1st Birthday Party

[bentcountershaft]

Something I would recommend: Find out who the key relatives are if possible. You need to know who Grandma and Aunt Jenny are so you can get shots of them with the kid instead of some random friend of a friend. Key moments are obviously the cake and candle bit and the damage/aftermath of the kid eating the cake.

 

[tevo]

Something I would recommend: Find out who the key relatives are if possible. You need to know who Grandma and Aunt Jenny are so you can get shots of them with the kid instead of some random friend of a friend. Key moments are obviously the cake and candle bit and the damage/aftermath of the kid eating the cake.

Great ideas, thank you!

 

[tevo]

Yeah I don't really understand the 5 hours bit.... but apparently this is what she has planned.

I can't get past the five hours... LOL

I've worked with young children, an hour and a half maybe - depends on the child, if she enjoys a lot of people and a lot of activity or instead gets overwhelmed quickly with it all. Probably best to get photos early and relatively quickly/efficiently before/if she has a complete meltdown, or needs a diaper change, or a bath after the cake...
If your subject is still in diapers what does that tell you?? LOL

(edit - Seriously, I suppose ask if they want pictures of just the baby and the cake & presents etc., or of the relatives and happenings afterwards - they may not need you to stay or may invite you to stay for some food & drinks.)

I think if you're going to start doing work in photography you need to look into setting up in business so you're covered once you start handling money/payments, insurance, etc. etc.

I am in the process of setting up in business, I'm just waiting on a few things & receiving some money.

I'm trying to think of the instances where teenage photographers shooting one year-old birthday parties were found legally responsible for injuries suffered by the one year-old birthday guests...must be literally thousands of cases in which photographers have been found guilty of harming those poor kids!!!

Wow...what a horrible thing...all these new photogs, hurtin' all these itty-bitty widdle kiddies!

Now, tevo, you're not The Incredible Hulk, are you?

Only on Mondays.

You don't want to see me on Mondays.

 

[orljustin]

I'm trying to think of the instances where teenage photographers shooting one year-old birthday parties were found legally responsible for injuries suffered by the one year-old birthday guests...must be literally thousands of cases in which photographers have been found guilty of harming those poor kids!!!

Yeah. Nothing is going to happen. Don't worry about insurance. Charge her $100 for the time, and give a cd with all the best unedited picks.

 

[Derrel]

I've heard so many stupid "What if?" scenarios regarding improbable accidents and insurance over the years, that it's about time to bring up how incredibly stupid it is. More-likely scenarios than the photographer injuring the one-yar-old birthday guest might include:A) a California earthquake injuring the kid B)A rabid bat biting the kid on the neck C) A frozen chunk of airplane bathroom refuse dropping from the sky and striking the kid 4) Alien abduction and probing 5)Zombie birthday party attack.

Srsly.

 

[tirediron]

Yeah. Nothing is going to happen. Don't worry about insurance. Charge her $100 for the time, and give a cd with all the best unedited picks.

If you're that gifted and confident, how about buying some lottery tickets for me?

I've heard so many stupid "What if?" scenarios regarding improbable accidents and insurance over the years, that it's about time to bring up how incredibly stupid it is. More-likely scenarios than the photographer injuring the one-yar-old birthday guest might include:A) a California earthquake injuring the kid B)A rabid bat biting the kid on the neck C) A frozen chunk of airplane bathroom refuse dropping from the sky and striking the kid 4) Alien abduction and probing 5)Zombie birthday party attack.

Srsly.

I've been to California, Zombie attacks are an every-day event. I agree that a serious accident is unlikely, possibly even remote, BUT... given how litigious society has become and the success that people have suing for the most idiotic or reasons (McDonald's, hot coffee ring a bell?) is it a reasonable risk to assume? A senior shoot, or something similar might be different, but when you're dealing with a herd of young children, to me it's playing with fire.

 

[12sndsgood]

me wonders if derrel drives around with car insurance or has home insurance...

 

[orljustin]

Yeah. Nothing is going to happen. Don't worry about insurance. Charge her $100 for the time, and give a cd with all the best unedited picks.

If you're that gifted and confident, how about buying some lottery tickets for me?

Nothing more is going to happen then any other guest with a dslr and on camera flash. You bump a lamp off a table, you say sorry and pay $25 for the lamp.

 

[tevo]

I'm not so worried about insuring myself as I am delivering an unsatisfactory result (for whatever reason) and having my good name slandered.

 

[orljustin]

I'm not so worried about insuring myself as I am delivering an unsatisfactory result (for whatever reason) and having my good name slandered.

Your former teacher, who is fond of you, is going to slander you because of pictures from a baby's party to the point where you need insurance to defend yourself in court? Really?

 

[Juga]

Just like any other event, talk to the organizer (Mom) and find out what's happening and when (ie, when the presents will be opened, cake cut etc) and make sure you capture those. Other than that, just sort of roam around and shoot. Five hours seems like a long event for one year olds, but 50-75 images seems like a very reasonable return.

As for cost, I generally recommend avoiding a regular 'pay for services' transaction unless you are actually an operating business, and suggest instead that you allow her to give you a gift after the fact, say a nice gift-certificate for a nice meal or something like that. It relieves some of the pressure, and it also helps to preserve your amateur status if something does go wrong.

I agree...the first event I did was a birthday, for a co-worker, and she gave me a restaurant gift card which I took my wife out for a nice dinner. :thumbup: