Recently I had the pleasure of documenting Sam & Lynn's wedding at The Bear in Hungerford. It was a relatively small affair with a very laid back atmosphere and consequently very satisfying to cover as the entire wedding party was completely at ease.
During the five hours I spent with them, I recalled an email I'd had the previous week. The enquirer had checked my availability and package details for a very similarly sized and scheduled wedding. They stated that they'd already been quoted for at least 500 images and that the coverage would need to be between four and six hours - they had forty people, including the bride and groom.
Now, those within the industry will know that 500 images with that criteria is an absurd request. However the reason it's concerning me is that many couples researching photographers are completely unaware that it's simply impossible and that it's a sales technique. That's around 100 significant shots per hour, every hour - continuously circling the room, becoming more than a little annoying. The alternative is that the couple could be getting an unedited disc of ALL images - warts 'n' all. Job done. I really don't think this method is right either. A good photographer should also be a good editor and should want to provide their client with the best possible selection they can achieve. Post production should be complementary - it's in the photographer's interests after all. As soon as photographers start throwing silly numbers at you, start worrying, alarm bells should ring and you should question whether there would be enough good images amongst the 500 to document your wedding celebrations effectively.
I do not quote image quantities because it takes the emphasis away from what's important and that is making strong, emotive images. Correct photographic coverage will result in true, honest quantities that reflect your wedding schedule together with the number of guests attending the day. This is not a plea for more work but a call to photographers offering blanket coverage to seriously assess the quality of their product.
I'm not that grumpy old man, honest.
berkshire reportage wedding photographer,
Reader Comments (9)
Great post Allister. I can't recall the last time any couple asked me for more photos after a wedding.....
+1 to what Guy has said... Quality over quantity!
Well I think you know I'm going to salute this sentiment Allister. I'm never quite sure what a couple will do with eighteen different versions of a cake shot anyway! Very inspirational work Allister. Neale
great post Allister - I had one client who told me someone from their local camera club was offering them 1500 images!!! ridiculous!
Great post. Quality over quantity definitely!
Great post - i approach it in a different way and simply say the more that happens are your wedding the more photos you'll get - simple as that.
Enjoyed this Allister, thanks.
One of the nice things about digital is the ability to shoot lots cheaply - the attendant pitfalls are that I don't _have_ to shoot lots, and that I _do_ need to edit. Hard.
Better one great shot to hang on the wall for eternity than buying mediocrity by the yard. I've seen some loooong DVD showreels but have been so bored by the end of the show (maybe 2 hours later...) I can't help but wonder how the clients felt about them. I suspect they'll end up unwatched in a drawer somewhere. And how does that help the photographer spread his or her reputation?
It is no surprise that in a commodity driven world brides are looking at numbers in terms of value. However, a creative photographer doesn't work to quantities, they require inspiration, imagination and style to achieve a quality album. Working to produce a specified number of images will suppress creative thinking and lead to disappointment..
I have had recently an issue with a bride and groom who I provided around 300 photographs for all day coverage (although I never work to a specific number in mind for any wedding and I take a similar approach to Greg above when advising clients what sort of volumes they can expect).
Several weeks AFTER the wedding they asked me for more because a friend of theirs was quoted by another photographer that they would get 600 photos for a few hours coverage so they couldn't understand why they didn't have more as well!
It took some explaining using much of the points above but eventually the situation dissolved.