p.1 #2 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Now really isn't a good time to get into wedding photography, to be honest. There's been a downturn in the industry that mirrors the economy. And with all the $500 shooters out there, many mid-range photographers are feeling the pinch.
And if you really want to get back into it, get a DWF Pro membership. The business section alone is worth the dinero.
Jun 11, 2008 at 10:30 PM
hassy501 Offline • • • • [X]
p.1 #3 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Rollies and 120 Kodacolor and Graflex Wow, i'm 51 and even I didn't use that equipment......man that's old.........
p.1 #4 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Now is an awesome time for wedding photographers, never has there been so much knowledge and information available to anyone, even a noob like me. Look at all the album options, all the cool diff styles, and lighting people are doing, everyone is more creative cause they can shoot 8000 shots in a wedding and see what works and what doesnt, I know I do that.
So I suggest just looking at and absorbing every wedding photo you come across, eventually it will all be second nature and you will produce the same type of stuff. Atleast that's what ive been doing.
Jun 12, 2008 at 02:56 AM
hassy501 Offline • • • • [X]
p.1 #5 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
figmented wrote:
Now is an awesome time for wedding photographers, never has there been so much knowledge and information available to anyone, even a noob like me. Look at all the album options, all the cool diff styles, and lighting people are doing, everyone is more creative cause they can shoot 8000 shots in a wedding and see what works and what doesnt, I know I do that.
So I suggest just looking at and absorbing every wedding photo you come across, eventually it will all be second nature and you will produce the same type of stuff. Atleast that's what ive been doing.
OMG...the proverbial "shoot and pray" newb wedding photographer........hmmm...let me guess.........." P " mode for professional ?
The proverbial " God why is this guy taking so long to take his photos"...." Is he done yet"......" will he finish anytime this century "............. "does he actually know what he's doing".........bride and groom shaking their heads......
p.1 #6 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
hassy501 wrote:
OMG...the proverbial "shoot and pray" newb wedding photographer........hmmm...let me guess.........." P " mode for professional ?
The proverbial " God why is this guy taking so long to take his photos"...." Is he done yet"......" will he finish anytime this century "............. "does he actually know what he's doing".........bride and groom shaking their heads......
p.1 #7 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Interesting spectrum of responses.
You're right Hassy OLD! I was shooting wedding before you were a teenager
In those days, the bride and groom came to the studio, for "formal portraits". We were given film based on the package they had purchased along with a printed sheet where the shots they wanted were checked.
Two shots per check box. Almost everything was "posed". Going to the bride's house was extra, spending more than an hour at the reception was unusual.
As for 8000 exposures and hope. That has more to do with experience and skill than anything.
What I like about digital is the ability to confirm a shot on the spot. 10 years of commercial photography in the late 60's and early 70's gives me confidence that I can get the job done.
Looking at wedding websites and other resources on line also confirms that I can offer a superior product.
The question is: How to get some experience and a "book" that is current.
Thanks for the observations. Any suggestions directed to my inquiry?
p.1 #8 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
The images on your site are neither bad nor impressive so second shooting or even assisting for a while is a smart move.
Your site is a bit tacky. A few tips to clean it up.
1. Make sure that no one has to scroll the page.
2. Have links to all sections of the site available on the front page.
3. Never have another page open in a new window unless it is a link to another website altogether. Clients find it frustrating.
Getting in now is no problem. The economy is never fixed so even if it is tough it won't always be.
I suggest getting along to seminars and dvd's. Some will be more beneficial than others. For example i picked up reaching the high end bride and got no new ideas. I gave it to a photographer starting out and it was all revelation to her. For a few hundred dollars dvd's are very cheap and some are just loaded with great info.
Join an organization that allows you to network with other professionals.
Avoid machine gun shooting when on a wedding. Learn the skills and take your time to make the shots great. To the skilled photographer taking less images due to extra care will result in much better images.
Don't lowball. It's a myth that you need to compete on price. There are people willing to part with good money for great images (not more product, better images) and if you are serious the skills are there to be learnt.
Decide on either a design course or a template program such as page gallery or YSI if you plan to do your own albums. Every mid range shooter thinks they are a graphic artist then cannot work out why they can't charge more for their mediocre product.
Quality all the way. Do less work, make more money and have a good life.
Or kid yourself that you can make lots of money from the low end market, bust your butt for little return and live in quiet desperation hoping no one knows that you aren't making a bean from your photography.
Hope you can get something worthwhile from that.
p.1 #9 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Marcus,
Thanks for the observations.
The website is an iWEB template and leaves a lot to be desired.
Wanted to get something on the web but it is not a client oriented site, that is for sure.
seminars etc. are a good idea, just need to find out when they are available. DVDs and web video Tuts are also useful. Again just need suggestions for useful resources.
I am a firm believer in quality over quantity. That's why I want to spend time assisting. To make sure I have honed my skills.
Thanks again. couldn't find a link to your website, is there one?
