So you want to be a pro wedding photographer

08/27/2007 06:43:55 PM · #1

Hi all,

My name is Travis Hill and I am a wedding photographer. I currently make anywhere from $4,000 to $5,000 per wedding. I have learned many diffent techniques and styles of shooting in my few years as a paid photographer. Now I have found a new way to enhance my skills. Because photography is something you learn everyday. The second you stop learning is the day you should stop shooting.

With that being said, I will tell you how I will gain the knowledge to command even higher prices.

On October 25th and 26th of this year I will be hosting a photo workshop. The photographer that will be teaching is David Beckstead. He is a highly paid, highly experienced wedding photographer. As a matter of fact American Photo magazine rated him one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world. He will work closley with everyone who attends the workshop (12-15 photographers). We will shoot for 8 hours with two models one in the morning, one in the evening. The next half day will be spent with David critiquing some of you best images. He will give you advice on how to work with your brides, and how to look for that something special no one else can see.

This will be truley a learning experience! Anyone who is looking to take their business to the next level, well now is the time.

What we provide
2 or 3 models pro and non pro
Outdoor location with all permits needed
Indoor location with all permits needed
Wedding Dresses (we may have some grooms as well)
Indoor location for critiquing so everyone can learn from each others images
David Beckstead
30 Years of Wedding experience

What you provide
Camera
Great attitude
Willingness to learn and be creative
and of course there will be a charge of $600

If you would like to find out how good David actually is his website is www.davidbeckstead.com or just do a search on his name.

I will be hosting this so I will be putting together locations, interviewing models, and getting all the permits. If anyone has any ideas they would like to bring to the table I would love to listen. I love to make things as interactive as possible

The theme I have designed for this workshop is "the non location" this basically means that not everyone gets to shoot at great venues, or downtown New York. So we will be looking to get the best out of locations that is more real world. We will be shooting between somewhere between Baltimore, MD, and Philly, PA.

If you have anyfurther questions feel free to post them here, or email me at travis@theperfectpose.com

O yeah if you'd like to check out my website it is www.theperfectpose.com

Travis

P.S. This is all about helping people better their skills, lets take wedding photography to a whole nother level.

08/29/2007 07:48:44 PM · #2

With all the questions about wedding photography I thought I would get alot more responces than I did.

WOW go figure.

Travis

Simms

08/29/2007 08:00:53 PM · #3

"and of course there will be a charge of $600 "

theres the reason.

saying that, I have just checked out his website and his work is fantastic. a workshop is something I would love to attend in the future, but time/cash constraints are always a problem.

I do not doubt it wouldnt be a fantastic learning oppportunity.

Message edited by author 2007-08-29 20:04:58.

08/29/2007 08:05:49 PM · #4

Originally posted by Simms:

"and of course there will be a charge of $600 "

theres the reason.

A small investment, you could make that back on one wedding.

I mean people can't expect something like that to be free. Or can they?

Message edited by author 2007-08-29 20:06:01.

Simms

08/29/2007 08:44:31 PM · #5

Originally posted by Travis99:

Originally posted by Simms:
"and of course there will be a charge of $600 "

theres the reason.

A small investment, you could make that back on one wedding.

I mean people can't expect something like that to be free. Or can they?

Nope I agree, and after viewing his work the guy obviously is very very good at what he does. Like I said, if I had the spare time & money then attending a workshop of sorts would be on my to-do list.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

08/29/2007 08:49:51 PM · #6

I checked out your website. It looks like you should be giving workshops rather than attending them. Great nature shots.

Travis

MattO

Nikon D4

08/29/2007 08:59:48 PM · #7

Originally posted by Simms:

I have to agree, I dont think people expect it to be for free, but for what is being offered is it worth it? ALot of great photographers wont be great teachers and if he hasnt given alot of these workshops how will anyone know if he is or not. When I read the ad, I thought even with the travel that may not be too bad, until I realized how much two days would cost.

MattO

08/29/2007 09:06:05 PM · #8

He has given quite a few workshops. I attended on he did for about 500 people. They had huge speakers set up so everyone could hear. I learned quite a bit about motion in photography. I can't imagine how much I will learn when it is just 12 to 15 people.

Plus the networking with the other photographers is a great thing too. You could buy a new lens for $600 and use it one way. Or you could learn to use the lenses you have now 10 different ways.

08/29/2007 09:08:30 PM · #9

here are a few other workshops he has done and some more examples of his work.

//www.becksteadworkshops.com/

christianeye

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

10/05/2007 11:02:18 PM · #10

wow your pics are great!!!
i live in northern Ca i wish i could come to the class!!!!!! but can you help me make a website like yours?????
thanks for the inspiration!!

