Who here runs a photo booth at their weddings?

[Peacefield]

Originally Posted by cdifoto

I could easily say I'm a $4000, even $6000, photog if I included a couple high end products like premium albums, gallery wraps, etc. My base fee for the day, however, is significantly lower and makes me attainable by nearly anyone who likes me and what I have to offer.

This is exactly my approach, too. I think I'm fairly modestly priced for base photography services. But one of the things I've learned is that I can count on the type of bride I attract (again, they tend to be very traditional) to order large albums; indeed additional albums for their parents and more. The more modest upfront price gets the phone to ring, but emotional purchases get my average up to where I want it to be pretty reliably.

[bnlearle]

When the average wedding is well over 20k, ANY of those brides can easily afford a $5-10k photographer. Just depends on their priorities. Many of my brides have had be be the majority (over half) of their budget.

To everyone who's insisting that photobooths need to be gimmicky -- it just depends on WHO'S doing it. Just like anything. Nate (Kaiser) puts out INCREDIBLE photobooth work. It is harldy a gimmeck. In fact, it's a freaking crazy skill, imo. I'm high end and I'd do photo booths in a SECOND if I could do them well. I'm not sure that I could so I'll wait until I think I would do a great job with them. I'm in no rush so I'll probably never do them.

But saying you're "timeless" so you can't do a photo booth is just non-sense (no offense). You just don't want to do them -- and there's nothing wrong with that. But no need to be condescending to those that do.

Call the following a "gimmick" and I'll call you crazy...

http://theblogisfound.com/index.cfm?catID=16

Bobby

[PMCphotography]

Originally Posted by bnlearle

To everyone who's insisting that photobooths need to be gimmicky -- it just depends on WHO'S doing it. Just like anything. Nate (Kaiser) puts out INCREDIBLE photobooth work. It is harldy a gimmeck. In fact, it's a freaking crazy skill, imo. I'm high end and I'd do photo booths in a SECOND if I could do them well. I'm not sure that I could so I'll wait until I think I would do a great job with them. I'm in no rush so I'll probably never do them.

But saying you're "timeless" so you can't do a photo booth is just non-sense (no offense). You just don't want to do them -- and there's nothing wrong with that. But no need to be condescending to those that do.

Call the following a "gimmick" and I'll call you crazy...

http://theblogisfound.com/index.cfm?catID=16

Bobby

Well call me crazy then, Bobby. I don't see anything on the blog that isn't any different than any other photobooth picture.

I was one of the few people who said they wouldn't do a photobooth at a wedding, and you're right. I easily COULD- they are not hard to do, but I don't want to. I try not to do things are already becoming cheesy wedding photography cliches- the tilted horizon, the jumping groomsmen, selective color on the brides bouquet,etc. to me, photobooths fall in that category.

[bnlearle]

Originally Posted by PMCphotography

Well call me crazy then, Bobby. I don't see anything on the blog that isn't any different than any other photobooth picture.

I was one of the few people who said they wouldn't do a photobooth at a wedding, and you're right. I easily COULD- they are not hard to do, but I don't want to. I try not to do things are already becoming cheesy wedding photography cliches- the tilted horizon, the jumping groomsmen, selective color on the brides bouquet,etc. to me, photobooths fall in that category.

Here's the problem with insisting you're so above cheesy wedding photography cliche's. You have to be VERY careful that you don't have these types of images in your own portfolio. Now, I don't believe you could even come close to doing what Nate does with a photobooth. Not because you suck, but because he does awesome photobooth work (not to mention that the Image is Found is one of the most critically acclaimed wedding photography team in the world).

Having said that, since you and others have been so insistent that you would never do such a cheesy thing -- and then you added that you stay away from "cheesy wedding photography cliches" (implying that anyone who uses a photobooth of any sort is engaging in cheesy wedding photography cliches) -- I'll show a series of images and then ask which set would be better described as "cheesy wedding photography cliches."

