I just offered to do a wedding for free...

[Morpheuss]

Me from my experience after finally getting a hand on my dslr is that i knew nothing about dslr photography and that it took me going out and actually taking pictures then going back to my computer and checking them out to start to get a handle for photography and i personally wouldn't suggest against doing a wedding for free and see if you could get the couples approval to just sit in on the wedding and shoot what you can and see how it goes and i would go to the practice and see what you can shoot and then go to the actual wedding and see if you can do better. especially if you have never shot at a wedding before.

 

[Aayria]

That's another thing though... At the risk of sounding over confident, I know that I *can* do a wedding and I can do it really well. I'm not going in completely blind here =P

I've been working with a videography company this past year, shooting weddings on my own with the video camera. In doing so, I've worked along side some really great and some really terrible wedding photographers in the process. Some were very small, simple venues, and some where insanely huge elaborate weddings. It's been fun.. but EVERY time I go to shoot one, I wish soooo much that I was there with my Nikon instead of that sony video camera =(

But the problem there, is that if somebody was looking to hire me for a wedding at a decent rate, I would have zero examples of my wedding work to show them. "Oh I've been the videographer for many weddings, and I could do so much more with my camera if given the chance" doesn't cut it for a nervous bride who doesn't want to risk a photographer with "no" experience, kwim?

 

[pbelarge]

Rather than asking her to pay.. I thought this would be a good chance to offer a free wedding because it's a venue I'd like to shoot at.. The couple has a great personality, and I don't want my first paying bride to feel like she's taking a risk on somebody who's never solo shot a wedding before.

It really helps us both in the end, and I could have a lot of fun in the process.

Let me see if I understand this.
You offered to shoot her wedding for free. If she decides to use you, you will be the primary/only shooter.

...and that is not asking her to take a risk by using you, whether or not you charge???? Not charging and being the wedding photographer puts you in the same shoes. YOU are THE photographer, and SHE is TAKING a RISK with YOU. That will be the only time she can get the photos of her big day.

 

[Aayria]

Rather than asking her to pay.. I thought this would be a good chance to offer a free wedding because it's a venue I'd like to shoot at.. The couple has a great personality, and I don't want my first paying bride to feel like she's taking a risk on somebody who's never solo shot a wedding before.

It really helps us both in the end, and I could have a lot of fun in the process.

Let me see if I understand this.
You offered to shoot her wedding for free. If she decides to use you, you will be the primary/only shooter.

...and that is not asking her to take a risk by using you, whether or not you charge???? Not charging and being the wedding photographer puts you in the same shoes. YOU are THE photographer, and SHE is TAKING a RISK with YOU. That will be the only time she can get the photos of her big day.

I agree that it's a risk, but not as much a risk as it appears from my lack of a wedding portfolio to show. The risk is because I've never taken my camera to shoot a wedding.. But I do at least have the experience of shooting video, which I always approach very similarly to how I would with photography. I just don't like shooting video, because I feel much more capable and proficient in photography than videography.

But to a new bride, what matters and puts her at ease is seeing an actual portfolio of images. Shooting this wedding at no charge, I think, would help that, no?

 

[Aayria]

Ok.. I will give a little more information about this situation. Keep in mind, I haven't made up my mind how I feel about this proposition yet, so before I offer this to her, I was looking for some perspective.

I've recently switched from the whole buisiness route I'd gone down..to just doing freelance projects that I take on at my own pace, and schedule looking for models essentially. I put on my website that I'm not taking on sessions anymore, but may consider it if you're interested for a premium fee. I don't plan to take very many people on for this.. But if it's something I'd like to shoot, and they're willing to pay for the time, then I could consider it.

Originally, she contacted me through the website asking if I was available and what my rates are. I asked her for some details about the wedding...told her how I work and what she could expect..and what my rates are, but that my availability is limited and I don't take on very many clients.

She replied that $1200.00 was fine, that she loved the work on my website...and then she asked if I had some examples of past wedding work to share with her.

So.. I replied with a completely honest answer about my experience, and my wedding videography experience etc...

She replied once more and said that as much as she liked my work, she just didn't want to take the risk on somebody with my limited experience.

