Wedding photographers websites....Why so bad.

[wmoore]

I've been having a look at some wedding photography websites and I shake my head in disbelief.
My gripes

On your home page I want to see samples of your work. Nice big samples, not tiny thumbnails that I can't enlarge.

And with your samples I want to see your best work, I want to see the bride and groom and not a horse that takes centre stage.

Also I don't want a 4000 word essay on how wonderful you are as a photographer. Yes you(like everyone else) capture those special wonderful, life changing, precious, one of a kind, memories...blah blah. I want to see your work!

I want to know you by your name. I want to make a connection with you.

Then the photos
Poor choice of backgrounds
The couple so far away I need a telescope to see them
Over done Selective colouring
Bad framing of the shot
and probably more.

[Donald]

Because everyone thinks they can do it and don't appreciate it is one of the most demanding photographic tasks that is out there.

We haven't had any, "I've been asked to photograph my cousin's wedding because last week I got my first ever camera and everyone said it was nice so I must be able to make good pictures. Can you tell me which way to point it?", type of posts for a while. The response from a great number of us on here is, 'Don't touch it". But the uninformed enthusiast is not always the best listener.

Some of them even go on to set themselves up as pro wedding photographers and have the audacity to set up websites that illustrate how awful they are.

[hoffstriker]

Well, you could have just told me I was bad Donald....

[Donald]

Well, you could have just told me I was bad Donald....

But I don't know if you are. The wedding gallery on your site is protected, so we can't view it.

The few that you do have in your portfolio gallery are good.

[hoffstriker]

They are about the same, and I'm not really happy with them. I'm actually not happy with any part of my website right now. I am trying to save up some cash to go with dedicated sites for the different areas I serve, and then customize. It's hard to look at my shots and then compare them with the likes of Denis Reggie. Once I have some kinda organization set-up I'll be sure to let everyone know. I am a publicity whore after all.....

BTW: I was kinda joking with the first comment just to say "Hi" since I don't really have too much time to spend on forums these days..... I miss spending hours just discussing tech crap....

[Donald]

BTW: I was kinda joking with the first comment just to say "Hi" since I don't really have too much time to spend on forums these days..... I miss spending hours just discussing tech crap....

Been wondering where you were. Hope my friend and assistant Rufus is still okay.

[hoffstriker]

Well, Im at home sick today and he is being wonderful by laying next to me all day. Actually, he's dying. He has quite bad heart problems, and the vet actually told us, a couple of months ago, there is nothing they can do anymore for him. He was given a year to live approx. 13 months ago, but for some reason the little guy decided to simply ignore what the docs said. It's actually quite funny considering the vet told us, at our monthly visit, that he doesn't act like a dog that is sick; let alone a dog that should be dead! They warn us every month to be very careful to not let him run around, cause he could have a heart attack and die on the spot. BUT, very time I open the back door he comes bolting out and runs the entirety of our 1.5 acre yard. We simply tell people (and the vets) that his heart is so big because he has so much love to still give...

Thanks for inquiring... Take care Donald...

[Colin Southern]

I've been having a look at some wedding photography websites and I shake my head in disbelief.

Yes - I agree.

On your home page I want to see samples of your work. Nice big samples, not tiny thumbnails that I can't enlarge.

(playing devil's advocate here) - if they had high resolution examples then folks would copy them - print them - and do them out of income (because their work is so good!) ... not to mention lift them for unauthorized use on other sites/blogs etc.

And with your samples I want to see your best work, I want to see the bride and groom and not a horse that takes center stage.

That probably IS their best work. An amateur practices until they get it right ... a professional practices until they never get is wrong. Most wedding photographers are amateurs in terms of their competence They have no formal training in photography - they don't understand lighting - they don't understand the technicalities of the craft either. And they rely on post-processing too much (and they're not great at that either).

Also I don't want a 4000 word essay on how wonderful you are as a photographer. Yes you(like everyone else) capture those special wonderful, life changing, precious, one of a kind, memories...blah blah. I want to see your work!

