Oh no....

[mishele]

Talk about jumping in the fire. I would like to say go for it but here are some things to worry about. You say she is persistent. That spells bridzilla to me. What if your camera fails. Do you have a back up camera, batteries, memory cards to hold 1000 or more large files, flash that you know how to use well.

At the end of the day you are expected to have the shots can you guarantee that you will?

It can work out great if everything goes perfect but can get messy if not.

This is just my view on this I am not a professional and have no other motives than just trying to be helpful.

You made a great point........bridzilla!! If she is being this demanding now after saying NO, what might she want you to do later and you not want to. Just something to think about. She doesn't seem to be very easy going.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

someone hit the nail on the head.
If she is insisting, that screams dragon mother of the bride...
Has she seen your work? If so, and she still wants you to shoot the wedding, then I don't see the problem.

She proceeded to tell me that she'd like to look at my pictures (examples) and think on it. I agreed, thinking she would look and not call back.

...

She called back a few minutes later and said she would like to work with me on a price to do this because of the circumstances (2nd weddings, older couples, small wedding, etc.) and despite my hindrances, she thought I had an eye for photography and she was only looking for the simplest cliche photographs of the wedding.

:thumbup:

 

[Aayria]

You mention that she "only wants the simplest cliche photographs of the wedding. "

You *need* to figure out what that means to her. It's up to YOU to educate your clients. People don't understand what is behind a photograph...She may have visions in her mind of traditional portraits meaning "simple." Really, all you have to do is stand there, smile, and poof your picture is beautiful, right? ....

When a bride says "I only want simple pictures" there is a red flag. It means she's not saying that she wants the style of work you've presented, and she's not choosing you because she thinks you're a great photographer. Simple to her means "anybody can do it" and "I can get it much cheaper..."

And then generally when this type of person sees their final product and *suprise* simple wasn't as easy as they expected, YOU are going to get the backlash for it.

Weddings can bring out the best and the worst in people. As much as she may say she wants "a few simple" pictures, your idea of what that entails and her idea are most likely very very different things.

 

[kundalini]

Hon........I'm not trying to be mean here but I just looked back through some of your C&C requests ......

So did I. Sorry to say, but IMO, you're heading for dissappointment if you go as a main shooter. Not yet anyway. Give yourself some more time, assist as a second, hell even as a sherpa to begin with. You'll be doing yourself a valuable service. As time and practice moves forward, so will your skillset.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

someone hit the nail on the head.
If she is insisting, that screams dragon mother of the bride...
Has she seen your work? If so, and she still wants you to shoot the wedding, then I don't see the problem.

She has seen the work, that was the first thing I told her.

She's not insistent. She's persistent. Meaning... when I tell her that I'm only me and I've never done a wedding and only have one camera with no off-camera flash and am used to working outdoors, and to look at my pictures first, she still wants me to do it.

As I said before I think she's looking for a "cheaper" option rather than hiring an experience pricier photog. I think she would have gotten her aunt (using a P&S camera, I assume) to shoot the wedding if she wasn't in it.

Of course I have more talking to do with her and of course I will write up a contract that very clearly states how inexperienced I am and that no certain number of photographs can be guaranteed, etc.

I will no more when I talk to her more, but for now, I think I'll just stick (in my head) with I'll do it if she'll accept the terms of the contract and $400 price.

*shrug*

My intentions were never to get into wedding photography (unless maybe years and years down the road), but I feel for this woman because she needs someone.

I'd just like to help. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens in the near future.

 

[mishele]

"My intentions were never to get into wedding photography (unless maybe years and years down the road), but I feel for this woman because she needs someone."


I feel for her too.........

I'm sure it's different from the way you do.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

lol thanks

EDIT: You didn't have to edit your post, I got your point the first time.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

So, let me ask yall this:

Are the pics that I've posted here and you've seen the same, better, or worse than some random person holding a P&S?

In other words, if she can't find anyone in her budget, is she better off tossing out a bunch of disposable cameras and seeing what she can get out of the?

