yorkiebyte Loc: Scottsdale, AZ/Bandon by the Sea, OR

FunkyL Loc: MD

As an amateur, I have "done" a few weddings for friends and family with limited wedding budgets, as my wedding gift to them, and they've been most pleased with the results, though I have no doubt the right professional could have done better. For our own wedding, we asked our guests to bring their cameras, and provided some disposable cameras, so more of our very limited funds could be spent giving our special guests a great time. I've never regretted it, though I know the right professional could have provided a far more beautiful album. Your friend's "hobbyist" friend may be able to provide her with an album she'll treasure, and it may even be very well done. You've done your best to educate her as to the benefits of paying for a professional product. I hope you can now have the grace to accept that it's her responsibility to make the decision she feels is best for her, even if you disagree with it, and to go to the wedding and celebrate with her.

Charles GS

The last wedding I attended was my sister wedding 10 years ago. I never offer my services as a photographer, but I did offer her the advice to not skimp on the wedding photographer. The photographer charged her well over a $1,000 US. I took my camera and discreetly made images from my sitting position.. I am glad I did this the photographer was horrible. Ten yeas later my photos are on her wall, the hire photographer images are no where to be seen.

therwol Loc: USA

My son tried to save money on his wedding photos. He found someone using Yelp. I think that the pictures were mediocre at best and way over processed. I took a small point and shoot with me and took some really nice pictures, though not the group shots I was in. You never know, but I wouldn't do it on the cheap, and I would look at some of the person's work before hiring them.

Charles GS

That is the key, doing a little homework and be willing to pay for a true professional wedding photographer.

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

A few years ago my niece was married. Her father had a co-worker and his wife shoot the wedding. After the wedding cake had been eaten, the last drop of punch had been swallowed, the quote unquote photographer delivered what they called proofs, which later became final edits. The fee this photographer charged was within a few hundred dollars of what and experienced photographer or wedding photographer would have charged for a fee. My brother in law saw the guy daily and gritted his teeth until he changed jobs and no longer had to look at guy and say, I shoulda, coulda spent the extra money got better results, and not poor work

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

She just picked one of those photographers who always over book and then send out their seconds to cover it and sometimes their thirds. If the studio charges more for the owner to shoot the wedding then you might just have a great job(depends on how good the owner is). One studio I shot for used to change my name when sent they sent me to weddings. Since I am great at what I do the client never knew I wasn't Jerry or John or whatever name I pulled that day. The studio has albums by other photographers and the bride would get a chance to pick from them. Only problem is when the one she picked quits and the studio assigns someone else usually the studio assigns one of their best but on occasion the bride gets the worst and is never told of the change. The studio says it is best not to tell the bride as she may back out of the contract. I say tell the bride and let her choose to stay. Weddings cost more than $1000 these days. Ask for the owner, if you cannot book the owner, ask for a sit down with the photographer you chose. The studio should honor that request, as I have done just that, as well as shown up for the rehearsal when asked.

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

There is a lot of people here with wedding advise. The best advise is if you are not qualified as a wedding pro-pjotographer then tell the bride to just hire a pro. Would you hire a plumber to roof your house? Or an electrician (Electrian wires homes for 220 and 110 volt 60 cycle electricity) to remove a virus (a computer specialist removes virus) from your computer? I am an electronics specialist trained by the military and eventually trained on computers then I became a wedding professional but when my camera has a fault I send it out to a camera specialist who does nothing but fixes cameras. I hope all you UHH folks could start understanding and respecting professional photographers. If you get golf lessons do you get them from a tennis pro? I do not think so. When someone who hires a phtographer gets a bad photographer it s not primarily the bad photograher's fault it is also the fault of who picked him/her for not doing more research on the subject. Check the pro's credentials and ask to see a set of current proofs. Like in all business you should know who you hire is good and that they back their work.

Charles GS

Good point drklrd! The reason I did not volunteer to shoot my sister's wedding was because I was a photojournalist and sports shooter. Plus, I had a policy that one should never do business with family. But the main reason was this, I am not a wedding photographer! I have had many images published in newspapers and magazines as well as images used for television programs. Can I shoot a wedding yes, but would I? No! Because I realized that I did not have the temperament for what take place during weddings, thus I never became a wedding photographer, with the exception of two times. Due to the families whom I knew pleading with me that they could not afford a wedding photographer. Yes, I felt sorry for them, this was well over 20 years ago, I shot the weddings as gifts only charging them for the cost of film and processing. I agree, let the pro wedding photographers take care of the weddings! Sadly because of health, I am unable to do much of any photography these days.

drklrd Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

Thank you for the comment sir. I hope the OP understands the points we have made. I cut my teeth on sorts and events doing what I do now as a retired photographer. As they say Social Security is not enough to live on much less have a hobby in photography to support so I went back to work part time doing what I know best. They say when you are a good to above average photographer you can always find some work. All I did was call a studio once I had digital even if there was a five or six year break from photography I was back to work in 3 or 4 weeks as a freelance. Have a great day.

Charles GS

[quote=drklrd]Thank you for the comment sir. I hope the OP understands the points we have made. I cut my teeth on sorts and events doing what I do now as a retired photographer. As they say Social Security is not enough to live on much less have a hobby in photography to support so I went back to work part time doing what I know best. They say when you are a good to above average photographer you can always find some work. All I did was call a studio once I had digital even if there was a five or six year break from photography I was back to work in 3 or 4 weeks as a freelance. Have a great day.

You are welcome, enjoy retirement, like you I have had multiple disciplines that I worked during my career. Law enforcement, but photography has a place of its own. I once had the pleasure of photographing Nadia Comaneci, I would never have thought in a million years while watching the Olympics in 1976 that I would one day meet her, but not only meet her but photograph her. Doors that only photography can open! I admire you for being a wedding photographer. I don't know how you guys do it, Lol!

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

[quote=Charles GS]
If copyright and other contractual obligations permit, could you post copies of your pictures of Nadia Comaneci? If permitted, please post very low resolution copies (with blatant watermark if you wish) so that the pictures are not copied. Thank you.