photographing a wedding

[dexterjones28]

My sister's best friend is getting married in a couple of months and they are now planning the guest list and catering.  they want to hire someone to photograph their wedding and the professional photographer they want is charging them $2000.  I think this is a waste of money. how can I convince my sister's best friend to let me photograph the wedding?  I have been photographing as a hobby for a few years. I am a member of a camera club with talented photographers and been asked to tutor beginners. my photos are very good and I own a very nice camera and pro lenses.  I think pro photographers are overrated and my sisters friend deosnt need to pay so much money.

 

thanks,

Dexter

[kerradeph]

There's a reason wedding photographers are able to charge so much. Being there to take pictures is the photographer's job. If you were there as a friend you would probably be taking part in the event meaning either you miss out on a lot of the event or you are not taking pictures when you should be. Do you know how to manage working with crowds of people? There's also the work after the fact touching up the pictures. Between the day spent taking pictures and the day or three that will be spent on finding the best pictures and cleaning them up, that $2000 makes sense.

[Gnun1x]

Taking pictures with your cellphone is NOT how you take pictures of weddings, let them do it.

[AkiraDaarkst]

34 minutes ago, dexterjones28 said:

 

I have a question: do you have any experience taking photos at an event, or how you'd plan or prepare to take photos at one?

 

Since we're talking about wedding photography here, a good wedding photographer(s):

• Meets with the potential clients
• Makes a list of all the key moments that needs to be captured (and for a wedding it can be a long list)
• Arrives early, is prepared with all the essential gear and with the necessary spare/backup gear
• Knows how to avoid the crowd, knows how to avoid interfering with the wedding
• Studies the venue (this is usually done before the actual day of the wedding where he may attend the rehearsals and scout the location(s) of the ceremony, the reception, etc.)
• Knows how to work with natural light, artificial light, mixed lighting and knows how to use strobes and speedlights
• All of these I just mentioned are pre-production and production.  I haven't mentioned post-production steps like selecting the right photos, editing them, assembling them into a well designed album, having select photos printed and framed, etc.

These are things you cannot just wing it without actual experience.  The first time for any photographer (or potential photographer trying to turn pro) is always the most difficult.  I know this from my own experience as an event photographer.  That's why I had a more experienced photographer taking the lead and I worked as his assistant.  Because I didn't want to mess it up.  And especially for a wedding, where it may be the couple's (hopefully) only time for such a special occasion, you DO NOT want to mess it up.

 

So in essence, professional photographers (as long as they are good ones) are NOT overrated.  Even if you're a very talented amateur, you still need experience.

 

People like you who think pros like us are overrated and the prices we charge are too much, you're undermining the value of photography along with the cost of the gear, time and effort we've spent into developing our skills.

[dexterjones28]

27 minutes ago, kerradeph said:

There's a reason wedding photographers are able to charge so much. Being there to take pictures is the photographer's job. If you were there as a friend you would probably be taking part in the event meaning either you miss out on a lot of the event or you are not taking pictures when you should be. Do you know how to manage working with crowds of people? There's also the work after the fact touching up the pictures. Between the day spent taking pictures and the day or three that will be spent on finding the best pictures and cleaning them up, that $2000 makes sense.

If they have me as the photographer i wont be there as a guest.  I will be walking around taking photos.  And I know how to edit photos, i'm one of the best photographers in the club.

[dexterjones28]

28 minutes ago, EpicKneusje said:

Taking pictures with your cellphone is NOT how you take pictures of weddings, let them do it.

I won't be using a phone.  I have a Canon 5D mark 3 and a few pro lenses like the 70-200 and 24-70.

[Guest]

Show them some examples of your work?

[kerradeph]

12 minutes ago, AkiraDaarkst said:

• Arrives early, is prepared with all the essential gear and with the necessary spare/backup gear

Oh yeah, that was a big one I forgot about. Insurance against murphy's law. 

[dexterjones28]

13 minutes ago, AkiraDaarkst said:

I have a question: do you have any experience taking photos at an event, or how you'd plan or prepare to take photos at one?