Set #1. Photo booth.

http://theblogisfound.com/images/content/_7N18884.jpg

http://theblogisfound.com/images/content/_7N19135.jpg

http://theblogisfound.com/images/content/_7N22453.jpg

http://theblogisfound.com/images/content/_MG_0507.jpg

Set #2. Non-cheesy, non-cliche, and timeless examples.

http://www1.clikpic.com/pmcphotograp...weddings-3.jpg

http://www1.clikpic.com/pmcphotograp...d_Scott_-9.jpg

http://www1.clikpic.com/pmcphotograp...ding-912-2.jpg

http://www1.clikpic.com/pmcphotography/images/-1.jpg

I'm really not trying to be mean by using your own photos -- but when you're speaking so condescendingly about what other photographers are doing -- insisting that it must be cheesy and cliche -- and then insisting that you don't do such things? Well, it's hard not to point out photos like this...

Bobby

[bnlearle]

Originally Posted by PMCphotography

I try not to do things are already becoming cheesy wedding photography cliches- the tilted horizon, the jumping groomsmen, selective color on the brides bouquet,etc. to me, photobooths fall in that category.

http://www1.clikpic.com/pmcphotograp...dding-1201.jpg

http://www1.clikpic.com/pmcphotograp...dding-1218.jpg

Found this after looking in ONE gallery of yours. Tilted horizon...

Bobby

[Chris215]

any setup shots?

[mattograph]

@bnlearle -- you make interesting points.

[Red Tie Photography]

Way to dig up an old thread, looks like Bobby is in a feisty mood tonight.

[PMCphotography]

Originally Posted by bnlearle

Here's the problem with insisting you're so above cheesy wedding photography cliche's. You have to be VERY careful that you don't have these types of images in your own portfolio. Now, I don't believe you could even come close to doing what Nate does with a photobooth. Not because you suck, but because he does awesome photobooth work (not to mention that the Image is Found is one of the most critically acclaimed wedding photography team in the world).

Having said that, since you and others have been so insistent that you would never do such a cheesy thing -- and then you added that you stay away from "cheesy wedding photography cliches" (implying that anyone who uses a photobooth of any sort is engaging in cheesy wedding photography cliches) -- I'll show a series of images and then ask which set would be better described as "cheesy wedding photography cliches."



I'm really not trying to be mean by using your own photos -- but when you're speaking so condescendingly about what other photographers are doing -- insisting that it must be cheesy and cliche -- and then insisting that you don't do such things? Well, it's hard not to point out photos like this...

Bobby

Well Bobby, aside from violating forum rules by posting photos you don't own copyright to (twice),

First off, just because a photography team is "one of the most critically acclaimed wedding photography team in the world" Doesn't mean that all of their work is going to be liked by everyone, or is arbitrarily better than anyone else's. Guaranteed, there are hundreds of "unknowns" who do fantastic work. You obviously like photobooth stuff, I don't. Some do, some don't. I think it's too contrived, and would rather see spontaneous, natural emotions as they occur from the wedding participants.

the only one of those photos that is posed or "pose assisted" is the groom with the bride out of focus in the back. The other photos all happened spontaneously. I suppose you could say the processing on the last one is a bit cheesy- i hadn't looked at that one in a long time and looking at it now, the high key BW is a bit cheesy. But To me, what makes cheesy, cliche wedding photography just that- is photographers make an effort in posing them in cliche poses. Do I have a few? Yeah, there are a few posed, cliche photos in my portfolio. Parents like them, and as i mentioned in a previous post, I only do a few posed shots per wedding. Usually the "bride and groom out of focus, then switch" and one or two more.

So Bobby, what exactly is so awesome and so revolutionary a about couple kissing or kids eating apples in a booth?

[bnlearle]

Calm down guys, I had no clue that's against the rules... I'll edit when I get home

[bnlearle]

Originally Posted by PMCphotography

So Bobby, what exactly is so awesome and so revolutionary a about couple kissing or kids eating apples in a booth?

