[AMA] I'm a Professional (Wedding) Photographer in Sydney

Ldanielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 17:07

I'm not sure when I first started lurking here. It was either due to pizza coupons or utter boredom (read: procrastination), but ever since finding this wonderful place, it has been bookmarked and frequented at least 5-times a day. Oh, and I've spent countless $$$ as a result of saving $$$. Go figure :)

Anyhoos, I've been a professional wedding photographer since 2010; leaving behind a stable admin job in the city with pathway towards senior management. Up until recently, I was completing my final four electives in my MBA (UTS). But I've decided to walk away from that because (a) I have absolutely no interest in working in Finance and (b) I can't stand traditional methods of assessing competence.

You can ask me anything, from entrepreneurship, to photography, to the business of photography. I'm here to share my experience. Ask away!

PS - My name is Dan and I'm addicted to refreshing this website.

Introduce Yourself

closed Comments

  • Ryanek on 09/08/2016 - 17:15

    I just checked out your website and wow your portfolio is actually quite good. Props for not using an outlandish watermark lol.

    I'm curious, what equipment do you use?

    • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 17:56
      +5

      Since August 2014, I've been shooting on Nikon equipment (D810 and D800). But some time in 2015, I transitioned across to two Nikon D750s. I do miss the leve of detail/sharpness from the D810 but I don't think my clients will ever notice. Plus, the smaller file sizes make filling up my backup and redundancy drives a bit less costly :

      I started off with Nikon as well back in 2010. I had a D700, then added a D3s when cashflow improved. Then I jumped ship to Canon when reports of the 5D3 from fellow wedding photographers were positive. Then I possibly changed back to Nikon and somewhere in 2014, I went 100% mirrorless, starting off with the Olympus OMD EM1. But I found it lacking (despite the lightning fast AF) and went with Fujifilm X-T1. But the X-T1 wasn't good enough for my professional wedding work so I went back to DSLR (Nikon).

      I hope I've answered your questions :)

      • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2016 - 18:53

        What about lenses? Do you have a favourite?

        • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 19:08
          +5

          Oooo, my favourite and most used lens is the Nikkor AF 85mm 1.4D. But I dropped it recently and despite an insurance payout, I think I'll replace it with the 1.8G instead. Can't justify a $2,100 piece of glass. I mean, its nice but it doesn't get me any work or anything. I'll buy one when I'm rich :P

          There was a time where/when I would shoot 75% of an entire wedding day on 35/1.4 or 50/1.4.

          I think depending on the situation, I have a go-to focal length in mind and therefore, lens. For example, receptions are typically 70-200VR. Ceremonies are also 70-200mm. 85mm if its dark. The rest of the day is probably 24-70mm.

        • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2016 - 20:41

          @danielkcheung: Oh my gosh, I think I would have cried (dropping it).

          Thanks :) It's interesting getting some insight into your toolkit having seen a few of your pics on your lovely website. I like your style.

        • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 11:08

          @YTW: Thanks for checking it out. I've seen a surge in traffics despite not linking it directly. Thank you OZB!

      • ankor on 12/08/2016 - 18:41

        Do you have another camera to shoot with when you are not working? Or do you stick to the iphone?

        • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 19:25

          I would really like to have something with an EVF so that I don't have to think about exposure settings. Currently, I don't have another 'fun' camera as I can't justify its cost :(

  • spychiatrist on 09/08/2016 - 17:25

    What's your take in photoshopping wedding pictures to make the bride and groom look 100x better than reality? Do couples really ask to be photoshopped or the photog offer it?

    • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 18:00

      Thankfully, I've very rarely ever had to deal with such requests. I recall earlier on in my career, a particular client did ask for retouching. To be honest, I'm not skilled at editing. Retouching is not my thing. So I did the best that I could.

      In certain cultures (particularly my home town), it is expected that the photographer retouches certain things to enhance physical features. It is rare here in Australia thankfully. My target audience do seem to be more into less manipulated images.

      A talented makeup artist does wonders ;)

  • silverrat23 on 09/08/2016 - 17:25

    Red or blue?

  • battler on 09/08/2016 - 17:29

    Does it pay better than Finance?

    • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 18:02
      +2

      If one looks purely at the numbers, then Finance probably will pay more (a lot more, heck, a bonus can be more than my base in a bad financial year). But then, that depends on what role one has in Finance and with what firm. But factor in the flexibility of lifestyle and quality of life, I'm definitely happy that I chose to give up on pursuing ICB (plus my math sucks).

      • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2016 - 09:32

        You suck at math, how's that possible?

        • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 09:37
          +26

          I may look Asian but they skipped the math genes on my batch.

  • retiredfeline on 09/08/2016 - 17:33

    Have you had cancellations due to cold feet or otherwise?

    • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 18:05
      +5

      Unfortunately, I don't have any interesting tales to tell. Certainly not by TV-drama standards.

      I've had a handful of last minute jobs due to the couple firing another wedding photograper if that counts :P Oh, and I've provided countless hours of counselling to brides!

      And looking at my stats (I don't shoot that many weddings a year), I think I've done quite well. Only one couple that I have photographed have separated :(

      • jleno on 09/08/2016 - 18:24
        +1

        you can't say this and not tell us some stories on the subject of the counselling!

        • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 18:30
          +18

          This one time, I recall starting shortly after 6am. Two tea ceremonies, a wedding ceremony, possibly 100kms of driving later, I was at a reception venue in Cabramatta when the bride, at 7pm starts freaking out over how everything has gone wrong about the day. I had to pull every ounce of what I learnt from my psychology and behavioural uni lectures to convince her that none of that stuff mattered.

          To say that I was exhausted by 11pm is an understand. I smashed a few burgers a Maccas afterwards.

          This other time in Vanuatu, the mother of the bride flipped out that I had moved the tea ceremony from a dark hut to out on the beach. I should rephrase. My client was afraid of telling her mother of what I had suggested so I suggested to use me as a buffer. Mum didn't say a word and the tea ceremony photos on the beach were amazing.

          This one time, a bride left her car keys in her jacket which was left at the hair salon. We were already running late. I recall calming her down on the corner of King St Newtown and some obscure laneway as we waited for a taxi to cab her jacket back to her.

          This one time, not my client by the way, the bride wasn't very nice to us. I don't know why. So when her cake fell onto the floor because a dog ran across it, I kinda smiled inside and took photos of the cake (that now was on the floor).

          And this one time at band camp …

        • silverrat23 on 09/08/2016 - 19:37

          @danielkcheung:

          And this one time at band camp …

          Please, I'm eager to hear more about this. :D

        • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 19:44

          @silverrat23:

          You were there! We even taped it ;)

        • silverrat23 on 09/08/2016 - 20:26

          @danielkcheung:

          I was? Man, I rocked out too much that time. What happened?

        • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 06:38

          @silverrat23: Come back to band camp. We can relive those memories :P

  • rompastompa on 09/08/2016 - 17:37
    +5

    My MIL won a prize for a free photo shoot (1hr) and $100 off photos. When asked how much the photo's will be, we were quoted between $300-$3000 per photo. I was very disappointed that this company would use such a blatant sales technique masked as a 'prize'.

    These type of shenanigans leave a sour taste in ones mouth for all professional photographers.

    What is your take on the negativity that photographers get when it comes to extremely expensive photos?

    I understand upfront costs of photography, and the time it takes to photoshop, but up to $3000 per photo?!

    • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 18:10
      +3

      I'm with you there. Plus, I'm on OB so $3,000 per photo is definitely not a good bargain!

      I'm not sure how one can justify that weird $300 to $3,000 range but yes, that is classic bait and switch. The industry unfortunately does have a lot of these shopping mall studios doing this kind of thing.

    • jacross on 11/08/2016 - 14:57

      Wow that's a disgrace. I've been in that scenario before but the actual prices when it came time to development/packages were still reasonable and industry standard.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2016 - 17:50

    • Being mindful of possible data loss / corruption what redundancy steps do you take? (Multiple cameras, cards etc)

    • Why are Asians generally really good well-rounded level headed photographers?

    • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 18:15
      +6

      There will always be risk. As a business owner, I have to find a careful balance of $$$ vs risk measures. Both my cameras have dual memory card slots but I don't write to both slots consecutively. That's a personal choice that I make and yes, I understand its ramifications.

      I back up the data after each assignment to my laptop. I then move the memory cards to my wallet so that they're on my body. No matter how late it is, or how early I have to wake up the next morning, I make sure that all the data is copied across to my Drobo. Yes. Drobo. It has its fair share of cons but it works for my process (I used to have Synology 4-bay NAS but didn't seem to like it, much prefer USB3 transfer).

      I make copies of my Lightroom catalogs. And I'm one of those photographers who create a separate catalog for each assignment. Backups (minus large previews) are sync'd with Dropbox. High resolution jpegs are uploaded to cloud galleries for archiving. Full resolution jpegs are housed on the Drobo as well.

      I have not comment to your second observation :P

  • nomoneynoproblems on 09/08/2016 - 18:11

    Why'd you switch back to DSLR from Mirrorless?

    Do you regret your decision from the cushy office job to dealing with everyone on edge on a wedding day? What was the straw that broke the camels back?

    worst on the job (photography) experience so far?

    • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 18:22
      +7

      At the time, all mirrorless systems could not give me AF consistency that I require for paid work. I understand that X-PRO2 and the X-T2 seem to do a really good job now, but just a mere 12-months ago, I couldn't even track a bride walking down the aisle and that made me very nervous.

      I think I was always cut out to be an entrepreneur. Wedding photography so happened to be the easiest way to get my feet wet with very low to non-existent barriers to entry. Back when I was young, my first real job was working at McDonalds and those guys taught me to be quick to identify and solve problems whilst taking care of customers (the good old days of cooking 12 meat patties on the grill aye). That work ethic carried across. Even at my 9-5 CBD job, I was an intrapreneur. I found problems with the existing system and proposed solutions to them. Management sometimes didn't like me :P

      I left at middle-management (mind you, it was a small private firm that provided training/accreditation to physicians) because my immediate boss left and things go shit. Plus, the CEO denied my request for study leave before so that left a very bad taste in my mouth. Oh the irony of providing education for our stakeholders but not preaching what we taught! I suppose an amalgamation of various things lead to me joining the entrepreneur life.

      There are regrets. Well, regret is possibly the wrong word for it. I'm 32 now and don't have any savings due to not taking care of business, burnout, and other excuses that I will not bore you with. But at the same time, the amount of learning about life, about myself, and of business has been phenomenal.

    • syswong on 11/08/2016 - 12:56

      You see many "Sponsored" photographer using mirrorless. Dan had wrote a few articles before on his blog which now he had removed. Even at I point I took a pi** out of him.

      The simple fact is you see wedding photographer started using mirrorless but only as supplement camera. The main gear are always DSLR simply because they get the job done. You don't get a take 2 with wedding photos. So you don't take risk when client pay you over $500 an hour.

      The latest Sony A7s with the two F2.8 may change the game but the system is yet to prove itself.

      • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 15:54

        I wish I hadn't deleted those articles. They were such good SEO anchors :)
        The new X-T2 tempts me but at the current release price point, I think I'm going to cancel my pre-order.

        • Agret on 11/08/2016 - 18:37
          +1

          Get them back from the wayback machine archive and then repost with the same URL?

        • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 11:13
          +1

          @Agret:

          I've tried. Alas not way back enough!

  • Peanut money on 09/08/2016 - 19:09

    What are your rates?

    • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 19:16
      +11

      I'm hesitant to link directly as I don't want to blatantly self-promote. Right now, I offer three standard wedding photography packages that are effectively based on time:

      6-hours comes in at $,1900
      11-hours is $3,400
      And all-day is $4,900

      Each package is targeted at a very specific customer avatar.

      No matter how much my wedding clients pay (or hire me to be present for), everyone receives edited high resolution digital images (JPEG) in 30 days.

