Trash the Dress & other wedding questions..

kmp1191 · May 29, 2008

Do brides really do this or is just models?
Have any of you actually had a bride want to do this?
Also, how much time do you actually get to spend with the bride on the day of the wedding? I see so many beautiful pictures on here of various locations w/ the bride & groom, I just wonder how many hours you actualy get to spend photographing them on their big day?
ok...and one more....typically, how many photos do you take at a wedding? I know all weddings are different, but on average....how many do you walk out of there with...before sorting/deleting?

thanks....just a few questions on my mind here lately.

marie

Peanuts · May 29, 2008

Plenty of brides will trash their dress! I am quite sentimental so I actually don't think I could ever do that, but I have done a grad 'trash the dress' shoot where the dress really wasn't harmed at all (essentially some photographers took my friends and I downtown and we traipsed around in grungy places having really sweet photos taken! Anyways, back on topic, I actually have a past couple (I took some 'couple' photographs of them two years after they were married) who is interested in doing a trash the dress session. I am not a fan of the water ones, but more of those artistic grungy or out in the middle of nowhere ones.

I have only done a couple of weddings solo but generally the bride and groom shots will have an hour or two slotted out with the photographer so you have to be really quick on your feet if you are going elsewhere for those images. Have several maps printed out with directions with your cell phone on it incase anyone in the bridal party gets lost!

I (from little experience, ha!) have taken an average of 1200 on their wedding day and will edit around 400.

Hopefully that helps some

beckyh · May 29, 2008

Marie-
Hello, let me see if i can answer some of your questions. I have not shot a wedding yet (in October will be my first one) But i do run my own sports photography business. And am starting to get into the portrait side of things.
I do believe that real brides are doing this. (not sure if i can put links on this forum) But facebook has a site just for trashing the dress. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2230211455 Which shows photos of real brides and photographers uploading there works.
I have not done a session yet, i would love to tho! I wouldn't care if it was a trash the dress or Let's get trashed (for anyone, prom dresses, graduation robes, etc.) http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2403542896

Again, I believe when you see these beautiful photos of bride and groom in different locations. I don't think they are on the wedding day. I think they are different days. Or i must have done something wrong when i got married :sexywink:

.
Hope that helps with some of your questions. But like i said, i havn't shot my first wedding yet. Very excited for October tho.

Big Mike · May 29, 2008

I don't think than many brides want to trash their dress on their wedding day. But after that...what are they going to do with the dress...keep it in their closet forever? Well, unfortunately...yes, that's what they do. Many of them say that they are keeping it for their daughter...but do you think they would wear their own mother's dress? "No way, it's out dated"...but theirs is a timeless classic :roll:

If I seem a bit jaded on this topic...it's because I am. My wife has been keeping her dress in the closet and it drives me crazy.

Anyway...more and more women are opening up to the idea of a TTD shoot. And you can always find a model to play the part of a bride.

On a wedding day, time is almost always a precious commodity. I try to plan for as much time as possible (tell them to reserve that time for photos)...at least 2 hours...but I know that it probably won't be that long. Chances are that the wedding won't start on time...then there will be unexpected things that put demand on the B&G's time. Family/group shots may take longer than you think and/or they may request a huge list of photos & groups...and that all takes time.

Then you want to be able to get the B&G on their own and maybe even the bride alone if you can...but time is always of the essence.

That's part of why wedding photography isn't a cake walk. You need to technically efficient and creative...all while being in a big hurry.

The number of shots will vary with many factors. Some people set up their shots more carefully and take fewer shots...and some people 'spray and pray'. :lol:

Also, I find that I can easily take as many shots during a reception as I can during the rest of the wedding day. Especially when the party is really happening. Most of those are meaningful for the B&G but they aren't very good for print sales. So if your business plan is to make money with print sales, you will want to concentrate on the shots that sell. If you are selling the files and/or making a slide show etc. Then plenty of reception shots might be a good thing.

kmp1191 · May 29, 2008

Thanks for the replies!
Big Mike~I know what you mean about keeping the dress! I got married 17 yrs ago and mine is in a sealed box in the attic....somewhere!! My daughter isn't going to where it....hell, i didn't want to wear it!
I do have a couple of models that are willing to do the shoot...looking forward to it! I just didn't know if REAL brides were willing to do it with their dresses.
Also, usually when I'm shooting a wedding, we start shooting about 2 hrs before the ceremony....and it still feels like there's not enough time! And that's without leaving the church/location. We did have a b&g that had 3 hrs between ceremony & reception, and they wanted to go all over downtown....that was a dream!! I would love to be able to take my time and get the creative shots, but most of the time it just doesn't happen.

Again, thanks for the replies!
marie

Carmel · May 29, 2008

From the perspective of a new bride...

I don't think I have the heart to trash my dress... I wanted to keep it for my kids, although it'll probably be outdated and they won't wear it. I plan on getting some candid photos done wearing it on my year anniversary. Walking the dogs (picking up poop, haha), mowing the lawn, doing the dishes... but I'll be taking precautions to preserve it. It's far, far too delicate to take in the water-- I think it'd probably dissolve

I'm adamant on wearing it for at least that day, I mean I spent 5500.00 on the darn thing.

JIP · May 29, 2008

I am not sure wht you plans are for shooting weddings but I know one good way to figure out all of the info you seek. You can follow the route to becoming a wedding photographer of working with someone for a time and starting from there. One way is to just shadow some generous photographer for free and get your info that way. Or you could work for someone for pay (this might be less easy if you are not experienced). Either wa you will get all the info you need doing this and mabye make some mony to boot.

kmp1191 · May 30, 2008

Hi JIP~
I have been shooting weddings for about 4 years now with another photographer. He has taught me quite a bit, and I'm appreciative of it. Right now I'm trying to branch off on my own to do more. I feel like sometimes I can't be as creative as I'd like to be while shooting with this person. I'm basically just trying to get a feel for how other pro-photographers do it.
I have so many ideas in my head sometimes of poses, and different shots I want to get....it's all a matter of timing I guess.

Any advice is greatly appreciated, as I will always be in learning mode!

thanks!

Luminosity · Jun 8, 2008

My own wedding is in Hawaii in four weeks and I know, from the Hawaii forum that I frequent on The Knot, TTD (Trash The Dress) shoots are VERY common with the Hawaii brides (and in general).

Some brides are willing to wear their actual wedding dress and get down and sexy in the surf with their new husband a la that famous 'From Here to Eternity' steamy kiss on the beach.

However, most brides choose to buy another white dress to trash from Ebay or something. A lot of the dresses they wear to TTD shoots are white sundress kinds of dresses and other dresses are very Grecian inspired.

I really wanted to do a sexy TTD shoot on the beach in Oahu after our wedding but we're on a very tight budget and can't afford the $500 extra for a TTD shoot....ah well...maybe we can come back from an anniversary and do one then....I wasn't going to wear my wedding dress though...I was gonna substitute it for a regular white dress. If I was gonna get rid of my dress I'd either sell it or donate it.

There's a website devoted to this little trend http://trashthedress.com/

KD5NRH · Jun 9, 2008

Big Mike said:
If I seem a bit jaded on this topic...it's because I am. My wife has been keeping her dress in the closet and it drives me crazy.

And it will keep driving you crazy until you confront your feelings. Go ahead and try it on; just don't tell us about it or post pictures afterward. :bigangel: