Thumbtack: A system for gigs is named Thumbtack. I pick up an occasional photo restoration gig on it. But they have people asking for many things, one of which is wedding photography.

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

A system for gigs is named Thumbtack. I pick up an occasional photo restoration gig on it.
But they have people asking for many things, one of which is wedding photography.
The comment/question I ask is "Are there any real wedding photographers still making a living at it."
On Thumbtack there are large numbers people looking for wedding photos for a few hundred bucks, Every day there are at least a few in just this small area.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

It is the 'few' hundred bucks.......!
From comments on here ...a wedding photographer either charges a lot more OR has just bought a very expensive camera.

we live in an expensive time.

have fun

JD750 Loc: SoCal

CPR wrote:

<snip>... "Are there any real wedding photographers still making a living at it."

Yes.

Here is a list on Thumbtack for the LA area (scroll down to see the list):
http://www.thumbtack.com/ca/los-angeles/wedding-photographers/?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=cma-google&utm_campaign=s-t-1445986030-61897366048-276624996628-dsa-457839032787-b&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv-DaBRCcARIsAI9sba89CmjSaRszTZUWxaUmwr8FKwd8JDOx-Ss7l0nmR5nS90fnQBTl66YaAmOJEALw_wcB

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

CPR wrote:

A system for gigs is named Thumbtack. I pick up an occasional photo restoration gig on it.
But they have people asking for many things, one of which is wedding photography.
The comment/question I ask is "Are there any real wedding photographers still making a living at it."
On Thumbtack there are large numbers people looking for wedding photos for a few hundred bucks, Every day there are at least a few in just this small area.

I tried signing up, but they only register gig's, not photographers.

delottphoto

...stay away from Thumbtack. The customers are "bottom feeders."

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

CPR wrote:

A system for gigs is named Thumbtack. I pick up an occasional photo restoration gig on it.
But they have people asking for many things, one of which is wedding photography.
The comment/question I ask is "Are there any real wedding photographers still making a living at it."
On Thumbtack there are large numbers people looking for wedding photos for a few hundred bucks, Every day there are at least a few in just this small area.

High society weddings can be very lucrative. Most weddings of people with little money (and parents of limited means) are not very profitable, require a lot of work, and are as risky as anything a pro does (short of photographing live volcanoes or rattlesnake dens).

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

delottphoto wrote:

...stay away from Thumbtack. The customers are "bottom feeders."

Great advice.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

Even bottom feeders want great photos too, however, this would seem a good way for someone to get into shooting a wedding without too much pressure. You explain that you are not a professional and don't charge like one but would do it for a reasonable fee. If they hire you, they know what they are getting and the photographer gets the experience.

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

All valid comments.
I didn't make my point as well as I wanted.
Because of so many weddings going to cheap (2 or 3 hundred bucks), are there any left to provide work for experienced wedding photographers? Two examples being "Thumbtack" and "Angieslist" where there are request after request for cheap wedding photos.

Ron Dial Loc: Cuenca, Ecuador

Yes, there are a lot of wedding photographers making a living at it. But not at that price. That is the problem with a lot of the sites. The wedding couple is looking for Ansel Adams and want to pay for somebody with an Instamatic. To make a living at that price, you have to do volume. The cost of advertising in magazines, website, and pop-up ads on various websites, plus the cost of post production, makes it tough. Then there is the big discussion about who the images belong to. Many couples think the images belong to them and want them on DVD. The images actually belong to the photographer. Some wedding photographers will sell the images to the couple. Tough decision.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

I always said that when I retire I want to get a job of operating an elevator and the only decision to make is up or down. Now they have all been made self service so my plans had to change. Don't want to sound negative but one must wonder if things in the photography industry have changed enough that an average person with a good camera can take the photos well enough to meet market requirements. Additionally, when professionals rule, they can price them a little higher and make themselves less desirable (not in quality but in price). The world is changing all them time and every profession needs to adjust to maintain market share.

delottphoto

"Bottom feeders" get what they pay for.

tomad Loc: North Carolina

delottphoto wrote:

...stay away from Thumbtack. The customers are "bottom feeders."

Hey, I resent that remark. I've used Thumbtack several times to find people for small projects around my home and yard. Found some good people at reasonable prices.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

delottphoto wrote:

"Bottom feeders" get what they pay for.

That is the point! Everyone gets what they pay for however, they also pay for what they get. Not everyone has the same bank account surplus! It is called business!

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Country Boy wrote:

Even bottom feeders want great photos too, however, this would seem a good way for someone to get into shooting a wedding without too much pressure. You explain that you are not a professional and don't charge like one but would do it for a reasonable fee. If they hire you, they know what they are getting and the photographer gets the experience.

People who hire cheap photographers get just as pissed off when they get lousy photos, especially for weddings.