Inexpensive photography option (for anywhere)

2012JulyBride

I know a lot of people put a lot of focus on their pictures because that's the thing that will be left when it's all done and over with BUT if you're looking for a cheap option contact your local high school photography teacher (if they have one) and see if there are any students who shoot people and are responsible/reliable. This suggestions actually came from my photography teacher back when I was in high school and one of the students did a few e-pics and weddings. If the student is wanting to enter photo contests they cannot receive payment for their services (most of the contests are for non-professionals) but, if they use film instead of digital, you would need to pay for that. Let them use your pictures in their portfolio or contest...and the teacher told us that if we could provide them with food for their services that would be nice too.
It doesn't hurt to look and I suggest having e-pics as a consultation.

Peacefield

That's a recipe for disaster.  What kind of equipment do you think a high school student has.  And does he have a second camera for when his first one fails to turn on?  Is he insured so that you don't get sued when someone trips over his camera bag?  AND, you can probably expect that your pictures will not be very good.

I know everyone thinks photography is easy because we all take pictures, but good photography is so much more than that.  And I like to think I'm a pretty talented photographer and would never consider taking on the challenge of photographing a wedding because it's immensly difficult.  If all you want are snap shots, okay, but expect that that's all you're going to get.  Pros cost thousands of dollars because the difference in quality is that vast and getting great pictures of one of the most important and expensive days of your life is important.

No disrespect intended to the OP or anyone who wants to do this; I understand that budgets can be very tight, but I felt there should be another view for proper consideration of the opportunity.

smokyhills

Having been a high school student photographer, and a *damn* good one at that, and knowing a great many more high school photographers, I would NEVER use a h/s student for a wedding. I barely trust college student photographers. Any other occasion - engagement photos, christenings, family reunions - sure, but not a wedding. And I wouldn't want my wedding photos entered in a contest, either. Not paying because "they'd look good in a portfolio" is also, imho, a cheap, mean move.

2012JulyBride

1. Generally when one is trying to get into a specific industry it helps to have experience, references, and something to show for it...which is where the portfolio comes in.

2. Just because they take a photo doesn't mean that they HAVE to use that session in a contest.

3. The student cannot receive payment because that would make them a professional and professionals cannot (usually cannot) enter these contests.
Instead of it being a "cheap, mean move," you're actually helping them build their career or giving them the ability to pursue their interst.

I would not have thought of this myself...it was my HS photography teacher who brought it up years ago and one of the students in my class who did shoot a wedding. There are some of us who want those hopefully professional pictures and pay a massive amount of money for it (whether or not they get those professional pictures is a different story). There are others who want those specific special shots but tend to leave it up to the guests to capture the events.

smokyhills

To be clear: I am not a wedding photographer. I have no desire to ever become one. I do not intend to sell wedding photography here or in any other venue. I do, however, know a great many wedding photographers.

Wedding photography is fraught with issues that you don't find in a high school classroom. Most high school classes teach the basics, or maybe a very slightly advanced course based on the technical requirements of the craft, balanced with composition. With event photography, especially wedding photography, you need a much broader skillset. You have a number of legal issues, and contracts - would a teenager even be able to enter into a contract for services in most states? I was under the impression that you had to be 18 for that to be enforcable. If the student simply didn't show up, would you have any recourse against that? Would you be able to sue? Or would, because you never included payment in the contract anyway, you have to simply hire another individual and re-enact the day as best you can? Would a teenager know the proper language to sign over copyright or reproduction rights? Would a teenager be able to manage a crying bride and a screaming mother, when the photos run an hour over because your camera is now making an odd clicking noise?

And I still simply cannot abide the belief that the potential for future work is an acceptable payment. (Guarantee of future work is a different matter.) This in and of itself is why I no longer do design work for those I don't know personally. If you value the work, then you should pay for it. They will be able to give you as a reference, stating that you paid X dollars for Y amount of work. It cheapens the work to do freebies. If an individual wants to build a wedding photo portfolio, there are a million and one ways to do it without resorting to giving away a professional level job for free.

I understand a high school teacher attempting to give it as a potential income source to their students. It sounds very encouraging at first blush. My own high school photography profs threatened to break our cameras if they ever caught us attempting anything like that with our skillset - which was very, very good, /for high school/. (Mr. N. was a wonderful man, a fabulous teacher, and I owe him a lot. This was a different time - I doubt that threat would fly anymore.) He knew that whatever we did while still in high school, his name would be attached to it, and he had his own photographic reputation to keep up. He told us that if we wanted the experience, we should shadow someone with more experience, perhaps even a team, and learn - and build a portfolio - that way.

I understand that you are trying to be helpful. And some brides may get very, very lucky based on this advice. They may hire the very next Whitney Lee or Ansel Adams.. Those that don't are the ones I'm concerned about.

I really doubt that any potential for entering contests would keep a teenager from wanting - or deserving - some kind of payment for their time and effort. In many cases, the qualification of professional as it applies to contest rules is not simply binary, but flexible, and depends greatly on the specific contest. The IPA, for example, defines a pro as someone who recieves over half of their total income from photography, others suggest that a non-pro is someone whose work has not been published. Some say strictly that it is for "amateurs only" but do not go on to define it. Were recieving income the only qualification for being a true professional, I would be a professional chef, baker, quilter, sempstress, auto mechanic, computer technician, gardener, plumber, carpenter, designer, philatelist, event planner, and yes, photographer. I am none of these things, and would resent having to compete in a "professional" category because I got paid to bake cookies for an acquaintance to give to her mom.

Peacefield

Wedding photography is immensly hard.  I say this as an advanced amateur, but not a wedding photographer.  But knowing enough about the art of photography, I can align it to weddings and fully appreciate what the pros are up against.

  -  It's a very difficult and compressed schedule over which the photographer has absolutely no control.
  -  They never know what they're going to find in the way of environment including the weather and a pro is expected to produce wondeful pictures even if it rains or snows.
  -  The need to have the skills to interact professional with clergy, reception management, the DJ, and oh by the way, all of my friends and family.
  -  All day, they are working in enviromnents that are positively hostile to good quality photography:  dark and small areas at the bride's house, very dark churches, full midday sun for portraits, needing to use flash for the reception.

In the face of all of this, we're expecting (and paying for) not only good quality results but some creativity, too.  I've looked at too many portfolios of "pros" where I thought they simply don't have a good creative eye nor the technical skills to stand up to the rigors of wedding photography.  I'm pretty sure I'm not going to find that in the local HS, either. 

Once again, no disprespect if this is what you want to do or if your budget is severely constrained.  But be very clear, this is a path that comes with very significant risks.

drphoto

I can see that the advice is meant to help someone who has an extraordinarily limited budget.  But, even then a wedding is one of the most demanding events someone could photograph.  H/S students with limited experience are a disaster waiting to happen.  The only way that this makes any sense is if the alternative is that you can't even afford to pay a craigslist photographer.  I strongly advice everyone to seek an experienced professional for these services.

Corey Schwartz
DesertRidgePhotography.com

2012JulyBride

I'm sorry my advice is so horrible that you can only put it down.

lana2007

I agree, bad advice.  I, too, was that excellent high school photographer, my final senior project was actually wedding photography, and I still sucked compared to my quality today.
If you want cheap advice, check for photographers on craigslist. There are many very expereinced photographers that have just never shot a wedding, so they are a lot cheaper, but at least they have experience shooting SOMETHING for more than a semester.

Lana