The most chaotic wedding ive ever shot

Okay.. So this is only my 3rd wedding

I do budget weddings, $250 for 6 hours in order to build my portfolio/experience

Basically we were 2 hours late, we had about 15 minutes to do "official" photos, no location shoot, people walking around everywhere wanting to take their own photos (my pet hate), nobody listening, groom refused to take off his sunnies,.. Ah well, I did my best

1)

I see where you are coming from, and I am not knocking your skills or photos at all. But I think I would shoot as a second photographer for a season or two at a proper venue to get my experience/portfolio..​.. What you are having to deal with just seems to be a very difficult way to build a business/reputation. Plus, when and how do you make the decision to start charging a "regular fee" for a wedding when you may become know for "budget shoots"? Just my $.02... not trying to be a d-bag. Good luck with your future endeavors.

Go work for another photographer and you will get much better experience with the added benefit of learning on the job from someone successful. Don't charge unsustainable prices.

To be honest... all weddings are some form of chaotic. Most of the time everyone points to the photographer when things begin to spiral too. You need to set expectations a head of time... in order to try and retain a schedule/flow, and also to cover your butt when you don't deliver what the bride had in her head.

In regard to the actual pictures, I have a feeling it was the classic "Oh hey photographer.... there was a cool water fountain over here!!! Lets go take pictures by that." In this instance, the background is horrid... It looks like you did your best to get a good group DOF while trying to blur the background, which is a step in the right direction.

Also, on that ceremony shot, I would have taken the 5 minutes required to clone out the power lines and light pole. Its understandable you can't alter all of the ceremony shots o that level, any of the ones you use for production should have that level of detail.

charging $250 for a 6 hour wedding is NOT going to be the way to get the portfolio shots you need to book larger, more expensive weddings. that's a great way to lock yourself into becoming "that photographer who shoots for next to nothing." as others have stated, reach out to more established photographers who need a second shooter so that way you can gather experience as well as portfolio shots from weddings at great locations. you don't have to worry about being the main, you can just sit back and capture some great shots with no stress (and in most cases, the same amount of money).

before booking my first wedding, i second shot about 12 with other established photographers in my area. the experience was invaluable - learning how to handle unruly guests, rushed timetables and the general craziness that comes with EVERY wedding were skills that i never would have learned had i tried to go out immediately on my own.

you're selling yourself short with your current business model. change it, and move up!

All I wanna say is Thomas, Trent, and Theo, your wedding portfolios are amazing...as in, "wow those are some nice shots" amazing. I have deep respect for you wedding photographers; committing to documenting someone's most important event and delivering top notch results afterwards is a lot of responsibility and I can see why pros charge what they do. It is worth it and more.

Lucas, I am not a pro, but I think working with an experienced photographer is sound advice; it won't make you money in the short run but will pay off in a big way in the future, literally and figuratively.

ManiZ wrote in post #15950322
All I wanna say is Thomas, Trent, and Theo, your wedding portfolios are amazing...as in, "wow those are some nice shots" amazing. I have deep respect for you wedding photographers; committing to documenting someone's most important event and delivering top notch results afterwards is a lot of responsibility and I can see why pros charge what they do. It is worth it and more.

Lucas, I am not a pro, but I think working with an experienced photographer is sound advice; it won't make you money in the short run but will pay off in a big way in the future, literally and figuratively.

My second shooters make more than $250 a wedding, so it is better money than taking crap gigs and dealing with people that don't really care about their wedding pics.

Not for nothing but for what you wrote out these pics are actually good. Your one your way but yeah, you can shoot second for the price your charging and not have to do the PP after.

Looks like a fun wedding! Great work! Beautiful clear shots and post-edit

Would you hire him as a second ? This is rhetorical, purely to point out that the standard for second shooting professionally is HIGHER than the standard for solo shooting budget weddings. Ie. I think you underestimate the challenge of the OP finding second shooting jobs and that his approach isn't wholly without merit.

Thomas Campbell wrote in post #15950596
My second shooters make more than $250 a wedding, so it is better money than taking crap gigs and dealing with people that don't really care about their wedding pics.

ManiZ wrote in post #15950322
All I wanna say is Thomas, Trent, and Theo, your wedding portfolios are amazing...as in, "wow those are some nice shots" amazing. I have deep respect for you wedding photographers; committing to documenting someone's most important event and delivering top notch results afterwards is a lot of responsibility and I can see why pros charge what they do. It is worth it and more.

Lucas, I am not a pro, but I think working with an experienced photographer is sound advice; it won't make you money in the short run but will pay off in a big way in the future, literally and figuratively.

Thanks for the compliments. Its been a journey for sure

Thanks for the feedback guys.. I have tried a lot to volunteer even for free to become a second shooter.. And yes it is proving rather difficult

At the moment, I like appealing to those on a budget.. Poor people deserve decent quality photos too. . I don't live off the money I make on photography, I have a full time job during the week that has nothing to do with photography

Anything I earn though photography is just a bonus, plus I'm getting experience, a three course meal and a couple of beers.. Life is good

LucasCK wrote in post #15961177
Thanks for the feedback guys.. I have tried a lot to volunteer even for free to become a second shooter.. And yes it is proving rather difficult

At the moment, I like appealing to those on a budget.. Poor people deserve decent quality photos too. . I don't live off the money I make on photography, I have a full time job during the week that has nothing to do with photography

Anything I earn though photography is just a bonus, plus I'm getting experience, a three course meal and a couple of beers.. Life is good

I totally understand. It pays for all my gear and gas.