Re: [Leica] wedding candids

["Wilber Jeffcoat" <wilber@jeffcoatphotography.com>]

Paul, Your comments are not negative they are the facts of life. I too do
weddings as part of what our studio offers. Pure candids and only candids is
something that very few can pull off. Putting people into situations and
recording what happens is a different situation and a lot of clients feel
that this is what they mean when they say not posed. We mix the two of them
and come out with albums that will contain 100 to 250 images and the couples
are very happy with it. For those that do candids only they are usually
working with a very select group of very well educated and more refined
individuals that will give you better image possibilities simply because of
the way they do things. The one individual who I know (of) that does a pure
candid coverage usually shoots in the range of 1000-1500 images at a
wedding. The numbers are on his side. He also takes a staff with him and
they do (very discreetly) model releases on those that he shoots and they
sell a lot of the work for stock. His average wedding with 2 leather slip
cases with 20 each print (platinum prints) is $10,000. This is a very select
niche market that he has worked very hard to develop.
Cheers Wilber
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Chefurka" <Paul_Chefurka@pmc-sierra.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 1:45 PM
Subject: RE: [Leica] wedding candids


> I tried to go that direction back in the mid-70's, though I stayed in
colour
> and didn't eliminate the formal stuff, just upped the proportion of
candids.
> My clientele was interested in the work, but they didn't buy large numbers
> of those prints.  To them they were "snaps", not "photographs", and very
few
> made it into albums or frames.  So basically I found that it only worked
if
> I was willing to sell the proof set.  Don't get me wrong, people loved it
> because it had the feel of "their" wedding, not generic formula wedding
> photos.  The hard truth is, though, that the reason there is a generic,
> formula set of wedding photos is because that's what most clients want.
So
> if you do this, you'll be severely limiting your potential customer base.
>
> The other problem is that it's hard to count on getting good candids (even
> with a Leica).  People are really picky about their expressions, and the
> bland smiles of posed shots are more acceptable to them than the
> crossed-eye, pursed-lip expressions you're likely to capture.  Doing at
> least some formals means never having to say you're sorry, which is the
kiss
> of death for a career as a wedding photog.  I came to realize that in a
> commercial transaction the customer is king, and the fact that I wanted to
> shoot cool slice-of-life stuff at their weddings mattered not a whit to
> them.
>
> Sorry to come off sounding so negative - if you can find clients who are
> interested in that approach, go for it, but I wouldn't count on making it
a
> staple offering.
>
> Paul
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Simon Stevens [mailto:simon@camera-craftsman.com]
> >Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 12:37 PM
> >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> >Subject: [Leica] wedding candids
> >
> >
> >I'm thinking about changing the way I do weddings for my business. I
> >really don't like doing all the dumb groups and it's
> >frustrating herding
> >disinterested people around like a sheepdog while all the interesting
> >photographic opportunities are elsewhere. I'm wondering what experience
> >people on the list might have marketing candids-only wedding
> >photography? I'd like to do it in black and white if possible, and
> >hopefully take the marketing (and the pricing) a little upmarket to
> >distinguish myself from the high street wedding crowd.
> >
> >Finally, maybe you might like to take a look at some pictures along
> >these line which I took at a wedding reception last weekend.
> >The address
> >for the quickie page I have placed them on is:
> >http://www.camera-craftsman.com/wedding
> >
> >Thanks!
> >
> >Simon Stevens
> >
>