 

Since we're talking about wedding photography here, a good wedding photographer(s):

• Meets with the potential clients
• Makes a list of all the key moments that needs to be captured (and for a wedding it can be a long list)
• Arrives early, is prepared with all the essential gear and with the necessary spare/backup gear
• Knows how to avoid the crowd, knows how to avoid interfering with the wedding
• Studies the venue (this is usually done before the actual day of the wedding where he may attend the rehearsals and scout the location(s) of the ceremony, the reception, etc.)
• Knows how to work with natural light, artificial light, mixed lighting and knows how to use strobes and speedlights
• All of these I just mentioned are pre-production and production.  I haven't mentioned post-production steps like selecting the right photos, editing them, assembling them into a well designed album, having select photos printed and framed, etc.

These are things you cannot just wing it without actual experience.  The first time for any photographer (or potential photographer trying to turn pro) is always the most difficult.  I know this from my own experience as an event photographer.  That's why I had a more experienced photographer taking the lead and I worked as his assistant.  Because I didn't want to mess it up.  And especially for a wedding, where it may be the couple's (hopefully) only time for such a special occasion, you DO NOT want to mess it up.

 

So in essence, professional photographers (as long as they are good ones) are NOT overrated.  Even if you're a very talented amateur, you still need experience.

 

People like you who think pros like us are overrated and the prices we charge are too much, you're undermining the value of photography along with the cost of the gear, time and effort we've spent into developing our skills.

I am reading online tips for photographing a wedding.  I think I can do this.  I don't have any extra camera but I will borrow from the club.

[kerradeph]

Have you done anything professionally or has it all been hobby level photography so far?

[dexterjones28]

6 minutes ago, obi-fade-kenobi said:

Show them some examples of your work?

 

[dexterjones28]

4 minutes ago, kerradeph said:

Have you done anything professionally or has it all been hobby level photography so far?

I have not worked as a pro photographer, yet.

[AkiraDaarkst]

10 minutes ago, kerradeph said:

Oh yeah, that was a big one I forgot about. Insurance against murphy's law. 

Yep, gotta always be careful with this one.  Especially when you're working at important events.  Backup camera(s), lenses, batteries, memory cards, etc.

 

9 minutes ago, dexterjones28 said:

I am reading online tips for photographing a wedding.  I think I can do this.  I don't have any extra camera but I will borrow from the club.

Anyone can read tips and guides online.  This doesn't give them the experience to handle the task.  This is your sister's best friend's most important day, you DO NOT want to risk messing things up which I assure you that it will happen if you keep insisting on being the photographer.  I've seen this happening countless times.

 

Nice landscape photos but have you done any portraiture before?  Do you have experience with flash photography?

[dexterjones28]

5 minutes ago, AkiraDaarkst said:

Nice landscape photos but have you done any portraiture before?  Do you have experience with flash photography?

No but i can practice, the wedding is still months away.

[xQubeZx]

1 hour ago, dexterjones28 said:

No but i can practice, the wedding is still months away.

The images you attached are nice yes. But they are landscape photos. That is nothing like shooting portraits or a event. A wedding only happens once. I would pay for a proffsional that is specialized in that instead of taking the risk. It may work out but you can't be sure and you sure as hell don't want to be the person screwing it up. 

[LAwLz]

Don't do it bro.

Wedding photography is not something you can just go in blind and hope for the best. It's a very important moment that you can not afford to fuck up. If he/she says they want a professional photographer then DO NOT ARGUE AGAINST IT. DO NOT TRY TO CONVINCE THEM.

It is incredibly disrespectful to tell someone what to do with their wedding. It does not matter how good you think you are at taking photos, if they want a professional photographer then let them. Both of out respect for the people getting married, but also because if anything goes wrong you will not be responsible. SD card died? Well good luck trying to explain to the people getting married why all the pictures, however good they were, are now gone. Missed a moment? Even if it was not your fault you missed it, they will think "if we had hired the professional we would have gotten a picture of that" and resent you.

 

 

You got some good looking landscape photos but taking pictures of people, especially at a wedding, is completely different.

 

 

Here is what I recommend you do, as a fellow hobby photographer that has attended two weddings.

