Professionalism at a Wedding....
This Spring I've been really thinking about what makes me stand out as a photographer. Especially since I'm now competing with so many amateurs who buy a nice camera print out some business cards and call themselves photographers. I start to wonder why I spent $40,000 on an education learning how to properly light a subject and how to run my fancy camera when "Susie" can pick up any old camera and say she's a photographer. Why also out of the 30 students I started school with only 8 graduated and out of those 8 only 2 or 3 of us are still actually working photographers. I guess price is a factor... it's hard to justify to someone that $1,600 - $5,000 to spend on your wedding photography is fair when they can go on craigslist and find someone willing to photograph their wedding for less than $500! But that old saying is you get what you pay for also rings true! You may get someone who is great, or you may get someone who has no idea what they are doing... it's a craps shoot, do you really want to gamble on your wedding?
I do photography for a living... which means I pay my bills with what I do and as such I have to charge accordingly. Sure I love what I do, but I spend hours upon hours working on images, researching photography trends, updating my website, designing albums, going to bridal fairs, purchasing new equipment. I'm not a weekend warrior. I live, breath, eat, sleep my profession... In the 11+ years of being a photographer I've had some young freshly or about to graduate high school seniors say "Hey, photography is so cool I would love to do that." "What does it take to become a photographer?" I tell them... "You can't go into it just thinking hey, this would be something cool to do with my life." "You have to love it... you have to love it to the point that you are willing to go about 5-10 years without making a dime doing it" "And you have to take some professional classes if you want to be a professional!" "Do not shoot a wedding with only one camera!" "Weddings are a once in a lifetime event and there is no do overs! Cameras will and do break, have a back-up plan. If you can't afford a 2nd body starting out... either rent a 2nd body or stick to portraits (things you can re-shoot) until you can."
So back to my original question... what makes me stand out? Professionalism! I've been to friend's weddings where I was just a guest and not the photographer and I've worked with many photographers prior to starting my own business and I've seen the best and worse of photographers. Here are a couple of my favorite stories of the worse and ways to avoid them:
1.) The photographers showed up in cargo shorts and Birkenstocks to a formal wedding. (Make sure you talk to your photographer about proper dress attire... this would seem like a no brainer, but I assure you it is not! My friend said that when she met with her photographer she was dressed in business clothing, but when she showed up for the wedding it was a totally different story and she had an assistant that was dressed the same as her!) Myself and my staff always wear a suit unless otherwise specified by the client.
2.) The same photographer from above had a family medical emergency and had to leave in the middle of the wedding. Now in her defense she had another photographer come and fill-in for her while she was away, plus the assistant so she had a back-up plan in place.... however she neglected to tell the other photographer some of the photos that the bride had requested like a large group photo so they had to make the DJ stop dancing in the middle of the evening to do this shot (some of the guests had already left, and I knew that it wasn't going to be a great shot with everyone half drunk and smashed together on the dance floor.) (Make sure your photographer has a back-up plan... Do they own more than one camera body, more than one flash, more than one lens.... If it were me I'd almost ask them to show you their equipment. How do you know they own professional grade equipment unless you see it! What is their plan in case of a medical emergency, etc. - I even share my story with couples on how I had to have knee surgery back in 2007 in June! I hired 2 extra camera men for every wedding I had and also went to every wedding still on crutches to supervise and still take photos!)
3.) Make sure you get along with the photographer and like their personality! I was at a wedding as a videographer only once and I actually saw the photographer tell the mother of the flower girl that her daughter was a brat! If you like their photos, but don't like the person, don't hire them! The photographer is the person that is with you most of the day... if you don't get along it is going to be a very long day and I guarantee your disgust with this person will show up in your expressions in your photos! (Now it's hard to predict something like that coming out of your photographer's mouth... but first impressions really do tell you a lot and also don't be afraid to ask for references! A professional should have a list of people to talk to!) On an after note... this same family ended up hiring us for their son's wedding as the photographer a couple years later, recommending us to friend for a wedding and since then we've photographed their family reunion photos! Being a professional paid off!
4.) Make sure that the photographer will respect the customs of your church or venue. I've seen many photographers getting on the alter during the ceremony at a church or standing on pews with their dirty feet. Because of this they are giving us professionals a bad name. I've started to notice a recent trend lately where churches are sending out a photo contract that the photographer must sign before they can work in their church basically saying what is and isn't allowed. Again common sense says don't make yourself the center of attention during the ceremony by standing on the alter! But not in this world we live in now. I'm all about getting the shot! But not at the expense of the experience for the couple! (To alleviate this issue plan a walk thru with your photographer at your venue with the person officiating the ceremony so they know what is expected of them. If you can't find time to do this, then make sure they have at least spoken to someone at the venue to make sure they know what is expected of them!) If we are going to a new location I always plan a meet and greet with the people in charge on my own befoehand. Recently, I just met the coordinator and the media tech person at a Catholic Church we will be at this Summer and they both told me they've never had a photographer take the initiative to do this beforehand... once in a while the photographer shows up with bride in tow to look at locations for formals, but never have they had a photographer want to know the "dos & don'ts and discuss options with them beforehand!" All I could say is Wow!
