You have to be a “yes man”… make sure you get paid before leaving lol… stupid clients need to realize the final result of their photos rest in the lap of the photographer.. you treat me bad you won’t get your pimples removed or the glare out of your glasses… period..
@@RyanREAX i've always thought that the poorer ones are the ones that complain more (speaking from my experience delivering food with doordash to lowball tippers)
Reason 2 is basically why I don't do wedding photography full-time. I threw myself into it because I loved the photography aspect and the actual wedding days, but quickly found out that 90% of 'wedding photography' is business. I still do it on the side as an earner, but don't stress about the business side of things anymore as I don't rely on it to make a living. But reason 6 is one of the things I love! I really enjoy going to restaurants by myself or getting a takeaway alone and knowing that nobody's going to kill my vibe!
Reason number 6.. You get NO weekends free. Been shooting weddings for 20 years and not until COVID did I realize just how much time I lost on weekends. Some times I would be shooting a wedding on Sat then Sunday... Just was life for me and its all i knew.... COVID comes and all weddings gone for a year or more and all of a sudden I was left with Saturdays and Sundays with free time and man I will tell you it changed my life... I haven't wanted to go back since so I am not booking as much now because I want time with family.
Yap! 100% 😉 So good to hear you saying these things because that!s just the reality. Especially the last point we don't use to speak about, when we tell about how great it is to be a destination wedding photographer.
Mate!! Yes!! 😂🙌 Thank you so much for this video, I have not laughed, and felt so seen, as much as this when it comes to wedding stuff for a LOOOONG time. I hardly ever hear other photographers talk SO candidly about the bad side of weddings, so it's really refreshing to know there are people out there who experience the same stuff as me. When you spoke about it being repetitive - this is one of my biggest bug bears about the job. And the bit when you said "you have to drive out to the middle of nowhere and hope you don't die" - I FELT THAT 😂😂😂
your first point was the exact reason i got tired of shooting weddings... 3years into it i realized it was just different faces, outfits, locations but same process. especially in nigeria with very cultural activities, documenting certain parts of the event almomst have to be done thesame way all the time.
I did two free weddings for friends of mine because they were as broke as I was but they were real good friends. Just from that experience nobody was a bridezilla but it was a total pain in the butt to try to get everybody into the photographs at the right time. I have since been to weddings with professional photographers in place and I have seen how the people act at the weddings. I know why I’m not a wedding photographer because I would’ve told somebody to fork off.
Hi John. I appreciate your honesty in letting prospective wedding photographers know in advance what they may be have to experience in the “real” world. Running a buisness requires much planning, adapting to changing needs of your client base & learning how to manage stressful situations. Being a versatile photographer has advantages, but I also believe that photographers need to find their passion in whatever field of photography that they chose to purse. Finding some time to pursue personal projects can fuel your passion & feed your soul. This is not always easy to do, but it can help you maintain your “sanity.” Cheers!😎
Thanks for putting out the information, John! Please make a video about handling difficult clients. Recently had a client who ignored parts of my contract that asked not to add filters to my images. After all the work, it just feels bad to see them repost manipulated images.
Totally agree it’s a 90% customer focussed job Where every answer you give your clients is a yes with a smile and it really is a highly pressured job and on the day you haven’t got time to eat no meals
As a wedding photographer from Croatia (sorry for my english 😊) I agree with you in all 4 points...partly 🙂. There is always possibility to be creative at least just a little bit through the day or editing, in 14 years I had 2 problematic couples and that can be resolved right in the start if you tell and show then exactly how and what are you doing. I work alone and is pretty simple regarding taxes and all other staff here in Croatia and last, loneliness...well sometimes fell good to rest a little bit but that all depends on person....
Totally agree! I still enjoy it so much. I also really enjoy seeing couples so happy with my work and being a part of their family even if just for a little bit.
Great that mentioned about the weddings shoots..and the boring shots repeated again & again even though creativety is involved . I do have a question that I come across during all this ..that a group of photographers shoot a wedding and end up with 5000-6000 pictures and give the coupe a coupe of hundred for their album . What's the point to kill your camera's shutter unnecessary..or rather if the client has been charged a blown up rate would it justify ??.
The few times I've shot weddings always reminded me why I shouldn't do them. They are extremely stressful and can become a nightmare in the aftermath of it all.
Reason one is the most relatable for me since I've been shooting for almost 2 years, I feel like my creativity has gone downhill due to the repetition of events every day. Weddings drain your creative side more than anything.
I have worked in the childcare industry for years…. So Its a very high demand job and you have to have great customer service/be personable with the parents. Every time I have a second shooter they’re like how are you so calm? Lol! I’m a go with the flow type of person because of my childcare background and nothing EVER goes as planned in a classroom lol! I love wedding photography and everything you said is absolutely correct!
I’ve shot weddings for the last 7 years, various part time work for about 5 years prior, and hAd a cAmeRa iN mY hAnD mY wHoLe LiFe. My biggest gripe with the industry is the number of people who would just… complain about how much they hated it? Hated the photo taking, hated the weddings- it was always clear it was to those people what they thought was “easy” money and social media clout. It always seemed easy to differentiate who hated the weddings themselves, who hated the actual photo taking, or both.