      As for family lifestyle sessions, I charge $449 for an hour for up to 5-family members and $799 for 6+ family members. Once again, all digital images are provided without any watermarking or restrictions.

      Currently I do very simple headshot portraits for Melbourne Uni alumni for $50 :P

      As for commercial jobs, that quote varies on many variables. I'm a bit of a perfectionist so my quotes are always too expensive (I factor in paid assistants, hire of additional lighting equipment) so I never get hired for paid commercial jobs lol.

      • bluedufflecoat on 09/08/2016 - 20:40

        Headshot portraits… For LinkedIn?

        • danielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 21:05
          +1

          Melb Uni have an alumni publication that from time to time requires me to go out and take simple outdoor portraits. Essentially LinkedIn :)

        • bluedufflecoat on 09/08/2016 - 21:14

          @danielkcheung: let me know when you do it next! Or is it only around Sydney?

        • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 06:39

          @bluedufflecoat: Only in Sydney unfortunately.

  • fruit on 09/08/2016 - 19:23
    -3

    le Reddit

  • [Deactivated] on 09/08/2016 - 20:54
    +1

    You position yourself as having a journalistic style (which you do very well by the looks of it) but you also have a lot of great posed wedding shots on your website.

    How much time do you spend setting up the posed ones? and how much direction do you give them? Everyone looks very relaxed an natural in the shots as well as beautifully positioned, you do a very good job of making them not feel too stiff and posed as they can sometimes seem.

    I find when I'm trying to take photos of my family at gatherings that no sooner do I get one person sorted then they move out of place/position whilst I'm focusing on the next person. And that's not even trying to pose them really - just to get them so that they're all facing the camera and not blocking someone else etc. And that's with everyone co-operating and wanting a nice photo together! I'm always in awe of those wedding shots where they've got people all beautifully posed and looking happy and relaxed.

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 06:44
      +1

      My typical wedding assignment is 11-12 hours long. I'll deliver anywhere from 800 to over 1,000 final images from that time period. Of those, well over 95% of the photos are candid with the remaining 5% posed. These consist of either portraits of the bride and groom or group photos.

      Compared to my peers, I don't spend much time shooting bridal portraits at all. My philosophy is to allow my clients to enjoy their wedding day with their friends and family. In a way, I attract clients who don't place too much emphasis on having photos done on the day (except for documenting the day itself). Setting up the money shots take around 5-minutes (with lighting) and these are usually done at night. In daylight, it takes a matter of seconds. That is, to ask the couple to walk/stand/run somewhere and then wait for their natural reaction/emotion to surface.

      Group photos are always difficult. Eyes wander.

  • Hessian Sack on 09/08/2016 - 21:04

    Is there anything you wish you could say to brides/grooms/etc but can't because they're your clients? If you were to be blunt, what would you tell them?

    We're planning a wedding for next year, and want to know what people do wrong!

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 06:53
      +5

      First of all, the day isn't about me. It is about my clients' experience. After all, they're the ones spending $35,000+ on this one day so I really would like them to enjoy it to the max. I always tell them, even when they're prospective clients that the photos are a by-product. If they have a great time, the photos will turn out amazing.

      I think most (if not all) couples, at some point in time, get overwhelmed by the wedding machine. Pressures (spoken or otherwise) somehow creep up on you. And before you know it, you're stressed out over something you never had wanted in the first place.

      The biggest mistake I have seen people make is letting the wedding day consume them. We have this need to make it perfect and beautiful. Personally I don't understand spending so much money on one single day when the rest of your lives are waiting. But that's just me. If you can afford it, great. If you can't, please don't overextend yourself.

  • jleno on 09/08/2016 - 21:42

    Have you been tempted to join the many photographers that are doing workshops to supplement your income?

    At some point your photos reached a level where you felt was good enough to take the next step and become a pro - how did you work out when that was? (ie comparing with other photographers / feedback from others etc)?

    There must have been couples who were gorgeous where almost every shot is a great shot and then many others who were. shall we say, less photogenic - do you worry more about those clients in the latter category being happy with their photos and do you approach their shoots differently?