The last piece of advice I have is look at the photos... make sure that the photographer has a wide arrange of photos to show you from more than one wedding, but at least a few complete wedding albums to showcase what a wedding looks like from beginning to end. The trend the past few years also has to been to have a photojournalist style of photographer, but make sure that the photographer is also willing to do formal groups. Some photo-journalists may not be willing to do that. I actually did a 2nd wedding for a couple that specifically asked for formals because at the bride's 1st wedding she never got a photo with her grandmother who passed away shortly after the wedding. You may really love the photo-journalistic style, but the only way to guarantee a specific photo with family members is if you have a photographer willing to do formals! We do both! I could go on and on... put I will end with this for now! A professional is worth every dollar spent!
I do photography for a living... which means I pay my bills with what I do and as such I have to charge accordingly. Sure I love what I do, but I spend hours upon hours working on images, researching photography trends, updating my website, designing albums, going to bridal fairs, purchasing new equipment. I'm not a weekend warrior. I live, breath, eat, sleep my profession... In the 11+ years of being a photographer I've had some young freshly or about to graduate high school seniors say "Hey, photography is so cool I would love to do that." "What does it take to become a photographer?" I tell them... "You can't go into it just thinking hey, this would be something cool to do with my life." "You have to love it... you have to love it to the point that you are willing to go about 5-10 years without making a dime doing it" "And you have to take some professional classes if you want to be a professional!" "Do not shoot a wedding with only one camera!" "Weddings are a once in a lifetime event and there is no do overs! Cameras will and do break, have a back-up plan. If you can't afford a 2nd body starting out... either rent a 2nd body or stick to portraits (things you can re-shoot) until you can."
So back to my original question... what makes me stand out? Professionalism! I've been to friend's weddings where I was just a guest and not the photographer and I've worked with many photographers prior to starting my own business and I've seen the best and worse of photographers. Here are a couple of my favorite stories of the worse and ways to avoid them:
1.) The photographers showed up in cargo shorts and Birkenstocks to a formal wedding. (Make sure you talk to your photographer about proper dress attire... this would seem like a no brainer, but I assure you it is not! My friend said that when she met with her photographer she was dressed in business clothing, but when she showed up for the wedding it was a totally different story and she had an assistant that was dressed the same as her!) Myself and my staff always wear a suit unless otherwise specified by the client.
2.) The same photographer from above had a family medical emergency and had to leave in the middle of the wedding. Now in her defense she had another photographer come and fill-in for her while she was away, plus the assistant so she had a back-up plan in place.... however she neglected to tell the other photographer some of the photos that the bride had requested like a large group photo so they had to make the DJ stop dancing in the middle of the evening to do this shot (some of the guests had already left, and I knew that it wasn't going to be a great shot with everyone half drunk and smashed together on the dance floor.) (Make sure your photographer has a back-up plan... Do they own more than one camera body, more than one flash, more than one lens.... If it were me I'd almost ask them to show you their equipment. How do you know they own professional grade equipment unless you see it! What is their plan in case of a medical emergency, etc. - I even share my story with couples on how I had to have knee surgery back in 2007 in June! I hired 2 extra camera men for every wedding I had and also went to every wedding still on crutches to supervise and still take photos!)
3.) Make sure you get along with the photographer and like their personality! I was at a wedding as a videographer only once and I actually saw the photographer tell the mother of the flower girl that her daughter was a brat! If you like their photos, but don't like the person, don't hire them! The photographer is the person that is with you most of the day... if you don't get along it is going to be a very long day and I guarantee your disgust with this person will show up in your expressions in your photos! (Now it's hard to predict something like that coming out of your photographer's mouth... but first impressions really do tell you a lot and also don't be afraid to ask for references! A professional should have a list of people to talk to!) On an after note... this same family ended up hiring us for their son's wedding as the photographer a couple years later, recommending us to friend for a wedding and since then we've photographed their family reunion photos! Being a professional paid off!
4.) Make sure that the photographer will respect the customs of your church or venue. I've seen many photographers getting on the alter during the ceremony at a church or standing on pews with their dirty feet. Because of this they are giving us professionals a bad name. I've started to notice a recent trend lately where churches are sending out a photo contract that the photographer must sign before they can work in their church basically saying what is and isn't allowed. Again common sense says don't make yourself the center of attention during the ceremony by standing on the alter! But not in this world we live in now. I'm all about getting the shot! But not at the expense of the experience for the couple! (To alleviate this issue plan a walk thru with your photographer at your venue with the person officiating the ceremony so they know what is expected of them. If you can't find time to do this, then make sure they have at least spoken to someone at the venue to make sure they know what is expected of them!) If we are going to a new location I always plan a meet and greet with the people in charge on my own befoehand. Recently, I just met the coordinator and the media tech person at a Catholic Church we will be at this Summer and they both told me they've never had a photographer take the initiative to do this beforehand... once in a while the photographer shows up with bride in tow to look at locations for formals, but never have they had a photographer want to know the "dos & don'ts and discuss options with them beforehand!" All I could say is Wow!
The last piece of advice I have is look at the photos... make sure that the photographer has a wide arrange of photos to show you from more than one wedding, but at least a few complete wedding albums to showcase what a wedding looks like from beginning to end. The trend the past few years also has to been to have a photojournalist style of photographer, but make sure that the photographer is also willing to do formal groups. Some photo-journalists may not be willing to do that. I actually did a 2nd wedding for a couple that specifically asked for formals because at the bride's 1st wedding she never got a photo with her grandmother who passed away shortly after the wedding. You may really love the photo-journalistic style, but the only way to guarantee a specific photo with family members is if you have a photographer willing to do formals! We do both! I could go on and on... put I will end with this for now! A professional is worth every dollar spent!
posted by Jamie Striplin at 9:56 AM
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