# Why I wish we still did weddings...



## terri (Feb 10, 2005)

For several years my husband and I were shooting a LOT of weddings.   Here is a sampling of some of our stuff.  We used at least 3 cameras: a Mamiya RZ67, a Rolleiflex, and a Pentax ME for high speed B&W.   

We were just getting good when he started wanting his weekends back, we did fewer and fewer till he started turning them down.   It's been a few years now.


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## Alison (Feb 10, 2005)

that last shot is stunning! I bet there are some bride and grooms that wish you still did them as well! I love the gazebo, too! Any thought to just doing a few a year?


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## terri (Feb 10, 2005)

Thanks!!   They went nuts over that shot.   

We actually got a call recently from the bride in the gazebo shot - they got divorced and she wanted us to do her second wedding!       Enough to make ya cynical, isn't it??   

He turned her down.  I told him he was nuts, since she trusted him already (which can be hard to overcome sometimes) but he just wasn't into it.   

Silly boy.   We did one recently, all B&W, as a wedding gift for friends.   We had a blast, and he felt none of the prior pressure since it was all friends.   But I don't know if that'd ever be enough to get out there and hustle for them again.


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## danalec99 (Feb 10, 2005)

Yes, the last one is a beaut. 

Reminds me of the first picture in this page.


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## AIRIC (Feb 10, 2005)

Great work. I mentally have to prepare myself for weddings and only do a few a year. Could not stand loosing my weekends to much, but the pay is really good. 

Eric


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## terri (Feb 10, 2005)

Yep, the time demands got to be a bit much, even though we liked the checks.      Once the fun factor is outweighed by the hassle factor, all bets are off.   Glad you liked them!


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## elsaspet (Feb 11, 2005)

Those are beautiful Terri!  I liked the gazebo shot best I think, and then... LOL.

They are all great.


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## GerryDavid (Feb 27, 2005)

Terri, I dont suppose you remember how long the last shot was for?  Its a really nice picture.

If you shoot enough weddings, you could live off of the income and the middle of the week will become your weekends *smiles*.


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## siv (Mar 4, 2005)

how much do weddings usually pay? do they mind if you shoot digital?


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## danalec99 (Mar 4, 2005)

siv said:
			
		

> how much do weddings usually pay? do they mind if you shoot digital?


Free to $25,000 and above; depending on the market, one's expertise and confidence.

Generally no one cares what you shoot with. But there _are_ clients who seek film. Names like Monte Zucker, Dennis Reggie and host of other prominent photographers shoots digital and Medium Format film at the same time.


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## Alison (Mar 4, 2005)

I've only had one client ask and that's because she had an uncle who was in the business. There are some people who think digital is only small point & shoot style cameras so when they see a DSLR they tend to assume it's film


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## GerryDavid (Mar 4, 2005)

A guy that was interviewed in the rangefinder magazine gets like $50,000us a wedding.  :0)

How much you make depends on your market, and what the competition charges.

Something to keep in mind is its not pure profit.  Apperantly it takes about 40 hours to do a wedding, from meeting with the couple, doing the wedding, working on the pictures, showing the pictures and getting them to pick some, then making thee album, etc.  The albums can be very expensive, and the prints can add up fast.  If you shoot film, the film, developing, scanning, printing is all expensive.  Then theres backup gear and the main gear to keep working, insurred, insurrance for the wedding itself incase you mess up and they have to reshoot it, or if the bride gets hurt following your directions, etc.  It will also depend on what quality of products you offer.  If you go cheap, youll save money but you may get a reputation for using cheap albums, etc.


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## terri (Mar 5, 2005)

GerryDavid said:
			
		

> Terri, I dont suppose you remember how long the last shot was for?  Its a really nice picture.
> 
> If you shoot enough weddings, you could live off of the income and the middle of the week will become your weekends *smiles*.


Sorry for the late reply, Gerry, I am just now seeing your post!     I am *pretty* sure we used 100 speed film here, since it was a time exposure...probably Plus X.   And we blew off several shots while the folks were shuffling out, so I am giving you a best guess here.     Let's say it was probably in the range of between 20-30 seconds, maybe a few seconds added on for loss of film speed due to the longer exposure.   Sorry I can't be more specific.   

Thanks for the kind words on the picture.


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## ShutteredEye (Mar 5, 2005)

I've done one wedding.  It will probably be my last.  I did it for my fiance's sister.  It went really well, and the shots turned out great, but after the fact was a doozy.  She couldn't understand why i wanted to keep the negatives.  I told her she was welcome to borrow them any time she needed to etc.  She borrowed them and kept them for 6 months--despite repeated requests for them back.  I finally have them back now, but only after her mother asked for them so she could make copies and gave them back to me instead of her.  Uggh.


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## 2Stupid2Duck (Mar 6, 2005)

I demanded my wedding be done in digital and paid extra to get copies of them on DVD. He was a bit miffed because he knew I intended to do some crops and things myself. LOL. Can't understand why anyone would want film.


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## terri (Mar 6, 2005)

A lot of people still want film and will insist on it.   I think it's nice to be able to offer shared online photos and sometimes you can get those quicker results with digital, if there isn't a lot of post processing involved.   But you can do the same thing with scanned negatives.   And for those super enlarged bridal portraits, the ones some girls plan to have with a gilt-edged frames and perfect lighting  you must have MF, no question.


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## Christie Photo (Mar 6, 2005)

Wedding....  aughhhhhhhhh!  I find I have to start doing more.  Most of my work has always been product/advertising.  In recent years, the market is drying up in my area.  Business move, are bought, close down.. whatever.  I'm not loosing clients, they're just not buying as much.

So...  back to more "people" work for me.  I usually do just a few weddings each year (maybe 4-6), but plan to increase this year.  In my market area, I can offer weddings starting at $1650.  They usually spend more.  I don't stay all day.  I start about 90 minutes before the ceremony and go into the reception for  an hour or so.  I make about 130 proofs...  nothing fancy, just traditional stuff.

I think I have to start doing more of the "journalism" type work if I'm gonna increase sales.  I still bring the film camera, but use it less and less each time.  I bring an assistant to help carry gear, but I do all the shooting.  All hand-held stobes or available light.

For the $1630, I deliver 24 5x7s in an Art Leather album.  This is going up this year by at least $150.  I haven't raised prices in years.  I didn't bother since I do so few.

I hope this info is helpful.  I'm glad to share more if there's interest.


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## CharlesSmithPhoto (Sep 12, 2008)

Nice pictures! However, I must admit that I am glad brides don't dress like that anymore! haha


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## RainNotebook (Sep 12, 2008)

CharlesSmithPhoto said:


> Nice pictures! However, I must admit that I am glad brides don't dress like that anymore! haha



lol I must admit I thought the same thing myself!


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## 3of11 (Sep 12, 2008)

Nice pictures.  I had to laugh (hard) at the wonderful 80's poof!  Thanks for sharing.


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## Lyncca (Sep 15, 2008)

Alison said:


> I've only had one client ask and that's because she had an uncle who was in the business. There are some people who think digital is only small point & shoot style cameras so when they see a DSLR they tend to assume it's film


 
This is true.  People think this of my DSLR all the time.  Maybe cause I look THROUGH the viewfinder it confuses them! :lmao:


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## Lyncca (Sep 15, 2008)

To the OP, I really love the gazebo shot too, but no matter how much I liked my photographer, I don't think I would want the same one for a second marriage!


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