OT - Free - Wedding Photography - Dorset'ish area

[Chud]

Hi Folks

Apologies as I've not been on here in a while!

I'm offering to do photography for a few weddings for free in 2010.

There's no catch - basically I'm changing career and need to build up my portfolio and get images to use on my web site etc.

I've been an assistant/2nd shooter at some weddings recently and these images are available to view on enquiry - basically I cannot post these images on a public web site as I was not the 'main' photographer and I need to protect his commercial interest.

Basically I would cover the entire day (with an assistant if necessary) from bride/groom prep through to around 9-10pm at the reception. Also covered would be a pre-wedding shoot. I would then produce a DVD of print quality images (properly edited not just straight from the camera) for the couple with unlimited non commercial use. I am happy to also produce prints/albums but obviously there would be a charge for this but only at cost.

I am happy to cover a wedding outside of the local area but if significant distance is involved I may have to charge for mileage etc. I am also happy to cover destination weddings, especially in the Caribbean so long as travel and accomodation are covered...

Although Weddings are the primary focus at the mo I can also do other events and portraiture.

If you're interested please drop me a pm and I'll provide a link to some of the images I have taken as a second camera.

Please feel free to pass this on to anyone you know who's getting married & haven't found a photographer yet etc.


Cheers

Richard

 

[seco services]

I'm offering to do photography for a few weddings for free in 2009.

your abit late then

 

[Chud]

I'm offering to do photography for a few weddings for free in 2009.

your abit late then

Lol - just noticed that - I must be going senile - now corrected to read 2010!

 

[Johnmelad502]

I'm offering to do photography for a few weddings for free in 2009.

your abit late then

Whats an abit Seco?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

if the offer for 2009 is still on, my mate got married then, the pictures didn't come out. Can you sort it out?

 

[Chud]

if the offer for 2009 is still on, my mate got married then, the pictures didn't come out. Can you sort it out?

I wish - I'd have more money than Bill Gates if I could pull that trick out of the hat!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I've been an assistant/2nd shooter at some weddings recently

were they shotgun weddings?

 

[Johnmelad502]

if the offer for 2009 is still on, my mate got married then, the pictures didn't come out. Can you sort it out?

No pictures no evidence. Lucky $od.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

No pictures no evidence. Lucky $od.

except that piece of paper and a ring

 

[Karinska]

I've been an assistant/2nd shooter at some weddings recently

were they shotgun weddings?

Brilliant PBD

 

[Chud]

I've been an assistant/2nd shooter at some weddings recently

were they shotgun weddings?

Nice to see the humour here hasn't changed!

Lol

 

[ladylola]

Have a look here http://forum.manualfocus.org/viewtopic.php?id=14232 and then have a rethink about your idea. Working for free can sometimes work against you despite your best intentions.

 

[Chud]

Have a look here http://forum.manualfocus.org/viewtopic.php?id=14232 and then have a rethink about your idea. Working for free can sometimes work against you despite your best intentions.

Thanks Ladylola

I'm not working for free exactly - it is just that my payment is not monetary at the moment - it is a reinvestment in my business by way of images I can use for promotion etc, an investment probably as important as the pro equipment I have acquired. Also this is an offer for 2-3 weddings maximum - not an ongoing proposition.

My current portfolio is limited because images shot have been as a second camera where I am not the main contracted photographer. The main photographer for those weddings is selling images captured by me on his website etc. so I can't exactly start putting them up on my own website. Also as my current job hasn't finished yet I need to be aware of any tax implications etc in taking remuneration.

There are a lot of photographers out there that want to operate on a cartel basis and long for the 'good ol' days of film' where only a pro could afford to take more than a couple of rolls of film and copyright of images just wasn't an issue. I'm afraid I'm with Keith Cooper of Northlight Images, Kevin Kubota and Dan Heller - the free market model is the one which is healthy for the trade. It's not like you need a license to buy a digital camera or download the GIMP and the automation built in to todays digital cameras means that most people can take pretty good photos on Auto that just wouldn't have been possible 10 years ago - you as a photographer have to bring something to the table that the average person can't or does not have the knowledge to.

In effect you could call these 'free' jobs a cynical marketing ploy like that used by Ikea when they open a new store - hopefully with less deaths though!