No more weddings...

[Christie Photo]

...at least for now.

I finally said it out loud this week when a bride came shopping. It feels like a death for me. My earliest jobs were weddings and I've always enjoyed them. And after forty years, I still do. But I haven't tended to updating my approach to shooting or marketing, and currently feel I can't continue without major retooling.

It feels a bit strange. I'm a bit sick about it. I'm not ready to stop. I feel I'm not done with weddings. But, for now, I think I have to step out of it.

Oh well.

-Pete

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

What's wrong with your shooting and marketing?

I just don't understand your post. Was this new customer not happy with what you offer?

 

[camz]

Interesting. Pete, any advice to photographers out there that are still doing weddings?

Reason why I asked is I've come across few photographers who have gotten burnt out doing weddings for various reasons.

I think this is partly why I haven't jumped at it with complete commitment...

 

[LarissaPhotography]

I'm curious about what usually leads to burnout for weddings. Is it just the number of weddings? Frustration from weddings? Dealing with the parents of the bride and groom? =)

 

[Derrel]

How about re-branding your approach as some type of "retro coverage", or "classic Americana wedding coverage", or somesuch? There's probably a little gray in your beard and hair on your knuckles, you know...you probably cannot pull off the new, chic, hipster stuff without feeling like a fraud---but you sure as heck could sell the old-school stuff. I have a suspicion you're familiar with ALL of the classic wedding poses, and then a few dozen dozen more...you even lived during the era of VPS downrated, cheezy darkroom effects (gotta' love that bride and groom in the champagne glass!!!) Eighties Hair, Nineties Hair, and dodgy Kodacolor and Vericolor and Verichrome films...all that stuff...even that old-fangled Black and White stuff....deckle-edged prints...weird albums made with leather covers...strange folios with matching sets of 5x7 prints...big images on canvas...I dunno...maybe you could focus on your unique advantages, the ones that took you decades to accrue, and hype the dickens out of those advantages, and make up a prestige package that starts right around $4,995. Maybe shoot one a month this summer and fall.

 

[imagemaker46]

Having only shot three weddings in 35 years I can see that shooting a lot of weddings would tend to be more stressful than many would think. I can also see why so many think that shooting weddings is an easy way to make good money in a short period of time, but these are also the ones that have no idea how much stress is involved. I can understand stepping back for a while and taking a break, recharge the batteries and then start with a fresh attitude again. It's necessary.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Lol. I love weddings. Last 2 weddings I wanted to drop all my equipment and wanted to break dance in the middle of the dance floor LOL

 

[manaheim]

I have done one and it was absolutely the most gruelling 12 hours of my life. Felt like I got hit by a truck when I got home. I honestly don't know how people do it every week. I'm curious to hear more from you, Pete. I think we all are.

 

[mishele]

 

[mpasq66]

Lol. I love weddings. Last 2 weddings I wanted to drop all my equipment and wanted to break dance in the middle of the dance floor LOL

Ya, I break dance too.... If I'm dancing, I'll usually break somethin'!!

 

[o hey tyler]

Lol. I love weddings. Last 2 weddings I wanted to drop all my equipment and wanted to break dance in the middle of the dance floor LOL

No need to drop your equipment, you've got a Cotton Carrier. Duh.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Lol. I love weddings. Last 2 weddings I wanted to drop all my equipment and wanted to break dance in the middle of the dance floor LOL

No need to drop your equipment, you've got a Cotton Carrier. Duh.

Cant do the worm with the cotton carrier man.

 

[ClarkKent]

...at least for now.

I finally said it out loud this week when a bride came shopping. It feels like a death for me. My earliest jobs were weddings and I've always enjoyed them. And after forty years, I still do. But I haven't tended to updating my approach to shooting or marketing, and currently feel I can't continue without major retooling.

It feels a bit strange. I'm a bit sick about it. I'm not ready to stop. I feel I'm not done with weddings. But, for now, I think I have to step out of it.

Oh well.

-Pete

Well,

I must say, that I feel like the luckiest person having had the chance to work, and learn from you while helping with your weddings, and would just about give anything to help you with more. If you ever decide to re-enter this realm, I really would love the chance to help you some more. Good Luck!

 

[bennielou]

Pete,
You are one of the most talented people I've ever met.
Now I know a lot of things today are different. It seems like every shot that I see is some couple in a field with a picnic basket....or balloons....or a bicycle, or some other "random" item. It's rare to ever see the "wedding" posted in wedding blogs.
I feel you pain as PJ has declined as well. Photojournalism has become Fauxtojournalism. It's cool and all. I like it alot. Tons of clients like it.
HOWEVER, there are still lots and lots of people who love classic/traditional wedding photography. There are still those out there that want PJ. It's a nitch market to be sure, but it's still a very viable market.
Hang in there man. You KNOW you love it. And you know there are still people out there that need what YOU do. They can't find that just anywhere. They need a specialist, like you are.
Love Ya!
Cindy

 

[Christie Photo]

It's not really burn-out.

Yes... weddings can be grueling, especially the ones that require constant adaption due to weather, volatile personalities, changing schedules, lack of cooperation, etc. For me, the toughest part is the anxiety that builds leading up to the wedding day. The anticipation is usually much tougher than the reality. The vast majority of the weddings I've worked have been very gratifying. I've learned to thoroughly plan and communicate the plan with my clients, minimizing the likelihood of any surprises and the resulting tension.

My struggle is more about me and what I produce. I'm just not as confident as I once was about what I'll deliver. Derrel touched on this when he suggested, "...you probably cannot pull off the new, chic, hipster stuff without feeling like a fraud---..." I've tried to develop a new perspective, but find myself defaulting to what I know to be tried and true... the stuff that I know I have to do. My "style" has been to bring some level of professional portraiture to the candid wedding, incorporating my experience and knowledge of lighting and posing. So it's a real struggle for me to venture off without an absolute plan of attack. Un-learning is hard.

Then there's the final presentation. I come from the era of "24 8x10s mounted in a custom album." It was clear to me what the goal was. With all the options we have available to us now, I haven't addressed just what it is I want to deliver. And, of course, production is completely different. It's no longer "get it on the negative." I can no longer envision the process from start to finish. Where are the parameters?

One decision I have made is I won't deliver files for printing.

I feel I need to develop a whole new product... one that I want to put my name on. I'm not up for showing a single image six different ways (color, black and white, diffused, sepia, partially desaturated, high contrast, etc.). Album layout is a bit daunting too. When do I know I done? Am I printing EVERY image? Color scheme? Which images large? Background images or not? Do I add copy? Aughhhhh!!!

Then there's pricing. I would tell couples four hours (plan for six), 120 previews (show 160). They saw paper proofs in an album and made their selections in three weeks. All for $2150. So when I think of shooting 8–10 hours, 800–1000 images, multiple photographers, days in front of a monitor laying out albums... I want something more like $8–10K.

I need some time to think all this through. So, for now, I'll just step out.

-Pete