How Much?
When people see prices for wedding photography they will often make comments such as "How much?" Or "That's a lot for just a days work!" and I can understand that.
Many people are under the impression that a wedding photographer just turns up on the day, takes a few snaps and gives the resulting images to the couple in exchange for a kings ransom.
The truth though is vey much different. To deliver a package that properly represents what is the most important day in a couples life takes much more time and effort.
A typical wedding for me would easily eat up well over a week of my time, If the couple wanted something really special that week could become a fortnight. Wondering why? read on.
When a couple enquire about a wedding package I will meet with them to find out what it is they are looking for and whether I am the right person to deliver the package they want. I do not take on work from every enquiry, if I believe that I cannot offer a service that meets a couples expectations I will say so and walk away. Likewise the couple making the enquiry may not get the right feeling from me and I am happy for them to look elsewhere if that is the case. If there is not the right chemistry from the start I believe this can be reflected in the end results and I do not want end results that are not the best they can be. So this first element can take up a few hours and a few miles and result in nothing in some cases.
When a booking is made it can be a year or more in advance but for me the work has started. One of the first things I will do is to make a visit to the venue. Even if I have worked at the venue before I will still visit because things change. This visit is to check locations and lighting angles for potential shots. I like to look for interesting spots and try to come up with ideas for something out of the ordinary whenever possible. If there is over a year to the wedding I will try to do this at the same time of day and year as the wedding. While scoping out a September wedding in January can provide some useful data there is far more to be had looking in September when the sun is at the same angle and the vegetation levels are the same as they will be on the day of the wedding. So half a day goes in even at this early stage.
Around three months prior to the wedding I will meet with the couple again. At the first meeting, while the date and venue for the wedding is usually known, the details are not set in stone. By three months prior most of the arrangements have been firmed up and timings etc. can be discussed in more detail.
Once I have the timing details we can then discuss how much time the couple want to put in to getting the images they want. It is their day and their time. I do not try and dictate where the couple must be at any point. It is my job to be where things are happening not the other way around. That said, to get those extra special images to make the package stand out from the ordinary, it helps if the couple are prepared to put a bit of time to one side and most usually are.
On a normal wedding day there are two or three ''dead periods' where things slow down and I try to use these times to get the more intimate shots of the couple etc. I find it also helps the couple to flatten out the roller coaster of emotions they can go through during the big day if they have something fun to do during the lulls between stages of the wedding. After the meeting I will then start working on a shooting schedule for the big day.
With the timings sorted I can then discuss numbers of bridesmaids, groomsmen, guests etc. and anything significant that may be happening during the day so I don't miss it. It's too late to set up for firework shots once they start going off!
I will also discuss options for bad weather at this point. No one wants a wet and windy wedding but unfortunately it happens and planning alternative options helps set minds at rest.
This meeting gives both me and the couple more Idea of how the day is likely to go and helps with preparations from both sides. Nothing is set in stone, things always come up, but once a plan is in place tweaking it is easy.
At this meeting I will also arrange the date and time of the next stage, the pre shoot.
That's another half day gone.
The Pre-Shoot is important for both the couple and myself. Everybody tells me they don't like having their photo taken. This is my opportunity to help the couple relax in front of the camera and understand how I work and how being photographed can be fun.
On a Pre shoot I am not particularly looking for fantastic shots. They come anyway. It is about building a relationship with the couple where they are comfortable with me being around and ,if I am successful, forget the camera is there.
I give the couple a few tips on how to stand in a more relaxed way which always helps produce better portraits but in the main I do not 'pose' the couple. This close to the wedding they will be comfortable in each others company and the poses normally take care of themselves with very little direction from me.
Having the opportunity to sort out various angles and see the poses and techniques that the couple are most comfortable with helps finalise the shooting schedule for the big day. Any physical limitations can also be established at this shoot.
If I am planning any 'special' shots for the wedding that require more complex techniques such as double exposures etc. I will run through these with the couple so they know what to expect on the day.
To round off the Pre-Shoot I will run through my shooting schedule and check that there have been no changes since the previous meeting. Also at this point I will ask the couple to start thinking of any particular 'group shots' they require and to make a list and nominate someone to gather together any relatives at the required time. It is only a small detail but I do not know Auntie Nelly so I need some one who does to get her to the Bride and Groom.
Following a successful Pre-Shoot I am confident that the couple will see me more as a friendly face on the day rather than a stranger with a camera. The expressions will be so much better.
Half a day shooting, one day processing.
Prior to the day of the wedding I will usually do a quick check to make sure there have been no major changes at the venue(s) then it is a simple 12 to 14 hour day doing what I like best. Shooting shot after shot of the happy couple and their friends and family.
The plan is roughly stuck to and. while the planned timings never actually turn out to be right, experience makes sure everything gets captured. Every wedding is unique and it is my job to reflect the feeling of the day in the images so while I work around the plan I am flexible enough to 'wing it' where necessary to try and catch the unexpected events.
At sometime around midnight I will usually find myself familiarising myself with my bed and getting a few hours sleep before starting the processing stage.
I shoot weddings in what is known as RAW format, not everyone does. This format captures the maximum available information to my camera and allows the maximum detail to be produced in the final images. This also means there is some more work for me.
Most images are captured well 'in camera' but even the best shots benefit form some post processing. Every shot I use is checked and adjusted for colour balance and contrast and where necessary any details are tidied up.
I also do at least 5 'specials'. Composite or 'trick shots' which take a little more time to process but can provide stunning results. each of these can take from half an hour to half a day to complete depending on the complexity.
Once all the shots have been checked and optimised I also like to do a black and white version of the majority of shots. Many couples do not think of having black and white wedding shots but it is surprising how many love the black and white versions when presented with them. It does not work on every shot but it can be simply stunning when there is no colour to distract from the content. Some people would simply de-saturate the colour shot and leave it at that but to get the best result the contrast needs readjusting and sometimes there needs to be tweaks to the 'colours' in the background to stop everything merging into one (e.g. reds and greens can look exactly the same in black and white if not adjusted).
All this takes time and a typical wedding can take anything from three to five days to process to this point.
On a USB only wedding this would be the point where the couple get to see the end results but what about albums? read on.
When an album is involved the stages described above get us to the proof stage. This is where the couple get to see proof copies of their images so that they can pick their favourites for the album. With hundreds of images to choose from it can be quite a daunting task so I try to make things as easy as possible for the couple by asking them to choose their 'must haves' from each section of the day and any 'definitely nots' from the images. I will then build an album preview using the must haves as page leaders and choosing the most complimentary of the other shots from each section to tell a timeline story of the day and capture the atmosphere of the whole wedding day in a way that makes viewers want to keep looking rather than skipping through the album.
This process (once the choices have been made by the couple) takes at least one day and then once the couple have seen the preview there may be another half a day making any changes suggested.
The final part of the process is the delivery of the goods bringing the total time involved to anywhere between 5 and 10 days. Add to this the cost of the album and wall art etc. which don't come cheap.
How much? Well how much would you want?
