July - Call yourself a Wedding Photographer?

[hallsworthb]

I can fully understand the fear of the professional photographer that the amateur will take away their business. However I suspect that people who can afford £1500+ for a professional are not going to ask Great uncle Alan, or the bloke from the pub to do the job for them.
I was asked to do the wedding photographs for one of the girls behind the bar in my local pub. If I hadn't done it then it would have been whoever turned up with a camera on the day.
I was glad of any help I could get at the time and did a decent job I think.
So I don't believe there is the conflict for trade that Tracey fears and anything that supports me in whatever photographs I take is heartily welcomed!
Bob

[Carly Drew]

Great to hear from you Bob!

We've had a lot of responses about the 'Call yourself a wedding photographer?' letter in Issue 37, so it has been really interesting to get a bit of debate going.

It would be wonderful to see some of your wedding shots in the gallery maybe?

[hallsworthb]

Thank you, Carly;

I'll dig some out.
You mention response - Is that by email, or have I missed something in Forum?

Bob

[Carly Drew]

Oh we've had lots of responses via e-mail to the PhotoPlus inbox, it seems to be a subject that has spawned a bit of controversy!

[hallsworthb]

Oh good!

[geezer15]

Surely only the Bride and Groom and maybe their parents, buy the profesional photo's. Yet we all go to weddings and take pictures. Surely we can improve our own 'snapshots' of the day without causing offence. Lets raise the bar!

[cosmicma]

i don't think the problem is any tom **** or Harriet picking up a camera and doing uncle bobs wedding photo's i don't think thats taking money out of professional photographers pockets at all
i think what is more to the point is tom **** or Harriet spending a few quid on camera gear and portraying themselves as pro wedding photographers and charging good money when the reality is they havn't really a clue
this gives true pro wedding photographers a bad name and doesn't do them any favours

granted there are some truly fantastic armature photographers amongst us that rival most pro's and my statement above is not intended to offend but sadly i see new photographers selling their warez so to speak quite regular and i think weddings should be left to people who really do know what there doing this is a one time offer for the bride and groom

so to sum up...
i don't think average joe harms the professional i think average joe thinking their professional harms the professional ( does this make sense )

[hallsworthb]

I will accept that argument - If Tom **** or Harriet are amateurs passing themselves off as professionals and charging professional rates, then they should be in the Dock explaining to Judge Jeffreys, just before he puts the Black skull cap on.

I think the original comment by Tracey in the magazine was a bit more sensorous than that, though!

Bob

[cosmicma]

Originally Posted by hallsworthb

I think the original comment by Tracey in the magazine was a bit more sensorous than that, though!

Bob

what a strange reply ( "sensorous" i had to look that up )
i tend to keep my ramblings simple because at the end of the day i have no clue what level this is being read at

[hallsworthb]

Originally Posted by cosmicma

what a strange reply ( "sensorous" i had to look that up )
i tend to keep my ramblings simple because at the end of the day i have no clue what level this is being read at

HaHa - Not only do I use long words, I can't spell them - I should have written "censorious" - but should have said, perhaps, "severely critical".

I do accept your comment about plain language - I spent 32 years in business practising it in reports, then retired and forgot. 3 out of 10 - "Must try harder"

Bob