I'm glad you touched on all these points. Highly agree with all of them and especially the point on 90% customer service. Would love to second for you if you ever need it . I'm in Charlotte!
It's so true. People don't realize how much wedding photography, or honestly any style of photography where you have a paying client, is just straight up customer service.
80% percent correct, everything but the part about creativity. If you are not pushing yourself, it is not a creative art. Of course the frame work might be the same for most weddings, but its what you do within that structure. Every wedding is different, even if it is at the same location. I don't believe in locking down a certain style, I let the day dictate what my wedding will look like. Time of day, weather and the bride and groom all factor into what my weddings looks. I am always trying to come up with creative solutions at a wedding. Every style of photography is this way, even the fine art styles. We are doing the same thing over and over, but creativity comes from pushing your limits and trying new things.
I did not think i would like Wedding photography. But after I did a few, it really grew on me. It probably helps that I did a lot of customer service jobs in my life. I am also a HUGE Extrovert lol. so i just talk to everyone. I would also like to cast my vote for a video on working with troublesome couples / vendors lol.
I pretty much know what I'll be giving my couples. As far as how many photos, how I edit, so on, so fourth. That would be good for a video about client meetings probably.
John is 1000 percent right on this one, it is pretty much preset down to the shot list. You have variations based on things that pop up like the couple being late in extreme cases, but it’s the same thing. The thing is you get better at it because you do the same thing over and over again. The photos, videos and possible drone shots. John is also right that if you are smart you will have some type of presets to make the editing process simple. The things that make this rudimentary are the things that can make you great at it. If you want to be creative, do Portrait or Landscape photography. The business end of your photography and videography will end your business quickly if you are not organized and the IRS is ruthless. John please do a video on your bridezillas. I have a good one for you and your audience. The venue that we were at looked nice on the outside and good on the inside because they were completing construction before the wedding. The thing that none of us knew until later was that the toilets didn’t work and the establishment was handing out buckets to those using the facilities. On top of this, the bride didn’t want us to take a picture of her dress while she was getting ready, she didn’t want us to take pictures of her while she got ready and getting ring pictures from her was like pulling teeth after asking 9 times. The brides mother was even worst. We later found out that the groom was still married to his ex-wife and he hadn’t completed that paperwork yet and obviously we never took any pictures of the marriage license. For the video she wouldn’t sit still and as she danced with her husband we felt that she used her friends to block us in a circle. It was weird and the yelling. I could go on, but I won’t, it was horrible to say the least. Good inner personal skills are a must. If you are not extremely organized hire an accountant please!!!
👏👏👏 Well explained! I'm glad other photogs get it. The main thing for everyone to remember as well it doesn't mean I hate wedding photography, just being real about some of the cons.
Hi John, I’m a huge fan of your natural feels preset and I’ve used it to edit my wedding photos through imagen ai. Do you sell that preset? Let me know so I can purchase it thanks 🙏🏻
Being lonely is the truth. Eating a fast meal by myself in a closet is both peaceful and also feels so sad. But it's also the only break of the weekend.
I think what I do is I have my "consistent look" for editing and then I send what I think is the "hero" shot to the couple, and send them 4 different edits of the same shot and let them pick which they like the most, and edit in the style of their choice
The loneliness part about your job really hits home. When I was an international fashion model, I was working in all these glamorous cities and I was alone. Except for the one crazy roommate that one time but that's another story. I was married and I had a child so that wasn't ideal either, the agency wanted me to move me and my family to Paris. My husband was like, what am I going to do? lol Having a job where you travel to glamorous locations sounds cool but it's actually very lonely.
You're welcome. You're talkinga bout the sparklers that everyone is holding? I think most couples purchase them off of Amazon or something of that sort.
Bloody brilliant 😮 after 20 years filming and photo I hate every wedding I do! Retiring next year and I will never go to a wedding again even as a f……..g guest
Yes, Please - how to deal with difficult to photograph couples can be the worst. *Or Bride was overwhelmed & needing a break from photos right After the first look* I managed but it Was difficult, I was patient & was able to get the portraits but it was a learning Experience.
Another excellent video. Imagine shooting weddings in the film days and worrying about mailing your rolls to the lab! Add low pay as another reason. It seems like you are successful and doing well, but a small percentage of wedding photographers charge enough and book enough to make a decent living. My bread and butter photography was commercial/industrial. All my weddings were word of mouth I’d shoot maybe 25 weddings a year. Yes weddings are stressful and like herding cats. Luckily I had almost all positive experiences with very few difficult clients. I learned to recognize problem clients at the interview and just wouldn’t book them.
Honestly a lot of the time recently I've had a hard time finding seconds. I'm really just going through Facebook groups and things. As far as what to look for in a second is experience and decent photos. Outside of that someone who will support me throughout the day and not be too concerned with getting their own pictures.
Guess we all have different experiences. I like being a wedding photographer because it is *not* the same shoot over and over again. The ceremonies are different, the personalities are different, the lighting is different -- so I use that challenge to be creative with my photos. And I'm never lonely. The feeling I get after a shoot is exhilaration, not loneliness.
I was a photographer in a wedding firm . I begin there as intern and I must say the entire wedding photography firm was a disaster . I must say under paid staff ,and the top owners just wanted to come for 45 minutes and take the main shots and leave . The other junior senior photographers did all the work along with editing and then we're underpaid . ...after a point every body wanted to be the "OWNER" after being sick of being a pawn .and ultimately everything disabled and every single of them left .
