Hi folks!
Happy New Year to one and all!
Having visited a couple of prospective clients recently, I felt the need to put some thoughts down on my blog. It's not a rant by any means, more just asking a question really. I really do find this situation very strange indeed. But then I would I suppose.....
After experiencing all of the meticulous planning, time and expense that goes into a wedding first hand (the posh hire cars, the Bride's exquisite dress, the wedding rings, professional hair and make-up for the bride, the truly amazing venue, the fancy marquee, the gorgeous flowers, the talented harpist for the background music during the signing of the register, the funky 6 piece band for reception, the tasty food and wine, the tablecloths and even down to the seat covers etc etc etc.), I fail to comprehend why couples wish to do their photography on the cheap......?
In this day and age, everybody is a "photographer" to a less or greater degree. We all have a computer at home and may well have spent £300 or so on a camera, websites you can slap together for £100 and you can easily lay your hands on a hooky copy of Adobe Photoshop. That coupled with the fact that every other amateur monthly photo mag has an article entitled "make money from weddings". All well and good.
After all is said an done, the question is this: Does meeting that criteria make you a professional wedding photographer?
No. It does not. Why on earth after all of the aforementioned would a bride and groom want to skimp on their wedding photography by asking "Uncle Frank" to cover their big day, who apparently is "pretty handy with a camera, which cost £350 dont you know!" and who is willing to do it for £150 and a few pints at the bar afterwards. Words honestly failed me when I heard this response during a recent visit to a client. After the big day and the honeymoon is over, in my opinion you have 4 things left:
1. Your wedding dress (up in the loft probably)
2. Your wedding rings
3. Your memories (which over time will unfortunately fade)
4. Your photographs
I just hope that couples who choose this road can look at their wedding album immediately after the big day (and in many many years to come) and truly marvel at the fantastic imagery, artistic talent and flair of their photographer and that those images will provoke positive thoughts on what an amazing day they spent together and that their day has been captured perfectly. You have one chance at recording somebody's wedding and one chance only. When "Uncle Frank's" camera dies unexpectedly during the ceremony or his memory card accidentally gets wiped, maybe then he will understand why professional photographers like myself spend years at college/university and invest (in my case) in over £12,000 of equipment to cover a wedding. that's before the Apple iMac, Macbook Pro, printers etc back at the office for the post processing, making each and every image magical and the best it can be. All 750 or so.
Maybe then, the couple will understand too.
Worth a thought.......?
