back alley
IMAGES
do we have many wedding shooters here at rff?
do you shoot with a rangefinder?
how would you describe your 'style'?
like i said, just curious...
i did weddings when i was younger...hated them but the money was pretty good...i was more of a hack than a good shooter but it's amazing what people like!
do you shoot with a rangefinder?
how would you describe your 'style'?
like i said, just curious...
i did weddings when i was younger...hated them but the money was pretty good...i was more of a hack than a good shooter but it's amazing what people like!
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I did them in college, and found them more trouble than they're worth. My style was pretty traditional because I stopped doing it before the 'photojournalistic' trend and the current heavily photoshopped trends started.
oftheherd
Veteran
I've done them many years ago, but never for money. I felt good about the first couple or so, like I was a real photographer. But I quickly tired of it, even for friends.
dcsang
Canadian & Not A Dentist
I Shoot them.
Sometimes with my Leica M's and on film even!
"Style"? What's that? I just capture the moments as they happen - sometimes I get lucky and get something I wasn't expecting. I try not to emulate anyone - I'd rather just be a fly on the wall and grab the moments as they occur.
Money nowadays is "ok" but there are a TON (literally and figuratively) of wedding photographers around. Every person that gets a DSLR thinks they can be a wedding photographer and make oodles of cash.
It takes MORE than just good photography to have a really successful and viable wedding photography business. This is the reason I only shoot part time and work full time - my business acumen and, at times, my photographic skill suck too much to be doing that full time
Cheers,
Dave
Sometimes with my Leica M's and on film even!
"Style"? What's that? I just capture the moments as they happen - sometimes I get lucky and get something I wasn't expecting. I try not to emulate anyone - I'd rather just be a fly on the wall and grab the moments as they occur.
Money nowadays is "ok" but there are a TON (literally and figuratively) of wedding photographers around. Every person that gets a DSLR thinks they can be a wedding photographer and make oodles of cash.
It takes MORE than just good photography to have a really successful and viable wedding photography business. This is the reason I only shoot part time and work full time - my business acumen and, at times, my photographic skill suck too much to be doing that full time
Cheers,
Dave
kuvvy
Well-known
I did them for around nine years and used to be out most weeks from March to October. I used to use Mamiya C330s and a Bronica in those days and it was much more the formal style of shooting. I had to retire from doing them 19 years ago when I injured my back.
Paul
Paul
swoop
Well-known
I do weddings as a 2nd shooter. And unlike most 2nd shooters I don't do it for experience. I market myself to wedding photographers as a professional 2nd shooter.
It's not a bad gig especially since I literally just show up and take pictures. There's none of the work that actual wedding photographers do like marketing, contracts, editing, products. And it's something to do on weekends where I'm usually free. And like I said I'm already an experienced photographer. I'm a working photojournalist with a degree in photography. So it's an easier sell to convince a wedding photographer they should work with me and pay my rates if their getting experience they can value and respect. And unlike most people who try to 2nd shoot for wedding photographers my goal isn't to build a portfolio to start a competing business. I just do it for the extra money because I already possess the required skill set, experience and equipment.
I work with a few different photographers and each one has a similar visual style that I can fall in line with. But each definitely has their own way of doing things. Most prefer I use a Canon because it's the camera they use and it simplifies the editing process. I've worked with a few who allow me to use whatever camera I please including the Leica but it's rare to find someone like that. Most really want you to at least own the same brand if not the same model.
It's not a bad gig especially since I literally just show up and take pictures. There's none of the work that actual wedding photographers do like marketing, contracts, editing, products. And it's something to do on weekends where I'm usually free. And like I said I'm already an experienced photographer. I'm a working photojournalist with a degree in photography. So it's an easier sell to convince a wedding photographer they should work with me and pay my rates if their getting experience they can value and respect. And unlike most people who try to 2nd shoot for wedding photographers my goal isn't to build a portfolio to start a competing business. I just do it for the extra money because I already possess the required skill set, experience and equipment.
I work with a few different photographers and each one has a similar visual style that I can fall in line with. But each definitely has their own way of doing things. Most prefer I use a Canon because it's the camera they use and it simplifies the editing process. I've worked with a few who allow me to use whatever camera I please including the Leica but it's rare to find someone like that. Most really want you to at least own the same brand if not the same model.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Tried it. For friends only. Insh'Allah, no more on the horizon. From http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps weddings.html :
This is not a guide to shooting weddings commercially. We have never done this, and we never want to. Rather, it's about shooting weddings for friends. This may either be because they're too young and broke to afford anything else (which accounted for the first two that Roger shot), or because they're very old friends and really, really want you to shoot their weddings: you would offend them more by refusing than you would by doing it on your terms.
Cheers,
R.
This is not a guide to shooting weddings commercially. We have never done this, and we never want to. Rather, it's about shooting weddings for friends. This may either be because they're too young and broke to afford anything else (which accounted for the first two that Roger shot), or because they're very old friends and really, really want you to shoot their weddings: you would offend them more by refusing than you would by doing it on your terms.
Cheers,
R.
Pickett Wilson
Veteran
I hate wedding photography, and hate is too mild a word. I shot a few weddings for family members who would not be put off by my hostility to doing so, but even that doesn't get me to do it anymore. Everyone goes a little crazy in the stress of a wedding.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
I'll drink to that. But then, I'll drink to most things, including prohibition. Fortunately I've never had anyone crazy enough to object to a free $1000-$5000 coverage of their wedding.
Cheers,
R.
Iceboy
Member
I use my M6 and M8 occasionally but mostly my Canon DSLR. I am a working professional wedding photographer here in LA. I am more of a documentary photographer even though I do prompt my clients for few posed images.