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 06:58
      +2

      The temptation has always been there. And there is something in teaching others that is intrinsically rewarding. I'm most well known for my night portraits and have recently tried to push out a workshop. I didn't get a single sign up so I guess I'll have to pivot it somehow.

      Wedding photography workshops are mostly hit and miss in my opinion. As you've said, when you put a beautiful couple in beautiful surrounds in control light, it is going to look beautiful. But reality (especially on wedding days) is far from those controlled conditions found at workshops. And yes, even on my website, I tend to display photogenic couples and less of the type of weddings I don't want to attract anymore.

      My approach to photographing any couple remains unchanged. My focus is on facilitating a fun experience because I know that if they have positive memories, they will like every image I deliver them.

      • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2016 - 13:06

        Thanks for answering so many questions. Your answers were a good read.

        Which Nikon camera would you recommend under 2000$ budget for night time photography. I would be looking at photographing and taking videos of the urban areas and crowded areas or rooms with changing lighting conditions. I want to purchase one for my birthday. I own a decent lens kit and a Nikon D3100.

        • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 15:41

          I'm not that familiar with other Nikon camera models apart from D750, D800 and D810. I'm afraid I may not be of much help when it comes to recommending DX bodies/lenses.

  • onetwothreefour on 10/08/2016 - 11:44
    +2

    Anyone asked you to take photos of the wedding night, if you know what I mean ;-)

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 13:03
      +9

      You can be my first. Please be gentle :)

  • activ8newbs on 10/08/2016 - 12:20

    Have you ever shot an Indian wedding? (They're huge…My mate just got married, spent $150k!)

    Also, any advice for people who are seeking a wedding photographer? Tips etc.?

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 14:48
      +6

      Never! I've done mixed weddings but never a full blown 2-day wedding. I'm probably not the right fit for the parents.

      With regards to advice for marrying couples seeking a wedding photographer, the usual due diligence checks should be made. I think most couples tend to ask their friends (who have been married) for recommendations. That is always a good starting point. I also have found that local searches have yielded good results. If you can't meet with the photographer, at least talk with them directly over the phone. If you're attracted to the style and offerings of a studio, be extremely careful. Have in writing who your specified photographer(s) are as studios have and will bait and switch. If you need to spend more than 6+ hours with a photographer on your wedding day, it helps if you get along. Now I'm not suggesting that you have to be best mates but check if they have the appropriate interpersonal skills to make you feel comfortable. Oh, and of course, check their portfolio. And be sure to always ask for an entire gallery of a wedding (not just the best shots from many weddings).

      If you're eloping or having a destination wedding, be mindful that legally, your wedding photographer needs to have a working visa. Of course, 99% of wedding photographers do not do this and travel under the guise of being on holiday. They run the risk of being refused entry … which would suck. If you must bring your own photographer, supply them with a legit wedding invite :)

      If you're after a discount (this is OzBargain after all), be prepared to compromise on hours of photography coverage or something else. You can't gain something without giving something up. Or do your homework prior to negotiating and suggest features that you can remove for a discount (e.g., no printed album, no prints, no engagement session etc). Or suggest paying everything upfront for a discount of some sort.

      Ah, and if your wedding photographer(s) start with you at 8am and finish past 9pm, please give them a full meal. It'll mean a lot to them and they'll take amazing care of you. Trust me on this ;)

      Finally, 99% of Sydney wedding photographers require full payment prior to the wedding day. Don't ask me why. It is industry standard. I just thought I'd let you know. Personally, I ask for 50% of the balance upfront to reserve the date and the remaining 50% once the wedding photos are ready for collection (30 days after the wedding). That's how I add value to my customers (because I understand cashflow).

      I hope this helps and that I answered your question properly.

      • Camembert on 10/08/2016 - 19:16
        +1

        I've always wondered why wedding photographers require cash up front before they've provided the service.. I've contracted photographers for commercial work before, so the idea of paying the full amount upfront before receiving the service seems bizarre. But then, I imagine wedding photographers are covering themselves when dealing with private clients..

