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p.1 #24 · Can I be a wedding photographer? | |
VickiB wrote:
P.S. I would like to add one thing: I mostly look at the Nikon, landscape, abstract, and black and white forums here at FM, and I have posted photos there from time to time. In those areas, everyone seems genuinely eager to encourage and even assist those who frankly admit that they are novices--or even that they are old hands whio want to improve. Why is it that the wedding forum inspires such anger and negativity?
Vicki... a thought to put things in perspective. When someone takes sunset shots somewhere along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the images come out crappy, do you figure the mountains shed a tear because of it? Do you suppose the park rangers filed suit against the photographer? Is there the slightest suspicion that the trees are telling all their friends how landscape photographers are a bunch of scam artists? You're comparing apples to oranges. A profession vs. a hobby... and yes, sure there are photographers making money from landscape photography, but the casual shooter isn't going to sell a magazine editor on buying their crap instead of the pro's awe inspiring images. Brides are a bit more susceptible to hiring someone that's going to ruin their images than a photo editor.
I spend a thousand or two a year on workshops, seminars, classes, professional forums, etc. to be the very, very best wedding photographer I can. I work hard at improving my skills and growing my creativity. I don't show-up with one camera body and a 'kit' lens or two. I understand that weddings are a very dynamic thing and that there are no "do-overs." You get it right or your clients get shafted! So yeah, it bothers me a bit that every soccer mom that stumbles into Best Buy and walks out with the latest flavor consumer DSLR and a couple kit lenses suddenly think she's the world's answer to great wedding photography. Two or three P.O.'d brides later, and maybe a lawsuit tossed in, she'll be out of there... but not without soiling the reputation of everyone with the term wedding photographer associated with their trade.
You make some pretty demeaning assumptions about the typical wedding photographer's people skills. "I'd rather have the personal attention..." Personal attention, good people skills, exceeding client's expectations are all important aspects of the profession of wedding photography. The level of personal attention you'd receive from most professional wedding photographers would probably blow you away. Problem is, the people without a clue, no training or experience are killing our reputations.
But hey, what do you do for a living. Maybe I got what it takes to just walk in and start doing it. 
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