Kawter2: Can he Do It?

[kawter2]

here ya go..

(Images)
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=71195

(Orig Question)
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=71192


and great thoughts.. I'll respond after a few others so I don't sway your question one way or another

[tim]

Those photos look pretty damn good to me, I rekon you should be able to do a wedding by yourself.

[Tom W]

The photos are excellent IMHO. Very well done. Perhaps Kawter2 ought to work with his "lead" photographer at taking on running a wedding. A little apprenticeship >>> master transition. Always nice to have the old master around when you do it if possible.

If not, then he should wing it, using the obvious talant and everything he has learned from watching past lead photogs.

[Citizensmith]

Here goes: What percentage of the wedding day photos in YOUR typical album are top flight Is it realistic for the client to expect a high number of highly creative photos to appear in his album?

Is it realistic for the photographer himself to expect to produce a high percentage of highly individualistic images of the B&G and the wedding party,

What obstacles hinder you from working at your peak during a wedding? What things make you work better? I will assume that all responses will come from those who work without an assistant.

I aim for 20 top flight photos. Just how top flight they are probably depends on how well I was peforming that day. I'll take a few hundred photos so that 20 may work out around 5% of what I take.

Highly individual each wedding is difficult, particularly if you do a lot. Coming up with a hit list of say 40 'cool ideas' and trying to take as many of them as possible each time may be better. I do tend to repeat the same concept shots and just use those that work best.

The lack of assistant is the biggest hinderance. I've got some great photos of the B&G but group shots are a pain in the neck. It's even worse when the grooms aunt (or somebody) decides everything has to be organized HER way and changes things as you try and set them up.

Oh, and nice photos by the way.

[RockSlut]

I've looked at a lot of wedding photos lately (mainly for friends and family trying to choose a wedding photographer). If these photos are indicative of your work then I say yes. I have seen much worse from "professionals" and not a great deal of work that I would consider to be significantly better.

The question you need to ask yourself is "do I really want to be a wedding photographer?". :)

[neil_r]

A lot depends on the conditions i.e surroundings, weather, behaviour of the B&G and guests but on average i recon.

Formals. 70%
Informals 20%

Let me re-visit to clarify that. That percentage is to my criteria you could half that (or more) if I were looking for the standard of the Kawter post.

N

[cyclone]

Just my opinion, I'm not a professional, but I have been married...

To get the quality of Kawter2's images (especially the one from behind the ceremony from on top), you almost have to have an assistant. A lone photographer will not have the time to scope out those thoughtful artistic shots. There just isn't time. Most wedding albums I've seen have the majority of photos being your standard (1) ceremony shots, (2) informal groupings before the wedding, (3) formals, and (4) reception. The most artistic may be the formals immediately after the wedding at some scenic location.

Certainly, he has the talent to be the lead (and lone) photographer at a wedding. That's obvious. But I would not expect all the shots to be of the quality he has shown us if he is working alone.

Also remember, of the hundreds of pictures taken at a wedding, how many end up in the album? They don't all have to be world class.

Just my two and a half cents.

[cyclone]

Oh yes, one sarcastic comment. If Kawter2 can take a full wedding of this image quality, he could charge $10,000/hour like Gary Fong. Of course then the real money is to be had by selling empty milk jugs for $30 a pop.

Sorry, I had to get that out.

[kawter2]

LOL! I have the patent on the Jug-o-Lantern!


I have some friends in the Gary Fong circle.. and the "inside name" for it is...


"The Gary-Fong bong" ;)

[cmM]

I've shot weddings (not alone, however, but am speaking on behalf of the pictures taken by me).
The first question that comes to my mind is: “what does “that good” mean?” I mean, yea, I think I can tell the difference between a technically good photograph and a piece of crap, but a good photograph goes way beyond that,
And taste is not to be judged IMO, everyone has different taste. So if a client is satisfied, then the photos were good (or some other form of feedback – a Pulitzer prize maybe :-P)
Other than that, I try not to brag or complain about my own work (from what I’ve seen this stands true for mostly everyone… I mean how many times have you seen someone post: “check out my amazing pics, they are superb!!!”
So yea, I try to keep myself from critiquing my own work

[Claire]

In all honesty I think all of us who hang out here are way more critical of our images than those looking at them. Kawter's images are very good in my eyes and I'd be thrilled to have them in my album. I've seen stuff online from both amateurs and pro's that doesn't hold anything close to the same standard, but I've also seen comments on message boards where the bride/other brides have said they loved the same images. It's all relative.

[Pekka]

Here goes: What percentage of the wedding day photos in YOUR typical album are top flight or at least comparable IN ANY WAY to kawter2's photos? Is it realistic for the client to expect a high number of highly creative photos to appear in his album? If so, what percentage?

I do not shoot weddings, but similar situations (low light people stuff).

What client expects is based on what is ordered. If you show your 5 super cool top shots and they buy the package based on that, then client will naturally expect such quality. Then the main task is to able to shoot like your portfolio described you can shoot.

What percentage of shots should be good enough for the album: it has absolutely no meaning. You shoot as much as is needed, often more, but never less. Yes, the shots must be creative - photographer's profession is all about making money out of creativity. You simply can't get shutter shy on a live wedding, and creativity gets inspiration from experience.

Show only the best selected and edited ones to the client, never let them to see full card proof sets.