Hahaa well yes . The owners just wanted to be the "face " after they got famous . They started overpricing the shoots . But the clients pay that hefty amount for them to come and take their photographs or at the least be there and present guiding the the team . As sometimes the days were overbooked and they couldn't make it .and the people who worked under them had to handle the clients also . Meanwhile they took all the money for appearing in an "jaguar" or "mini cooper " and wear Rolex .it's was all the "SHOW" since it's celebrity clients . The photographers and filmers were constantly denied a raise . After a point the people who worked under them the senior and juniors everybody lost the patience blasted the owners in a group chat and left . Well I think you should have also have added a point in the video that to be a big wedding photographer and run a company , one must show up and not be greedy or worried about the "IMAGE " . As a wedding photographer whether your a senior junior or the owner ,you must be ready to get your hands dirty and get the shots and stay throughout the wedding .
@@vysh-yz1lz I feel like being prepared to stay and do the wedding is a given! Its so strange to me to think the owners would do so little work and leave the lions share to underpaid staff. That's asking to have it come undone.
Hahaha driving out in the middle of nowhere and hope you don't die! Yes!!!!! Just this Saturday coming back from Asheville I took a wrong turn on 40 and ended up taking back roads for over a hour and a half it was terrible! I took the highway the entire way there.
OMG Asheville weddings are exactly what I was talking about. I've been doing weddings out in Nantahala which is like 2 hours west of Asheville. No reception, no lights, MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! scary stuff. LOL
@@jbivphotography I was at Highland Brewery this past weekend. Great venue but one small wrong turn put me on back roads all night coming home. I love this video. Especially the customer service part. We have a team, there are 10 of us. They can't believe the junk I put up with from couples and planners sometimes trying to keep everyone happy. (Front Row Films co)
yes please i would like to see you make a video on how to deal with difficult clients who are just stuck up, on even the clients parents who also just stuck up and bossy
I agree with all the points said in the video! Also, amongst many other reasons, do NOT go into weddings unless you are expertise in all working with lighting situations. Lol
I feel this so much. I get done with a wedding and my feet and knees are just TORN UP! On the same end tho I really was never that young when I started. I was already like 28ish when I started doing weddings or so.....actually closer to 30 🙃
I’m not sure what the best way to explain it is since I’m not sure how money stuff works in Australia. But basically if you have someone work for your business and pay them as a contractor you have to send them a 1099 that is basically the proof of how much you paid them that they use on their taxes.
Yes, I'm not happy sometimes but way better compare to my previous job. (: I can watch your youtube on Monday morning at home in the middle of culling. (:
It really is hard being on a totally different wavelength than everyone around you. Friends always hitting up being like "hey you trying to do this thing?" Nope sorry, it's on a weekend and I have a wedding. Thanks. lol
I’m not sure I fully understand the question but the biggest thing is setting expectations with your clients. If they know what you do or do not do you won’t have to figure out how to respond in certain situations.
That does sound lonely lol when I have a travel Wedding I bring my husband and once we brought the kids too. They go explore while im at the wedding then they are at the hotel when my work day is over.
I wish I could do that. Usually we since we have 4 kids it ends up being too much and also it ends up costing so much money that at that point we're like "why are you even taking weddings"
@@jbivphotography Yea, we have 4 as well. I think you travel further than me though to be fair. I can drive to all locations I have done so far. Airfare for a family of 6 would end them going with lol
@@jbivphotography it doesn’t happen much anymore, but I’ve had the bride arrive an hour or two late, coordinator says nothing to the bride of course, but yells at me to hurry up because we’re behind schedule like it’s my fault somehow LOL
10 years in the industry here in the Philippines, I must say wedding is a creative way to portrary the moments and memories of the couple. Just be specific on the creative you want, and the rest are simple, and memorable photos.
The number 1 is 100% . 😂 Basically to sum it up, Wedding Photography is a business. It’s truly different to a creative kind of photography as most of the photos you’re making is the same over and over again.
I needed to switch my camera system for a move recently and other personal needs around photography, but I wanted to try some form of apprenticeship. Would not having the same system as the main photographer really cripple me as far as finding people to work with? I kept a few accessories from the last system so that I would just need to rent a body and specific lenses for the day of.
So from my perspective it wouldn't. But from what I've seen about photographers asking for second photographers and things I would say yes it would. IDK why but people don't want to shoot with other photogs than don't use the same system as them. Honestly it's super annoying.
Yes make a difficult clients video. When they don’t like the edit and want raws and want you to do a beauty edit of their face in every single photo… lol air brush me
Maybe I'm just newer to weddings than you are John, but I think if you're not having an element of creativity and it's exactly the same every time, you're not learning, and not improving. I know the pattern you're talking about, but there's definitely room for creativity in the small things. Totally agree with the point about it being a business first, all being customer service (heaps of experience in that) and it being lonely. It's kind of for real, but I sometimes make many friends with couples because I tend to find my ideal couples frequently. (And I got Squarespace :p)
Thanks for sharing. Yeah the creativity is really in the small areas. I think a lot of people don't realize that when they don't shoot weddings which is why they're not a big fan of wedding photography. But personally I think it's creative enough and I have lots of fun with it.
