Ya just never know..............

I made an appointment for Saturday morning with a potential client to discuss her upcoming wedding next year. I had given her my card at one time and I didn't remember the event, and actually thought it must have been at the last wedding I photographed two weeks ago....I just couldn't put my finger on it. She came in and was impressed with the studio....it is a very different style, and we discussed the wedding. It will be on 11-11-11 which will be a really hot date next year due to the dates repetitive number. She is useing her head as all of the locations will book up quickly as will the suppliers of services.

She had spoken with a couple of other photographers and decided that their pricing had too many strings attached to them. Most of this revolved around a base price for X amount of hours then an additional hourly price for anything over the minimum. This is the best sign I know of that reveals two things about a photographer.

1. He doesn't have the best interest of his client in mind. A wedding is a celebration of the joining of two people and it is a celebration ! He is hired to document the WHOLE event. It shouldn't be his place to limit his attendance. He, if professional, should know that. If he is a photographer that works it as a side line, you shouldn't use him anyway.

2. He doesn't understand the business of Professional service. Because of this, the final product will be inferior to what you should expect. He will scrimp on the suppliers he uses and the quality of products he delivers. Never use him.

3. A lowball price indicates that he may book several wedding in a day and can only spend X amount of time at each one as he has the hammer of time over his head. He has another event to get to.

The other "studio" probably has a "staff" of photographers that will sent. Someone you, as the client, has probably NEVER met. I have known of "studios" that hire people to photograph weddings with no training to speak of, send them out to do the job, and are satisfied with the fact that their people got "pitchures". Everyone wants to be a "Photo Hero". I just find that unacceptable.


The people that grab a camera and start shooting weddings have no idea what they are getting into in terms of equipment and TIME. Time is the hidden cost. For me to produce a finished album, starting the clock at the first consultation, I will generally have about forty hours wrapped up in the design of the album, editing, sorting, shooting and consulting. People just don't ever see the time. I love weddings and they actually start a generational relationship with their family and me. First the wedding, then the first child, family portrait, Grandparents, first communion, junior high dances, Senior portraits..............on and on...
I love this job.