[Leica] Re: Leica wedding candids.

[Simon Stevens <simon@camera-craftsman.com>]

Thanks for all the various points of view about this. It's been very useful to me. I agree with everyone who points out that most people want formal posed pictures taken with a clunky camera on a tripod by a bossy photographer. Even though I used to be an NCO in the Army, that really isn't me. When I do take the odd wedding, up to
now it's been pretty much no frills pitched medium to low price-wise. I do the formal groups on medium format getting it over with as quickly as possible and then do the remainder on the Leica candid style in color.

The problem is I can't do both simulteneously, and stopping to do the formals just interrupts the flow. Then you start getting a grumpy-looking bride which is what happened on Saturday. You also get a grumpy photographer who's wondering how he let himself get talked into this again. On the other hand, usually when my clients see
the resulte I have found that they are more pleased with the candids than the formals, which is why I'm thinking along these lines. I also think that the right client can be pursuaded that B/W is more artistic than color. The key is whether they can be pursuaded to do it ALL that way, and not have ANY formals, but the problem is
if I do even a few we're back where I am now.

One thing that I'm thinking might help is the fact that I live in a major city area (Washington, DC) where there is probably room for a niche product. I'm not looking for volume here. I mostly do corporate events so I'd actually be happier if I can keep the numbers of weddings low and the quality and price high. I was thinking of
around $2000 with RC print album to begin with, or a little more if I end up going fibre. But as I say, I have never tried marketing this before, so maybe $3000 would get me the clients I really want better than a cheaper rate. :)

Here's a practical question though: What's the best way to proof it? I usually print by hand but I can't print that many. With my commercial clients contacts are fine, but that doesn't seem like a great idea for a wedding. Good B/W labs are pretty expensive at least around here. Does anyone know of a good B/W lab who will machine
proof (conventional, not XP-2) for a reasonable rate?

Simon Stevens