        Fascinating AMA and after checking out your website, I will definitely be contacting you if/when the time comes :)

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 16:41
      +4

      $150,000.00
      Yikes.

      I profit from weddings but I can't imagine spending that much on a single event. That's a lot of money by any standard. I think my wife and I managed to do a simple wedding for under $15,000 earlier this year. But I called in a lot of favours (free photography, videography, heavily discounted flowers etc) and I didn't have a formal reception (we self-catered an afternoon tea - it was a massive hit!).

      $150,000.00 I wish I had that in the bank!

  • Dogfights on 10/08/2016 - 16:16

    Hi Daniel,

    I am actually in the process of looking for a wedding photographer for May next year. what is your package rates? feel free to pm me your website, i couldnt find it.

    Cheers

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 16:42

      This is embarrassing but how do I private message you (or anyone) via OZB?

      • Dogfights on 10/08/2016 - 16:56

        i think i just found your "kick ass" website

        • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 17:11

          Ah good. It should redirect to the wedding/family photography website (currently working on the persona brand).

  • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2016 - 16:23

    I am always joking whenever I mention about being nekkid.

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 16:38

      Adam! How are you my Internet friend? I've stopped receiving your random nekkid messages. Did I do something wrong? :P I hope you and the family are well!

      • [Deactivated] on 10/08/2016 - 18:07

        Hello internet friend DanielKCheung! I stopped being able to see you on Skype (so less nekkid jokes), but I still can see you on Kakaotalk :)
        I also think sending jokes about being nekkid to internet friend might be too much.
        I hope you have been well too! It is good to see you here! :)

        • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 11:59

          They were jokes? :P

        • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2016 - 15:58

          @danielkcheung:
          I hope you're not disappointed!!!! haha

  • kangaroo on 10/08/2016 - 17:30

    Do you use a drone to shoot stills?

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 19:17
      +5

      I haven't! Drones are like boats; bottomless pits for money. Aerial shots are wicked! But I don't trust myself to fly one responsibly ;)

  • mobius on 10/08/2016 - 18:20
    +1

    Why do you people charge soo much! Seriously.

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 19:18
      +8

      I think that you'll find wedding photographers to suit all budgets.
      Seriously.

    • jacross on 11/08/2016 - 15:01
      +1

      You only see two hours of snapping away and then the photos appear. There's a lot of work on the computer in Lightroom and/or Photoshop. Add to that the costs of doing business etc.

      Also 'wedding photographer' is generally considered the most stressful way to make a living doing photography. Most photographers don't want to touch it with a barge pole (but paying gigs are less and less prevalent outside of it these days).

      • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 15:47
        +1

        Pretty much nailed it.

        Someone who is happy to keep their day job + do wedding photography on the side has different circumstances as opposed to someone who chooses to supplement their lifestyle via photography alone. Both can provide exception images + customer services. But both are entirely different and thus, the former has more margin to charge more/less.

        Running a small business properly in Australia is expensive. Since the beginning of this year, I registered for GST although I may not reach the $75,000 threshold. Our tax rate is relatively high but I can't complain.

        Finally, one can be married without a wedding. I see weddings as a luxury ticket item. As such, I am ok with charging a premium for my time and expertise.

        There's always someone willing to do it cheaper. So yay market forces!

      • cheng2008 on 14/08/2016 - 19:55
        +1

        Another way to think about it is that you pay by the hour/day, but you pay for the decades of experience your photographer has accumulated. That, I think, is extremely valuable.

  • FittyFitty on 10/08/2016 - 18:53

    1. Assuming there was a period of time at the outset where you didn't consider yourself a professional, how does one come to realise that one has become one to start calling oneself one?

    2. E-M1 or X-T1?

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 19:42
      +2

      Ask 10 people what their definition of professional is and you'll get 10 different answers. Some people consider sole income as being professional. Personally, being a professional is how I conduct myself in front of and behind customers. I don't often refer to myself as a professional wedding photographer, just wedding photographer :) It seems silly to do so :P

      Once I started soliciting for paid work, I considered myself being a professional and tried to act that way (albeit failing on many occasions).

