It totally depends on how you structure it. Things are a little more blurry now with digital, but professional labs do provide a much higher quality product than a consumer lab. I’m not against charging one really large fee for the artistic talent, and then giving the client everything around cost. But again, professionals have access to professional prints, enlargements, special products, albums etc. Again, its all in how you structure it.
Lori

In the same breath I have to say I feel photographers who charge you a fee for the wedding and then charge you per print are shysters. I think the photographer can price the event appropriately and find charging for prints after the fact to be offensive. When I write software for a client they pay me an agreed rate and then they get to use the software where and how they please, why should it be any different in photography?

6 to 8 pics that must be taken? Wow, hopefully your brides won’t be crying some day when you’ve missed all of the perfect moments throughout the day.

Hopefully your lighting is spot on in the dressing room, outside, and in the darkest of reception halls.

Hopefully you know how to deal with the out of control mother in law.

Hopefully Grandma doesn’t fall down when you have her walk outside for a photograph, and she ends up suing you and wiping you out because you have no business insurance.

Hopefully nothing happens to your one camera, and you’re left with nothing to shoot with as the bride walks down the aisle with her dad.

Okay, that’s enough. Anyone else?
Lori

..>jk<

In the end, I thought I did okay for a first wedding – the reception was where I really shined – I like to do candid photojournalism style pictures – it’s what’s won me contests. But when it came time to do the posed portraits I was useless. I didn’t know the first thing about posing people…I fumbled along and she got DECENT portraits – but nothing like she could have gotten if she’d hired someone. She seemed happy with them.

I keep joking how I’m going to let my photographer design my wedding someday. “What venue would YOU like…is the lighting okay for YOU…” because it was the most gut wrenching, terrifying thing I’d ever done.

I work at Wolf Camera – and I have printed so many “PROFESSIONAL” wedding photos and even just “It’s a gift from a friend” wedding photos – it really upsets me when I see bad wedding photos. I used some of those as “what not to do” lessons. Over 5 years of printing I had a few examples.

My other cousin liked what I did – and is getting married next year – I’m now trying to convince her to hire a photographer. I don’t think I’ll do a wedding again. But I’d love to shoot the reception – that was a lot of fun and I did get some good shots in that type of environment – but posing was horrifying.

My family looks at my photos and like what they see. What they don’t understand is the type of photography I do – is VASTLY different from anything required of a wedding photographer. I am a hobbyist – not a professional. I have no desire to be a professional. I take travel photos and landscapes. Much less pressure than what a wedding photographer goes through.

Many photographers who seem professional (have the equipment, training, fancy portfolio, and offer the “complete experience”), end up disappointing the client. My sister and several of her friends hired professionals with good reputations and were extremely disappointed with the results. Meanwhile, who ended up producing the most creative, beautiful and meaningful photos out of those weddings? An amateur photographer friend.

A bride can go wrong either way: by hiring a talentless professional that she should be able to trust, or by hiring a friend who has no clue how to take a good picture. But don’t just discount all amateurs when some of them can do a better job than the professionals.

Anybody with access to a Martha Stewart book? I would say that is rather insulting to the Florist professionals wouldn’t you? Sounds a bit like a pot calling a kettle black to me.

Theres a place for everybody. I don’t agree with the way the topic was addressed in the book but as someone who does offer a less expensive alternative to a master photographer, I can honestly say that I would not be in a position to charge the thousands that some charge. But if someone wants me to shoot their wedding, I will charge accordingly and that may happen to be $975.00 I’m not going to turn them away because they can’t afford a ‘real’ photographer. And I will never get the experience I require if I do. I havent had a complaint yet. I only hope to get better, and I seem to be with each event I do.

Photography can be such a pretentious industy, and I think we need to all take a step back and see it for what it is. And in this financial climate, there has to be a middle man to suit peoples needs.

Theyre just my thoughts.