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12/03/2008 11:01:09 AM · #1 |
I've done stock photography, sold well with photographersdirect.com and for the non-macrophoto work I use 4 microstock sites which brings in a little cash. To make a long story short, my photography gets noticed by my friends here in Japan. I've been asked by a friend of a friend to do his wedding. We meet sometime this week to discuss prices.
The first problem: In Japan, a Christian wedding is done usually in a hotel. Hotels here have small chapels and then large banquet halls. Usually everything is provided by the hotel, including the photography. I work as a wedding minister at a hotel and I am good friends with the head photographer there. However, I don't think his photography is all that great. A lot of the photos simply get put through a filter (Slight brightness adjustment, Gaussian blur) and then added to a coffee book style album. This sells for rougly 2500USD. I'm not yet familiar with the details of this couples wedding, but if it's NOT in a hotel, then I can understand why they are looking for a photographer...however, if it IS in a hotel, I think they are looking to save money.
The second problem: When friends back home ask "How do I find a wedding photographer?" I always say "Take a look at their wedding photography. See a complete album from start to finish, not the 'best of...' album from a bunch of weddings." I feel like this is advice I should give him, but I actually don't have any wedding photography available for him to view. I have my other photography, but not wedding photography. While some might look at this as a 'chance' to do a wedding to get a portfolio done, the truth is I actually have that 'chance' coming up in January when a member of my church is getting married and everyone is pitching in for the cost of the album to be made at blurb.com after I've worked on some of the photos I DEEM IMPORTANT...it's at cost, but I also get to spend as much time as I need on it since other work takes priority.
The third problem: Since this is likely a one time deal (I marry couples on weekends, so no photography time) then I would like to make it worth my time without it sounding as though I'm taking advantage of the man. I am paid well as a minister so to cover me taking that day off would be a minimum. Then the time to process the photos. I would like to offer more than just a coffee table book but at this point I don't have time to deal with prints.
I'd like to go to him with a plan that's fair. I will be honest in saying that money, as long as I'm paid for the day and cost of the album and a bit for the PP, then I'm OK walking away with little to nothing. Maybe I've just answered my own question...I'd love to get into wedding photography, but I'm in front of the camera, not behind it, at weddings. I've learned a lot just watching and talking.
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12/03/2008 11:22:13 AM · #2 |
Some things you mentioned that catch my eye/ear.
The are trying to save some money. While not everyone is rich it is very painfully obvious to experience wedding and other pro photographers that people will spend money on what they feel is important. If they are looking for cheap photography then it is becaue they do not place a high value on it. Do you care though? Depends. I know lots of people that cook for a living and as long as they get paid they don't care (about the food or customer). Then there are those that want their work to be appreciated and really dont like it when the 'mcdonalds' crowd wants a gourmet meal because they just don't appreciate the effort, teh ingredients, the knowledge that goes into creating such a meal.
It is good you tell them to look at a photographers portfolio. My work now is light years ahead of where i was 2 or 3 years ago. Experience matters. So while you may not be a fan of the photog at the hotel where you work you may not do even that well at your first wedding. There is more to shooting a wedding than focus and exposure, at least here in the US.
You don't want to deal with prints. Fine if they don't want any, but otherwise you are short changing them. Would you go to a surgeon that had the point of view like yours - "i don't want to deal with stitching up the wound". Point being, it's a job half finished.
Is it fair to them to learn wedding photography at their wedding and get paid? My POV is if you've never done it, don't know if you'll like it, aren't equipped for it (gear, backups, insurance, business license, etc) and doing if for a friend or cheapskate then do it for free.
But then if you're willing to work for free there are a lot of charities out there that would appreciate it more than cheapskates, I mean, people that don't value photography enough to pay a fair price for it, or can't understand why they should pick an experienced pro for a once in a lifetime event.
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