my first wedding: horror story

[JerryPH]

I would say always wear clothes that has a pocket with zipper and store the cards in a memory card case. It's a little bit bigger and doesn't get lost that easy, and besides it keeps your cards clean and protected. After a days shooting those little buggers might be the most valuable component in your gear. I might be a little paranoid, but that's how I do when I am on a mission.

Agreed. Even when I am shooting nothing important or playing, it is always a good idea to learn to keep the memory cards on you in a container that can protect them from sweat/humidity/dirt... or pass them to someone that will *immediately* make multiple copies to both the laptop HD and an external HD, wipe them and return them empty to you. You then format them in your camera and are again ready to fill them.

My camera strap has a pouch that can hold 2 CF cards securely, I keep the empties there, and the filled ones in plastic cases inside a small pouch that came with my SanDisk CF cards.

 

[JerryPH]

People may spend a lot on weddings, but saying if someone has a wedding then they can afford a professional photographer is very short sighted. (for reference my aunt's wedding cost $2000, was fantastic. I did the photos because she didn't want to pay another $4000 for a pro)

Actually, the logic I meant was that if someone has ANY kind of a budget for the wedding, and if they want the best results for their money in terms of photos, they should budget a portion of whatever that amount is, for a professional photographer. A professional will always give you better results than someone without experience. Now, if this means nothing to them, then it really doesn't matter, does it?

Your aunt got lucky... I would not exactly call you a newbie, Garbz, so in this case, its not quite the same thing that was being discussing at that moment.

 

[Bifurcator]

How do you save 20K in 6 months without a job? Are you talking Jap currency?:lmao:

Little odd jobs (usually less than 4 hr. gigs - once a week or less), selling junk on yahoo auctions, playing in the marketplace, etc.

No, that's US currency. And I mean I save that much. I make considerably more.

 

[Jon0807]

Little odd jobs (usually less than 4 hr. gigs - once a week or less), selling junk on yahoo auctions, playing in the marketplace, etc.

No, that's US currency. And I mean I save that much. I make considerably more.

Wow you need to write a book on how to make so much money without an official job....then you'd make even more money! lol But seriously, I'd be in a house right now if I could make/save that much, even in this economy.

 

[notelliot]

Wow you need to write a book on how to make so much money without an official job....then you'd make even more money! lol But seriously, I'd be in a house right now if I could make/save that much, even in this economy.

that book's been written. I've read it too. except mine are Canadian dollars

 

[Antithesis]

Keep your memory cards on your person unless your standing close to your bag. Your camera gear can be replaced if stolen (homeowners/renters insurance covers theft), but your images cannot.

If that would have happened to me while shooting a wedding, I probably would have been sued and lost my job. Be glad you didn't sign a contract.

 

[D-50]

No chance the average wedding photgrapher makes $10,000 per wedding. I must have misread the post. The national average is much closer to $3000 give or take depending on state. With the national average for wedding cost being roughly $30,000 there is no way the average cost for a photograher is a third of that budget. I personaly know many people who paid between 3000 and 5000 for their wedding photographer.

 

[Chewbecca]

Little odd jobs (usually less than 4 hr. gigs - once a week or less), selling junk on yahoo auctions, playing in the marketplace, etc.

No, that's US currency. And I mean I save that much. I make considerably more.

What kind of junk are you selling??? Babies? Organs? Human eggs? WTF.

 

[Joves]

What kind of junk are you selling??? Babies? Organs? Human eggs? WTF.

Actually there are a lot of people who make lots of money off of the online auctions. You just have to hit up some good garage sales and find unique items to sell.
To the OP did the card leave any marks on your lens? I have those little card keychain pouches that I always put the card in when it is full. That way I always know where it is at.

 

[Garbz]

Actually, the logic I meant was that if someone has ANY kind of a budget for the wedding, and if they want the best results for their money in terms of photos, they should budget a portion of whatever that amount is, for a professional photographer. A professional will always give you better results than someone without experience. Now, if this means nothing to them, then it really doesn't matter, does it?

Your aunt got lucky... I would not exactly call you a newbie, Garbz, so in this case, its not quite the same thing that was being discussing at that moment.

Ahh yes. Everything is within reason. And thanks for the compliment. But my Aunt got me 2 years ago. When I had the D200 for 2 months, and the SB-800 for 2 days. Believe me she still got what she paid for.

 

[SwitchFX]

Sweet find, mate.


Weddings in my area usually run $75,000 USD and up. A family member recent spent close to $120,000 USD on his wedding. The photographer/videographer who's pretty well known cost about $4,500 USD.

 

[hankejp]

Congrats on the find.

This thread has it all. Happiness, sadness, anger, amazement, etc.

 

[tenlientl]

So how do some of you deal with memory cards during weddings? What capacity do you use?

I'm always afraid that after I've took 200 pictures, the memory card might fail/brea/get lost/stolen.

Do you guys keep small sized cards. Once a hundred or so is taken, remove them, use laptop to backup, keep the files on that same memory card then use a 2nd one. Repeat?

 

[Rachelsne]

As per the money thing-When I got married we were paying for my immigration lawyer, the forms to fill out to get my green card, the trip back to England to see my family for the honeymoon (which all was more important that spending over a thoushand on our photographs.) and our wedding still cost to much!

 

[Neuner]

Always glad to hear great news like that. The relief must be phenomenal. Now go say a prayer of thanks to St. Anthony.

Had a moment similar with my wedding ring while working out at the Y. I distinctly remember putting it in the upper compartment portion of my backpack but never found it there or any place else. One week later my wife notices an odd impression in the rear pocket of my shorts. In it was my wedding ring. There's no way I can see it getting in that small of an opening and I wouldn't have placed it there. Huge amount of relief and many prayers said.