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

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      inyaface on 13/08/2016 - 14:20

      good article! having my own burnout.

      Done over 100+ weddings in a short amount of time and suddenly just stopped for a few years and nervous to get back at it.

      Still finding my own WHY. Other than to afford more eneloops that is.

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        danielkcheung on 15/09/2016 - 18:44

        Ah sorry for missing this comment earlier.
        Sorry to hear about your burnout. It's a thing that hits your hard and keeps you down even though you know you can beat it.

        How are you doing these days?

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        inyaface on 16/09/2016 - 15:13

        @danielkcheung: no worries, about to do my first wedding in about 2 years!

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        danielkcheung on 16/09/2016 - 15:53

        +1

        @inyaface: All the best!

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  [Deactivated] on 13/08/2016 - 17:19

  +1

  Really nice job on an AMA btw - thanks! I read it just to learn more the industry :)

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  anastasiastarz on 13/08/2016 - 18:16

  How do you deal with brides who don't like your pictures, based on the fact that they don't like the way they look and want extreme photoshop?

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    danielkcheung on 13/08/2016 - 18:45

    I've found that the best way to deal with situations like this is to identify it early on and set expectations upfront. For example, when I meet with prospective clients and they ask about how much editing I do, I let them know that I do not do any retouching.

    Honestly, as a photographer, I am not responsible for changing how they see themselves. That is not my expertise. I can do my best using simple lighting and posing tricks to present people in the best manner but ultimately, it is up to them to see the beauty within themselves.

    That said, I have been extremely lucky to have avoided clients who have requested retouching.

    If a client were to approach me after I deliver them with their wedding photos and told me that they disliked how they looked in the photos, I'd feel pretty shit. I'll feel as though I didn't do a good enough job for them to see past their own demons and that instead of fond memories, they only see their images at face value.

    These are one of those situations where there is no one size fits all answer. Customer service is key and I must gauge how best to resolve the situation, with empathy.

    I probably haven't answered the question as intended but this was the best that I could think of.

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  Kapinny on 14/08/2016 - 20:15

  +1

  Hi Dan

  Your AMA really resonated well with me (1st gen son of migrant asian parents)
  Hopefully one day i'll have the courage to chase a profession which ultimately makes me happy

  Keep up the great work!

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    danielkcheung on 14/08/2016 - 20:45

    Thanks for your kind words of encouragement and all the best for you too :)

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  cheapismymiddlename on 15/08/2016 - 22:18

  I love your responses, have you thought of expanding your business to write for websites? You made me read the whole thing.

  That aside, I am keeping my FT job and doing photography part time. What's the best way to advertise? Facebook? Google?

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    danielkcheung on 16/08/2016 - 07:18

    I've written a lot in the past on my personal website. And I've been fortunate enough to have had 2 articles published on petapixel this year. As for actual copywriting, I would love to but don't know how to start! Thanks for taking the time to read the entire AMA :)

    Keeping your FT gig and doing photography PT is probably a very wise move. I'd like to get a PT job myself. As for advertising, it's really hit and miss. As targeted as FB can be, it takes a lot of money and consistency to get a sales conversion. Most of us don't have that kind of money to throw at daily spends and continuous A/B testing of images/copy.

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  turkz1 on 21/08/2016 - 21:57

  Hey dan, I'm an occasional shooter myself and recently a colleague saw a few photos I took and liked them so much that she offered to pay me to shoot her child's birthday party. This really got me thinking about doing this type of thing on the weekends. I don't think I'd ever progress to weddings (seems too stressful + more hours spent on post) but I'd be happy to do other events like parties / corporate functions every once in a while. What do you think an amateur photographer should charge for a half day of shooting on a weekend?

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    danielkcheung on 22/08/2016 - 08:42

    +1

    This is where it all begins! A friend (of a friend) sees that you can take decent enough photos and before you know it, you're neck-deep in a wedding :)

    There are so many approaches to pricing and all have their merits depending on your personal circumstances. I would advocate for you to price your service for the opportunity cost of not being with friends/partner/family. This one makes the most sense to me.

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      itajac on 02/09/2016 - 14:09

      Hi Daniel
      Just wondering what camera, lens and gear a begginer/amateur, would require to shoot childrens b'day parties/events or celebrations?
      What has worked for you in to advertising , is word of mouth/referrals, where your main job stream has come from?
      Great AMA by the way, really apprecciate how candid you've been with your responses. All the best with your biz :)

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        danielkcheung on 05/09/2016 - 09:31

        Children's birth parties are tough as if they're at indoors at home, you're limited by low ceilings, typically crap light, and cramped space (there isn't much room after everyone is inside the room as well!). A 24-70mm is my safety lens and always bounced flash. For an amateur, I don't really know how to answer since budgets are different for everyone. I think any recent-ish DSLR or micro 4/3s camera will do with the addition of an on-camera flash that is bounced against a ceiling/wall. The colours may be whack since the wall colour may be whack.

        Advertising in general has been absolutely rubbish for my business.
        Print advertising is pointless, slow, takes forever and has limited impressions.
        Facebook advertising will bleed a bank account dry even at $5/day.
        Blog advertising are 100% BS (no ROI, mere traffic is a metric is meaningless).

        Word of mouth is where the game is at; just like SEO, it is a long and patient game. Take care of your existing customers and they will take care of you. Not today, not tomorrow, not even next month, but maybe next year … The more you shoot, the greater the social reach gets and quicker the referrals come in.

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  movieman on 05/10/2016 - 20:10

  Hello Dan,

  Do you have any recommendations for printing the wedding albumns?

  We have our photos, and are looking at a nice quality option for good value.

  Thanks

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    danielkcheung on 05/10/2016 - 20:20

    I know a guy who uses the same album manufacturers as most wedding photographers at a lesser price. I'm not sure what he charges but he explained to me that he can charge less due to limiting the number of customisation (eg number of pages, cover materials, page material). He's also a wedding photographer :)

    Momento (Sydney based small business) offer consumer grade wedding books. You can download their software and design your own.

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      movieman on 05/10/2016 - 20:34

      Thanks Dan,

      Appreciate the prompt reply.

      Basically we're in the process of sorting all our photos from the big day, and were looking for an affordable option.

      I'll look into your recommendation. But even if it is through an overseas supplier, we are not in a hurry.

      Thanks

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        danielkcheung on 05/10/2016 - 21:17

        The ones from China are absolutely disgraceful in quality and customer service (e.g., Zno/Artisan State). I cannot in good faith recommend them no matter how cheap they are.

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