 

[Aayria]

So, let me ask yall this:

Are the pics that I've posted here and you've seen the same, better, or worse than some random person holding a P&S?

In other words, if she can't find anyone in her budget, is she better off tossing out a bunch of disposable cameras and seeing what she can get out of the?

You need to be able to answer that question yourself. You *have* to have confidence in your own work.

I will be as honest as possible, though, since you've asked. But my answer still remains that you shouldn't rely on what other people think to make this decision.

I think your pictures show potential. They show that you are somebody who is genuinly interested in learning about photography, who puts effort into her work, and wants to grow.

I think your pictures will continue to grow as you learn.. And that anyone with a passion for photography will do better than "some random person with a point and shoot."

Of course she'd be better of with you than handing out point and shoot cameras.. But being better off doesn't equal being completely satisfied. Like I said before.. It sounds like she already has a vision in her mind of what she expects from these pictures. She doesn't care what you work looks like now, and she hasn't chosen you because she likes your style. She saw your work, she saw that you like photography, and she has assumed that the shots she "wants" from her wedding photographer are "easy and cliche" and thinks that anybody with a good camera can take them.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

Thank you for your compliment.

I do have confidence in my work.

I think that I can do this as long as I'm covering my behind in case something drastic happens and I get NO pictures that are even remotely good.

I handed out disposable cameras at my wedding because I couldn't afford a photog. I got about 15 cameras and ended up with about 20 good pics.

I think I could get better than 20 good photos at a wedding.

**-**Just so everyone knows, I am the one who said simple cliche photos, not her. She told me a few that she wanted and they are the very typical wedding portraits. So I am the one who labeled them cliche, not her.*****

 

[Arch]

Do you know any other photographers?... if so, you have option number 2:

Option 1: she gets the standard you showed her for $400 (make sure she knows how she will recieve the images too... how many printed/on disk etc, i think $400 is a little low tbh but anyways) or..

Option 2: For $750 she gets 2 photogs, more coverage and the best of both worlds for you... you get to shoot a wedding and get some payment, although maybe not as much say $150, the rest goes to the other photog. This may be either someone you know who is skilled, or even appraoch a local photog and ask them, 'i can get you a gig this weekend for $600', if they are not booked they may be happy to take it.

Just putting out ideas...

If not id say put a little more on for you so you can hire a lens or flash (whatever you really need) then just do it... she knows the deal so she cannot expect anything more. However DO get her to sign something, there are people out there who may think 'this girl admits she isn't pro so we could use her then shaft her for payment'.... this type of sh!t happens.

 

[Aayria]

**-**Just so everyone knows, I am the one who said simple cliche photos, not her. She told me a few that she wanted and they are the very typical wedding portraits. So I am the one who labeled them cliche, not her.*****

If you promise her the "typical cliche wedding photos" it still puts an image in her head of what to expect. You may also discover that the typical cliche photos are not as easy to get right as you expected.

You may end up with some shots you're happy with, and find that the ones you expected to be simple were the worst of the lot.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

This is very true, Aaryia. I actually expect the simplest ones to be the hardest of the lot. (Other than the in-ceremony moments)

But this is what I told her to begin with. (That I didn't have the experience or equipment, that I was unsure of my ability to capture those moments people so desperately wanted captured in wedding portraits.)

So, does that mean I'm crazy for trying to help her out? I don't know.

I'll see how she reacts to the $400.00 price tag.

 

[SrBiscuit]

no, it makes you helpful.
im just nervous for you dealing with that amount of shooting, and that amount of pressure with what little experience you have.

have you gotten an idea of what the right equipment will cost to rent?

 

[misstwinklytoes]

No, I don't want to rent equipment unless I absolutely must. I've shown her the pictures that I have with what I already have to work with. I've told her that I do not have an off camera flash and I have clearly laid out my limitations to her. I did this because I do not have the money to rent equipment and I didn't want her to expect something that I could not deliver.

I've just emailed her asking her a few details about the wedding and letting her know the price I had come up with for three hours of wedding time (and a few hours on a day before the wedding for formalish type portraits).

I guess I will wait and see what she says.