It might be the impact of the Global Financial Crisis, or the influx of easy to use, high quality digital SLR cameras; but for whatever reason, there seems to have been a sharp rise in the number of people calling themselves "wedding photographers". There is nothing wrong with this in itself, but having a good camera, and even being able to take a decent photograph does not make someone a photographer, let alone a wedding photographer. The apparently simple task of taking photos at a wedding is truly one of the most challenging and demanding forms of photography, a sort of "art on wheels" with a high failure rate, and an even higher burn-out rate.
Many start out with a rush, only to go and look for a less demanding and more rewarding career within months. Sadly, they often leave a trail of distressed and disappointed brides and families behind them.
One way of getting a sense of what is entailed, and perhaps avoiding the pitfalls, is to work as an assistant to an establish professional wedding photographer. There are two avenues open: the first is to look for employment with a photographer or studio; the alternative is to try to find a photographer who will take you along on an informal basis.
As a way of learning the business, the first of these is certainly the way to go; it is virtually an apprenticeship, almost always a paid position and a full-time or part-time job. Many of our most respected photographers have entered the business this way. It is not what this Intel is about, however: this is directed to those aspiring amateurs who are in other jobs just now, thinking they can earn a few dollars on the week-end.
It is a wonderful dream, really, if a bit naive: take some photos of the wedding, burn them to a disk, collect $400. That is what the professional community refers to - disparagingly- as a "shoot and burner". A few sessions as an assistant will usually break that pattern of thinking. But if you were to go out with a wedding photographer, what would you be expected to do? Would you actually learn anything, or take any photos? If you did, who would own the pictures? Would you get paid for your work?
Here is what I expect from my Assistants and what I offer in return:
Before I agree to take anyone on, I will look at some of their images and give them honest feedback on the technical and aesthetic quality of their work. If it is poor, I will not take them out until they have reached an adequate standard, but I will give them some suggestions on how to improve, and reconsider them later.
Generally, the work aspiring assistants show me is quite acceptable - and sometimes very good indeed: a number of my assistants are professional photographers seeking experience in Wedding Photography to broaden their portfolios, and others are students at Photographic Colleges, getting close to graduation.
I offer assistants weddings based on the level of experience they have, and the complexity of the weddings on my calendar. While my assistants are not responsible for the outcome of a day’s work, I do need them to be quick thinking and able to deal with complexity and pressure. Just for that day, they represent my studio and I need them to project a professional, friendly and relaxed impression from early in the morning through past midnight. It would be a very special newby that I would take to (say) a Macedonian Orthodox Wedding; on the other hand, a New Age Commitment Day in the local park would be at a level most could manage well enough to be useful.
And "useful" is what I want the assistant to be! That means I have to be sure they know what we are going to do, something about weddings in general, and about this wedding in particular. They need to know the names of the principals and how they have planned their day out. They need to understand what I have contracted to do, and how I intend to achieve their unique look, and capture the atmosphere of this day. So we will meet.
We will talk about timetables, arrange meeting-places for the day, sort out travel arrangements between the various venues. We will talk about equipment, and if they do not have suitable gear, I will supply what they lack and walk them through the basics of using it; but I can’t afford to teach them photography.... if they don’t understand how to use the appropriate modes on their own gear, I do not have time to teach them on mine.
At a minimum, a photographer must be comfortable managing depth of field and controlling motion effects in their still pictures. That means they have to be competent shooting in Av and Tv modes and have a good understanding of exposure compensation. They must understand the range of metering and focus options their camera offers, and know when and how to use each. And they must understand ISO and its relationship to exposure and noise, how to use it - and how to limit its negative effects. A good understanding of flash, strobe control, flash diffusion and bounce, and how to generate catch-lights and limit red-eye is a bonus.
I will give the assistant a list of shots that the client cannot do without: part of their job will be to check them off and make sure none are missed. I will also talk them through the venues, and where I want them to place themselves at critical points: that gives me options for more angles on episodes like the First Kiss or the Exchange of Rings; I may direct them to photograph the witnesses and guests while I concentrate on the Bridal Party at certain points, and at others to just shoot at their own discretion.
Much of the time, they will be free to take photos, but it will be their job to set up tripods and backgrounds, to carry equipment and to fetch gear from a central point (or carry it) so I don’t have to lug it around. They might hold a remote flash just out of shot, use a reflector to throw light into shadow areas, help the bride when her make-up starts to run, get the groom another beer and herd the guests together for group shots.
They will take memory cards and back them up, and safeguard the originals. They will cover the reception alone while I take a meal break (and then take their own); they will be busy all day!
At the end of the day, they will hand over their files to me, and I will process the RAW files along with my own, starting the next day (and yes, they must shoot in RAW).
I will return all of the assistant’s files to them about a week later, along with their fee (I pay any inexperienced assistant $100, increasing as their skill - and usefulness grows); they can use the photos for self-promotion and similar uses, but I will also use them as part of the day’s work and for promoting Practicaps Weddings. They will be credited for their work, but will be bound by the same conditions of use as I am by my contract with my clients: basically, the client can use the photos in whatever way they wish except for commercial purposes, and must not claim they took or own the pictures (see my website for complete details).
I will continue to critique the assistants work, and if they continue to progress, I will show them the basics of building a business and prospecting for clients. At some point, I will require them to begin processing and preparing their own files to send on to me; later I will introduce them to album design, slideshow production and the use of video clips... but few stay in the game long enough to go that far!
If they do, they still have to learn about the interview and planning process, the follow up procedures and lead generation.... but it is a start.
What this Intel does not make clear is that wedding photography is much more about people skills than it is about taking photos. That is a matter of personality, patience and respect: I am not sure I can teach that part of the business!
