Wedding Photography: 0-60

[heyjoe]

I've noticed a lot of threads where people ask about wedding photography, where they have some grand illusions that they're going to buy a nice camera and then go out and make a couple thousand dollars on a Saturday.

Although these threads are a lot of fun to watch unfold, I want your opinion:

What do you think is a reasonable timeframe to go from newbie/basic level of understanding to shooting weddings professionally?

Obviously there are a lot of variables. But let's say a newbie has all of the needed equipment and a desire to learn. Couple of years? Three or four? More?

Just seems like some people have grand illusions. Maybe it's good to aim high, but it seems some people really lack a sense of reality with photography...

 

[Geaux]

Truthfully, I don't think you can put a time table on the learning process b/c everyone learns differently.

I have friends who have A LOT more expensive cameras for me, all L lenses, flashes, etc ... yet doesn't do anything special with it. Whereas I shoot with a VERY beginners' camera and have for a year, yet I feel like I'm pretty far along. It's all depending on how you learn ...

 

[Derrel]

Did you see Claire Pacelli's thread at this URL? It was posted today, same day as your post.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...eline-realistic-am-i-buying-right-camera.html

 

[Light Artisan]

Some people could buy a DSLR and some nice lenses on a Friday and shoot a wedding on Sunday and do a fine job. Others will never get it right, while most will have to work hard at it.

 

[Boomn4x4]

Just seems like some people have grand illusions.

They aren't illusions.... you literally CAN go buy a camera and do wedding photography.

 

[heyjoe]

Did you see Claire Pacelli's thread at this URL? It was posted today, same day as your post.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...eline-realistic-am-i-buying-right-camera.html

Yeah Derrel, that's what made me post this new thread. I always enjoy those type of wedding threads; seems like there's been a lot of them lately on this and other boards.

 

[ghache]

Like light artisan said, some people can buy a camera a shoot a wedding the day after and do just fine, some people have tallent and some people dont.
Some people will need to shoot 2 year with a camera before learning how to use and some people will take a weekend to master a camera.

This is why some people will tell you that you are crazy to shoot a wedding so early (they are probably the ones who learn slowly and think your crazy to do so)

Its all comes down to your understanding of the game, your camera, and how talented you are.

IMO some people are "photographer" with 10 year of experience, understand how photography works and shouldnt shoot a wedding either because the work they do suck!

1. How fast do you learn?
2. How deternined are you?
3. Do you have tallent?


there is no magic number here


if you learn fast, and strong minded to do what you wanna do, you will quickly realize that MONEY will prevent your from going foward. if you not rich of course.

 

[KmH]

You have to factor in the other side of the equation too.

The B&G willing to pay an inexperience, ill equiped shooter, because their budget precludes hiring someone that has the right equipment, knows cold how to use it effectively, and has the after shoot skills to put it all together.

 

[MohaimenK]

Monday - buy camera
Tuesday - charge camera batteries
Wednesday take pictures - charge flash
Thursday - learn flash photography
Friday - rest for Saturday's big day
Saturday - You are a PRO!
Sunday - you edit the 2000-4000 random images you've taken and you start your edit. :coffee:

Buy my 5 steps to becoming the best wedding photographer for only $29.99 and I'll give you a TPF discount of $10 which gives is a lifetime offer of only $19.99!

This theory didn't work for me but it just may work for you. Buy the DVD and find out!

 

[ghache]

Monday - buy camera
Tuesday - charge camera batteries
Wednesday take pictures - charge flash
Thursday - learn flash photography
Friday - rest for Saturday's big day
Saturday - You are a PRO!
Sunday - you edit the 2000-4000 random images you've taken and you start your edit. :coffee:

Buy my 5 steps to becoming the best wedding photographer for only $29.99 and I'll give you a TPF discount of $10 which gives is a lifetime offer of only $19.99!

This theory didn't work for me but it just may work for you. Buy the DVD and find out!

LOL, WHERE IS MY COPY BIOOOOATTCCHH
You can probably squize this a little bit and charge batteries the same day you buy the camera

 

[MohaimenK]

LOL, WHERE IS MY COPY BIOOOOATTCCHH
You can probably squize this a little bit and charge batteries the same day you buy the camera

DUDE! You're going PRO! Take it easyyyyy :lmao:

 

[Boomn4x4]

You have to factor in the other side of the equation too.

The B&G willing to pay an inexperience, ill equiped shooter, because their budget precludes hiring someone that has the right equipment, knows cold how to use it effectively, and has the after shoot skills to put it all together.

Exactly my point.... I had someone offer me $500 cash, free dinner, free bar, and their honey moon suite for my wife and I to shoot a wedding, plus travel expenses. I told them I don't know the first thing about wedding photography... they didn't care. They just want someone to take pictures and don't want to spend $2,000 to have it done.

There is aboslutly no reason someone couldn't go out and buy an SLR, put a Craigs list add out there and be a wedding photographer by the weekend.

 

[mrpink]

Ohh yea. This thread. Again.









p!nK

 

[ghache]

You have to factor in the other side of the equation too.

The B&G willing to pay an inexperience, ill equiped shooter, because their budget precludes hiring someone that has the right equipment, knows cold how to use it effectively, and has the after shoot skills to put it all together.

Exactly my point.... I had someone offer me $500 cash, free dinner, free bar, and their honey moon suite for my wife and I to shoot a wedding, plus travel expenses. I told them I don't know the first thing about wedding photography... they didn't care. They just want someone to take pictures and don't want to spend $2,000 to have it done.

There is aboslutly no reason someone couldn't go out and buy an SLR, put a Craigs list add out there and be a wedding photographer by the weekend.

did you do it?

 

[KmH]

You have to factor in the other side of the equation too.

The B&G willing to pay an inexperience, ill equiped shooter, because their budget precludes hiring someone that has the right equipment, knows cold how to use it effectively, and has the after shoot skills to put it all together.

Exactly my point.... I had someone offer me $500 cash, free dinner, free bar, and their honey moon suite for my wife and I to shoot a wedding, plus travel expenses. I told them I don't know the first thing about wedding photography... they didn't care. They just want someone to take pictures and don't want to spend $2,000 to have it done.

There is aboslutly no reason someone couldn't go out and buy an SLR, put a Craigs list add out there and be a wedding photographer by the weekend.

I should have added that there is pretty much a market for every level of shooter.