Bill Clark
Veteran
Recently finished my last wedding. I did the brides sister wedding 7 years ago!
I believe younger folks getting married gravitate toward younger photographers. For me, I was in my early 50's (2002) when I started a photography business full time. During my peak years I had around 30 weddings each year plus other gigs. Now I still make business portraits.
My career with weddings lasted as long as it did because of referrals. Had a bride & groom that I did the 4th wedding for their families!
Sales and marketing is really important today because there are a gadzillion photographers out there who have a DSLR, business cards, cheap prices and thats about it.
My best weddings were with "higher-end" clients who appreciated what I do and the photographs I make.
I always had an associate photographer and she was paid rather well but was worth every penny.
Where to begin? You need to figure out who will be your clients, how much you want to charge and what you have to offer. It's not really about equipment, much more important items people are looking for, like decent photographs that they can't make or don't want to make.
Perhaps find someone you could assist at a wedding or two. You could build a portfolio with your photographs to show prospective clients.
Find an experienced photographer to be your mentor, coach and friend; someone whose photographs mirror how you see the world. It could be a teacher or another experienced wedding photographer.
My coach, friend, teacher and mentor was Monte Zucker. Cancer took his life. I miss his friendship and advice.
I truly enjoy helping people with what they want for photography, no matter what the event. If a wedding came along I would probably take it and, besides Jean, I would have a young person who could haul my stuff around.
The wedding business is a lot of fun and hard work but I've enjoyed every minute of it! If I had to do it over I would have started at a younger age. But I did OK in my other life as a sales rep.
Best of luck!
I believe younger folks getting married gravitate toward younger photographers. For me, I was in my early 50's (2002) when I started a photography business full time. During my peak years I had around 30 weddings each year plus other gigs. Now I still make business portraits.
My career with weddings lasted as long as it did because of referrals. Had a bride & groom that I did the 4th wedding for their families!
Sales and marketing is really important today because there are a gadzillion photographers out there who have a DSLR, business cards, cheap prices and thats about it.
My best weddings were with "higher-end" clients who appreciated what I do and the photographs I make.
I always had an associate photographer and she was paid rather well but was worth every penny.
Where to begin? You need to figure out who will be your clients, how much you want to charge and what you have to offer. It's not really about equipment, much more important items people are looking for, like decent photographs that they can't make or don't want to make.
Perhaps find someone you could assist at a wedding or two. You could build a portfolio with your photographs to show prospective clients.
Find an experienced photographer to be your mentor, coach and friend; someone whose photographs mirror how you see the world. It could be a teacher or another experienced wedding photographer.
My coach, friend, teacher and mentor was Monte Zucker. Cancer took his life. I miss his friendship and advice.
I truly enjoy helping people with what they want for photography, no matter what the event. If a wedding came along I would probably take it and, besides Jean, I would have a young person who could haul my stuff around.
The wedding business is a lot of fun and hard work but I've enjoyed every minute of it! If I had to do it over I would have started at a younger age. But I did OK in my other life as a sales rep.
Best of luck!
Bill Clark
Veteran
"i did weddings when i was younger...hated them."
Oops.
Do you still carry that view?
You may want to re-consider.
Oops.
Do you still carry that view?
You may want to re-consider.
f16sunshine
Moderator
Second camera is fun and I do that a few times per year.
Pay is always less but so is the stress (much less in both regards).
Have always taken at least 1 film camera along... usually a TLR.
Pay is always less but so is the stress (much less in both regards).
Have always taken at least 1 film camera along... usually a TLR.
kshapero
South Florida Man
Guilty as charged. I shoot weddings with a Nikon D7000 as my first body and my M3 as a second. For typical wedding I shoot about 1200 exposures on the D7000 of which about 10% are keepers. With the M3 I shoot about 120 exposures and about 33% are keepers. Interesting, eh?
kshapero
South Florida Man
Sometimes I shoot as a second with M3. Yes much less stressful.
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
Many years ago I did...maybe less than 10 weddings...hated them...even turned down a cousin once...last one was for good friends...second wedding for both...outdoors in the mountains...
I often have friends ask if I do them...I hate turning them down but I would hate myself even more if I said yes...
I often have friends ask if I do them...I hate turning them down but I would hate myself even more if I said yes...
Bill Clark
Veteran
I removed the link to photos.
Sorry.
I just avoid putting client images on the WWW.
Have a wonderful Holiday season and a successful 2013.
Sorry.
I just avoid putting client images on the WWW.
Have a wonderful Holiday season and a successful 2013.
back alley
IMAGES
i just say that i don't have the right equipment to do a wedding...
Photosynthetech
Established
I shoot them as a second shooter and I have my first solo wedding on Sunday. I always have my x100 around my wrist and a dslr on a shoulder strap. For the wedding Sunday I will use a canon 5d classic with Nikon 105 ai and zeiss 50 f1.7 and the x100. The x100 is actually really nice for weddings with the high flash sync speed. I wish they made more digi cams with leaf shutters. I have had a first shooter ask if my 50d was broken because he saw I was using the Fuji though. I unhappily put it away and told him to look it up after so it we won't have anymore problems. I shot with him again and he fou.d out about the sync speed and wouldn't stop asking me about the camera
Richard G
Veteran
I did one for a friend when I had less imagination; or no imagination. For a while recently I regularly visited the Wedding forum on photo.net to ensure I don't do another one. Some of the stories there make my blood run cold. I admire the professionals who can keep up a business in weddings. The degree of professionalism required is scary. Scouting locations, backup cameras, lenses, lights, shooters, weather contingencies, injury contingencies. Include me out.