WOW.. a wedding?

Holly · Aug 15, 2006

I received an email from a lady... Mind you I have not met her before.. I did a few photo shoots and I was recommended... With that said She emailed me to find out if I would be interested in doing her Bridal Portraits and wedding Photography! I am very flattered that they think that highly of my photography.. I WOULD love to take this opportunity and DH is telling me to go for it... YET Let her know Im no professional and Im just starting out myself... However, I feel if I do her photographs and they arent great in the end (NOT that that wouldnt happen but you know) she wouldnt get a chance to get those photos back...

What would you do?

Holly

ksmattfish · Aug 15, 2006

Meet with her, show her some photos, see what her expectations are, and what she was hoping to pay. Be honest, but don't sell yourself short. Remember, she's not just interviewing you to see if she's going to hire you; you are interviewing her to see if you want to do the job for her.

Make sure that you have an accurate idea of what your costs are going to be, and how much time it's going to take you altogether. I think it's a good idea to have a fee in mind when you meet with her. Take a look at local wedding photog's websites so you have an idea what people are charging in your area.

mentos_007 · Aug 16, 2006

Ksmattfish is perfect here one again

great advice, thanks

I'll keep in mind this and use in future (hopefully!)

hyp0rbyte · Aug 16, 2006

Remember that you will probably need to buy some equipment for this if you don't have it already.

Some have recommended upto 10gig for a wedding? You could get by with less, just depending on how trigger happy you are. You must remember that more photos=better chance of great shots.

Fast lens for low light, inside of churches etc.. A lot of people recommend 50mm 1.8 ($70) or 1.4 if price isn't an issue.

External flash w/ diffuser to make the reception (usually darker) shots better.

More batteries (just in case)

Just some ideas. You may want to invite another photog just starting out so that you have 2 people on site..

Arch · Aug 16, 2006

Personally i find this a very tough decision...... someone i know recomeneded me for a wedding..... at first i agreed to do it, at a fair price too..... but a few months later and alot of careful consideration i chose to cancel while i still could, and while the bride has time to find someone else.
Why?...... a few reasons..... firstly, the cost of buying a decent flash gun, another good lens and various other equipment was alot more than what i'd earn for doing the wedding.... and if i didnt do the wedding i wouldn't use the extra equipment alot anyway.
But the most important factor in my decision was what you've already mentioned...... this is a once in a lifetime situation for the bride and groom.... they want pictures that capture the day as they would expect to see it (ie from seeing other bridal photoagraphs etc).... anything else could be a huge dissapointment for them......
....and im not just talking about being able to use a camera..... of course i am very capable with a camera...... but i have NO wedding experience (apart from tagging along with a pro friend a few times)..... and imo only half of the battle is knowing what to do with your camera..... the other half is HOW you organise people.... and how you set up the shots.....for the family shots.... the bride.... the groom... the brides maids..... etc etc.....

Im not trying to put you off...... but i am playing devils advocate.... sure lots of people can tell you 'you'll be fine'..... but at the end of the day its YOU who will be responsible for all the photos at that wedding.

The best piece of advice i could give is TRY to find a pro who will let you be a temporary assistant...... just so you can see how wedding photogs work.....
Wthout ANY experience at all...... i would turn it down.

elsaspet · Aug 16, 2006

My recommendation would to be to shoot with another wedding photog first. There are just so many funky things specific to wedding photography. Bad light with movement, insane church rules, and high expections from the bride that she will come out looking like a page out of a bridal magazine. Even if they tell you they don't, they do.
Now.....if you don't do that, which you definately should, this is the next best thing. Go to a very dark bar, and shoot shoot shoot. Then go to a football field at dawn or dusk, stand about half way back, and get some stand ins to stand under the goal line. Shoot, shoot, shoot.
This is about the best way I can explain it.
Even if you are a PJ shooter, learn how to group people. Learn also how to automatically leave enough room for an 8x10 crop, without leaving tooo much space. After a bit of practice, you will start seeing it in camera.
Go to the rehearsal and talk to EVERYONE. Get the rules, practice them. Go home that night and look at the photos.
Numero Uno rule is to shoot RAW. ALWAYS. What looks fine in the histogram in NOT fine in the final product.
If you don't have fast lenses, rent them.
If you prepare well, you will be ok. I look forward to the photos.
Hugs,
Cindy