Can you help launch my Wedding Photography business?

T

The Snapper

Guest
Dear All,

I am a trainee photographer who needs real experience at weddings. I'm an honest gent (24) who has had most of his experience as an assistant. I think I can make it as a pro - but it's a Chicken & Egg thing, cant get booking till I get experience.....

If you know anyone who has no budget for, or is not particularily bothered about, photography - I would like to make my services available in return for the experience of photographing it.

This arrangement would be purely symbiotic, I get experience, you / they save on having to pay for photography. No money is expected from me or charged.

Please note I am a TRAINEE - only make your wedding available if you did not intend booking a photographer for your day or cannot afford one - I do not want to replace a professional or work alongside same!! Early - mid 2007weddings would be best.

There is no fee for my service and I will provide a selection of reprints as a 'Thank You'.

So if you or anyone you know - neighbours, family, friends in this situation - please, please reply or PM me if you / they are interested.

Thanks everyone & AAM

The Snapper
 
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just a small suggestion mate, why don't you take pictures for smaller ceremony first? i am sure people would be more confident once they saw ur portfolio
 
polo9n said:
just a small suggestion mate, why don't you take pictures for smaller ceremony first? i am sure people would be more confident once they saw ur portfolio
Click to expand...

That's what I am trying to do. It doesnt matter what size it is. There is loads of folks out there who dont have a photographer / arent able to afford one.

Just trying to find them!

TS
 
thats a really good idea,,would you try even doing the snaps for a debs or communion or something first so people could see what kind of style you have?

Its just nice to have somesort of a reference to see you know what i mean?
 
I have no idea who The Snapper is. He may be genuine and he may be a scammer. The scam, if there is one, is that you get the wedding photographs taken for free, but you have to pay heavily when you actually want the free photographs.

Other photographers offer big discounts and even gift vouchers but it ends up costing a lot more.

Brendan
 
Snapper - Will you provide the negatives or digital prints to the happy couple free of charge?
 
oh man, dont say that thats desperate! I thought he sounded really genuine!
 
If he wasnt genuine or was trying to scam you and make you pay heavily for photos, why would he insist that it would be for weddings where they werent bothered about getting photos taken or do not intend booking a photographer.
 
Think if you are starting out you shouldn't just limit yourself to weddings, perhaps other family events, portraits, corporate events, just for the experience (and cash is good too). Always good to have a portfolio of different style photos to show to people. Then when you get recognised you can focus on weddings. You should also then consider networking at some stage down the road when you get going, maybe something like the BNI or some similar groups.
You could even consider going to the wedding fair and passing out some flyers outside or even putting some flyers on cars about your offers, on in The Point shortly, I'm sure you'd get some bits there.
 
Thanks all. I can assure you, I am genuine. ;)

Few points form the above:

1) I can leave a copy disc with any couple as I leave the wedding, it wouldnt be an issue for me at present...

2) But please be aware that just becaue you 'get a disc' you dont get good images - there is a post production (retouching, sharpening, saturation) skill involved. Many couples who 'get a disc' from a photographer will soon realise, they have, in fact nothing! Ture professionals (in the wedding game) never 'give a disc'

3) Again, I'm only looking for folks who wouldn't have a photographer normally or be able to afford one...

TS
 
The Snapper said:
1) I can leave a copy disc with any couple as I leave the wedding, it wouldnt be an issue for me at present...

2) But please be aware that just becaue you 'get a disc' you dont get good images - there is a post production (retouching, sharpening, saturation) skill involved. Many couples who 'get a disc' from a photographer will soon realise, they have, in fact nothing! Ture professionals (in the wedding game) never 'give a disc'
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So will you be giving a disc to the couple after you've done all the post-production work?
 
I think they meant give them a disc with the images on it so they can print them off themselves rather than your harbour the cost of the prints. Yes a professional wont hand them a disc but a professional wont do it for free.
 
I think you are putting the cart before the horse in setting yourself up to do weddings before you establish yourself in other areas. As others suggested, start off by photographing minor functions such as Debs, retirement parties, presentation functions, etc. Do this free of charge at first. Try to get the local papers to publish some of them free of charge. This will publicise your name. Then spend some money on flyers, advertising etc.
 
........seeing as some are a little hesitant that they would be 'charged mad money' for prints, yes that would be appropriate.

BM
 
A postscript to this would be one needs to gain experience on real weddings, no one will book someone unless you have real couples on real days.

That's how most, now fully fledged photographers start.

BM
 
Would you not be better getting a job as an assistant to a pro. photographer where you would get to work along side a pro and gain experience. I am sure they would bring you along to any weddings they would be doing and that way you would learn the trade and would then be able to go out on your own when you have a good portfolio built up.
You would have no worrys of insurance and all that goes with providing that service as a photographer - the pro would have to worry about those things.
 
Sorry Snapper just read your post again and I see you have being working as an assistant. I can't understand you having got some experience of weddings if you have being working with a photograher. Why do you say you don't want to work along side a photographer - isn't that the way you learn?
 
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