Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/02/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Another 0.02 from Atlanta, More and more of the modestly upscale wedding photographers are shooting all digital, will produce a short book for the bride and drop off two to ten CD's of the wedding for $3000-$5000. Talking to them I get the feeling that the album will disappear real soon. The selling point is that they are there all day, cover just about everything (assistants are taking pictures as well) and that the bride is in complete control of the pictures. It appears that the wedding party's are accepting this major PIA as a wonderful freedom. So, the guys on the bottom end are still providing an album and selling negatives or CD's; the upper end guys are mostly digital but still provide a brides book and a smaller book(s) for the family but in the middle the wedding album is disappearing. I believe that getting out of printing will make the wedding business fun again. We can all thank Dennis Reggae for the journalistic approach becoming mainstream. The pre and post ceremony can be amazingly good times when you are behind the camera and have adequate resources. There is also the added benefit of a whole new group of wedding participants now coming along on the coasts of the U.S. I have never done a gay wedding but I bet they know how to have a good time which translates into very rich images. Don dorysrus@mindspring.com - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Mark Rabiner Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 6:40 AM To: leica-users Subject: Re: [Leica] OT...But camera related.. On 2/21/04 5:38 AM, "Gerry Walden" <gwpics@aol.com> wrote: > Mark > > You are getting too cynical for your own good! I have done hundreds of > weddings (got up to 70 in one year once) and I still really enjoy most of > them, although one or two can be hard work. It is not that bad if you go > into it with a positive attitude from the word 'Go'. I remember getting > married once (only once, and still with her after 34 years) and I couldn't > afford my wedding photos either. In those days they were in b&w and the > photographer took about 3 rolls of 120 and, if he really liked you, he may > break into the fourth. But then, from what I hear, you Americans go a bit > over the top with your posing against the sunset etc. etc. Here in the UK if > we even see the sun we gaze in wonderment too transfixed to photograph it. > > Gerry > > Gerry Walden LRPS > www.gwpics.com <http://www.gwpics.com> > Tel: +44 (0)23 8046 3076 > > > I did approach most of my weddings with a positive attitude as I donšt believe it's ever worth it to do something you donšt like and be begrudging in some negative way about it. I hate that when I see that. Why not just not do it? You don't have to be "rich" just get another job or another specialty. Wedding were an added thing for me and represented money I could not say no to. Besides I loved the deviled eggs and the bridesmaids leaning over in their low cut polyester dresses. They kept me in shape. When I was in shape to do weddings just about any other job was less stressful because I'd mainly have my act in gear. My clients in the last 10 years of my wedding career got mostly 8x10's and printed by me. I reminded them that traditionally a wedding book consisted of about a dozen 8x10's. (taken with a speed graphic) that was my ideal. A book filled with hundreds of cheap snapshots offended me and it was easy for me to sell them on that idea. Usually I was presold as they'd seen my work or seen me in action. At 10 or 12 bucks a piece they'd order quite a bit more 8x10's then a dozen and 5x7's cost the same so it was amazing sometimes when they'd also order those. I'd make thousands but it often took me more than a week to print. That burnt me out. Also in the last 10 years I left my Nikon system at home and only shot with the Hasselblad, both formals and candid. One less system. So I'm with you more than you think Gerry! Mark Rabiner Photography Portland, Oregon http://rabinergroup.com/ - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html