What is it with everyone thinking they are a wedding photographer???

[timfrommass]

I'm new... both to this forum and to advanced photography. Hate to ruffle any feathers, but this has been on my mind a lot in reading this forum. What is it that makes people think because they have a DSLR and have taken a few pictures that they are in any way qualified to try and capture what are some of the most important memories of two people's lives???

I just see sooo many people asking very elementary questions about a wedding they are about to get PAID for! I mean come on, what happened to knowing your limitations and doing things right? What happened to becoming an expert before you did it as a living. Are these same people watching Jim Cramer a few times and then offering to manage someone's portfolio? Are they watching TLC for a day then offering to make a wedding cake, or perform some sort of surgery?

I guess I just feel that if you have to ask basic question about a task, you are not qualified to charge for it... and in the case of a wedding (a one shot deal) you are also just not qualified to do it. My 2 pennies anyway

-tim

 

[Live_free]

I agree, people to anyone that has been asking those kind of questions people are usually telling them that.

 

[Triple A]

i completely agree with you. i know so many people (some with slr's and some with point and shoots) and they make myspaces thinking they are "photographers" because they can take a picture of a sunset or convert their pictures to black and white.

 

[jennyjen]

I wouldnt have some guy that doesnt know anything do my wedding. Not a chance in hell!

 

[IgsEMT]

You've been reading...
:hail:I bow to thee and thank thee and thy parents for raising a wise one amongst us!
:lmao:

 

[SeoulShots]

Haha, I always think of this question in reverse. Why would anyone hire someone who has never shot a wedding before? I got married this year and you can be sure that I only shopped around for photographers with an extensive portfolio that I could examine. But then again, maybe pictures aren't as important to others and they don't want to spend much money in that area? *shrug* Who knows.

 

[Caity]

Someone saw me shooting with my camera outside, and actually came up to me and asked if I shot weddings. I was taking pictures of trees... What about that would lead someone to believe I even shot people period? Most people assume if you have anything bigger than a P&S, you're a professional.

Big camera = wedding photographer? Absolutely not.

 

[Sherman Banks]

Basic rule of supply and demand. If people able to be out there providing inexpensive, low quality photos, then somebody has to be paying them for their service. These low end wedding photographers aren't marketing geniuses either so it's not at all an issue of stealing business from pros. I don't think it's harmful unless they're portraying themselves as being better than they really are just to get business. Think about it, a person with a 5-10k wedding budget isn't going to go hire the Craigslist photographer who will do it for $200, and the person with a $200 budget would probably not be hiring a much more expensive photographer because they'll probably be happy with the cheaper results. Chances are the portfolio the cheap photographer has built up will truly represent $200 wedding work and people will know exactly why it's so inexpensive. We live in a very image driven society and even in this tough economy people still place a high value on quality wedding photographs. Look at it this way, you have plenty of examples to show a potential client what a low budget photographer will provide, and that should give them even more incentive to hire you

 

[Linkin]

Spot on with your statement Caity.
I've done 2 weddings for close friends and family, but only because they couldn't afford a decent photographer. Needless to say I'll never do another wedding again. Not because I'm not good at it, but the stress involved is unbelievable. LOL you think the bride stresses... wait till you've gotta hand them top noch photo's which they've PAID for.

If you haven't been in photography for a year or more, I'd say forget about even thinking you can do it. Rather shadow someone... rather ask a pro if you can tag along and be his/her assistant. Don't ruin the bride 'n grooms day just because you think you can.

Nice post Tim! I'm glad someone said something.

 

[PatrickHMS]

There was another thread here couple of days ago, a new member posting just like you are, saying the same thing about someone who needs to figgure out how to get lens cap off so's they can shoot a wedding the upcoming weekend. These people who don't even have a clue about what equipment to have, what lighting is needed, nor do they have enough of either.

And they always seem to ask where they can get photo equipment cheap. This isn't an inexpensive hobby folks, but that is not to say that you need to have to spend $1,000 for a first DSLR/camera to take very nice family photographs.

To get someone to the point to where they can consider themselves a Professional photographer can take months or years of experience with a camera, after having taken thousands of shots, maybe even done second camera a number of times for other wedding or event photographers.

Underfunded, with too little experience, and too little knowledge, but you just got a DSLR and a kit lens or two in a cheap camera bag so you are ready to go.

It is easy to fake a portfolio from pictures on the internet, easy to develop a logo, business card, and a website, any kid with a pc can do that.

And your paying customer finds out AFTER the fact that you didn't even have a clue as to what you were really doing, but their wedding is over, and their memories of it are screwed.

And what I can't figgure out is that there are people here who will DEFEND someone's right to be able to do this kind of crap, like it is okay.

Both of these issues are quickly becoming one of my major pet peeves here on TPF.

Go take on online or mail order course to become a heart surgeon, in only six weeks.

 

[sinjans]

allow me to be the devil here for a minute. its not that i dont agree with the thread starter here but it seems to me from my experience where i live that some people do weddings as a favor to get started. Some people can not afford thousands for a photographer and i think thats where a percentage of amateur work that you see comes from. Im sure there are obvious cases out there where people get cocky and push their business when they should be shooting drinking parties. but a lot of people with DSLR's get roped in sometimes as freinds of the family and their intent is sometimes taken out of context. I myself will never charge for a wedding until i am confident and prepared.

 

[PatrickHMS]

Even if doing for a favor, if one needs to ask what equipment or lighting one needs, or if one has to ask simple basic questions about what to do with one's own camera, one is not anywhere even close to being ready to be doing it for anybody else.

The obvious lack of knowledge seen in such posts will still ruin the precious memories of others, in this case they were friends of the one at one time...

What is wrong with knowing one's limitations....

 

[Stamp]

Well isn't this the bitter thread? How do you all know what the circumstance is as to why an amateur is shooting a wedding? Sure there are crappy photographers who call themselves a pro and market like it, but I'm sure there are also many others who do it as a favor for a financially stressed friend or family member.

We all know that SLRs take better pictures shot for shot than a P&S. Well guess what, so does the rest of the world. Maybe this explains why some people mistake someone with an SLR as somebody who actually knows what they're doing.

allow me to be the devil here for a minute. its not that i dont agree with the thread starter here but it seems to me from my experience where i live that some people do weddings as a favor to get started. Some people can not afford thousands for a photographer and i think thats where a percentage of amateur work that you see comes from. Im sure there are obvious cases out there where people get cocky and push their business when they should be shooting drinking parties. but a lot of people with DSLR's get roped in sometimes as freinds of the family and their intent is sometimes taken out of context. I myself will never charge for a wedding until i am confident and prepared.

Well put, sinjans. I think alot of people here need to swallow a humble pill.

 

[Dao]

First, I am not a wedding photographer since I am not quality to do so. But as for wedding photography market. Just let the market flow. It is a business. Some will survive, some will fail.

You can buy toys that cost hundreds of dollars for your kids, but you bet there are people only buy toys from dollar shop.

As long as you understand this toy worth only a dollar, I do not see a problem. After all, it should be a market driven business. If there is a need, there is a market for it and people will do it.

 

[Stamp]

Hate to ruffle any feathers, but this has been on my mind a lot in reading this forum.

If you hate to ruffle feathers, then don't post.

What is it that makes people think because they have a DSLR and have taken a few pictures that they are in any way qualified to try and capture what are some of the most important memories of two people's lives???

If I go to a friend or family members wedding, are you saying I'm not allowed to take my DSLR and take some pictures? Maybe I'm only allowed to take a P&S since I'm not getting paid?
:scratch: