So, you want to be a Wedding Photographer?

My friend Krista Guenin posted this very insightful blog article today which I felt was a good follow up to my last post about “wedding weekend warriors” In fact, MY post was inspired by a facebook posting SHE had made ( it’s a long story.) The general gist being that, while we all started somewhere, there is a level of responsibility one should have before tackling someones wedding. Too many people see $$$ and think – “HEY!! I can do THAT! How hard could it be?” Diving in cold just because you have a ‘good camera’ does not mean you can necessarialy deliver the goods a bride and groom deserve and expect, regardless of how much or little they may be paying. Having a ‘good’ camera certainly makes things easier, but does not make you capable of handling a large event overnight. Digital cameras are pretty magical tools these days, but 4/5 of the magic comes from YOU.   (I might add, one of the most irritating thing people say at weddings are one of 2 things: (1) “Wow, you must get good pictures with that camera!” (2) “SO, you get any good pictures today?” This usually happens in the mens room as a guest passes you on the way to the urinal, which is always a charming locale for a photography discussion.)

A few years back, I recall having a person interested in weddings tag along with me for part of a season, only to watch their eyes glaze over once the reality of what’s involved on a wedding day took root.

They no longer photograph weddings.

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Miss Krista was also gutsy enough to share one of her BAD photos from the past:

Trust me: had I bothered to look it would not have been hard to find my OWN version of this image! I have plenty from years back.

a brief quote from her posting:

“Look, I started in weddings with NO experience and a totally crappy camera! But, this job is more important and more difficult than most people realize, in part because every hobbiest with a dslr puts up a facebook page and claims to be a photographer. It’s actually a lot more complicated than that. It’s an investment. It’s a risk. It’s a ton of work and a relatively big responsibility [I know we’re not curing cancer, or holding anyone’s lives in our hands – just their memories].  And it’s not for everyone who likes to take photos. Some people should just let it remain a hobby and enjoy it for the fun of it instead of trying to make a career out of it!  The wedding photography industry needs more people to know that before they come into our field. New people have a real tendency to jump into it and end up doing a lot of damage to their clients, their friends, themselves, and our entire industry. I absolutely hate seeing that happen!  I worked for 4 years for someone else, learning how to shoot weddings and run a business, and I am STILL constantly learning how to do it better. My suggestions are by no means the only way to do things, but these are the things I’ve learned through my own experiences.  I’m a big fan of learning from other people’s mistakes and experiences as much as possible!”

Anyway, I could go on and on as you know, but please just read her post for a much more insightful story can I can deliver!

LINK HERE