my style to feel more in tune with my images I will feel better, my images will be better. Clients that like that style will find me and love the images they get because they chose me exactly for that.
heiko
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