She then started giving me the web addresses for some local wedding photographers and asked if I had any opinions on their work...

They were for the most part really bad, though one of them did have halfway decent work. It just nagged at me, that here this woman who was going to have a really gorgeous wedding.. Was looking into photographers that I *KNOW* I could do so much better than.

And why? Because I don't have "wedding experience."

So.. I thought about it a while, and I guess maybe I need to prove this to myself..to her.. That I can do this. And if she is willing to take the risk because I'm not charging, then I'd have the opportunity to go, to shoot my heart out, and to give her wedding pictures tens of times better than anyone else she had considered.

Those are my reasons.. But I tend to make hasty decisions, often based on emotion.. and I REALLY want to shoot a wedding LOL. So..I'm posting here for thoughts.

 

[mwcfarms]

I would have said do it for a reduced rate. Sell yourself and the job you are confident you can do. Doing it for free doesn't instill a sense of confidence. I would have said let me do an engagement session at their discretion and then judge for yourself.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

She replied once more and said that as much as she liked my work, she just didn't want to take the risk on somebody with my limited experience.

Ding!

It doesn't sound like the money is a concern at all, and your lack of experience IS.

Doing it for free won't ease her mind about lack of experience.


I know you'd do fine, but that's not what this is about.

 

[bazooka]

I don't have any experience here, but for what it's worth, this sounds like a bad idea if she decides to take you up on it. Take money completely out of the picture and it's still a huge risk for her. There is no way I'd recommend anyone to use a photographer that has never shot a wedding before (video, which I have done, isn't anything like photography, which you know already).

I'm not doubting your ability to take good images, I've seen your site and I think you do good work. But you have never done this before. It's like the Holiday Express commercials.... "Are you a doctor?" "No, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!" Just because you shot video next to a wedding photographer, doesn't qualify you to be a wedding photographer. This is for both your protection and hers. You only get one shot, and if anything goes wrong, even something out of your control like a corrupted card, you are responsible. It's not unlike performing your first surgery. How can you handle that? Are you insured?

The safe thing to do is to recommend the photog you think would do well, and still offer your services free of charge. That way you are in no way responsible for anything, and you still get the images you need for your portfolio, and you still get experience. I imagine there are a million things that an aspiring wedding photographer (which you said yourself you're not even interested in being) would never foresee going wrong until they actually do it. But then, it's too late, unless they are only tagging along.

 

[Aayria]

I would have said do it for a reduced rate. Sell yourself and the job you are confident you can do. Doing it for free doesn't instill a sense of confidence. I would have said let me do an engagement session at their discretion and then judge for yourself.

Actually, that was something I said in the details of my original reply about pricing and such. I told her that before she made up her mind eith way I'd like to do a complimentary mini-session to help her decide if my style is what she's looking for.

 

[Aayria]

I don't have any experience here, but for what it's worth, this sounds like a bad idea if she decides to take you up on it. Take money completely out of the picture and it's still a huge risk for her. There is no way I'd recommend anyone to use a photographer that has never shot a wedding before (video, which I have done, isn't anything like photography, which you know already).

I'm not doubting your ability to take good images, I've seen your site and I think you do good work. But you have never done this before. It's like the Holiday Express commercials.... "Are you a doctor?" "No, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!" Just because you shot video next to a wedding photographer, doesn't qualify you to be a wedding photographer. This is for both your protection and hers. You only get one shot, and if anything goes wrong, even something out of your control like a corrupted card, you are responsible. It's not unlike performing your first surgery. How can you handle that? Are you insured?

The safe thing to do is to recommend the photog you think would do well, and still offer your services free of charge. That way you are in no way responsible for anything, and you still get the images you need for your portfolio, and you still get experience. I imagine there are a million things that an aspiring wedding photographer (which you said yourself you're not even interested in being) would never foresee going wrong until they actually do it. But then, it's too late, unless they are only tagging along.

I suggrsted a really great wedding photographer to her...one of the best in our area, and I'd easily put her work up next to mine any day. But she starts at 1800 and that was "too much." Then the bride started sending me links to those really bad photographers asking what I thought ><

I wouldn't mind doing what you propose, but I'm worried I might feel in the way of the main shooter.

