First wedding...$?

Jimbob69 · Apr 17, 2008

Very interesting approaches. I wonder how different the markets are each side the pond. Refreshing to see such a confident approach to the market. In recent years the UK has seen a bit of a bun fight for the low end of the market not with just new togs entering the market but weekend warriors who work in accounts monday to friday, setting very poor precedents and some, as you say, getting burned by the bridezillas. It's still going on to some extent.
So I wonder how the other end of the UK market is going? My experience is that more and more people are heading for the sunnier, tasteful climates of Tuscany, Umbria, Provence etc, and have the bank balances, taste and good manners to bring an end to the bun fight at the other end of the market.
N'Kolor, just an observation, a constructive one to you I hope, in my humble oppinion your earlier work showed more imagination and confidence. The style is more appealing , more relaxed, was this when you were the 2nd Tog? I'm guessing so.

Rhys · Apr 17, 2008

OK. Here're my new prices. How does this look?

On site:

Portaits of one person $100.
Portraits of several individuals $75 each.
Portraits of a group $150.
Portraits of several groups $125 per group.
Family celebrations - birthdays, parties, family reunions, Graduations etc $800 for 3 hours coverage.
Religious occasions - Christening, Bar Mitzvas, Funerals, Confirmations etc $900 for 3 hours coverage.
Legal photography - starts at $700 for 4 hours coverage.
Commercial photography - starts at $1,000 for 5 hours coverage.
Documentary photography - starts at $500 for 3 hours coverage.
Weddings - $1,200 for 4 hours coverage.

In a full studio - add $50 per hour.
Photograph delivery options:

CD/DVD of high-resolution JPEG images.
Prints - ordered through us. We can also provide most other photo merchandise - please ask.
Online delivery - we upload to a password secured file-sharing website from which you can view and order prints directly.

Lacey Anne · Apr 18, 2008

Watching your progression is very cool. Your thread has been very helpful to me as well.

N'Kolor · Apr 18, 2008

Lacey...thats great to hear!

I can't believe how much I am truly loving wedding photography. I am hoping one day that weddings will be my primary income. Right now I shoot pretty much 40 hrs a week, some weeks less and on those weeks I don't have a lot to shoot, I do some web stuff for a company local to me. Weddings are generally a lot of fun, especially once you get to know the couple and you can sort of enjoy the day with them.

N'Kolor · Apr 22, 2008

Hey guys, another wedding down and I have another one on Saturday. Visit my site, I made some changes and let me know what you think. I also added pics to my site and my blog, let me know what you think of those.

msf · Apr 29, 2008

Hey N'Kolor, how did your last wedding go?

You seem to be getting alot of weddings, are you doing any marketing?

N'Kolor · May 8, 2008

10 weddings down! It is crazy around here lately. I could shoot second on a wedding this weekend but I need a break so I passed but I have another wedding next week, its a solo wedding.

I also just ordered a new camera. At the last wedding I used my 5D with an 85 1.2L and the damn thing would NOT focus in the low-light...it just tracked and tracked! The room was candle-lit, out doors in a tent...very cool. The 85 was a rental, thankfully! I purchased a Canon 1D Mark III for the rugged body and super fast AF! Plus I think I got a super deal!

Once I get my mkIII, I will be selling my 5D w/grip.

shawnxstl · May 8, 2008

love the site and the pictures.

good job man.

N'Kolor · May 9, 2008

Thanks Shawn...I have two real nice weddings that I need to put up on the site...a beach wedding and a cool lakeside wedding.

JDHoward · May 10, 2008

N'Kolor,

Congrats on your budding business.

I Just came across the thread and wanted to ask you couple questions. I'm looking to get into wedding photography myself (wanting to go the second shooter route). How did you find the photographers you shoot second for and how did you approach them to become a second shooter. Did you take samples, a resume, list of equipment, etc.? I'm wanting to go talk to a few local photographers soon but have hesitated because I'm not sure how to approach it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sontizzle · May 11, 2008

JDHoward said:
N'Kolor,

Congrats on your budding business.

I Just came across the thread and wanted to ask you couple questions. I'm looking to get into wedding photography myself (wanting to go the second shooter route). How did you find the photographers you shoot second for and how did you approach them to become a second shooter. Did you take samples, a resume, list of equipment, etc.? I'm wanting to go talk to a few local photographers soon but have hesitated because I'm not sure how to approach it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

i was going to ask the same thing. i would also like to know.

N'Kolor · May 12, 2008

I have to say...I am LUCKY!

When I started having interest in wedding photography, I had no idea of what to do!!! Seriously, I was lost but I was really interested and was ready to do whatever I needed to in order to shoot second for someone...anyone!

Well, I decided to call the guy who shot my wedding and he actually hooked me up! He told me to attend a wedding photography workshop here in Florida that was taking place within a couple of weeks from when I called. He talked to his friend (the guy running the workshop) and they took care of all expenses or I would have needed to come up with $1200.

I went to the workshop and the photographer really liked me, I guess. He invited me to shoot a wedding with him on a Saturday and he said that he was impressed so he asked me to join him the next day (Sunday). Since then, the guy who shot my wedding and the photographer at the workshop have invited me to a wedding every weekend. They actually have me scheduled out for a few months...lol

I am not real sure what to suggest for you guys...maybe try what I did? I do have to say, when I expressed my interest, both photographers asked what equipment I had...at that time I had a D300, 24-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8 and a 50 1.8...plus all the other accessories. I actually had better equipment that the guy who shot my wedding...lol

Good luck to you guys!

Mike

Dave127 · May 15, 2008

N'Kolor said:
I have to say...I am LUCKY!

When I started having interest in wedding photography, I had no idea of what to do!!! Seriously, I was lost but I was really interested and was ready to do whatever I needed to in order to shoot second for someone...anyone!

Well, I decided to call the guy who shot my wedding and he actually hooked me up! He told me to attend a wedding photography workshop here in Florida that was taking place within a couple of weeks from when I called. He talked to his friend (the guy running the workshop) and they took care of all expenses or I would have needed to come up with $1200.

I went to the workshop and the photographer really liked me, I guess. He invited me to shoot a wedding with him on a Saturday and he said that he was impressed so he asked me to join him the next day (Sunday). Since then, the guy who shot my wedding and the photographer at the workshop have invited me to a wedding every weekend. They actually have me scheduled out for a few months...lol

I am not real sure what to suggest for you guys...maybe try what I did? I do have to say, when I expressed my interest, both photographers asked what equipment I had...at that time I had a D300, 24-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8 and a 50 1.8...plus all the other accessories. I actually had better equipment that the guy who shot my wedding...lol

Good luck to you guys!

Mike

Thanks you just answered my questions

N'Kolor · May 16, 2008

Cool!

So I figured that I would take a quick shot of my equipment in my thinktank bag and figured it would make a cool post. So here it is.

1. 16-35 2.8L II EF
2. 24-70 2.8L EF
3. 1D Mark III Charger
4. Raincoat for bag
5. Extra battery for 1D Mark III
6. SB-28 Flash
7. 30D Back-up body
8. 1D Mark III
9. 3 Pocketwizards (1 transmitter & 2 transceivers) transmitter is mounted to straight bracket.
10. Two 580EX II Flash units
11. 50 1.4 EF
12. 100 2.8 EF Macro
13. 70-200 2.8L IS EF
14. Vivitar 285HV Flash Unit
15. Vivitar 285HV Flash Unit

All sitting pretty in a ThinkTank Airport Security bag.