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

[Craig G]

There should be a Sticky at the top of this forum titled "Want to be a Wedding Photographer, click here". In the Sticky would be a list of links to the recent threads your talking about. I'd be willing to bet you would reduce the amount of times the question would come up.

 

[GFreg]

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

Hahaha.

Honestly the idea of a friend asking me to shoot their wedding let alone a complete stranger scares the hell out of me. If someone asked me to do it I would run for the hills. I also don't ever plan on making a living with photography though.

 

[benlonghair]

I went to my cousin's wedding this past weekend. (Ug, christmas weekend wedding)

They asked me to be their photographer. I said "Thank you for asking, but I do not feel that I have the gear or the skill to accurately capture your special day."

So they found somebody else, who offered to donate their time. My eyebrows were raised. Well, the day rolls around, and the photographer shows up with a Rebel and something like a 18-200 plus a fixed speed light. (similar to the SB400)

The guy running the video camera was trying to get it attached to the tripod. I watched him for about five minutes before I offered to help. He didn't know that it had a quick disconnect that he needed to attach to the camera before he put it on the tripod.

I really should have offered, but I didn't want to be the guy to screw up the pics. I got a few good ones, but I realize more and more I need to learn how to use on camera flash and get faster lenses.

 

[PatrickHMS]

There should be a Sticky at the top of this forum titled "Want to be a Wedding Photographer, click here". In the Sticky would be a list of links to the recent threads your talking about. I'd be willing to bet you would reduce the amount of times the question would come up.

Wouldn't do much good....

Many people don't seem to search, don't seem to read, they just ASK...

And most of the ones doing the asking clearly show that they don't even have a clue, or they wouldn't be asking in the first place.

And neither do the posters who defend that position.

 

[Shelly1204]

Ha, good luck to the OP. I made a similar observation here:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum-photo-gallery/187647-i-know-im-new-tpf-all-but-4.html

That thread ended with a large number of people defending the very behavior you question, topped off by Rekd so completely misunderstanding the point that he suggested I quit my law practice to work at a fast food drive through window. :lmao:

It was just too funny to continue that thread. Some people just don't get it.

 

[bhphotography]

I wouldn't worry about it really. Most people who hire "photographers" who are just starting out aren't paying a lot of money for them and don't overly value their wedding photos.

Last year, my average wedding was over $4000. My clients went over my work for well over an hour, asking questions that were well informed. People who are on here just starting out are more than likely charging $500 at the most. Any couple who values their photography skips right over these photographers. They will come and go and it's a sign of the times.

 

[Stamp]

I wouldn't worry about it really. Most people who hire "photographers" who are just starting out aren't paying a lot of money for them and don't overly value their wedding photos.

Last year, my average wedding was over $4000. My clients went over my work for well over an hour, asking questions that were well informed. People who are on here just starting out are more than likely charging $500 at the most. Any couple who values their photography skips right over these photographers. They will come and go and it's a sign of the times.

+1....

You don't see Bentley, Mercedes, BMW, etc... getting all bent out of shape because Kia started making cheap cars.... This is pretty much the same thing. You can't make a case about these fake amateurs stealing business from the more experienced. That is just called business, and if people want a quality product, they're going to pay for it and do their research.

 

[Dao]

Exactly, people who want a $4000 wedding package will hire a photographer that worth $4000. As for those who want to spend only $500, they will hire the one that charge $500.

It is nice to have a $2000 lens, but if I can only afford a $600 one, I will settle for that. Well, there are people do not want to even spend more than $200 for a telephoto zoom as well. As long as you got what you paid for, it's all good.

 

[timfrommass]

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:

Thank you for your contribution to the thread, but I think you need to read statements in context. Anyone can shoot at the wedding if they want I think that's a great idea....but they shouldn't be THE photographer. Read the thought behind the entire post before you pick out one statement and misconstrue it

-tim

 

[timfrommass]

I realize from a business standpoint that there is and will be a market for cheep photographers...but the cheep photographer should be someone who's been an assistant at quite a few weddings, has all the gear to shoot the thing properly, just has little solo experience. Not someone who is asking what lens he/she should buy, or where to get a second body cheep just to make it through the day.

Like I said would anyone on here offer to manage someone's stock portfolio after watching some economic shows on TV? That's all I'm saying, why is photography something people think anyone can do? I'm not in the business, never will be, I'm just trying to understand the thought process

-tim

 

[PhotoXopher]

Ahhh... the wedding photographer police at work again.

Hold that fort down!

 

[timfrommass]

Haha, again not police. Not looking out for "my own best interest" or anything like that. I have no intentions of being a wedding photographer, or professional of any sort. I just don't understand why people think they can do this without really knowing what they're doing that's all. I'm trying to understand what makes people think they can, because it fascinates me haha

 

[PhotoXopher]

You and about 500 other members... this gets brought up about as often as the questions about what gear for a wedding.

What does it accomplish? Nothing.

Even if someone looking for answers actually did a search and stumbled across this thread it wouldn't be what they wanted so hear to they'd find a different thread that agreed with them.

 

[Shockey]

I have to go along with the free enterprise side.
If people are willing to hire photographers who do not have any idea what they are doing then they get what they pay for.
I agree that the folks who hire an inexperienced $500. photographer are not the same people who would consider hiring a $4000. photographer.

Having said that I do believe that the great number of people who are calling themselves professional photographers but have no idea how to, and are unable to, produce a professional quality photo are gradually bringing down the overall reputation of professional photographers.

 

[Olympus E300]

Just going out on a limb here but some people are at times, cornered into being the wedding photographer. For example, my family wouldn't hesitate to ask me to shoot a family wedding even though they know that I am very much an amature. This would be an ackward position to be in. Of course I would try and back out of it but I'm sure that they would be extremely persistant (because they both believe in me and would want to give me the opportunity even though I wasn't ready for such a task). Having said that, I know my family well enough to know that they aren't stupid people. If they would ask an amature to photograph such a special day, then they would most certainly be ready and willing to receive poor photos. To some people, the quality simply doesn't matter. Sure, I would assume that would be the extreme minority but none-the-less...


Having said all of that, if I were pressured to shoot such a wedding, you can bet your last buck that I would be here and everywhere asking questions and doing as much learning as possible prior to the shoot. Would the pictures turn out? Probably not... Would I feel bad about it? Most certainly... Would my family be upset that their day wasn't captured with perfection? No...Absolutely not.


Sometimes, you simply get thrust into such a circumstance...In my case (I've told this story before), I was leaving to go to my sister-in-law's wedding and just before leaving I thought I would grab my camera to snap a few photos for myself. When I got there, the photographer they had hired had nothing more than a basic point and shoot with dead batteries. I was immediately THRUST into the position of "Photographer". I had nothing more than my E-300, 14-45mm kit lens and extremely limited knowledge. The entire ceremony was dark and the reception even darker. We did go to a location for some wedding photos (outside) but it was horribly cloudy and rainny off and on. I knew that I was in trouble so I shot as many frames as I could (nearly 1000 pictures). I salvaged what I could in Photoshop (even with my limited PS knowledge) and turned out a digital album for them (and a slide show DVD that I made with ProShow Gold). Not only were they happy to receive what I had, they refused to pay the original photographer as none of her photos turned out at all. Were my pictures good? No...I didn't think so. Was my sister-in-law happy? More than words can explain. Of course, they offered to pay me and I adamently refused!!

My $0.02
- Dan