I never said there was anything revolutionary or awesome. And I actually don't care for photobooth photos -- another reason why I have no real desire to do them. You said that they were cheesy wedding photography cliches (like tilted horizons -- something you also do). I simply said they need not necessarily be. Then I showed some of your work and some photobooth work asking "which are more like cheesy wedding photography cliches?"

I would never do any of this had you not come across so condescending (implying that you don't partake in anything cheesy or cliche when I can't help but see a fair amount of that in your portfolio -- and almost explicitly saying that people who do photobooths are partaking in gimmicks and cheesy wedding photography cliches). I really don't mean to come at you -- I know that's probably hard to believe -- but you sort of ask for it when you speak the way you did through this thread

Bobby

[PMCphotography]

Originally Posted by bnlearle

I never said there was anything revolutionary or awesome. And I actually don't care for photobooth photos -- another reason why I have no real desire to do them. You said that they were cheesy wedding photography cliches (like tilted horizons -- something you also do). I simply said they need not necessarily be. Then I showed some of your work and some photobooth work asking "which are more like cheesy wedding photography cliches?"

I would never do any of this had you not come across so condescending (implying that you don't partake in anything cheesy or cliche when I can't help but see a fair amount of that in your portfolio). I really don't mean to come at you -- I know that's probably hard to believe -- but you sort of ask for it when you speak the way you did through this thread

Bobby

Well Bobby, you can pigeonhole me a "tilted horizon guy" if you like because there are 3? (maybe?) photos with camera tilt in thousands of wedding photos and several dozens of couples i've photographed.

But as i said in one of the first posts, I'd rather not be known as "the photobooth guy" like the one guy here in Hobart, Tasmania who does one at his weddings. Maybe other people do, though...

[bnlearle]

I'm not pigeon-holing you as anything. You were the one that said that you don't do cliche wedding photography cheesiness -- such as tilted photos. You also don't have an exceptionally large amount of photos in your portfolio (you have plenty -- not implying you don't have enough). So I would imagine that every photo you put up is your best work -- the work you love the most (if that isn't the case, you best get on that soon ). So when you say you don't do something because it's so cliche and cheesy -- and then it is shown to me that you do do it -- I can't help but point it out, is all.

I have never had an issue with you not wanting to do photo booths. Again, I have no desire to do them either I had a problem with you telling people that they are partaking in cheesy, cliche wedding photography gimmicks -- when that isn't any more so the case (necessarily) than your own portfolio being filled with cliche wedding photography gimmicks. It's all a matter of personal preference. Of course, there can be some things that are almost certainly gimmicks -- but other things just aren't necessarily that way. Photobooths are one of those things. They CAN be gimmicky -- and poorly done, I might add. But much of wedding photography can be. And just like wedding photography, they can be done extremely well and skillfully.

So again, I've only challenged your, imo, gross overstatement that photobooths are certainly cheesy wedding photography cliches and gimmicks. That's all.

Bobby

[RT McAllister]

Originally Posted by bnlearle

Calm down guys, I had no clue that's against the rules... I'll edit when I get home

I might not see eye-to-eye with Paul on this... hell, I started this thread and have since "manned" the photo booth this post was originally about but wow... You, a professional photographer *honestly* had no idea that taking someone else's photos without their permission and posting them was wrong? All with the intent of publicly humiliating the owner of those photos just to make a silly-assed point?

Unbelievable.

[bnlearle]

This may be a forum rule -- but you clearly don't understand copyright.

I know that I'm not allowed to take photos off the internet and sell them or act as if they are my own. I actually did not know that I would not be able to link to photos here -- using the public image location URL's via the bracket tags (or whatever they're called. Apparently, you can link to the photos -- but can't use the code that will make those photos show up here. No. I did not know that.

It's weird that that was seemed like such a big deal almost immediately. I understand that it's against the rules -- but so is posting nine photos instead of eight in a sharing thread. However, that is as much a copyright violation as what I did is. Again, if you think copyright violations are being made here, you need to study up a bit more

Bobby