@@jbivphotography totally! I love the flatlays, the bridal getting ready and the portrait shoot. Give me some good back lighting 20 mins before sunset, an adventurous/chilled couple, and I'm like a kid in a candy store every time. Thanks for your videos as usual. I always look forward to seeing you upload! I'd love to hear if you're ever traveling to Australia 🤠🇦🇺🌏
It’s actually just exploring the pros and cons of a subject. If you’d like the positive version of this same video check this one out. ua-cam.com/video/9lREfQyFdrQ/v-deo.html
I’m still very much in the beginning of my wedding photography career, but I had such a difficult client (my first difficult one) recently and it really sucked. I felt mugged off cause I undercharged, so yeah I mugged myself off 🥲 and then after that they went back on the agreement of what I was allowed to share for my portfolio (initially they said faceless pics are fine, then the bride freaked out and demanded they be taken down, having her mother call me too). After working soooo hard on their engagement, putting in the work on the day and ofc hours and hours of editing afterwards, when I calculated how much I earned I wanted to CRY😭. SO many lessons learnt there and I know I didn’t set boundaries, I didn’t value my own self half enough and so that’s why it stung so much 🥲
Sometimes we burn to learn but it's only in our trials and mistakes, we can make improvements. It hurts but it helps us to be better prepared in future. Don't be afraid to value yourself and your work, wedding photography is a whole lot of work that only we would know what happens behind the scenes and that after the sweat of capturing all the right images. Don't stress we all had a day like that but life goes on.
@@mr.gratitude7594 Thanks man I really appreciate that, you're right, it's only when you're in the thick of it that you see how much work it actually is - post that experience I found myself educating potential clients on how many hours goes in to it, it's surprising how many people still think wedding photography is just turning up, pressing buttons and handing the photos over. On the other hand, every other client I've had so far has been pleasant - absolute sweethearts so you can't let one experience put you off, lots to learn!
Yes please talk about the difficult couples you’ve had to handle during shoots and also how you maneuvered around it 🙏🏼
It really is a skill. Totally will put that on my pipeline.
You have to be a “yes man”… make sure you get paid before leaving lol… stupid clients need to realize the final result of their photos rest in the lap of the photographer.. you treat me bad you won’t get your pimples removed or the glare out of your glasses… period..
i guess I can never be a wedding photographer lol
@@kenneth_mirez you can… just find cheap clients who can’t complain.. they get what they pay for.. they’re too poor to complain.
@@RyanREAX i've always thought that the poorer ones are the ones that complain more (speaking from my experience delivering food with doordash to lowball tippers)
Reason 2 is basically why I don't do wedding photography full-time. I threw myself into it because I loved the photography aspect and the actual wedding days, but quickly found out that 90% of 'wedding photography' is business. I still do it on the side as an earner, but don't stress about the business side of things anymore as I don't rely on it to make a living. But reason 6 is one of the things I love! I really enjoy going to restaurants by myself or getting a takeaway alone and knowing that nobody's going to kill my vibe!
Reason number 6.. You get NO weekends free. Been shooting weddings for 20 years and not until COVID did I realize just how much time I lost on weekends. Some times I would be shooting a wedding on Sat then Sunday... Just was life for me and its all i knew.... COVID comes and all weddings gone for a year or more and all of a sudden I was left with Saturdays and Sundays with free time and man I will tell you it changed my life... I haven't wanted to go back since so I am not booking as much now because I want time with family.
I take off Wed Thurs now, just because of this.
@@thewildblake622 I started taking Mondays off... then I started falling behind again.. so mondays back on.
It's a very very small sacrifice if this is your dream job. If you were an NBA player, you wouldn't complain about playing games on weekends.
@@jgonulsen2 Yes if I was in the top 1% of the worlds best making millions you are correct... I would not complain.
@@Chad-Dion well yeah. but then it's not about the weekends. it's about the money.
15 years, 500+ weddings, everything said here is spot on 100%!! Now the travel on my own, used to it & love it. Nice one John!
I REALLY apprecaite that from someone with such tenure in the industry. Thanks for watching and sharing.
Yap! 100% 😉 So good to hear you saying these things because that!s just the reality. Especially the last point we don't use to speak about, when we tell about how great it is to be a destination wedding photographer.
Mate!! Yes!! 😂🙌 Thank you so much for this video, I have not laughed, and felt so seen, as much as this when it comes to wedding stuff for a LOOOONG time. I hardly ever hear other photographers talk SO candidly about the bad side of weddings, so it's really refreshing to know there are people out there who experience the same stuff as me. When you spoke about it being repetitive - this is one of my biggest bug bears about the job. And the bit when you said "you have to drive out to the middle of nowhere and hope you don't die" - I FELT THAT 😂😂😂
Excellent points! 11 year wedding photographer here and you absolutely hit the nail on the head.
Wedding photography is not for the feint of heart at all.
your first point was the exact reason i got tired of shooting weddings... 3years into it i realized it was just different faces, outfits, locations but same process. especially in nigeria with very cultural activities, documenting certain parts of the event almomst have to be done thesame way all the time.
Anyone regrets becoming a wedding photographer? Share your story!
