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  #51  
Old 21st March 2011, 09:54 PM
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dsallen dsallen is offline
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Default Weddings with film

My fried Tariq who still does weddings (personally I always hated them) has built a huge following by shooting a limited amount of posed images that surpase the snaps that friends make.

The key to his approach is that:

1. He explains to the bride that the cost of him photographing the wedding is his fee and that he doesn't make a profit on the reprints (no quick buck).

2. "Oh! they say - can't we see the photos straight away" - whereby he explains about archival problems with digital materials. Naturally, every bride wants to believe that it is the only wedding and the pictures need to last at least until there are grandchildren.

Then he shows them some fibre B&W prints and, well what can I say, they melt into his wallet. The key point is that everyone can do digital but, correctly explained, a professionally produced set of images that use a traditional approach and has traditional composition and production values has intrinsically more value. If you don't believe me just think about the fact that fashion changes every 2 months but when have you seen a bride wearing an outfit like Lady GaGa?
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  #52  
Old 21st March 2011, 10:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dsallen View Post
The key point is that everyone can do digital but, correctly explained, a professionally produced set of images that use a traditional approach and has traditional composition and production values has intrinsically more value.
What is the difference between digital and film composition?
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  #53  
Old 22nd March 2011, 07:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cliveh View Post
What is the difference between digital and film composition?
I assume he meant the physical composition of the film and prints (i.e. materials they are composed of) rather than artistic composition.


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  #54  
Old 14th December 2011, 02:50 PM
SteveMorales SteveMorales is offline
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It will be a bigger challenge to shoot everything in film but it pays you with better reward when you start the exposure and development process. Though you will not be able to see what you have captured, you just have to rely on your instincts to tell you if you got a great shot or you have to take one again. I started as an events photographer on film as well way back mid 90's.
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  #55  
Old 2nd January 2012, 11:38 AM
Reuben Reuben is offline
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A very interesting thread - coming form a slightly different perspective - why not differentiate the service you offer and emphasise the timeless / classic / silver and gelatine / gold toned/ etc approach. For someone wanting an 1920s 1940/50 s style wedding it would be an ideal marketing direction. (inc perhaps a 5X4 tripod / focus cloth etc)

I attended such a themed wedding a number of months ago -everything was beautifully themed; clothing, cars etc ... except the lump of hitech wizardry used by the photographer.

To try to compete in the mass market - photos in reception /log into the website to order; bluntly you will not.

However a premium product will always appeal to the bride who wants to be different.
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  #56  
Old 2nd January 2012, 11:59 AM
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It will be a bigger challenge to shoot everything in film
It's not a huge challenge to shoot weddings with film. My father used to do it every weekend, as did thousands of others.


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  #57  
Old 2nd January 2012, 11:36 PM
DavidH DavidH is offline
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I have photographed several weddings for various family members in recent years, doing all the developing and printing in both B&W and colour myself. Obviously, with only ordinary amateur equipment I would have had to charge a lot of money if I was doing it as a business. In such a case, one would need to find a reliable processor to do a lot of the work.
Sadly, there seems to be a great emphasis on quantity now and a lamentable dearth of quality. I have always made it clear that I am an amateur; it's my hobby, I do it for enjoyment and do not have the resources or indeed the skill of a really good professional. It is certainly true to say that I would be ashamed to submit to the couple the overwhelming majority of wedding photographs I have seen from professionals in the last decade. It is no exaggeration to say that I have seen more than one portfolio of three figures, and the number of pictures that show no sloppy, careless errors is in single figures. The competent professionals who take a pride in their work are being edged out by the quantity merchants, and of course nothing does quantity like digital.
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  #58  
Old 20th January 2012, 03:01 PM
R Montgomer R Montgomer is offline
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Hello, I know I'm new here but I'll go as far as to say that I'm fairly experienced as far as Wedding Photography is concerned.

I have shot Weddings on Film and it is very much something I'm happy to offer.

Let's look at the costs, I buy film wholesale and get special deals on my processing but I'll cost it for someone only shooting say - 10 Weddings a year.

Film:
~10 rolls of Portra 120 @ :£37.90
~5 Rols or Portra 135 @ :£29.95
Total :£64.85
Developing & Scanning:
120 x 10 = £85
135 x 5 = £27.50
Total = £112.50

Total so far: £1.76.85.

Let's round up to an even £200 and slap on an extra £50 to cover fuel, some Red Bull to keep you going and misc.

So a total cost of £250

My scanned negs take less than a week to come back, usually 4 days but let's say 5.

Assuming you shot every frame you now have 330 (ish) images to narrow down, if you can't do that in a day you shouldn't be shooting a wedding anyway!

Clients that want a film service are often designers that have done some photography and they may well just want the images on cd. Our Film to DVD packages start at £1000 but even charging a low end price of £650 is still a worthwhile profit of £400 for two days work.
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  #59  
Old 20th January 2012, 03:36 PM
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An honest and refreshing change to the many posts seen on Photonet with wedding photographers considering $1000 to be a paltry sum not worth even considering.


Steve.
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  #60  
Old 20th January 2012, 03:58 PM
R Montgomer R Montgomer is offline
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Profit is a bit relative to be honest, my family is all self employed and has been on both sides for many generations (The Montgomery family has been trading in this street alone for over 150 years) so I am well aware of the ups and downs of cashflow!

In September, when it's busy a £400 profit from a wedding may seem a bit blah, but in February when it's quieter it can be a welcome boost. We shoot 50 weddings a year and if I have nothing else on I'll not pass up a smaller profit (especially last minute). I think, "The client got a good deal, good luck to them!" rather than thinking, "I'm better than that!". This attitude has done no damage to my business so far and we continue to grow.
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