If I had a $1 for every time I've heard "make you shoot like a pro" as a book title and "capture those special moments with no other" as part of a wedding photographer's website then I'd be a rich man.

I want to know you by your name. I want to make a connection with you.

You may as well close your eyes and throw a dart - they're pretty much all the same, except for high-end true professionals

Then the photos
Poor choice of backgrounds
The couple so far away I need a telescope to see them
Over done Selective colouring
Bad framing of the shot
and probably more.

Yep - you got it! Most just don't have a clue.

[nimitzbenedicto]

Perhaps it's a characteristic common to all newbies.
( Possible exceptions are those, who were born pro-photographers.)
Newbies start off with a little knowledge, gradually they learn/they gain experience. With perseverance/determination, some make it. Of course, some don't. Some give up and turn to other pursuits.
But........they did it - some are still doing it. ( not just "trying" )
They weren't/aren't just "spectators" kibitzers.

Sometime ago in Bangkok. During a Muay Thai bout, some european dudes were heckling a fighter in the ring ( an Aussie). Until a mate of the fighter turns to them and challenges them to take off their shirts and step in the ring. Put up or shut-up.

It takes guts to go out there and do it. But no guts necesssary to.......

Here is a pro website, as suggested by Chris' http://www.denisreggie.com/ .

[Steaphany]

On a similar theme, I'm on a local business group on facebook where various local businesses post about their goods and services. Recently, there have been "photographers" popping up. They will list some monthly promotion sale prices, they will say what form of "portraiture" they do, some will link to some web site, but none have made any posts of their sample photography.

I have never bothered to check out their web sites, their adverts are too crude to even make me curious, but a problem I see with all this is the uneducated public contact and hire these people because they "believe" them to be photographers.

To muddy the waters and taunt them a bit, I added a post which shows some examples of my work, I state that prints are available for purchase, and to contact me on size and framing options. I was expecting these "photographers" to become inspired and post examples of their work, but nope, they just now seem to run their crappy adverts all the more frequently.

Hmmm I wonder if they have nothing to show off and they know they don't.

[rpcrowe]

Perhaps it is because a great percentage of wedding photographers are not really qualified. Many folks think that just because they own a DSLR, they can do weddings. This is simply not true...

[jeeperman]

The same thing is happening to the real estate work. Many agents now make their own images. However....you want to sell your house find one whom still uses a known photographer. Unless ofcourse you are proficient enough to do it yourself, but the average Joe....

It is just sad when surfing sites to see what is out there in either arena.

[Colin Southern]

It takes guts to go out there and do it. But no guts necesssary to.......

For sure - no argument there. The issue I have with many of them though is that they put only their best work on display and thus people get the perception that they can deliver consistent results to that standard all the time, when in reality they can't. And as a result they're engaged to record a once-in-a-lifetime failure-is-not-an-option event and frequently come up short.

It takes courage to slice someone open with a scalpel and reach inside and mess with their insides too, but I sure as heck wouldn't want a brave amateur doing it -- I'd want a trained professional with qualifications & experience. As I see it, wedding couples are clients - not customers (with the difference being of course that a client is someone who is "under the care" of a professional).

If someone wants to photograph a wedding - on the undertaking that their abilities and risks are fully disclosed to the client - then I have no problem what-so-ever. What I do have the problem with is so-called professionals who essentially use false and misleading advertising - over-promise - and then under-deliver.

Just my 10c worth anyway.

[Manfred M]

I think Canon, Nikon, etc, have simply done too good a job with their sales literature. They seem to have convinced the world that the newest, greatest camera is so automated that all you have to do is point in the right general direction and push the shutter release and you will walk away with stunning pictures.

I remember chatting with the photographers at my cousin's wedding, a couple of years ago. It didn't take long to figure out I knew more about photography than they did (and I've never shot a wedding). Scary stuff. I think we've gotten to the point where the pros have been displaced by the soccer moms who figure they can make some pin money shooting weddings. Wedding photograhy has become a commodity and there is always someone out there is willing to work on a break even basis, to try to break into the business.