Not really. I 90% enjoy it. There is that 10% that no matter how much I thought the clients and I would mesh the day of they did a 180 on me lol
I'm trying to retire and just focus on boudior 🥴 but I do love my couples so it's tough!
i am not a full on wedding photographer but it is a side job as an upcoming photographer
I did two free weddings for friends of mine because they were as broke as I was but they were real good friends. Just from that experience nobody was a bridezilla but it was a total pain in the butt to try to get everybody into the photographs at the right time. I have since been to weddings with professional photographers in place and I have seen how the people act at the weddings. I know why I’m not a wedding photographer because I would’ve told somebody to fork off.
Hi John. I appreciate your honesty in letting prospective wedding photographers know in advance what they may be have to experience in the “real” world. Running a buisness requires much planning, adapting to changing needs of your client base & learning how to manage stressful situations. Being a versatile photographer has advantages, but I also believe that photographers need to find their passion in whatever field of photography that they chose to purse. Finding some time to pursue personal projects can fuel your passion & feed your soul. This is not always easy to do, but it can help you maintain your “sanity.” Cheers!😎
Thanks for putting out the information, John! Please make a video about handling difficult clients. Recently had a client who ignored parts of my contract that asked not to add filters to my images. After all the work, it just feels bad to see them repost manipulated images.
You got it! It really is the most annoying when stuff like that happens.
You can remind them the contract they signed and asked them to take the filtered photos down as it doesn't represent your work.
Great Great Great content as I approach my first wedding!! & thank you
thank you!
Totally agree it’s a 90% customer focussed job Where every answer you give your clients is a yes with a smile and it really is a highly pressured job and on the day you haven’t got time to eat no meals
As a wedding photographer from Croatia (sorry for my english 😊) I agree with you in all 4 points...partly 🙂. There is always possibility to be creative at least just a little bit through the day or editing, in 14 years I had 2 problematic couples and that can be resolved right in the start if you tell and show then exactly how and what are you doing. I work alone and is pretty simple regarding taxes and all other staff here in Croatia and last, loneliness...well sometimes fell good to rest a little bit but that all depends on person....
Great video man. Been doing this since 2014 and while all of those challenges are totally a thing, it's absolutely worth it!
Totally agree! I still enjoy it so much. I also really enjoy seeing couples so happy with my work and being a part of their family even if just for a little bit.
Great that mentioned about the weddings shoots..and the boring shots repeated again & again even though creativety is involved . I do have a question that I come across during all this ..that a group of photographers shoot a wedding and end up with 5000-6000 pictures and give the coupe a coupe of hundred for their album . What's the point to kill your camera's shutter unnecessary..or rather if the client has been charged a blown up rate would it justify ??.
Yes dude! Haha the sitting in the hotel debating eating out by yourself 😂
The realest feel
The few times I've shot weddings always reminded me why I shouldn't do them. They are extremely stressful and can become a nightmare in the aftermath of it all.
Reason one is the most relatable for me since I've been shooting for almost 2 years, I feel like my creativity has gone downhill due to the repetition of events every day. Weddings drain your creative side more than anything.
I have worked in the childcare industry for years…. So Its a very high demand job and you have to have great customer service/be personable with the parents. Every time I have a second shooter they’re like how are you so calm? Lol! I’m a go with the flow type of person because of my childcare background and nothing EVER goes as planned in a classroom lol! I love wedding photography and everything you said is absolutely correct!
excellent video!!! Clear and sincere!!! Truthfull. Thanks for sharing and your work.... its lovely!!! Greetings from México 👌
Thank you very much!
Would very much appreciate a tips video of dealing with difficult wedding couples or wedding planner. Thank you for the great content!
Totally. That should be a great video!
@@jbivphotography yes! I want to hear about that wedding planner screaming at you! Go Jessica Kobessi on us about the story haha
I’ve shot weddings for the last 7 years, various part time work for about 5 years prior, and hAd a cAmeRa iN mY hAnD mY wHoLe LiFe. My biggest gripe with the industry is the number of people who would just… complain about how much they hated it? Hated the photo taking, hated the weddings- it was always clear it was to those people what they thought was “easy” money and social media clout. It always seemed easy to differentiate who hated the weddings themselves, who hated the actual photo taking, or both.
I'm glad you touched on all these points. Highly agree with all of them and especially the point on 90% customer service. Would love to second for you if you ever need it . I'm in Charlotte!
It's so true. People don't realize how much wedding photography, or honestly any style of photography where you have a paying client, is just straight up customer service.
80% percent correct, everything but the part about creativity. If you are not pushing yourself, it is not a creative art. Of course the frame work might be the same for most weddings, but its what you do within that structure. Every wedding is different, even if it is at the same location. I don't believe in locking down a certain style, I let the day dictate what my wedding will look like. Time of day, weather and the bride and groom all factor into what my weddings looks. I am always trying to come up with creative solutions at a wedding. Every style of photography is this way, even the fine art styles. We are doing the same thing over and over, but creativity comes from pushing your limits and trying new things.
I did not think i would like Wedding photography. But after I did a few, it really grew on me. It probably helps that I did a lot of customer service jobs in my life. I am also a HUGE Extrovert lol. so i just talk to everyone. I would also like to cast my vote for a video on working with troublesome couples / vendors lol.
