pdsilen Loc: Roswell, New Mexico

[quote=dicspics]I have done weddings, if you have to ask these questions don't even start, you will not believe what's going to happen when you start the shoot, nobody will cooperate with the posing and the guys will be drinking that haven't drank before. Plus everyone with there cell p[hone will be in your way. If you don't have at least two people that know what there doing with the posing you won't have a chance.. I could go on, but don't say I didn't warn you..

P.S. and when you show the pics to the bride a couple weeks later she says she doesn't like them and won't pay the rest on the money she owes... Hope you have better luck..[/quote]

The answer to that question is simple. Qupte the customer a fixed price and the customer has to put up 50% down, non-refundable. If there are any problems with the finished product I will correct it. I stand behind my work.

Beenthere

Well you're roped, so too late to back out now. My advice is never, never, never do this again. I did once and ended up battling guests with cell phones jumping in front of me to gather images from poses I had set up with the bride & groom. "Oops! did know you were a real photographer.., so you have an actual camera" was the observation. Never again!

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Too many negative replies. People seem to think that the only good wedding photos are the perfect wedding photos. While good wedding photos are a plus, any photo that preserves memories is good. Technical perfection is nice, but not absolutely required. Most wedding photos have a popularity lifetime of something like 1-5 years, after which they sit in a drawer somewhere. After that they're good for the family history, but they're not something most people hang on a wall.

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

I agree. I tend to ignore them and try to focus on the more positive/constructive ones. E.L. Shapiro looked on the UHH Wedding Photography forum at some wedding photos I recently took at a wedding as a guest, and gave me some good feedback. He’s been a professional photographer for 50+ years and I value his opinion.

steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA

He's always very helpful.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Perception is in the eyes of the beholder Fredrick...
As for Fast Eddy Shapiro? He talks a good game albeit rarely if ever corroborates his inferences with published images... Also Ed's "Holier than thou attitude" without documentation gets old fast...

Ed obviously was an active commercial shooter in his day...
However that "Day" fads in relevance to today's current market paradigms...

btw, Fredrick I LOVE the images of your initial wedding foray you posted in the Wedding Photography Forum "Help appreciated for wedding shoot" Epic Lifestyle Photojournalism... "Street" experience is golden here!
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-737090-1.html You truly captured the "Joy" within these precious moments Fredrick.

Had you posted these initially in the Main Forum you might have had a totally difference experience there.
That said I still stand by my premise to Please consider hiring a Second Shooter...
One with tenure and experience in this genre with whom you feel comfortable collaborating with.

My journey into the commercial side of the equation came from years of working as a "Photo Assistant" with the top commercial shooters in my market. Virtually all my expertise came from those "Top Togs"

However at the end of the day nothing else matters if the "Bride Looks Up to You..."
Again from experience Fredrick. I love all my wedding experiences, many of those brides (and even their grooms) are still best of friends... We follow each other on social media... Weddings are all about Magical Moments to cherish forever...

Nothing else matters if the "Bride Looks Up to You..."

(Download)

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

Great photo of the bride looking up! I appreciate your feedback, Thomas. BTW, I didn’t post any images in the main section originally because I wasn’t necessarily looking for feedback on my images, but rather I was looking for advice on shooting a wedding. I only posted images on the Wedding forum based on Ed’s suggestion, and I appreciated his feedback as well.
There’s such great photographers on UHH and I feel fortunate to be able to take advantage of their expertise.
Thanks again!

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Photographic perfection 🏆🏆❤️🏆🏆

User ID

Theres always one at every event. The challenge is to identify and recruit her.

PhotoshooterNJ Loc: NJ

Make sure to wear your mask and to let them know that you are Vaxed. Then everyone will be safe. Good luck with the wedding.

guitarpicker1151 Loc: Lower Left Side of OHIO

I've done it 4 times.
#1: KNOW your EQUIPMENT and USE A TRIPOD!

Early on, I found that you MUST ask for time after the ceremony and before the reception to take the OFFICIAL group shots. 30 minutes or more.

Take LOTS of photos! Hundreds (thousands) is better and use burst mode, if you have that option.

If you can find attractive stairs, align the group around and above the newlyweds. Watch out for overlap- we don't want any blocked or half-face photos. An old trick is to have everyone stand up tall, then lean slightly forward from the waist and tilt their head back a little- it helps reduce the extra neck skin under the chin = they look younger.

Recruit some assistants to help move stuff and as gophers. Pizza coupons are a good incentive.

I accumulated 10 Canon Powershot digital pocket cameras. They all use the same high-capacity batteries and I have spares. I set the cameras for "auto everything" and put them on the, hopefully, numbered reception tables with a matching numbered note asking everyone to take lots of pictures, and who to contact if they have problems... (me)
I have gotten some remarkable results using that technique.

I put ALL of the photos, good, bad, terrible, and useless, on DVDs that go to the bride and groom.
I do NOT do any processing or editing.

Try, some way, to have FUN! and TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS!

