 BetterPhoto Member |
When should you try to photograph for payment? How do you know when you are ready to take on small paying events? Such as small weddings where the people involved want nice pictures but have tight budgets. What kind of equipment should you have before you start.
|
|
|
|
||
- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
When you have the time to do it, when you have the equipment you need to do it, when you can afford to do it, and when your pictures are good enough that people want to buy them.
|
|
|
|
||
|
x |
Gregory hit it on the head, but I'll add a little something. Wedding photography is very hard. Even the best and most experienced photographers stay away if they don't have the other part. It is demanding, emotional, and completely unpredictable. Strong technical know-how is only one requirement. When I say strong technical know-how, I mean very strong. You shouldn't have to think about how many stops down for certain back-lighting, you just know how to do it. This is because it moves fast and is highly stressful. If you have to think too much, you'll miss the opportunity, or you'll screw it up. Therefore, if you have to ask if you are ready to charge for your pictures, I would say no. I am starting in wedding photography and am finding it far more difficult than I ever imagined. I have a very good grasp of general photography and I am very good with available light. But, know I am wrestling with indoor situations with strobe flash, which is new to me. I just agreed to do a wedding in about 2 weeks and it will be entirely indoors at night. In my previous experience, in a situation like this, I would shoot all black and white, and use TMAX 3200 rated at 1600. For this, available light would be great. But, shooting for clients, you don't call the shots. She wants color. So, I'm saying to myself, I show you my work, you like it. The majority of my work is not formal poses and is not color, but you want color and formal poses and you want very little of the stuff I showed you that I am good at. Okay! How do I respond to that? I said okay, but now I'm thinking I have no idea how to approach this wedding. So, this is a very small example of how you could get into trouble. Also, because I am starting in wedding photography, I am offering all my services at cost right now. I shoot film, so there are costs. If I shot digital, I would imagine that I could do a wedding for very little. I saw one guy on the web who is offering his service for a full day wedding for $500. He shoots it and gives you a CD with all the images, that's it. I thought it was a great way for him to build a portfolio and for someone on a budget to appreciate a low cost if their budget is tight. It may not be the full service many are looking for, but you know what you are getting...and he's not new to photography, just to weddings. His website can be found at http://www.adamtaylor.com in case you are interested. For me, as I said, I too am offering my services at cost - a tiny bit above for gas and slop. I am very honest with all the clients I talk to. I tell them exactly how many weddings I've shot, how much experience I've had, what I'm doing, and what I plan to do. I don't over sell myself as this great person who is doing them a favor. I tell them they need to weigh experience with price. I also explain that someone charging $400/hr or more is probably worth every penny and that they should consider that option. I tell them that they should not make a decision based on their budget (although, really, that is the only reason they are talking to me). I was recently criticized by a local photographer who saw my website and was mad at me and said that I was cheapening the art and underselling "his" market, and "stealing" his business. I explained to him that I was sorry that he felt that way, but that I am in no way competing with him. I am not at the same level. He is offering packages starting at $5,000. I am only charging $140/hr. We are not offering the same thing. I do not have the experience level he has, I do not have as much to offer, I do not have 2 photographers, I don't have ions of experience posing people. I do not necessarily know how to control the wedding party during the formals, yet. I have not yet had a bad experience where everything goes worng or where the bride wants her money back. I haven't dealt with any of that, and therefore, I have no business competing at that level. However, what I am offering is an exchange. I am offering my services at cost, in exchange for me to gain that experience. I will eventually be competing head to head with this guy, but for now, I don't see that. Another couple I just booked signed up because of my price. They can't afford a $400/hr type person. So, they picked me. They totally understand what they are getting. They looked at my current portfolio and they talked to me for a long time. But, in the end, we were helping eachother out, and they understand that. They know that they will get beautiful pictures of their special day, and that I will get fantastic shots for future advertising. I told you all of these things to tell you that small or large, the thing is the same. If you have something to offer, offer it. You may not have people busting down your door, but there are always people who are willing to go for the budget approach where you both gain a little. Jerry
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||