Thanks for all your content. Wanted to ask if you have any video on what you tell your clients when they ask what they’ll be receiving
I pretty much know what I'll be giving my couples. As far as how many photos, how I edit, so on, so fourth. That would be good for a video about client meetings probably.
@@jbivphotography yes sir, would appreciate that
I love this. super real and very relatable. Although, wedding photography is my favorite kind of photography.
John is 1000 percent right on this one, it is pretty much preset down to the shot list. You have variations based on things that pop up like the couple being late in extreme cases, but it’s the same thing. The thing is you get better at it because you do the same thing over and over again. The photos, videos and possible drone shots.
John is also right that if you are smart you will have some type of presets to make the editing process simple. The things that make this rudimentary are the things that can make you great at it. If you want to be creative, do Portrait or Landscape photography.
The business end of your photography and videography will end your business quickly if you are not organized and the IRS is ruthless. John please do a video on your bridezillas. I have a good one for you and your audience. The venue that we were at looked nice on the outside and good on the inside because they were completing construction before the wedding.
The thing that none of us knew until later was that the toilets didn’t work and the establishment was handing out buckets to those using the facilities. On top of this, the bride didn’t want us to take a picture of her dress while she was getting ready, she didn’t want us to take pictures of her while she got ready and getting ring pictures from her was like pulling teeth after asking 9 times.
The brides mother was even worst. We later found out that the groom was still married to his ex-wife and he hadn’t completed that paperwork yet and obviously we never took any pictures of the marriage license. For the video she wouldn’t sit still and as she danced with her husband we felt that she used her friends to block us in a circle. It was weird and the yelling. I could go on, but I won’t, it was horrible to say the least. Good inner personal skills are a must. If you are not extremely organized hire an accountant please!!!
👏👏👏 Well explained! I'm glad other photogs get it. The main thing for everyone to remember as well it doesn't mean I hate wedding photography, just being real about some of the cons.
Hi John, I’m a huge fan of your natural feels preset and I’ve used it to edit my wedding photos through imagen ai. Do you sell that preset? Let me know so I can purchase it thanks 🙏🏻
Being lonely is the truth. Eating a fast meal by myself in a closet is both peaceful and also feels so sad. But it's also the only break of the weekend.
so true!
Yes please make a video about difficult clients.
I think what I do is I have my "consistent look" for editing and then I send what I think is the "hero" shot to the couple, and send them 4 different edits of the same shot and let them pick which they like the most, and edit in the style of their choice
Why? Just edit all 4 and send all 4…
@@RyanREAX think you miss understood what I said, I do edit all 4 and send all 4
Please talk about how to guide during shoot
Couple of questions: 1. Would you suggest the T4 over the T3? 2. Do you do workshops in the Atlanta Area? Love your content! Thanks
The loneliness part about your job really hits home. When I was an international fashion model, I was working in all these glamorous cities and I was alone. Except for the one crazy roommate that one time but that's another story. I was married and I had a child so that wasn't ideal either, the agency wanted me to move me and my family to Paris. My husband was like, what am I going to do? lol Having a job where you travel to glamorous locations sounds cool but it's actually very lonely.
Thanks am learning a lot from you 🙏🙏
Hey John, Thanks for all the great videos here, can you tell me where to get the sparkles you use for the send off? Thanks in advance😍
You're welcome. You're talkinga bout the sparklers that everyone is holding? I think most couples purchase them off of Amazon or something of that sort.
Ok I thought the photographer provided those. Thanks ahain
Yes please make a video about difficult people and how to deal with them
Yoooo The honesty you are spitting is magic! This isnt glamorous..... The creative side is lacking with weddings.
I gotta let them know. It's not as butterflies and rainbows as everyone thinks.
Straight facts right there. Thanks for the honesty
Sooooooo much truth in this. You confirmed that I’m not crazy.
You're not!
I totally feel every word you mentioned brother.
Bloody brilliant 😮 after 20 years filming and photo I hate every wedding I do! Retiring next year and I will never go to a wedding again even as a f……..g guest
Yes, Please - how to deal with difficult to photograph couples can be the worst. *Or Bride was overwhelmed & needing a break from photos right After the first look* I managed but it Was difficult, I was patient & was able to get the portraits but it was a learning Experience.
Hard truth. Thanks for sharing.
Yep yep. It's that hard truth that many don't realize is there until they start doing weddings themselves.
@@jbivphotography Absolutely.
Another excellent video. Imagine shooting weddings in the film days and worrying about mailing your rolls to the lab!
Add low pay as another reason. It seems like you are successful and doing well, but a small percentage of wedding photographers charge enough and book enough to make a decent living. My bread and butter photography was commercial/industrial. All my weddings were word of mouth I’d shoot maybe 25 weddings a year.
Yes weddings are stressful and like herding cats. Luckily I had almost all positive experiences with very few difficult clients. I learned to recognize problem clients at the interview and just wouldn’t book them.
Can you suggest some good places to get picked up for second shooting? How do you find your second shooters? What do you look for?
Honestly a lot of the time recently I've had a hard time finding seconds. I'm really just going through Facebook groups and things. As far as what to look for in a second is experience and decent photos. Outside of that someone who will support me throughout the day and not be too concerned with getting their own pictures.
Guess we all have different experiences. I like being a wedding photographer because it is *not* the same shoot over and over again. The ceremonies are different, the personalities are different, the lighting is different -- so I use that challenge to be creative with my photos. And I'm never lonely. The feeling I get after a shoot is exhilaration, not loneliness.
