FilmPhoto.co.uk. » Blog Archive » My wedding photographer is just starting out and offered a really good deal

My wedding photographer is just starting out and offered a really good deal

8 June 2010 19 views

OK, as you probably know I normally caution against going with the cheapest option: quality, reliability, talent, equipment, long-life albums etc.

But, this situation is a little different, you’ve got someone trying to get into the wedding market and hence offering very low price (or even free). They have been up-front about it – which is a plus in my opinion, not all newbies will tell you.

So, clearly you are taking a risk – shooting a wedding is not like shooting anything else. The rules, traditions, speed, technical issues, people management and so on are something quite different – for a photographer this can be a very tough gig.

You can’t judge their previous work, because they’ve never done any weddings before.

So, how do you tell the difference between a new professional and a "give it a go" weekend warrior. The standard practice for those who are serious about wedding photography is that they will have assisted other wedding photographers first.

Within the trade the long-time professionals will hire or intern new photographers to act as shooting assistants. This benefits the professional – they get a cheap assistant, the assistant can cover parts of the wedding the main photographer can’t, there’s someone to carry bags and equipment even.

For the trainee assistant, they get to see weddings in action, understand how the photographer manages the day, can make mistakes without it bring critical – be trained by the professional on how to avoid them, and be trained in general by the professional.

The trainee should also have a portfolio of wedding images that they HAVE shot, they won’t necessarily be the big group photos, so there may be some odd gaps, but will more likely cover the "reportage" style, informal photos.

So, if you are offered a good deal from a photographer who is just starting out, that’s what you really need to ask – have they ever shot at a wedding before? Have the been an assistant at a wedding?

If they haven’t – I really am inclined to say walk away.

If they have – then they are serious about their choice of work and profession and it’s worth going further with them.

Cheltenham Wedding Photographer FilmPhoto.co.uk.

Still looking for a wedding photography near Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud and the Cotswolds?
Drop by the website and see if we are the wedding photographer for you.