Jun 12, 2008 at 09:21 AM
hassy501 Offline • • • • [X]
p.1 #10 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
dmward wrote:
Interesting spectrum of responses.
You're right Hassy OLD! I was shooting wedding before you were a teenager
In those days, the bride and groom came to the studio, for "formal portraits". We were given film based on the package they had purchased along with a printed sheet where the shots they wanted were checked.
Two shots per check box. Almost everything was "posed". Going to the bride's house was extra, spending more than an hour at the reception was unusual.
As for 8000 exposures and hope. That has more to do with experience and skill than anything.
What I like about digital is the ability to confirm a shot on the spot. 10 years of commercial photography in the late 60's and early 70's gives me confidence that I can get the job done.
Looking at wedding websites and other resources on line also confirms that I can offer a superior product.
The question is: How to get some experience and a "book" that is current.
Thanks for the observations. Any suggestions directed to my inquiry?
p.1 #13 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
You're right there. I'm packing it in right now - what chance do we have.
Jun 12, 2008 at 12:32 PM
hassy501 Offline • • • • [X]
p.1 #14 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Diversify ! Don't put all of your eggs in one basket.......shoot portraits, commercial, do work for government agencies, events, .......it all adds up..........and brings in other business......I.E. Weddings..........
p.1 #15 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
liza wrote:
Now really isn't a good time to get into wedding photography, to be honest. There's been a downturn in the industry that mirrors the economy. And with all the $500 shooters out there, many mid-range photographers are feeling the pinch.
This is so true. If the US economy keeps going south, which seems inevitable, wedding photography will take a big hit. I'm already working on other ideas both photography wise and elsewhere.
p.1 #16 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Personally I don't think it's a bad time to enter the wedding business. However, you need to realize that there are a plethora of "craigslist" photographers willing to shoot & burn for next to nothing. The problem this creates is every couple you meet needs to understand the difference in what you can provide vs. them.
As was said in another thread, the machine gun approach taken by many newer photographers may equal a few good shots, but at the expense of time, artistry and "finishing" an image. A famous marketing guy (told to me by Mitche Graf, not sure who he heard it from) said once that when the market goes one way, a smart marketing guy runs the opposite direction. Now is a great time to really show the artistry you can create and why you are worth the $$$ over a $500 shooter.
Just my opinion of course but if you look at the market and brides, you can already see the backlash against inexperienced photographers. People will still get married and while they may not spend the huge amount of money on wedding they have previously, photography is still very high on many peoples priority lists.
Edited on Jun 12, 2008 at 01:53 PM
Jun 12, 2008 at 01:52 PM
hassy501 Offline • • • • [X]
p.1 #17 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Brian, you are so correct.......photography is still high on many brides lists.....the tide will turn back again soon, just as quick as it turned south.........there is a market for every level of bride..........
p.1 #18 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
hassy501 wrote:
.....the tide will turn back again soon
yeah, when is this going to happen? The US is posed for some of the worst economic times ever. How people still don't see this I can't understand. I can promise you when the shit does hit the fan wedding photography isn't going to be such a high priority as it is now. As much as I would love to feel that the wedding photography biz is strong, I won't fool myself. You're either going to have to be at the top of your game or resort to drastic price reductions or a new career.
p.1 #19 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Brian Mullins wrote:
However, you need to realize that there are a plethora of "craigslist" photographers willing to shoot & burn for next to nothing.
And not only weddings .. a new weekly called "Snap" was launched in my area this month and they shoot events, like openings, presentations, trade shows, ribbon cuttings, etc. And they recruit novice shooters to do it for free. So now I suppose I have a few less ribbon cuttings to bid on this year.
I've lost commercial jobs to newbs willing to shoot high profile properties for next to nothing just so they can post it in their portfolios. I lost a long time commercial client (5 + years) last year to a guy willing to shoot at half my day rate.
Yeah, there work is not up to standard but some clients can't tell the difference, or are willing to sacrifice quality to save a few bux.
p.1 #20 · How to break back into Wedding Photography?
Mike, that's true but I also see it as the evolving nature of my client base as well. There is always someone will to do it a little cheaper for lower quality. I don't want to give away any of my marketing ideas but I really focus on customer service to help combat this. Sure, there may be guys who shoot it for free and deliver a "usable" image, and if the client is ok with that then it's really not the client I am looking for.
I have made inroads with larger corporations on event/general commercial photography simply because I never say no. A great example was a shoot I had on Monday. On Sunday I get an e-mail telling me I need to have the images ready to go 1 hour after the shoot. This, for me, is pretty out of bounds as I am not setup to proof on-location but I asked the client exactly what they needed. I ended up turning around 8 images immediately following the event so they could send out a press release before the afternoon deadline.
I've been underbid on a few contracts as well but I've also picked up about the same amount of business from sub-standard (i'm not tooting my own horn here) photographers that, in the end, cost the company more money because they needed to re-shoot.
) would be happy to discuss particulars.
Wow, i'm 51 and even I didn't use that equipment......man that's old.........