Weddingguy, as I stated those are my "play" shots. If you want to see others you are welcome to pay a consult fee. I do however prefer my photos to look like my clients and not Photoshop them into models. That is not photography to me. That becomes an airbrushed painting. I have never had to advertise, all my work comes from word of mouth and references. I never put the best I have on a site where people cajust take what they want.
Besides if I listened to those that said I was bad, as you did, I would never have sold anything over the last three decades.
In fact I would not have shot for governors or generals.
But thank you for your opinion and feedback.
You have a blessed day and happy new year.

Wow, you guys sure give folks a lot to think about. I'm an amateur at this an just enjoy the living hell out of my hobby. I like a lot of armatures keep hearing your to good at what you do and should sell your work. One I don't feel I'm there yet and two I wouldn't know what to charge. I do know that there are a lot of kids out there that can't afford the kind of money your talking for a first rate Pro to take the photographs they all want. $3,500 dollars is a pretty steep price in my income bracket. I to believe a man should be paid an honest dollar for an honest days work. Have you thought about some of the other Pros and what they get paid for a days work. Is it really worth it. I work with ammunition and explosives for the US Army. I'm a GS-13 and make around $43 an hour. Yes I'm considered a pro but that is still a lot of money for what I do, and in comparison there were times I would have paid anyone $3,500 to get me out of the situation I was in. Just think about it. If the Pros were not charging those astronomical rates maybe more people would come to them instead of asking guys like me to do the job.

All I'm trying to get across what do you Pro's do when you sit down with a couple kids just starting out in life and can't afford the kind of money you want for doing their photos. Don't get me wrong here. I know your in this as a business and a lively hood. I'm an armature and quite happy helping the military send very bad people to hell. I still have a conscious though and at the end of the day I need to be able to look at the guy in the mirror and say we did good today no matter what the job. Just tell us what we should charge then for the talent that we have and for offering those kids just a disc. Because at the end of the day there will be a lot of people that can't afford you. And will struggle to afford probably a couple hundred from me. But I will be better that Uncle BOB with his instamatic.

Funny we are talking about this now as my daughter is currently planning her wedding. I was asked if I wanted to do the photography, which I quickly and firmly declined--I'm not, nor do I ever want to be, a wedding photographer. Besides, not only are there some amazing pros, way beyond my skills, who specialize in capturing these events, frankly, I want to kick back and enjoy the party.

So I gave them a few contacts and after speaking to two of them, my daughter comes back and tells me that the groom's family seems to think the prices they are getting are a little expensive. They tell her that they have a "friend" who can do it for much less than the two quotes she has gotten so far.

This last weekend, I took her over to my friend's place, a gal who also specializes in weddings, to walk her through just what she is getting and the differences to look for between Pros, as well as Pro vs "friend."

Frankly, I was surprised, and impressed with, just how much more Pro's now include with their service just to keep up and compete in todays market. Daughter was too. She is now certain she will go with a pro, and I offered to cover the bill as my gift. On a side note, one she interviewed this week, and really liked, also includes a couple composite creations as part of her package--and from the little I saw, she does some amazing composite work.

The cold hard truth is, I don't really care what you charge. It's your business, your time, your equipment and your skill. Charge what you feel comfortable charging, deliver your product any way you feel is best for you and your business. It's really that simple. I do believe that you need to registered with the IRS, pay your taxes, collect sales tax, register your business with your local gov't agencies and have insurance. Other than that, I really couldn't care how you run your busines

I know there is a lot of people that can't afford my price structure, do I feel bad about it? Not at all, photography is a luxury item, it is not needed to survive, I am not denying anyone a necessity in life. If you can't afford my services or don't feel they are worth saving for, then I encourage you to find a photographer that is in your price range. :)

The cold hard truth is, I don't really care what you charge. It's your business, your time, your equipment and your skill. Charge what you feel comfortable charging, deliver your product any way you feel is best for you and your business. It's really that simple. I do believe that you need to registered with the IRS, pay your taxes, collect sales tax, register your business with your local gov't agencies and have insurance. Other than that, I really couldn't care how you run your busines

I know there is a lot of people that can't afford my price structure, do I feel bad about it? Not at all, photography is a luxury item, it is not needed to survive, I am not denying anyone a necessity in life. If you can't afford my services or don't feel they are worth saving for, then I encourage you to find a photographer that is in your price range. :)

I respectfully suggest that the pictures on "www.facebook.com/daddytakespictures" are not that of a professional photographer. I can understand why you don't bother "editing" your images, because with that quality level it would be redundant. Honestly now . . are you suggesting that that is the quality that would satisfy a B&G's desire for a wedding album to pass on to their children and grandchildren?

I don't believe the "problem" of the deteriorating wedding photography business is the fault of the aspiring photographer . . . I believe it is the fault of the public with their newly developed "Walmart" attitude of "it's good enough".
For those "photographers" that choose to supply the "good enough" product . . . have at it . . . you are being joined by hundreds of thousands of new Rebel owners who are also told by loving friends and relatives . . "you should go into the photo business . . . you pictures are so much better than I get with my iPhone"