Craigslist Wedding Photography

I scroll through the listings on Philly Craigslist here and there seeing if there are any cool photo gig listings floating around in the art/media/design and creative sections. There are invariably postings looking for cheap wedding photographers.

I know people are trying to do things on a budget. I can very much relate to that. I know money gets spread pretty thin over the course of the planning of a wedding. Invites, food, flowers, the dress, the space, the honeymoon, the reception, the alcohol, the music... the list is fucking endless. But somewhere in there, most people are going to want some photos or video of the event. Something to remember it all by other than the divorce papers you'll be served with [face it, 50% of marriages end up in divorce let alone the not-so happily ever after ones].

Most weddings run about four hours or so. A photographer works waaaay more than those four hours. S/he is probably going to show up early to get those preparation shots. The wedding party yapping it up before the ceremony. Shots of things before everything is destroyed by those snotty nosed cousins running around. And some generic posed shots with the families involved. And then there's the four hours or so of the actual ceremony and reception. S/he usually gets a break at some point to sit down and eat a very quick bite and then shoot some more. After all that, s/he has to go home or to their studio and go through all those photos. 1000 shots could easily be taken. Throw out 500 off the bat through an initial edit due to things being out of focus, people blinking, someone running into the frame [those snotty cousins again ruining shit]. And then comes the real work.

Going through the 100 or so decent shots that you'll present to the couple. Editing them so that things look nice. Whether that be in the darkroom or on the computer via Photoshop. One way or another, you'll be spending another few hours preparing an edit to present, probably with 100 or so 4"x6" shots in color, black and white and sepia [oh how couples love that sepia tone]. And then the couple will haggle over which ones look good. Which ones they must have blown up, yadda, yadda, yadda. There will always be a question of "Didn't you get this shot of me and so and so?" And there will always be a shot or two [or thirty] that the photog didn't couldn't possibly get. The couple may make a big stink out of it, they may not.

So then the couple and the photog come to a consensus over which forty or so images they'd like printed. Varying sizes of wallets, 4"x6", 8"x12" and a few 11"x17" or 20"x30" prints thrown in to hang triumphantly in the living room or main hallway. Printing those takes time. Lots of time. A little trial and error here and there as well with different lighting and color combos in every shot. And then they have to be brought back to the couple for delivery.

I don't understand the couples asking people to do all that for a measly $200. They gotta be asking themselves, "Would I want to deal with myself for a measly $200?" and they'd probably say no, but they don't think of that. And even more so, I don't understand the "photographers" who are taking those murderous gigs at a measly $200. They're better off cutting out a meal a day for a few weeks to save $200.

Comments

[steve]

There's no way in hell I want to be a wedding photographer. I spent half of Sunday on location and 2 evenings last week (processing) preparing a family portrait from a set of 12 original shots. This doesn't include printing.

It was a bright sunny day, mid-day outdoor shot. I put the family in good light and spent those two evenings fixing up everything around them. $100 - which I thought was fair, considering it's coming down to a single shot out of a small set.

All in all, I'd rather not do any of that type of work.

[angie]

i'm a photographer too--it would be sad to be a wedding photographer, i think. i turn those jobs down. most marriages do end up in divorce, if not unhappily ever after. i know a guy who just got married a few months ago, and is still seeing someone else! geez...it must be the city (new yawk). makes a girl wanna stay single.

[mac]

The obvious answer: show up with a Polaroid camera and just hand them the shots at the end of the wedding. That's a $200 wedding photographer.

[jam]

I am a wedding photographer and I have to say that anyone who would work for 8+ hours, hauling equipment, dealing with the cousin-wanna-be that asks a million questions while you work, and the drunk groomsmen deserves much more than $200. And that's just the wedding day...you still have to edit pictures and put together books. People just don't understand