Before & After
Last week I had a wonderful couple visiting me and we started talking about all the things us (wedding) photographers do. Their words: 'Oh I really did not know that!' stuck with me and I wanted to share some light on this :-)
How a typical wedding photography job goes for me:
- Advertise (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram and Blog and update my website) - Emailing (Explaining the process, email back and forward about dates and timings - start workflow process) - First Meeting (Free of charge, getting to know each other, show albums) - Request for Quotation (Email again or call to agree on terms and set the date) - Final call (One week before the wedding we will discuss the wedding day to see if all things are in place) - Wedding day (Typical wedding day takes 11 hours of photography and two hours of driving) - Back up (Export and store all images on three places - NAS/Hard Drive/Cloud) - Culling (Going through 5000 images to select the story - this still takes me too long :-) ) - Preview Slideshow (Select and edit around 30 images of which some are extra artistic and take me longer - see example below) - Online Gallery (Set up private online Gallery and email/communicate towards clients) - Editing (Edit all the other images - around 400 average - piece by piece) - Delivery (Finish the gallery and communicate towards client) - Album (Create the first draft and show client, if approved start shipping process) - Blog (Write a blog, send in awards, update website) - Administration (Accountant - workflow process) - Schooling (Spend time and money to further develop my skills) - Tools (Spend time and money on my gear and marketing and so on)
I never knew all of this when I started photography, I did not know an average wedding takes about 40 hours and I forget my clients don't know this either. Unfortunately, everybody with a camera can call themselves a photographer. But being a professional is something completely different.
Ask your photographer this. Do they have two full frame camera's? Are they shooting on two cards at once? Do they have multiple lenses and flashes? What is their back up system? Do they have a support group in case of emergency? And can they handle all the different light circumstances?
If so, then just think by yourself: 'Can I enjoy my day and not worry about photography with you?' For me, that is important, that you feel yourself around me, and that I feel the same. That we trust each other.
And if that is a Yes! I will perform my magic for you!!!