These people also figure that they need a website, so they get out there and put together a quick website in Wordpress. Unfortunately, their web design skills are not great and they get really busy putting together fancy animations and forget that what the potential client really wants to do is see samples of their work to see if they like it or not. Frustrating potential clients with hard to navigate websites that really don't show relevent examples of the work are not going to help land sales. And why do most of these sites play tacky music?

[nimitzbenedicto]

For sure - no argument there. The issue I have with many of them though is that they put only their best work on display and thus people get the perception that they can deliver consistent results to that standard all the time, when in reality they can't. And as a result they're engaged to record a once-in-a-lifetime failure-is-not-an-option event and frequently come up short.

What I do have the problem with is so-called professionals who essentially use false and misleading advertising - over-promise - and then under-deliver.

Just my 10c worth anyway.

Hi Colin,

Yes. Definitely agree.

[wmoore]

Yes - I agree.

(playing devil's advocate here) - if they had high resolution examples then folks would copy them - print them - and do them out of income (because their work is so good!) ... not to mention lift them for unauthorized use on other sites/blogs etc.

They don't have to be high res examples but I would like them bigger than 1 inch by 1 inch thumbnails.

That probably IS their best work. An amateur practices until they get it right ... a professional practices until they never get is wrong. Most wedding photographers are amateurs in terms of their competence They have no formal training in photography - they don't understand lighting - they don't understand the technicalities of the craft either. And they rely on post-processing too much (and they're not great at that either).

But if you look through their site, there are photos that would be better suited for their main photo.

If I had a $1 for every time I've heard "make you shoot like a pro" as a book title and "capture those special moments with no other" as part of a wedding photographer's website then I'd be a rich man.

You may as well close your eyes and throw a dart - they're pretty much all the same, except for high-end true professionals

Yep - you got it! Most just don't have a clue.

[arith]

Perhaps it is because a great percentage of wedding photographers are not really qualified. Many folks think that just because they own a DSLR, they can do weddings. This is simply not true...

You see I pick things up on this site and know how to do it without stepping out the door. I like the girl to glance at the camera, I like eye contact and an expression as might be caused by saying something, and most of all, the bride, the bride,the bride, the bride, the bride.

As Richard said.

[arith]

The same thing is happening to the real estate work. Many agents now make their own images. However....you want to sell your house find one whom still uses a known photographer. Unless ofcourse you are proficient enough to do it yourself, but the average Joe....

It is just sad when surfing sites to see what is out there in either arena.

My landlord owns 5000+ properties where a hospital is counted as one and yet employs an idiot with a point and shoot, who always takes pics from the hip even people.
He took a pic of me for the local paper and I had to threaten them with legal action if they used it.

[nimitzbenedicto]

Most don't like getting scammed/deceived by posers. So what do we do.

Perhaps an example can help me clarify. Friends , Mr. A and Mr. B wants their respective cars repaired. So they go to an autorepair shop and are met by an oil-stained mechanic. As they explain their car-defects, they notice the mechanic is talking about contact-points, and other outdated car matters. Mr. A takes upon himself to taunt and educate the ignorant mechanic about modern day CDIgnition, fuel-injection, computerized suspension blabity-bla.

Mr. B. leaves, finds a competent mechanic, gets his car repaired and 3 hrs later passes by the 1st shop where Mr. A is still lecturing/showing off his superior car repair knowledge to the "duh" mechanic .

My landlord owns 5000+ properties where a hospital is counted as one and yet employs an idiot with a point and shoot, who always takes pics from the hip even people.
He took a pic of me for the local paper and I had to threaten them with legal action if they used it.

hmmmm......... So the landlord knows the guy is an idiot with a PnS. Yet he still employs the idiot and even entrusts the idiot to take pictures???

[Colin Southern]

Frustrating potential clients with hard to navigate websites that really don't show relevent examples of the work are not going to help land sales. And why do most of these sites play tacky music?

I kinda agree - the ironic part is though that most watch companies have exactly the same bad sites! Taken a look at www.rolex.com recently?