I was a photographer in a wedding firm . I begin there as intern and I must say the entire wedding photography firm was a disaster . I must say under paid staff ,and the top owners just wanted to come for 45 minutes and take the main shots and leave . The other junior senior photographers did all the work along with editing and then we're underpaid . ...after a point every body wanted to be the "OWNER" after being sick of being a pawn .and ultimately everything disabled and every single of them left .
I did one wedding for a photography company like that and it was the WORST. I know EXACTLY what you're talking about.
Hahaa well yes . The owners just wanted to be the "face " after they got famous . They started overpricing the shoots . But the clients pay that hefty amount for them to come and take their photographs or at the least be there and present guiding the the team .
As sometimes the days were overbooked and they couldn't make it .and the people who worked under them had to handle the clients also .
Meanwhile they took all the money for appearing in an "jaguar" or "mini cooper " and wear Rolex .it's was all the "SHOW" since it's celebrity clients .
The photographers and filmers were constantly denied a raise .
After a point the people who worked under them the senior and juniors everybody lost the patience blasted the owners in a group chat and left .
Well I think you should have also have added a point in the video that to be a big wedding photographer and run a company , one must show up and not be greedy or worried about the "IMAGE " .
As a wedding photographer whether your a senior junior or the owner ,you must be ready to get your hands dirty and get the shots and stay throughout the wedding .
@@vysh-yz1lz I feel like being prepared to stay and do the wedding is a given! Its so strange to me to think the owners would do so little work and leave the lions share to underpaid staff. That's asking to have it come undone.
@@JoshuaMcTackett 💯
Hahaha driving out in the middle of nowhere and hope you don't die! Yes!!!!! Just this Saturday coming back from Asheville I took a wrong turn on 40 and ended up taking back roads for over a hour and a half it was terrible! I took the highway the entire way there.
OMG Asheville weddings are exactly what I was talking about. I've been doing weddings out in Nantahala which is like 2 hours west of Asheville. No reception, no lights, MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! scary stuff. LOL
@@jbivphotography I was at Highland Brewery this past weekend. Great venue but one small wrong turn put me on back roads all night coming home. I love this video. Especially the customer service part. We have a team, there are 10 of us. They can't believe the junk I put up with from couples and planners sometimes trying to keep everyone happy. (Front Row Films co)
100% agree with you
👏👏👏
yes please i would like to see you make a video on how to deal with difficult clients who are just stuck up, on even the clients parents who also just stuck up and bossy
OOOOOOO yeah. That's the worst!
I agree with all the points said in the video! Also, amongst many other reasons, do NOT go into weddings unless you are expertise in all working with lighting situations. Lol
Yep yep. Learning all you can before you start getting into weddings is HUGE. Honestly it’s one of the main parts.
Weddings for me, these days, are extremely physically exhausting. I'm not young anymore and a lot of my joints hurt.
I feel this so much. I get done with a wedding and my feet and knees are just TORN UP! On the same end tho I really was never that young when I started. I was already like 28ish when I started doing weddings or so.....actually closer to 30 🙃
I live in Australia. Please tell me what 1099's are? Thanks.
I’m not sure what the best way to explain it is since I’m not sure how money stuff works in Australia. But basically if you have someone work for your business and pay them as a contractor you have to send them a 1099 that is basically the proof of how much you paid them that they use on their taxes.
Yes, I'm not happy sometimes but way better compare to my previous job. (: I can watch your youtube on Monday morning at home in the middle of culling. (:
I've done the over head shot at wedding receptions when everyones dancing, even me on a chair lol.
The thumbnail and title are clickbait lol
No weekends and missing out on family events too. Been doing it 13 years its exhasuting lol.
It really is hard being on a totally different wavelength than everyone around you. Friends always hitting up being like "hey you trying to do this thing?" Nope sorry, it's on a weekend and I have a wedding. Thanks. lol
yes John let us know how to deal with that kinda costumer, I really uuufff wow so hart to say, but pleaseeee give us the way to get it off it.
Totally! It’ll be a great video.
THANKYOU...
You're welcome!
Yes plz share how to deal with difficult customers
Sure 😊
What if the client want those kinda pictures taken on a skyscrapers... how do you respond to such clients
I’m not sure I fully understand the question but the biggest thing is setting expectations with your clients. If they know what you do or do not do you won’t have to figure out how to respond in certain situations.
My husband is my second shooter so hoping to book mostly with second shooter packages so I can take him along every time 😜🤪
See that's the way to do it. Then you get all your trips paid for and just have an amazing time together!
That does sound lonely lol when I have a travel Wedding I bring my husband and once we brought the kids too. They go explore while im at the wedding then they are at the hotel when my work day is over.
I wish I could do that. Usually we since we have 4 kids it ends up being too much and also it ends up costing so much money that at that point we're like "why are you even taking weddings"
@@jbivphotography Yea, we have 4 as well. I think you travel further than me though to be fair. I can drive to all locations I have done so far. Airfare for a family of 6 would end them going with lol
@@kaileeginzl7269 Super true! I'm taking my family to the beach for an engagement session I have coming up.
If you want to be just a photographer, second shoot or work for a photography studio company
Exactly! I made a video about that and everything.
