The Guilt Trip

[Rick M]

I've had 3 people approach me this past month for weddings. I have in the past done them for friends of friends that can't afford a pro, or are just plain poor. Gets hard to say no. The problem is I have developed this good samaritan rep and I hate to let people down, or see people go without. Last time I said I would take "snapshots"; but of course, as you know we can't just do that.

How do you working Pro's deal with that?

 

[BackdoorArts]

With nieces and nephews, and the kids of friends getting to be marrying age, I've been waiting for that phone call or email. Thought I was getting it a couple days ago when a nephew I hear from once or twice a year (my birthday and Christmas) called out of the blue while he was driving back to Alabama after some wedding planning in FL. I used to get calls to play guitar before/during the ceremony, which I absolutely don't mind, and that was my first thought here. Now after reading this I'm a little more apprehensive. My brother did it "Once. ONCE!!", for one of our cousins at the request of our favorite uncle and swears he'll never do it again under any circumstances.

I suppose I can fall back on my portfolio, tell them to look through it and pick out all the people shots in it that would make them want to choose me as their wedding photographer and use them in a concise, 150 word essay detailing their request. Given that I have no people shots outside of concert photos I think I'm pretty safe. LOL

I hear you, Rick. It's hard to say no to friends. And it's hard (impossible) to think that you could just hand over a memory card at the end of the day and let them have at it (your snapshot analogy). The problem is, once you do it once, it becomes almost impossible to say no to anyone in similar circumstances again.

 

[Rick M]

Another frustrating aspect is they just don't know how much work really goes into it. Most people don't even know what post processing is or why I don't want something I've worked on printed at the local drugstore. I think I'm going to find some local people I think are decent and refer to them.

Another topic this usually leads into is the folks asking have no idea what to look for in a photographer after I steer them away (so then I worry that they will end up with a craigslist special). Not that the gear makes the photographer, but I've felt like telling them to ask what camera and lenses their potential photographer will be using and call me. I also tell them what to look for in a portfolio, so hopefully it helps but you still feel like your sending them off into uncharted territory.

Oh well, that concludes my rant for the day

 

[Marcel]

You only can answer to these questions:

How much is my time away from my family worth?
Will this time spent trying to please strangers as important than time with my family?
Do I really need the money?
Am I doing this just to boost my self-esteem or to enjoy the moment?
What will I loose by accepting this? Will it be a weekend camping with the family, resting at home, enjoying photography just for fun?

There is always a plus and minus and only you can determine if it's worth it for you.

 

[TedG954]

Suggest giving all the attendees a throw-away 35mm camera.

Let the people at the wedding take the pictures. They can deposit the cameras in a box at the end of the affair.

The candid results will probably be far more memorable than what a "pro" could do anyway.

Drugstore processing is inexpensive too.



2nd choice........... your camera is at Nikon for repairs.