Hi Patrick,
Your words ring true to my heart. I know people have to start out somewhere, but shooting lead in a wedding is not that way. Personally, I shot a year of a combination of assist, 2nd, and bag handler. This was after a stint as a professional wire service photojournalist. I took it very seriously. I still do.
The new trend bothering me is the person with a camera, a website, and not much more. They don't take my clientelle from me, so there is no worry about me losing business, but I worry for the clients.
They aren't carrying the required Liability Bonds for their State, nor are they paying Sales Taxes. In many of the newby mind, it's "I have a camera and a website". They aren't thinking of the big picture. And eventually they will all be taken out by lawsuits and insane pricing. These types have never really affected me and the clientelle that I deal with.
I've tried to warn a few, but they make excuses. You can't make excuses to the state. And now many states offer rewards for photogs who turn in other photogs who don't pay sales taxes. It's getting brutal.
If you don't have the state required bonds, you can't work the venue. I've heard horror stories about photogs keeping the retainers....It never ends with the ways non professional photogs can embarrass us all.
But the main thing is, some of these half assed "I have a website and a camera" people are a total embarrassment to those of us who take this seriously.
You are right. This is the MOST important day in a couple's lives. You CAN NOT repeate it.
I agree with you total. Sorry for the tirade, but I felt it was needed.
How do ya like that garter catch...LOL. I've never seen anything like it.