      As for E-M1 vs X-T1, it depends on what you're shooting. For everyday photos of your children and of life, the E-M1 is tops with its super fast autofocus. Where it begins to fall apart is of course high ISO performance. Sensor size does matter after all. The X-T1 is a quirky camera with lots of dials. It has a bit of a steep learning curve. But Fujifilm jpeg engine is incredible and Fujinon glass is forever sharp even wide open. I'm biased as I do love Fujifilm so I'll vote for X-T1.

  • Pigey on 10/08/2016 - 19:41
    +1

    We recently had a wedding and we used a multiple award winning Indonesian photographer shoot our wedding (we do like the over photoshopped asian style). We found them on ISPWP.

    We had two photographers shoot the whole day (literally 6am to midnight) and we paid for their flights, AirBNB accommodation, and car hire and it still ended up being less than the cost of an average photographer in Australia. They worked their butts off and we were very happy with the entire process.

    Do you think overseas photographers could be a threat to the market?

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 19:47
      +2

      No threat at all because any decision related to one's wedding is a highly emotional one. And communication is key (always easier to contact a local than someone in a different country/timezone). Kudos for you to organising all that though! I doubt the average marrying couple would go through the'hassle'. But youre right, Indonesian photographers are crazy good and the competition in Jakarta/Bali is insane! For example, my good mate who owns Govinda who runs Terralogical does laps around most Sydney wedding photographers.

  • JetBombat on 10/08/2016 - 19:46

    Kudos on doing what you wanted to and skipping the safe path. Now the questions:
    1. Did you try latest mirrorless sony a7 offerrings? Aren't they same in terms of focus speed on a quick lens (like Canon which you can use with adapter) with less weight and strain plus with a possibly better stabilisation?
    2. Have you noticed camera shake with latest Nikons where pictures are never sharp at 100% unless you shoot through live view with mirror lock up? Does it bother you much?

    • danielkcheung on 10/08/2016 - 19:51

      Never tried Sonyas to date, they have very limited native lenses for photographey (I like my fast primes in 35/50/85mm). My videography colleagues have mostly adopted Sony A7-series models and use their existing Canon lenses.

      I shoot on 2x D750 and haven't really noticed what you're describing. The only time I have used mirror lock up is for landscapes on a tripod. Sharpness is a result of many variables (I think). I'm typically shooting at f/2.2 - f/2.8 so I'm used to seeing some degree of softness (that Lightroom can fix easily). Care to link me to the issue you described?

      • JetBombat on 10/08/2016 - 20:02
        +1

        On mirror shake:
        Electronic Front-curtain Shutter
        How it looks on the photo

        • cheng2008 on 14/08/2016 - 20:08
          1. EFCS solves the problem of shutter shake, not mirror shake. Mirror up solves mirror shake.
          2. Mirror and shutter shake only affects the photo in certain/very few situations. That Nikon example is quite exaggerated.
        • JetBombat on 17/08/2016 - 19:43

          @cheng2008: For point 2, unless photos are taken with EFCS, MUP and Live View mode they are noticably blurry at 100% zoom. Happy to hear if you have a workaround, but that's what I saw on 810 with sharp lens, 1/1000s shutter speed and iso1000.

  • Scrooge McDuck on 10/08/2016 - 20:37
    +4

    How many nip slips have you caught on camera?

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 07:09

      12.45 to be exact.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 11/08/2016 - 09:48

        Point four five? There must be some dodgy plastic surgeons in Sydney!

  • centrelink on 10/08/2016 - 22:13
    +2

    How much money do you make a year?

    • hibijibis on 11/08/2016 - 01:32

      maybe better if he provides a ballpark figure of take home pay so people can compare whether to quit their day jobs and go pro. thanks for providing the ama

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 07:05
      +4

      As a baseline:

      30 jobs a year
      Let's say the average wedding is billed at $3,000

      $90,000 revenue
      Profit depends on COGS

      How much I make depends on how much I want to hustle.

