Are You Guys/Gals a Dime a Dozen?

[MDJAK]

Please, for those who know me from my posts, I mean no offense at all. I highly regard all of you.

I title my post this way because I'm wondering whether it pays for me to attempt to dive into wedding photography, or whether there's so many of "you" that there's not a lot of business out there. Is it a case of oversaturation, such as it has become with lawyers these days?

I ask this with all seriousness and again apologize if anyone was offended by my post title.

mark

[Az2Africa]

I don't think it's too crowded here in Arizona. I am not a wedding photographer, but have done a couple for friends, People who saw them wanted to hire me to do theirs and I had to turn them down because I don't like to do weddings. I tried to scare one of them away by quoting a ridiculous price (I'm not that good) and he still wanted me to do it. I think that with the advent of digital photography the waters have been muddied a bit by wanna-be's, but I don't think they are a threat to a well promoted pro.

[kawter2]

http://www.theweddingreport.com

for cali the avg wedding is close to 30k w/ only 1800 spent on photography!!!!

[tim]

Pretty much yeah, lots of "pros" now digital is so accessible. You have to be good to stand out from the crowd.

[kawter2]

btw

with
1DSMKII, CANON: 17-40 F4L, 24-70 F2.8L, 100mm f2.8 Macro, 135f2L, 70-300 DO IS, 70-200 F2.8L IS, 100-400 4.5-5.6L IS, 1.4 TC II, 580EX. Epson P-2000 viewer, Epson Stylus PRO 4800, Gitzo carbon fiber monopod, Gitzo carbon fiber explorer, tripod, ReallyRightStuff B55 ballhead, Gary Fong lightsphere II, Hensel studio Lights, Sekonic L358 light meter, PSCS2.


you have gear nirvana.. why change business models?

[symes]

Pretty much yeah, lots of "pros" now digital is so accessible. You have to be good to stand out from the crowd.

That is pretty much any industry...is it not? when you are good or at the top you will stand out...those who don't want top services will not be knocking down your door...

[tim]

That is pretty much any industry...is it not? when you are good or at the top you will stand out...those who don't want top services will not be knocking down your door...

Sounds about right to me.

[PIXI_666]

Well...im a wannabe...BUT in saying that i am giving up the offers i have from weddings etc. and sticking to just family and friends for now. I have had people wanting my business card to give out to people but i have declined and said that i would prefer it if they didn't only because i don't want to go out there as an Amateur Wedding Photographer.
Now that i am looking into being an Assistant i am starting from the bottom again and doing it the right way.
But i believed for the time being i am in a small country town, only 2 photographer's in our region, one doign weddings all the time the other not promoting herself enough and has now been seen as "Old" (Her style is old and not modern and contemporary enough) sure if u want a traditional wedding you want traditional photo's but eck im not into them!
So im no threat to many pro's out there...if anything people ask me to help ME out but i have had to start declining.
Im sure ONE DAY ill be a great pro :) lol

Del

[DocFrankenstein]

Of course we are.

There's millions of wannabe rappers who can hardly spell.
Millions of wannabe writers who never read a book.
Millions of garage bands who don't know their A from their G.
And millions of photographers who "have the talent"

Every dude (or dudette) with a camera think they're the next Adams.

[BLINN]

I believe that there are more wedding photographer now then ever. Like Tim mentioned with digital it is so easy. I offer services from $750 - $1500 I tend to hit the couple who don't or can't afford the top pros in my area. They charge $2500- $10,000. I think that I offer a very high quality service but I am not a full time photographer. Meaning that I have a full time job and do this photography stuff on the side. So I don't have to charge as much. I do the best job I can and I am constantl learning. Even if I get as good as the BIG GUNS I will still not charge as much as them. My clientel is the blue coller worker.

[cdifoto]

There's enough business out there for everybody. Those who want the best will pay for the best. Those who can't afford the best, usually understand they're paying to record an event, not make a fantasy out of it.


People are always getting married. One wedding photographer can realistically only do a good job on maybe 2 weddings a weekend without stretching theirself too thin. That's 104 weddings a year. Someone has to do the other several thousand!

[BLINN]

Good point cdi and by the way love you avatar. I too am a a hugh dukes fan