 

[Aayria]

She replied once more and said that as much as she liked my work, she just didn't want to take the risk on somebody with my limited experience.

Ding!

It doesn't sound like the money is a concern at all, and your lack of experience IS.

Doing it for free won't ease her mind about lack of experience.


I know you'd do fine, but that's not what this is about.

You're probably right..either way she would still be uncomfortable. I guess my thought is that by offering to do it for free, she wouldn't feel as unsure, and might want to take up the opportunity.

 

[mwcfarms]

I don't have any experience here, but for what it's worth, this sounds like a bad idea if she decides to take you up on it. Take money completely out of the picture and it's still a huge risk for her. There is no way I'd recommend anyone to use a photographer that has never shot a wedding before (video, which I have done, isn't anything like photography, which you know already).

I'm not doubting your ability to take good images, I've seen your site and I think you do good work. But you have never done this before. It's like the Holiday Express commercials.... "Are you a doctor?" "No, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express!" Just because you shot video next to a wedding photographer, doesn't qualify you to be a wedding photographer. This is for both your protection and hers. You only get one shot, and if anything goes wrong, even something out of your control like a corrupted card, you are responsible. It's not unlike performing your first surgery. How can you handle that? Are you insured?

The safe thing to do is to recommend the photog you think would do well, and still offer your services free of charge. That way you are in no way responsible for anything, and you still get the images you need for your portfolio, and you still get experience. I imagine there are a million things that an aspiring wedding photographer (which you said yourself you're not even interested in being) would never foresee going wrong until they actually do it. But then, it's too late, unless they are only tagging along.

Not sure where you live but in a small town where I am most photographers want to be the ONLY photog there. I mean would you want your potential competition their following you around and studying how you perform? There are not a lot of people that would. In the photography contract I signed it had a clause stating exactly this. That she was the only photographer at the event. Its great if you can get second shooter but sometimes thats not an option.

Everyone has to start somewhere and if she can prove that she can do a competent job or even a fabulous job and is prepared and willing to do it I say sell yourself and let her decide.

 

[Aayria]

Everyone has to start somewhere and if she can prove that she can do a competent job or even a fabulous job and is prepared and willing to do it I say sell yourself and let her decide.

Thanks for this. =) I'm still mulling the idea over, but this is how I feel exactly.

 

[bazooka]

I suppose she would be shadowing the same way she did with videography. Surely not all reputable wedding photographers just jumped right in with no prior wedding experience? I mean I could be wrong, I don't know the answer, but it doesn't seem likely. It's a type of work that requires many skills that only come by experience (aka making mistakes).

You know your level of experience and your confidence is high, so maybe it'd all come out great for you. I suppose I'm just nervous for both you and the willing participants, because it seems unnecassarily irresponsible.

Another metaphor if I may ... I wouldn't want to offer my services as a school bus driver for a day if I was 16 and had just received my drivers license. I might be able to get the kids there, but it's not worth the risk involved.... for anyone involved.

But only you can accurately assess the risk, because you know your skill level. So maybe I'm feeling overly cautious.

 

[Aayria]

I suppose she would be shadowing the same way she did with videography. Surely not all reputable wedding photographers just jumped right in with no prior wedding experience? I mean I could be wrong, I don't know the answer, but it doesn't seem likely. It's a type of work that requires many skills that only come by experience (aka making mistakes).

You know your level of experience and your confidence is high, so maybe it'd all come out great for you. I suppose I'm just nervous for both you and the willing participants, because it seems unnecassarily irresponsible.

Another metaphor if I may ... I wouldn't want to offer my services as a school bus driver for a day if I was 16 and had just received my drivers license. I might be able to get the kids there, but it's not worth the risk involved.... for anyone involved.

But only you can accurately assess the risk, because you know your skill level. So maybe I'm feeling overly cautious.

That's the thing with videography too, though... I jumped right in and did it all solo, which was even worse, because I had never even USED the video camera before. >< But it went really well, and I met some great wedding photographers in the process. I "worked along side them" in the sense that I got to see them in action, and learned how to shoot video without getting in their way =P In fact..they were more worried about getting the way of the video camera, lol.

I had the chance to talk with them, and sort of "share" the experience with them. But I didn't shadow anyone.