      These days I tend to book a lot more shorter wedding days. These pay a lot less ($1,900 for 6 hours + editing time) compared to all-day assignments but the quality of life is much better.

      • jleno on 11/08/2016 - 09:37

        Are you finding that you're getting more pressure to lower your prices recently or has that pressure been more or less the same (ie are people getting stingier).

        • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 10:40
          +3

          Based on my experience only, I can't say that I've felt any pressure to lower my prices. I've done the opposite. That is, increase price to remain sustainable whilst removing a whole heap of 'features', cross-sells and up-sells that my customer avatar doesn't want. For example, I deliver edited high resolution non-watermarked images ONLY. None of my service packages have an included printed album. Why? Because my customers don't want one or cannot justify its price tag.

          I'd say that coupes are spending MORE than ever on their wedding day (and its scary).

          As with more experience that I gain, I find that it is easy to justify my prices.

          There's always someone willing to do a similar job for cheaper/pricier. But nobody can be me and that's the true value-add.

  • pinchies on 11/08/2016 - 00:22

    As a fairly new wedding photographer, I just want to say your photos are consistently superb, and I really admire the way you capture people. Do you have a favourite or preferred focus mode/setting? I probably could have asked this at OCAU any time, but seeing you do an AMA I think I might ask a few q's!

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 07:07
      +1

      99% of the time, I'm in continuous focus mode, with back button focus enabled. I will track the subject using a single AF point (based on how I wish to frame the composition). The 1% is reserved for focus and recompose (single shot, AFS).

  • John on 11/08/2016 - 01:54

    You have a really nice website. I'm a wedding videographer myself (not full time though - but I run a studio and second shoot for someone). I got two questions I'm sure most wedding vendor likes to talk about:

    1. What was the worst encounter you had with another vendor during a wedding?
    2. What was your worst encounter with a bride/groom-zilla?

    And also.. 3. If you're not married yet. Who would you hire to shoot & film your own wedding day - assuming budget is not an issue?

    :)

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 12:06
      +1

      Thanks John, I'm glad you like it.

      My worst experiences tend to always be with restaurant and arrogant and disrespectful managers. For example, swanky Catalina Rose Bay wouldn't even set up a table for us or have any room for our equipment bags. My client had paid for full meals for all of us (as they were friends) but Catalina didn't see us as fellow human beings. Then there was a reception dinner held at Hong Kong Jockey Club where I felt worse than a dog.

      Generally speaking, I've had no issues with other vendors during a wedding. I mean, some videographers like to hover at 20mm and that always gets the blood boiling ..

      You're probably going to be disappointed with my response to your second question. As most if not all of my clients hire me for me, so they tend to be very nice to me at all times :)

      Not sure about #3. I married the wife earlier this year and had my pal and ex-mentee Jack Chauvel photograph the ceremony. We didn't really want a wedding to get married. If budget were not an issue, Dan O'Day would be a top pick.

      • John on 11/08/2016 - 22:04

        That's great actually with question 2. I've had bride who wanted me to re-edit the whole video because dad does not like my footage showing the religious statue (Mary, Jesus etc) half cut off the frame. I quoted her cost to re-edit and let's say she didn't respond well to it. Hope you never find the crazy ones!

  • syswong on 11/08/2016 - 09:28

    Hay I though you was going to call it a day…

    Welcome back mate!!

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 09:39

      That retirement call of 2015 was a big mistake. It hurt my business and brand so much (estimating 9-15 months setback). But it is good to be back with a renewed why/purpose.

      • booboo on 12/08/2016 - 22:29

        What do you mean? What retirement thing?

        • danielkcheung on 15/08/2016 - 15:34

          I was hating what I was doing and how I was feeling so I announced that I was quitting :)

  • cheapoooooo on 11/08/2016 - 09:42

    Some "kick ass" portfolio you've got there! Interestingly, i was looking at Terralogical website the other day, love it, but they are way over budget. I know this is a bit blatant, but can you recommend any wedding photographer based in Bali that does not cost a bomb?

    And it would be great if you could share some of your OzB tricks to organise a $15K wedding.

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