(uh oh its a wedding thread) PESSIMISTS: Do NOT enter! REALISTS: Please come in! OPTIMISTS: I <3 you

[gsgary]

I'm not having a paid photographer at my wedding on D Day 6th June because there is not one in our area that I would trust 2 of my friends volunteered straight away they don't shoot weddings but I love their photography, one of them has the biggest Leica collection you are likely to see and shoot just like Martin Parr which is perfect for me

Must be the Leica. Obviously he would be talentless without it. ;-)

Don't worry he has plenty of talent

 

[gsgary]

Why don't you e-mail her a couple of your Leicas Gary? Then the pictures would be perfect!

A wedding is no place for pervy "street photography" by rich old dudes who have an upskirt problem.

Less of the rich and old, pervy is ok

 

[The_Traveler]

Contract, yes, because you need to manage their expectations and set limits.
Insurance, at least for your gear. What if some one picks up a camera and drops it in the punch bowl?
A minder to get people rounded up for shots, this should be in contract.

Charge or not, you are incurring responsibility and liabilities; contract/agreements and insurance manage all of those.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

I've never charged for a wedding, and I've only shot weddings for friends and extended family that either couldn't afford a photographer or at first hired a person with a camera selling themselves off as a professional and charging them a rate beyond their capabilities. Looking at your photos, you are competent, and I believe that you have the skills to shoot low and mid tier expectations and be able to over deliver. Can you shoot a wedding with high expectations from a client? Perhaps, but I wouldn't risk it. The difference between photographer and client is that as photographers who are professionals or true enthusiasts, we have higher expectations for our clients than our clients have for us, and we want to be able to deliver an end product to them that they never saw coming (in a good way, exceptional).

People don't become snots until they are taught and demonstrated on how to be a snot. It's like fine art and fine wine. It's all ugly and nasty until you learn how to appreciate it.

 

[Designer]

.. we have higher expectations for our clients than our clients have for us..

I think she has that.

 

[JustJazzie]

Just an interesting tidbit: because I know photographers have higher expectations that the masses, I polled my homeschool moms forum for ladies who did NOT hire a professional photographer at their wedding. I asked them weather they were happy with the resulting photographs.

Out of 50 (so far)
3 responded that they did hire a pro and were terribly disappointed, (some funny stories to go along with these responses.)
6 were neutral, just happy to have pictures but didn't consider themselves unhappy,
7 were unhappy and wish they could go back and hire a pro. (One had a friend who showed up with an IPAD to shoot, oh my.)
38 were absolutely happy, and glad they didn't waste the money.

Contract, yes, because you need to manage their expectations and set limits.
Insurance, at least for your gear. What if some one picks up a camera and drops it in the punch bowl?
A minder to get people rounded up for shots, this should be in contract.

Charge or not, you are incurring responsibility and liabilities; contract/agreements and insurance manage all of those.

I will definitely do a contract! And I will look into insurance, but we are sort of anti insurance. Had a bad experience once and we like to just "self insure" ;-) and don't worry, I won't leave my camera with anyone, and I'll keep a 10 foot distance from the punch bowl. (Much further than I keep from my water in the water drop pictures I take ;-) ) my mom is an insurance agent though, so I will talk to her and still consider it!

I've never charged for a wedding, and I've only shot weddings for friends and extended family that either couldn't afford a photographer or at first hired a person with a camera selling themselves off as a professional and charging them a rate beyond their capabilities. Looking at your photos, you are competent, and I believe that you have the skills to shoot low and mid tier expectations and be able to over deliver. Can you shoot a wedding with high expectations from a client? Perhaps, but I wouldn't risk it. The difference between photographer and client is that as photographers who are professionals or true enthusiasts, we have higher expectations for our clients than our clients have for us, and we want to be able to deliver an end product to them that they never saw coming (in a good way, exceptional).

People don't become snots until they are taught and demonstrated on how to be a snot. It's like fine art and fine wine. It's all ugly and nasty until you learn how to appreciate it.

I'll definitely talk their expectations way down!

.. we have higher expectations for our clients than our clients have for us..

I think she has that.

me? High self expectations? Never. ;-)

 

[The_Traveler]

And I will look into insurance, but we are sort of anti insurance. Had a bad experience once and we like to just "self insure" ;-)

It's lucky for you that you liked sex the first time.

 

[JustJazzie]

Well, after some careful meditation and consideration on everyone's thoughts- I have decided to decline shooting the wedding. This is all adding up to way too much stress and hassle. No reason to ruin a fun hobby with unnecessary stress.

Thanks for all the food for thought and encouragement, it's is truly appreciated.

My hats off to all of you who do this regularly. ;-)

Now I need to figure out a polite way to decline......

 

[TreeofLifeStairs]

Well, after some careful meditation and consideration on everyone's thoughts- I have decided to decline shooting the wedding. This is all adding up to way too much stress and hassle. No reason to ruin a fun hobby with unnecessary stress.

Thanks for all the food for thought and encouragement, it's is truly appreciated.

My hats off to all of you who do this regularly. ;-)

Now I need to figure out a polite way to decline......

No, don't give up. The first time is always the most stressful. You can do it.

 

[tirediron]

While I am a bit disappointed, i think you've made the decision that is right for you.

 

[JustJazzie]

Well, after some careful meditation and consideration on everyone's thoughts- I have decided to decline shooting the wedding. This is all adding up to way too much stress and hassle. No reason to ruin a fun hobby with unnecessary stress.

Thanks for all the food for thought and encouragement, it's is truly appreciated.

My hats off to all of you who do this regularly. ;-)

Now I need to figure out a polite way to decline......

No, don't give up. The first time is always the most stressful. You can do it.

aww, thank you! It's not giving up exactly. It's putting a cap on the stresses I will choose to allow in my life. We have a bathroom remodel going on right now, the computer is down and it's being fixed is on the back burner because our dishwasher broke this week. We homeschool year round so we will still have school going on. The wedding is 2.5 hours away. Insurance, child care, research. It IS a lot of time, and a HUGE commitment, and I am simply saying "I don't want to devote my time to this right now!" It's not that I don't think I am capable of shooting this, I am just choosing to put my efforts towards other endeavors. ;-)

While I am a bit disappointed, i think you've made the decision that is right for you.

thank you, tirediron! I agree. I am dissapointed at giving up the opportunity, but I doubt its one I will never again come across.;-) you know, when the kids are grown and I'm bored out of my comfort zone. ;-)