1) Be respectful. Don't tell the bride and groom what to do/don't do at their own wedding. When you get married you can decide if you want a professional photographer or not, but you should not try and convince other people what to do.

2) Take your camera with you, and study what the professional does. Watching the pros in action is very educational. Don't get in the way though.

[Mihle]

From what I have heard, when you start doing wedding photography, you should not try to be the main photographer. But what you can do is being like a extra photographer, where you let the professional take the lead, and do as what he says, but the first time you will be paid noting or little at all.

OR like what LAwLz, said and just be there and study the pro photographer do first.

Correct me if I am wrong.

[AkiraDaarkst]

9 hours ago, Mihle said:

From what I have heard, when you start doing wedding photography, you should not try to be the main photographer. But what you can do is being like a extra photographer, where you let the professional take the lead, and do as what he says, but the first time you will be paid noting or little at all.

OR like what LAwLz, said and just be there and study the pro photographer do first.

Correct me if I am wrong.

If you're taking photos at a meeting, a corporate conference for example, that's one thing and you can move around taking photos of anyone you like with priority given to the key people.  Of course, you need to know how to take photos, good photos.  I've seen some conference organizers happy with people (their colleagues who participate in the conference/seminar/workshop) happy with photos that come from phones and point-n-shoot cameras.  Because the photos are not really a big deal for them.  Unless of course the attendees are people like President Obama or Queen Elizabeth.

 

But with events like weddings, on someone(s)'s very important day, the chances of messing things up are a lot higher.  The couple being married want's various types of photos to commemorate their wedding.

• Photos during the ceremony when the couple are at the alter.
• When they walk down the aisle.
• When the bride has her dance with her father.
• The couple's first dance.
• Group photos with the couple's family and friends.

But other photos they could ask for can include:

• Wedding preparation photos, like the bride sitting at her dressing table looking at the mirror as she gets ready.
• The groom awaiting his bride.
• Photos of the couple that capture their joy, happiness and affection for each other, usually in outdoor locations like parks, lakes, beaches, vineyards, etc.
• Perhaps creative photos of their wedding rings, on books or invitation cards, near champagne glasses.

And the photographer(s) has to capture all these photos while trying to avoid getting in the way of the couple, family members, guests, and making sure other people do not get in the way of the photographer(s) managing to capture the moment.  There have been countless times when a photographer is ready and waiting at the right spot to capture the moment and suddenly a guest jumps into the frame or uses their own camera/phone and fires off a flash that over exposes the photographer's shot.

 

An experienced photographer can teach a novice

• things to do
• things to pack
• things not to do
• things to avoid
• where to go
• where to stand
• what to look for

Another thing is ethics.  I know a lot of good photographers, talented amateurs who are good at producing fantastic photos.  Their work ethic as a photographer, if they want to become a pro, is horrible.  They don't understand why it's important to arrive at the venue early instead of at the exact hour an event is supposed to start.  They don't talk with potential clients beforehand about anything.  Some weddings don't allow the photographer to eat food served at the wedding reception, they have to pack their own food.  An experienced photographer would know to discuss with the couple if they can join in on the meal being served or should pack their own.

 

A wedding photographer's worst nightmare: Bridezilla.

[dexterjones28]

Thanks for all the comments, they booked with that photographer so it's too late for me to do anything.

[xQubeZx]

1 hour ago, dexterjones28 said:

Thanks for all the comments, they booked with that photographer so it's too late for me to do anything.

I wouldn't say "too late" as the smartest option was to do nothing from the very start. 

[zdog16]

You have some great pics and it sounds like you know what your doing, but I would be careful of offering to shoot a wedding without any experience. I have worked a several weddings as the Videographer, and I have a friend who is a full-time wedding photographer and it is not nearly as easy as you think it is. There is a lot that goes on, a wedding photographer puts between 20-30 hours of work if not more into a single wedding between meetings with the clients, the shoot itself, editing, and coordinating prints. 

At $2000, the photographer they went with is low in the industry I know of photographers that get paid 10K a single wedding. As videographer I won't even look at a wedding unless its $3K or more, It's just not worth the time and effort.