# Bella Shooters



## elsaspet (Oct 26, 2007)

Let's start a thread:

I know some Bella Shooters.  I like them personally.  Professionaly, I think  they are killing us all.
Several pro wedding photogs are banning referrals to anyone who shoots bella.
I'm open.  I want to see why you would shoot for these folks.


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## Big Mike (Oct 26, 2007)

What's a Bella Shooter?


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## jols (Oct 26, 2007)

elsapet your back where have you been.

i shoot weddings.

but dont know what your talking about????


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## elsaspet (Oct 26, 2007)

jols said:


> elsapet your back where have you been.
> 
> i shoot weddings.
> 
> but dont know what your talking about????


 


Bella. 
This is a large company taking over small business wedding photography.
I can't believe you guys have only just now heard of this.
Mind blowing.
Please, please,please don't shoot for them.


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## amandakifer (Oct 26, 2007)

well aren't bella shooters not allowed to go over 400 iso?  I think that is interesting.  Sometimes it is needed... when it is done correctly they are great pics.  

My question when dealing with such a large company is are you able to see individual photographer's work?  Are we as other photographers allowed to recommend a certain bella photographer?  

Bella use to have a corporate site but I can't find it. 

I don't recommend a photog unless I would use them myself.  If bella limits what settings you can use... I would never become one myself.


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## jols (Oct 26, 2007)

is bella an american company.

im in the u.k


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## Rrr3319 (Oct 26, 2007)

Interesting that you brought this up... I was on craigslist the other day and saw a posting for them, I was actually going to ask if anyone had heard about them and what they thought about the whole thing...

http://www.bellapictures.com/photographer.php?r=8096


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## JHF Photography (Oct 26, 2007)

Elsaspet, first let me say glad to see you stuck around!  I thought you were going to force me to ponder that darn "un"sharp mask all by myself - lol.

Now as to the topic, I've never heard of Bella either.  Are they just popular in your area perhaps?


Jason


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## elsaspet (Oct 26, 2007)

Ugg, I was almost glad you guys hadn't heard of them, but I don't want to be mysterious.
They are a wedding "factory".  They hire photogs to shoot weddings, that they book on a mass market.
They are the feared on most photography boards.


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## AprilRamone (Oct 26, 2007)

I've heard of them before.  Seen them advertising on craigslist.  I never understood why a photographer would want to shoot for them when they can make more money for themselves.  Are some really so lazy about finding their own clients that they would give up earning hundreds if not 1,000 of dollars of potential income to have someone else do it for them?

I've seen advertisements on craigslist that weren't necessarily Bella, but were trying to get photographers to shoot weddings for $600 or so and you had to have a portfolio to show them.


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## SusieC (Oct 26, 2007)

It's pretty disappointing that brides actually book this "wedding factory" for photography.  How impersonal!


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## Flash Harry (Oct 26, 2007)

There used to be Kodak weddings in the UK, name changed to something else and I havent heard much of them since, basically they would refer weddings to the tog, the K would process n print provide the package and the tog got a % out of it, is Bella the same sort of deal, could be useful for someone starting out I suppose. H


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## ScottS (Oct 27, 2007)

I like this quote from their website "_We take care of all the details. Bella's agency-like approach was designed with your needs in mind. At Bella, marketers sell, customer service reps communicate with clients, editors handle post production and designers design albums. This allows you to focus on what you do best - making your subjects feel comfortable while you capture beautiful and natural shots."_

Well they forgot to mention the part where they take all your money as well. 

It seems to me that they are marketing to the amateur hoping to become pro... By that I mean someone who is new to the whole wedding photography business. Someone who wants to do the shooting and have everything else taken care of for them. And that's fine if you don't want to build yourself up to a point where you can be making quite a bit of money. Oh and lazy people too.


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## doobs (Oct 27, 2007)

I just googled "bella photography" and got a Wedding photography company, in my area ironically. Pictures looked decent, but really standard and boring. Nothing cool or out of the ordinary.


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## Flash Harry (Oct 27, 2007)

I wouldn't worry too much anyway, just thought I'd google the kodak/elegante to see what the crack was, they ceased trading in 2006 and only started up a few years back here, advertising for togs n all the hype big companies can afford so if its a no-no for the big K I find it highly unlikely they'll push out any tog whose already successful over there.
One of the big drawbacks in this game is confidence/lack of, its inherent among togs, so Elsa, fear not, I think your jobs safe. H


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## jols (Oct 27, 2007)

anyway no bellas here in england.

and glad elsapets back.

we kinda missed ya:mrgreen:


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## Holy Ghosted (Oct 27, 2007)

There are more then just "Bella" they can be named almost any thing in the us sears was really big at doing this for portraits and some Church directories ext
there are many co. doing this and willing to hire hungry photographers and make a large profit of them and there time and equipment. One thin to look for is weather some place asks you to give a privacy policy and or a disclaimer  those are from the more honest places but if you do not know what a privacy policy or disclaimer is or how you should wright one then stay away until you fully understand it all. 
Just my thoughts


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## ahphotography (Oct 27, 2007)

I've gotten emails from them before asking me to become "a part of the team" - no thank ya... I like to earn what I work for - not earn what they work *me* for. ;-)


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## CrazyAva (Oct 30, 2007)

I had heard of it, but wasn't aware that's what it was!  I would never work for someone else.  I tried that with a baby portrait company during a slow time for my business and it sucked.  Not only that, but I feel bad for the couples hiring these people.  I mean wow.  These are people who probably don't give a hoot about their wedding or how much they like the photos, it's just a paycheck to them.  People who think of wedding photography in terms of how little they can do and still make money have no business being wedding photographers!!


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## zendianah (Oct 30, 2007)

I have heard of Bella. They even have a stand in a market called the M Market which is a Korean store. I think their pictures suck personally. Well maybe the Bella Photogs in this supermarket. 

I feel that Bella is to photography as KMART is. CRAP.


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