| In this day and age of trying to do your wedding on | | | | done without your input? And when she realizes that |
| a budget, many brides are going for the ultimate | | | | she has hours upon hours of "fixing" the photos |
| "cheap wedding photographer" which amounts to a | | | | combined with your anxiousness to see them and |
| friend who "loves photography", an aspiring | | | | she fails to deliver what you expected and she |
| photographer who wants to create a portfolio and | | | | "worked so hard" - where is the friendship now? |
| will work for "free" (or close to free) or worse yet, | | | | The Aspiring Photographer is a crap shoot. They |
| Uncle Bob with his "great camera" who takes all the | | | | obviously know the gear, have had some experience, |
| photos at the family gatherings. | | | | usually as a second photographer to a pro and are |
| While I do understand the economic times well and | | | | launching on their own. Will trade for Portfolio is the |
| the need to cut corners like never before, I strongly | | | | song they sing. The inherent problem with this is that |
| advise against any of the above options unless you, | | | | while they may have (and probably do have) some |
| the bride, are willing to lower your photographic | | | | weddings under their belt, they are underestimating |
| expectations to equal your financial expectations. You | | | | the lead photographer who tells them where to be, |
| simply cannot expect consistently beautiful | | | | what to shoot and sets everything up. They think |
| representations of your day for free, or next to | | | | they can do that too. Maybe they can, maybe they |
| free. You are not going to be happy, trust me. "Free" | | | | can't. I have launched two of my second |
| may be your friend when budgeting, but when all is | | | | photographers' careers. I've had 8. Only two have |
| said and done, it isn't and may result in a loss of a | | | | worked hard enough and long enough with me that I |
| friend. | | | | would trust them to be lead photographers. Both of |
| Let's look at this - when you begin to look for an | | | | them had 100 weddings under their belts as my |
| affordable photographer on a restricted budget, are | | | | assistant before I felt they knew what to do. The |
| you considering talking to the photographer who's | | | | words "I assisted so and so a couple times" are not |
| work you like about what they may or may not be | | | | your friend. This is a once in a lifetime deal. |
| able to do for you or are you immediately going for | | | | Does Uncle Bob drink? Is he expecting to work all |
| the big three freebies named above? Most seasoned, | | | | day and night without really socializing with anyone |
| experienced wedding photographers are dropping | | | | else from the family? That is what your professional |
| their prices due to the economy. But, you have free | | | | photographer does. Its not a party for us, our |
| wedding photographers, so.....let's review: | | | | "socializing" is in the form of making other people |
| The "friend who loves photography" isn't going to | | | | comfortable, but not distract us from capturing the |
| love you, nor are you going to love her when it is all | | | | moments you love and will likely forget. Ah - the |
| said and done. She likely has absolutely no idea what | | | | meaning of "capture the moment" - one must |
| is entailed in shooting a wedding for one thing. | | | | actually be aware enough to "see" the moment to |
| Another big point is she doesn't understand that she | | | | capture it. Experience. And poor Uncle Bob; he's trying |
| is no longer "part of the party" but must be the | | | | to do something lovely for you to save you money, |
| outsider looking in, and she has to be good. Very | | | | and he's going to disappoint you at the very least or |
| good, under these circumstances. She has to know | | | | worse, miss half your wedding. |
| that you need photos of you and great Aunt Susan, | | | | Free is not your friend. Affordable wedding |
| even if you don't think of it. If you want to be the | | | | photography of quality is out there. It can be found. |
| director all day, fine. But haven't you had to play | | | | It takes some research. Like I said, many of us are |
| director for this day for a whole year? Wouldn't it be | | | | lowering our prices quite significantly because we |
| nice it the photographer knew what needed to be | | | | don't want to see it all go up in smoke. |