Has this been done before???

NoelAlexanderPhotos · June 10, 2010

I just got started with photography about a year ago. I really want to shoot a wedding or two before the summer is out to add to my portfolio. However, since I am new to the industry like many of us starting out I'm having difficulty finding clients.

What I would like to do, and call me crazy if you think this is crazy, is shoot the wedding for free. Or find a wedding photographer in my area and work as the second shooter free of charge. The importance to me (and this is my thinking) is to 1. get the experience and 2. get some really great shots.

Any thoughts?

NoelAlexanderPhotos · June 10, 2010

In terms of experience all I know is what I have read in books and have studied online. No actual field experience in terms of shooting a wedding.

tenoverthenose · June 10, 2010

If you have no field experience, I personally wouldn't take you out on a shoot. I would be afraid that you would get in the way and slow me down at a wedding. I would say that you need to figure out what you want your shots to look like, then hire models and makeup on your dime to build a wedding portfolio. Then, once you have a portfolio you approach the photographers that you want to work with and explain your situation. I am sure that if your works is good and you have your head on your shoulders you will be able to pull it off.

OR

Hop on craigslist and offer to shoot a wedding for free for clients that don't care about the photos. They don't care about them unless you happen to screw them up that is.

Moogle Pepper · June 10, 2010

Literally everything under the sun has been done. Especially in regards to photography.

Asking to 2nd shoot for free, is your better option in this if you really want to do this. Photographing a wedding, for free, is a really terrible idea. Not only does it open the flood gates, photographing a wedding is really long day. I sure as heck wouldn't want to be on my feet for 12 hours straight shooting for someone else for free. But it also pulls in the kind of couples who are under budget (no offense) and like to say photography is the least of their concern till after the wedding.

So if you really want to do this, 2nd shoot for free.

NoelAlexanderPhotos · June 10, 2010

tenoverthenose wrote: »

If you have no field experience, I personally wouldn't take you out on a shoot. I would be afraid that you would get in the way and slow me down at a wedding. I would say that you need to figure out what you want your shots to look like, then hire models and makeup on your dime to build a wedding portfolio. Then, once you have a portfolio you approach the photographers that you want to work with and explain your situation. I am sure that if your works is good and you have your head on your shoulders you will be able to pull it off.

OR

Hop on craigslist and offer to shoot a wedding for free for clients that don't care about the photos. They don't care about them unless you happen to screw them up that is.

Thanks for your advice. I did think about that - me working with a pro and slow him/her down with perhaps questions they don't have time to answer etc. Thought about the whole craigslist thing too although not to crazy about the idea.

NoelAlexanderPhotos · June 10, 2010

Moogle Pepper wrote: »

Literally everything under the sun has been done. Especially in regards to photography.

Asking to 2nd shoot for free, is your better option in this if you really want to do this. Photographing a wedding, for free, is a really terrible idea. Not only does it open the flood gates, photographing a wedding is really long day. I sure as heck wouldn't want to be on my feet for 12 hours straight shooting for someone else for free. But it also pulls in the kind of couples who are under budget (no offense) and like to say photography is the least of their concern till after the wedding.

So if you really want to do this, 2nd shoot for free.

I totally agree. That is why I said call me crazy because I sometimes think it's insane to put that on my shoulder (shooting someone's wedding) with me lacking experience. I would not want to mess up someone's wedding. Don't get me wrong...I have all the basics down. I know how to operate my camera in manual extremely well and have snapped many great pictures. But wedding photography is a specialty.

Second shooting as you say seems to be a very good solution for me. Or...shot a wedding that is VERY small. And when I say small I mean very priave and intimate. Maybe 20-30 people the most.

tenoverthenose · June 10, 2010

I don't think a smaller wedding makes it any easier, it might seem more relaxed an less hectic, but you still have to deliver. What about assisting a photographer? I mean literally carry bags for the photographer - that way you can watch how he/she interacts and shoots during the day...

heatherfeather · June 10, 2010

I would encourage you to offer to assist a pro... work hard...do your best...carry things...be a helper. Make a mental list of questions and then take your pro out for coffee afterwards and ask ask them.

I would not encourage you to shoot one on your own as an attempt to get your feet wet. There is so much more to shooting a wedding than being a good photographer. You have to learn how to run the thing...and get people to cooporate and do it in a hurry.

heatherfeather · June 10, 2010

ha ha... I guess Patrick and I agree...

VayCayMom · June 10, 2010

I have not yet shot a wedding but I do have one scheduled next month, I have had some practice and now feel this tiny wedding is a good fit. However BEFORE I got to this point I thought about doing a wedding or 2 for free but only for a couple that otherwise would only what friends and family took. I approached this like the mom that I am, and my daughters both got married before I even thought about learning photography.

The mindset here being that my photos would be better than NO photos, but maybe not as good as another photographer that offered a freebie. So that was what I was going to search for, I felt no matter how I did it would be better than nothing for someone who just was going to do without.

