phil hawkins
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Upload & Sell: On
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bjrhodes01 wrote:
As an amateur photographer, here is my initial (childish) response to this thread:
Why don't you guys go back to school and get real jobs like the rest of the people that can now afford a 5D and 70-200L? You guys get thousands of dollars just for showing up to a wedding (often in your own town) and taking photographs. I know it's alot of hard work, but so is the 9-5 grind of the B&G and all of their guests that travelled long and far to be there!
Now, allow me a moment to calm down, be an adult, and tell you my thoughts. I hope you haven't stopped reading...
I recently attended a wedding in which the B&G were very close friends of mine. They know I love photography and they know I have nice equipment. They asked me (and another friend of ours) to "use your long lenses to get tons of close-up candids of the ceremony, festivities, and especially all of the guests." We did just that, it turned out great, and my friends were super-excited with the results. My pictures were an excellent 'marriage' with the professionals classic shots and made for a wonderful wedding portfolio.
Amateur photographers might make your life a little more difficult, but I would advise you to adapt and persist.
The B&G expect you to capture all of the "classic shots" and to capture them well. If you have to ask someone to move, then by all means do it...but do it nicely. Any reasonable guest should understand that your job is simply to capture that moment and should quickly follow your command.
If you find that a guest is repeatedly 'cramping your style' or hindering your ability to do your job, simply pull them aside for a moment and kindly explain to them your situation. Often you will find that the guest is simply trying to help out the B&G. Then you have a great opportunity to inform them the best way to do so is to take candid images of the B&G as well as all of the guests having fun...all while giving you space!
Lastly, I had a fantastic wedding photographer when I got married. Our results were great and there were plenty of people at the wedding also taking pictures. Having said that, I specifically remember him telling us "you are paying ME to take your picture, so the least you can do is look at ME!" He didn't give a crud who else was taking pictures as long as we were only looking at him.
I will continue to tell my friends that I cannot replace a professional photographer, rather provide an additional service that will hopefully combine to make a kick-butt wedding portfolio.
So don't get angry, be rude, and go do crazy things like amending your contracts. Just use your wonderful personalities, be kind, and adapt!...Show more →
With all due respect, you are the one guy I never want to see at any of my weddings.
For the B&G to ask you to go around and "use your long lenses to get tons of close-up candids of the ceremony, festivities, and especially all of the guests." is totally out of place. Candids of the ceremony? What the hell does that mean? Festivities? you mean first dance, cutting the cake, garter, bouquet toss, introduction, etc? Forget it. You'd be tossed or I'd leave. No way am I going to compete with the likes of you shooting "candids of the ceremony". First off, the "journalistic" style of shooting weddings nowadays is what B&Gs want. That means I bring a second shooter whose job it is is to capture that stuff while I'm shooting the formals. It goes into the portfolio and possibly into the album. If not included in the amenities of the package, then they go into the "prints for sale" category.
Wow, what a shining example of exactly the kind of "guest" I would have a huge problem with at any wedding. You are a professionals worst nightmare.
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? Give em away of course. Are mine better with a combination lighting set up during the reception