Wedding photography

Dr_DiNg_DoNg

aimee21j wrote: »

Thanks Karen. You're so right. Just because someone charges £1500 or £200 doesn't make them a fantastic/poor photographer.

Except , when somebody becomes a fantastic photographer after years of learning, they dont charge in the lower range.

Discodave

slighty OT , but can anyone recommend any good weddding forums... ive got

weddingforum.co.uk
wedding choas.co.uk

which are the main two i look at, but very few post in thread/topics I read

karen_newcastle

Discodave wrote: »

slighty OT , but can anyone recommend any good weddding forums... ive got

weddingforum.co.uk
wedding choas.co.uk

which are the main two i look at, but very few post in thread/topics I read

That's a bit more than SLIGHTLY OT lol

Confetti
Hitched
Youandyourwedding

Sammy_Girl

For my two pennies worth, we're paying £2.5k for our photographer. This includes:

2 x photographers from 11:30 - 21:30
Approx 400 pics to choose from
Large Album with 150 pics
1 disc to do with as we please


It's a personal choice how much someone wants to spend. We cut back on other parts of the wedding so that we could pay more for the photographer - we looked at quite a few photographers and this chap was the one we felt would capture our day best. We have seen a lot of his work, he has been in business for many years, does a lot of high end corporate work outside of the wedding season, the list goes on really.

What I would also say is it is just not the time they spend actually shooting the photos. Our chap has spent hours at our house discussing what we want, he will then spend many hours/days working on the pictures. Add in the cost of back up cameras, insurance, additional photographer etc.

Fwiw, our photographer is based in Kent.

Sammy_Girl

Discodave wrote: »

slighty OT , but can anyone recommend any good weddding forums... ive got

weddingforum.co.uk
wedding choas.co.uk

which are the main two i look at, but very few post in thread/topics I read

Def, go to https://www.youandyourwedding.com

o_t_e

Personally I agree with Karen - there are some good photographers working at the cheaper end and some indifferent ones charging alot more. Having said that I thought I'd add this just because it's funny:

andygb

karen_newcastle wrote: »

Basically....and these are vague approximations....

Hours prior to ceremony - approx 4 hours (meeting clients, visiting venues etc)
Shooting wedding - approx 8 hours
Dowloading and editing - approx 20 hours
Designing album approx - 3 hours
total - 35 hours.

My costs vary depending on which package the Bride and Groom choose. Number of images vary but I would expect to show the B&G around 800 images.

This wont be a surprise to ANY photographer working in the wedding business.

Thanks Karen, that sounds entirely reasonable for the work which you put in. I was not trying to imply that wedding photographers who charge upwards of £500 are too expensive, just that not everyone is prepared to pay that amount. I covered a mate's wedding a few years ago, he was very happy with the results (Despite the fact that I was not very happy - couldn't get the bride or groom to smile, or anyone to smarten up for the photos), but he didn't pay me, he simply expected it as a wedding present. He then referred me on to someone else, who expects to get the whole job done for next to nothing. I am just starting out seriously, and have to build a portfolio, so do I hire models and do it that way, or go ahead and make next to nothing for people who do not care? A lot of people pay big money for the dress, reception, rings and honeymoon (all very easy to arrange, without much skill attached), and then skimp on the photos, which are something to be treasured for life.
Everyone thinks that the photographer is paid for part of one day, and they assume that the digital age has made life so much easier (in some ways it has given us more control over the images), but as you rightly point out, the real gritty work starts with the editing of hundreds of images.
Thanks again,
Andy.

o_t_e

Andy, with any couple I suggest you go with your gut instinct - a couple who don't display any real interest in your services now may turn out to be difficult to organise & photograph during the wedding yet very demanding after it's over. Politely decline and use your time to start researching contracts that say exactly what you will and won't do, what you will and won't be responsible for.

Rather than paying for models I suggest you get on some of the forums frequented by wedding photographers and offer you services as a second shooter just for the experience. Once you get to know a few photographers local to you you might pick up some paid work and be able to ease into solo work in an organic way.

karen_newcastle

o_t_e wrote: »

Andy, with any couple I suggest you go with your gut instinct - a couple who don't display any real interest in your services now may turn out to be difficult to organise & photograph during the wedding yet very demanding after it's over. Politely decline and use your time to start researching contracts that say exactly what you will and won't do, what you will and won't be responsible for.

Rather than paying for models I suggest you get on some of the forums frequented by wedding photographers and offer you services as a second shooter just for the experience. Once you get to know a few photographers local to you you might pick up some paid work and be able to ease into solo work in an organic way.

That's the route I took. I was a 2nd shooter for another photographer and blogged a few of those images after each wedding. I then picked up some business by word of mouth. I gave a reasonable quote that I knew was competitive but still gave some reward for my time.

andygb

o_t_e wrote: »

Andy, with any couple I suggest you go with your gut instinct - a couple who don't display any real interest in your services now may turn out to be difficult to organise & photograph during the wedding yet very demanding after it's over. Politely decline and use your time to start researching contracts that say exactly what you will and won't do, what you will and won't be responsible for.

Rather than paying for models I suggest you get on some of the forums frequented by wedding photographers and offer you services as a second shooter just for the experience. Once you get to know a few photographers local to you you might pick up some paid work and be able to ease into solo work in an organic way.

The "something for nothing" brigade are the hardest to please, yet try to set the highest standards. I liken them to the food critics on Masterchef, who always have everything prepared to the highest standards, but somehow manage to look miserable all of the time.