Blurmore · June 10, 2010

I'm a firm believer that if you work you should get paid. I don't think it is a good idea to shoot a wedding for free, won't give you good experience and might not make people getting wedding photos free satisfied. I'd suggest assisting...assistants generally get a LARGE opportunity to watch and a small opportunity to shoot. I assisted for 4 years, yes I got to take pictures, but primarily I was there to assist.

liflander · June 10, 2010

I would suggest you shoot other types of events that may be similar to weddings before diving into weddings. Shoot the events as if you were the paid photographer (if there is one, make sure to get his or her agreement first). If you know the people in the event, you could offer to do it for free with the understanding that you are just learning. I'm thinking about events like communions, sweet sixteens, birthday parties, etc.
Once you are comfortable shooting a variety of other events in different lighting conditions, you'll be better prepared to do weddings.
Good luck!

nicoleshilliday · June 10, 2010

VayCayMom wrote: »

I have not yet shot a wedding but I do have one scheduled next month, I have had some practice and now feel this tiny wedding is a good fit. However BEFORE I got to this point I thought about doing a wedding or 2 for free but only for a couple that otherwise would only what friends and family took. I approached this like the mom that I am, and my daughters both got married before I even thought about learning photography.

The mindset here being that my photos would be better than NO photos, but maybe not as good as another photographer that offered a freebie. So that was what I was going to search for, I felt no matter how I did it would be better than nothing for someone who just was going to do without.

I agree with the my photos would be better than NO photos idea, if you could find someone that was not planning on having a photographer. I did my first wedding for free after shadowing a few weddings. Was still very unprepared, but they were in love with the photos and actually got me my first 3 jobs. Everyone has to start some place.

Scootersbabygirl · June 10, 2010

If you can find someone in your area that can work with you, it's a good idea to work with them and to learn. I'd make sure that you have some sort of a portfolio to show them before you approach them, however. I live in a VERY small area - there's only one professional photographer, and he doesn't take on second shooters or tech anyone, so I was on my own. I practiced and did everything that I could to learn, and eventually was asked to do a wedding for a friend. I made SURE that they knew that I'd never done one before, and did a LOT of studying about how to shoot weddings. I was lucky and studied and they came out great, and now I've got 8 weddings to shoot this summer based on the shots that I've done of weddings and other types of portraiture. Hopefully this advice helps a bit! GOOD LUCK!

NoelAlexanderPhotos · June 11, 2010

I want to thank ALL of you for your sound advice. My take-away from my original post is...try to get a gig as a second shooter or find a scenario where my photos are better than NO photos lol :-) I actually do understand that concept. I will let you know how it goes. Again...thx.

r3t1awr3yd · June 11, 2010

liflander wrote: »

I would suggest you shoot other types of events that may be similar to weddings before diving into weddings. Shoot the events as if you were the paid photographer (if there is one, make sure to get his or her agreement first). If you know the people in the event, you could offer to do it for free with the understanding that you are just learning. I'm thinking about events like communions, sweet sixteens, birthday parties, etc.
Once you are comfortable shooting a variety of other events in different lighting conditions, you'll be better prepared to do weddings.
Good luck!

Not to sound like a total nerd (or parrot for that matter) but I completely agree with this post. The more you shoot (and critically judge your shots and have them judged by other pros), the better you'll get.

I'd also like to HIGHLY recommend that you try to do a bunch of shooting in medium-low light situations. This will teach you quickly if your gear is fast enough to handle the type of lighting encountered at a wedding/reception.

Need a suggestion for places to find this lighting? Coffeeshops. Hit up local coffee shops that have open mic nights with musicians who love to be shot. I'm both a musician and a photog and this is how I got into difficult lighting situations that challenged me.

You could use your house also. Learn the relationship between ambient/available lighting (aka: the sun) and your house with no lights on. Try balancing the outdoors with your indoor subject. That'll teach you a LOT very quickly on lighting and flash work (if you intend to use a flash, if not... good luck at a reception with no windows!)

The more you shoot in situations like that, the better. You'll meet a lot of interesting people along the way and that will eventually lead to more gigs in the future too.

I hope that helps!

marikris · June 11, 2010

I'm going to say +1 for tagging along with a pro. There are many who will take on a tag along (pro bono for experience) and you basically get to assist and/or shoot. This way, you are not going blindly to shoot by yourself, which, even as a second shooter, you sometimes have to (when the primary is doing formals and you get to do candids or details). Even though you're not really shooting by yourself as a second shooter, you have some responsibilities. As a tag along, you're not really responsible for photos, just for you to get some experience etc (meaning you might take photos, but the primary might not even use the photos). And you can get materials for your portfolio. AND you get to see how the pro does it, which is important, because seeing their style helps you create your own. Then from tagging along, you also start networking with the photographers, and they in turn will hire you as a second shooter. Network, network, network and see how these pros shoot their weddings. Learn and evolve

Has this been done before???

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