Never really had an angry couple, but definitely some angry wedding coordinators
THIS! I don't have many angry couples either, but the other vendors esspecially coordinators and venue coordinators. OMG
@@jbivphotography it doesn’t happen much anymore, but I’ve had the bride arrive an hour or two late, coordinator says nothing to the bride of course, but yells at me to hurry up because we’re behind schedule like it’s my fault somehow LOL
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
I would love a video of how to deal with clients
Awesome! I'll try and put something together.
I LOOOOVE travelling alone 😂
10 years in the industry here in the Philippines, I must say wedding is a creative way to portrary the moments and memories of the couple. Just be specific on the creative you want, and the rest are simple, and memorable photos.
can't agree more
The number 1 is 100% . 😂 Basically to sum it up, Wedding Photography is a business. It’s truly different to a creative kind of photography as most of the photos you’re making is the same over and over again.
Ha haaa. Doing my first wedding in June, wish me luck.
Good luck! I'm sure you'll do awesome.
me recently: ate almonds and cuties in the hotel room for dinner 😂
LOL. This really is the realest! So many late night snack diners in a hotel room.
I needed to switch my camera system for a move recently and other personal needs around photography, but I wanted to try some form of apprenticeship. Would not having the same system as the main photographer really cripple me as far as finding people to work with? I kept a few accessories from the last system so that I would just need to rent a body and specific lenses for the day of.
So from my perspective it wouldn't. But from what I've seen about photographers asking for second photographers and things I would say yes it would. IDK why but people don't want to shoot with other photogs than don't use the same system as them. Honestly it's super annoying.
We gotta talk about that suit you’ve been rocking! Share the deets!
Looking to make a whole video about it actually. I LOVE THEM. So comfortable I could wear it everyday.
Reason 5 is so real lol
You still use Pic-time?
I do. It's my main way of delivering images.
@@jbivphotography Awwww I see, square website is the portfolio and pic time is the delivery mechanism.
@@bm2rambusify Exactly
i guess I can never be a wedding photographer lol
It's deff not for everyone.
Third wheel party man :)
Yeeeeee
Hii bro luv u❣️😎
Thanks so much! Hope you're enjoying everything.
If you are an introvert, you don't want to be a wedding photographer!
So i take it as ur about to quit??
😂😂😂 Not yet. I still enjoy weddings.
Yes make a difficult clients video. When they don’t like the edit and want raws and want you to do a beauty edit of their face in every single photo… lol air brush me
Maybe I'm just newer to weddings than you are John, but I think if you're not having an element of creativity and it's exactly the same every time, you're not learning, and not improving.
I know the pattern you're talking about, but there's definitely room for creativity in the small things.
Totally agree with the point about it being a business first, all being customer service (heaps of experience in that) and it being lonely. It's kind of for real, but I sometimes make many friends with couples because I tend to find my ideal couples frequently. (And I got Squarespace :p)
Thanks for sharing. Yeah the creativity is really in the small areas. I think a lot of people don't realize that when they don't shoot weddings which is why they're not a big fan of wedding photography. But personally I think it's creative enough and I have lots of fun with it.
@@jbivphotography totally! I love the flatlays, the bridal getting ready and the portrait shoot. Give me some good back lighting 20 mins before sunset, an adventurous/chilled couple, and I'm like a kid in a candy store every time.
Thanks for your videos as usual. I always look forward to seeing you upload! I'd love to hear if you're ever traveling to Australia 🤠🇦🇺🌏
P R E A C H !!!
It ıs not honest to say someone like not which actually you are :)
Negative video
It’s actually just exploring the pros and cons of a subject. If you’d like the positive version of this same video check this one out.
ua-cam.com/video/9lREfQyFdrQ/v-deo.html
Stop clapping at me.
😂😂😂
Give me my Money back… your preset doesnt work… !!!
Hi. Please send me an email for support. I’ll be happy to help further.
I’m still very much in the beginning of my wedding photography career, but I had such a difficult client (my first difficult one) recently and it really sucked. I felt mugged off cause I undercharged, so yeah I mugged myself off 🥲 and then after that they went back on the agreement of what I was allowed to share for my portfolio (initially they said faceless pics are fine, then the bride freaked out and demanded they be taken down, having her mother call me too). After working soooo hard on their engagement, putting in the work on the day and ofc hours and hours of editing afterwards, when I calculated how much I earned I wanted to CRY😭. SO many lessons learnt there and I know I didn’t set boundaries, I didn’t value my own self half enough and so that’s why it stung so much 🥲
Sometimes we burn to learn but it's only in our trials and mistakes, we can make improvements. It hurts but it helps us to be better prepared in future. Don't be afraid to value yourself and your work, wedding photography is a whole lot of work that only we would know what happens behind the scenes and that after the sweat of capturing all the right images. Don't stress we all had a day like that but life goes on.
@@mr.gratitude7594 Thanks man I really appreciate that, you're right, it's only when you're in the thick of it that you see how much work it actually is - post that experience I found myself educating potential clients on how many hours goes in to it, it's surprising how many people still think wedding photography is just turning up, pressing buttons and handing the photos over. On the other hand, every other client I've had so far has been pleasant - absolute sweethearts so you can't let one experience put you off, lots to learn!