Looking to build up portfolio and experience?

Leanneire1

Hello, my partner and I are getting married in Clare next year and to cut costs and hopefully help someone out in the process we came up with the idea of asking a photography student to do our wedding photography for a small fee and get valuable experience in return.. If anyone is interested please don't hesitate to ask for more details!

Effects

I'm interested. Can I see what you both look like?

Leanneire1

Of course, I'm not sure if I can send photos on this but if you want to send me your email address I can pass you some on!

magicbastarder

usual warning - asking for someone to do work for cheap/free around here 'in return for experience' usually doesn't end well.

in the same way that asking an accountancy graduate to do your taxes for you 'in return for experience' would not end well.

pullandbang

Effects wrote: »

I'm interested. Can I see what you both look like?

Out of curiosity, why would you want to see what they look like beforehand?

Kenny Logins

Effects wrote: »

I'm interested. Can I see what you both look like?

Proper LOL'd.

humberklog

Wedding photography wouldn't be my thing but I've been glued to The Great British bake off and would love a go at doing your cake.

Promac

pullandbang wrote: »

Out of curiosity, why would you want to see what they look like beforehand?

Because it's an obviously humorous response to a ridiculous question.

Zillah

Me Ma taught me to use a needle when I was ten. I'll do yer dress for ya. Fifty quid.

thebaz

I wonder would the limo driver or caterer also take a cut in fee , just to get more experience - in my world you get what you pay for (except for Garreth Bale )

humberklog

thebaz wrote: »

I wonder would the limo driver or caterer also take a cut in fee , just to get more experience - in my world you get what you pay for

I think they should hire you as their wedding planner, few pints in it for you.

Effects

To be fair, I think they know what they are getting. They have asked for a student at a discounted rate. They know they are risking getting photos that might not be as good as if they had hired a professional.

bullpost

I wonder though?

They pick someone and because its not a professional , one of the following happens, which neither party has anticipated:
1) The single camera being used fails at some point
2) The "student" forgets they were out on a nightshoot the evening before and everything is shot at 3200 ISO.
3) The cheap memory card fails after the wedding before being backed up
4) Whatever you are having yourself

I wonder if the wedding couple will happily put it down to experience and vow to use a professional next time (after all we tend to go through quite a few weddings in our lifetime and so the first one can be chalked down )

I'm an amateur and have had one of the above 4 happen to me. I learned from it though - I never want to do another wedding.

Effects wrote: »

To be fair, I think they know what they are getting. They have asked for a student at a discounted rate. They know they are risking getting photos that might not be as good as if they had hired a professional.

humberklog

Effects wrote: »

To be fair, I think they know what they are getting. They have asked for a student at a discounted rate. They know they are risking getting photos that might not be as good as if they had hired a professional.

Yeah, I know and agree with you.

But my bit of advice to those getting married and want it, at least, reasonably photographed is that you'll be the looking at the pictures of the day a lot longer after the wedding than the limo, dress, cake and what not. And figure out to yourself what's more important.

Leanneire1

I am not liking all the negativity on this post, we are ALSO having a professional photographer in the form of a family member but wanted to get someone to work with us on more fun and personal level. We thought helping out a photography student would be the perfect option for this and if all goes south it's not like we have lost all our wedding photos!

bullpost

In fairness you should have mentioned that - it puts a completely different perspective on things.

Leanneire1 wrote: »

I am not liking all the negativity on this post, we are ALSO having a professional photographer in the form of a family member but wanted to get someone to work with us on more fun and personal level. We thought helping out a photography student would be the perfect option for this and if all goes south it's not like we have lost all our wedding photos!

Effects

In your original post you asked for a "photography student to do our wedding photography". You didn't ask for a student to do some backup photography to a professional shooter.

5uspect

Is the Pro doing a freebie or nixer for you too?

Dude, your OP reeks of arrogance and I'm not suprised you received the response you did.
Lets take another look at it, it's a hum-dinger.

Hello, my partner and I are getting married in Clare next year and to cut costs and hopefully help someone out in the process we came up with the idea of asking a photography student to do our wedding photography for a small fee and get valuable experience in return.. If anyone is interested please don't hesitate to ask for more details!

You make it seem like you're doing them some sort of amazing favour. Just imagine all the experience you could get! It's not like you're going to charge them for pointing a camera at the pair of you and simply pressing a button. Ignoring the fact that you're abusing boards for free advertising, you seem to think that you're the first smarty pants to offer help to some young aspiring student 'expand their portfolio'. It's a horrible attitude.

Shooting Weddings is hard, stressful work. The equipent is expensive, a suitable professional full frame 35mm dSLR will cost you around €2k, but you'll ideally need a couple of bodies and a few lenses (costing several thousand euros), as well as speedlites for the day. You'll need to know that equipment inside out. It's not the case the 'Uncle Johnny had a gud camera, shure can't he do it'. Lighting in wedding venues is difficult, they are often cluttered with obstacles and people, you have to make sure your presence is not intruding but still capture all those necessary shots. You need to be able to efficiently herd everyone together for family and group shots.

Had you simply said that you cannot afford a professional but were willing to work with a student you would have reveived a different reaction. Instead you jumped in with your condescension set to 11 and pissed off the whole forum.