[Leica] Confession time!

[Jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway)]

Hi Gerry:

I know that you didn't accuse me, but it looks like I wrongly assumed 
that you thought that I was dissing wedding photography.

I began doing wedding photography while in art school in the early 60s. 
  All Tri-X.  I worked for a studio then in Boston named Purdy's and I 
learned more than I can now remember.

Heyman's work is outstanding and extraordinary. He also seems to have 
gone digital and I miss his photography postings.

What I mostly do now for money is this:
http://www.salesexperts.com/

The site was created in 1996 and is beginning to look old but it still 
generates some business for me.

Almost all of my photography now is for my own salvation :-) ...the 
exception is when someone asks me to be their wedding photographer. This 
is becoming more rare.


Jim, "I'm sure that I'll be famous when I'm dead" Hemenway



Gerry Walden wrote:

> Jim
> 
> I never for once accused you of demeaning weddings (and would not do so) 
> but as genre wedding photographers are often looked down upon. There are 
> a lot of hacks in our profession, and anyone who is out of work with a 
> camera thinks that they can easily do weddings to earn a few bucks, but 
> in fact good wedding photographers are producing superb work under the 
> most extreme conditions whilst pandering to the egos and eccentricities 
> of the participants. Wedding photography is often 10% photography and 
> 90% stage management but the work of people on this list like Rob Heyman 
> demonstrates the high skill that is applied - work that is capable of 
> bringing a tear to the eye of the more sensitive for its beauty.
> 
> Yes, you can earn a lot of money as a wedding photographer, but the 
> emphasis is on the word 'earn', it doesn't come easy. And you know that 
> Jim because you have been there!
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> Gerry
> 
> Jim Hemenway wrote:
> 
>  > I wasn't demeaning wedding photography, I'm just not one who likes doing
>  > weddings.  I think that I'm good at it, but I'm also good at selling, so
>  > would rather sell stuff than try to please a bride and/or mother.
> 
>