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

Thanks for the advice!

flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

"Thomas902 (a regular here) Joined: Sep 6, 2016 Posts: 3586 Loc: Washington DC

Perception is in the eyes of the beholder Fredrick...
As for Fast Eddy Shapiro? He talks a good game albeit rarely if ever corroborates his inferences with published images... Also, Ed's "Holier than thou attitude" without documentation gets old fast...

Ed obviously was an active commercial shooter in his day...
However that "Day" fads in relevance to today's current market paradigms"

Thomas!

I have been on this forum since 2014 and have never engaged in name-calling, insults, making fun of anyone's name, or making assessments of anyone I don't even know and have never met I'm a person. I do not act in a disrespectful manner. Referring to me as "Fast Eddy" smacks of a character in a second-rate gangster movie and has the connotation of dishonesty. In another thread, you mention that I " pontificate".Check out the dictionary, I express my opinions in a way considered annoyingly pompous and dogmatic. I have written many times that my advice is not carved in stone or any kind of gospel. There are always going to be folks who differ or disagree with my writings and that is perfectly fine. This is a FORUM where various opinions should be expressed. I assume most readers have the intelligence to make up thereon minds. Hence, I needn't ever shoot down anyone else's opinions, much less, make derogatory remarks about their professional status, style, or school of thought.

For your information, I am a full-time active commercial photograher. My work is not "published" in Vogue, I am not a poor-mans Richard Avadon or Irving Penn. My pictures are published in trade journals for heavy construction equipment, construction technology and engineering manuals. My large prints do not hang in galleries or museums, rater the "grace" the wall of display booths at industrial conventions and trade shows. This all has not to do with weddings or fashion photography. Is it not very glamorous?

I have many clients in the food manufacturing and serv industries- some local and some international. Next time you have a Pizza at one of the national franchises or a Big Mac or buy a can of peas, you may see may commercial photograhy- sorry, we don't get to sign those images!

As for weddings. Weddigs photography was my entry-level in professional photography and perhaps my "first love". Despite the fact that 75% of my present business int in the industrial field. I still do wedding photography. I suggest you cool it withte ageism (there's enough of that in the world) and not make inferences that you know nothing about, that's me, and my work. I NEVER got into sill fads, images of brides and grooms in a forced dip dance pose and gag shots. You have absolutely no idea of what I actual produce in that field. Truth is, my brides ar not fashion models, some could qualify, and some are not exactly "cover models" yet they are all beautiful, lovely and deserving of a great celebration and a body of photograph coverage that he will treasure. Altho I was a big ugly guy for Brooklyn, I alwa took my weddg photography very seriously. I took classes in New York to learn about bridal gowns. The FIT had a programme and allows me to sit in, I learned to photograph a weddg fresh the way the designer intended it to flow as to lines. I learned how to place flowers and bouquets so they don't distract from the line of the garment, all about textiles as to haw the flow and record under electronic electron flash lighting. I ever found out who cert fabrics, makeups and hair colouring fluoresce under a strobe light and go off colour and knew how to make the necessary corrections. I did free composite shots at a New York modelling school in return for the instructor teaching me how to pose or direct a person to feat the design aspect of a garment. I was 19-years old.

Of course times, styles and the requirements and concepts of potential clients change. Believe me, I am not stuck in 1970 or 80. I know how to handle the weddings of various and diverse socio-economic and ethnic groups, and religious communities and can switch from traditional to casual, to romantic, to photomurals in seconds. I can easily function in an elegant ballroom, a neighbourhood park, a manicured garden or a barn. I have worked in majestic cathedrals, country churches, synagogues, mosques, Shinto temples, city halls and legion halls.

I am not on a Journey, wat an overly used hacked wor nowadays! I have a job, a trade, ad profession. I get up in the morning ad go to work- nuts and bolts. I am no genius or star. I know what I am doing and I work to the please of my customers.

When I give advice it is heartfelt and from experience, I never opine on stuff I do not know about. I try not to discourage folks from trying out new and adventurous projects in photography. I do, however, not like to see anyone getting into a troublesome situation by attempting something that they have no experience in that cou lead to family conflict, lost friendships and even legal consequences. So, I read the riot act and if they persist, I try to help them.

As for wedding photography on UHH, frankly, I give up. There is little interest, much negativity and a lot of well-meaning folks who tried their hand at it and admit and swear they never want to try that again. Wedding photography can be lucrative, challenging, creatively motivated, and fun but it is bloody hard work. If you really want to produce artistry, it ain't easy. It requires an incredible degree of planing and patience, and a plethora of people skills and all of this has to be done in tiny windows of opportunity and occasionally chaotic conditions.

So, Thomas! I have posted many images, provided diagrams, and tried to help many folks on this forum. If that effort does not meet your high standards- I'm sorry. There are folks in this forum form, from time to time, that are actual "trolls". troublemakers, and arrogant people. They are in the minority and I pay them no mind. I just did not expect this kinda comment from you, I am not angry, I am disappointed!

BebuLamar

I have a suggestion. Since Gene thinks you might mess up and of course anybody might so why not doing the photography today. So many wedding pictures I saw can be taken any time and not neccesaritly on the wedding day.