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

10/05/2007 11:21:04 PM · #11

I'm interested in attending, but...... no time for travel. How about a workshop in Salt Lake City? (well... I had to ask)

fotomann_forever

10/05/2007 11:29:04 PM · #12

Originally posted by dwterry:

I'm interested in attending, but...... no time for travel. How about a workshop in Salt Lake City? (well... I had to ask)

You should teach it :-)

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

10/05/2007 11:31:42 PM · #13

I've dabbled in weddings a tiny bit and I'm all about learning, particularly learning how to take things to that 'higher level' but I'm a student in Taiwan. I have neither the location nor the time nor the funds. Sorry.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

10/05/2007 11:39:48 PM · #14

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

You should teach it :-)

Ummm... I don't think I'm ready for that yet!

I do attend our IPPA (Intermountain Professional Photographer's Association) conferences regularly. We have some awesome speakers coming in to teach us during a 3-day conference at the end of this month. So I'm serious about wanting to attend, just not willing to travel.

debitipton

Canon EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II

10/06/2007 12:51:10 AM · #15

Travis - I took David's class in August. I had a blast, but then I suppose I would have had just as much fun with this same group of photographers and several models for the day. David did have great business information. I think I had hoped for more technical information than I got. David describes his style of photography as "Zen Photography" which I all ready understand, I'm more of a go with the flow person -- I was wanting more tech skills stuff. He answered every question we had and many we hadn't thought of and he has an amazing ability to see natural lighting. My biggest complaint from the day was juggling for position around 12 other photographer and one model. I have more photos with someone's elbow or the top of a head as they stood up in front of me.

These are some from the class:
[thumb]596050[/thumb]

Good luck filling the class!
Debi

10/06/2007 06:53:53 AM · #16

We are almost filled up. We have three models, one of them is an actress. Two great locations and some awesome dresses.

Debitipton, were you the host of the workshop?

FocusPoint

XIAOMI Redmi Note 8 Pro

10/06/2007 08:06:49 AM · #17

With just checking the website, I think I learned stuff worth a few hundred dollars... even pricing :) Great ideas there.

I just decided to become a photographer professionally, and this could be a great deal of learning for me, but maybe next time. My money tied up for other educational stuff and my time still with my current job.

It seems like a very good idea, and price doesn't look that high for that kind of learning, plus the pictures people would take there also can be used for the resume :)

Thanks for the offer ;) Maybe next time :)

debitipton

Canon EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II

10/06/2007 09:23:58 AM · #18

Originally posted by Travis99:

We are almost filled up. We have three models, one of them is an actress. Two great locations and some awesome dresses.

Debitipton, were you the host of the workshop?

No, Grant Oakes was. He did a lot of last minute calling to keep the class filled. Several people bailed on him a day or so before the class.

Have a good time. We had 95 degree heat the day we shot. At one point I thought the model might pass out. She was a trooper!

Prof_Fate

10/06/2007 10:42:52 AM · #19

Originally posted by debitipton:

Having attended a few week long classes and many seminars I can pass along some advice that might help you next time, or others.

While it's nice to get sample images you can use on your website, don't go in with that as your objective. Take your camera and you it to take 'notes' - set ups, angles, slideshow slides, etc. The resulting images will be a better learning tool and resource than 2 or 3 shots for your website. and you'll be listening and learning rather than trying to squeeze in a shot from a so-so angle. if you can the shot get it - and with teh overall setup shot you've got it all to refer to later.

technical info...like what? Almost every class like this assumes you know your camera and basic exposure, exposure comp and the like. It helps if you know the teachers' philosophy - for exapmple, don't take a wedding class from a natural light photographer and then ask about flash issues - you will be disappointed.

Learn the overall how they do what they do, why they shoot what they shot - the lighting or BG, what did they see that made them choose that lens or that pose,etc.

debitipton

Canon EF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 II

10/06/2007 11:11:36 AM · #20

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Prof_Fate -- Please understand that I wasn't disappointed in the class at all. The way Grant presented it to me when he called asking if I was interested in taking the class was that there would be more technical information than there was. I did learn loads about the way he runs his business, marketing etc. I suppose it was a different technical than I was expecting. I've known David's work for years. He's quite active on the Digital Wedding Forum which I belong to. His stuff can be very cutting edge and he works hard to keep it that way. He's always challenging others to present their best.

Yes, I got great images for my web site but that wasn't why I took the class. Honestly, I took the class because I always do something special for myself the day the kids go back to school. This class was what I decided to do this year. The kids went to class -- I went to class. I was much happier than they were to be going ;-)

Debi

Tlemetry

Olympus E-300 EVOLT

Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Macro ED Zuiko Digital

10/06/2007 11:32:52 AM · #21

I would certainly sign up for this if I was anywhere close.
This would be great for the beginner, but a beginner usually doesn't have the income to pay for it yet. Which is where I stand at the moment.
I would love to learn more!

10/08/2007 11:34:26 AM · #22

Originally posted by debitipton:

He's quite active on the Digital Wedding Forum which I belong to. His stuff can be very cutting edge and he works hard to keep it that way. He's always challenging others to present their best.

Debi

Cool Debi!

Are you going to the convention. The wedding from hell is going to awesome. Hope to see you there.

Travis

Simms