One of the things you add in the contract is a clause that states that no other photographs are to be taken at the wedding........well,...that is of course after you managed to get them to sign you..
I have read numberous posts on other sites regarding how "unfair" it is to disallow a photographer to bring their cameras to a wedding, while a professional photographer is busy working there, and then they all say such and such about the guy,...and that their pictures were sooo much better,...yet they gave them all away for free because they felt soooooory for the bride and groom.... GD crybabies!! I somehow doubt if their pictures were any good if they gave them all away for free..
What I see,...is a lot of competition shooting for next to nothing.. they have day jobs, and on the weekends, they will gladly make an extra 500 bucks!! Yep,...that's it...and they give them the jpgs right out of the camera onto a CD and they leave with five hundred bucks that they don't claim in their wallets.
The thing is though,...there always has been those types.. there will always be them out there too.. It is the artist, the true professional who the bride will go to their friends for advice, who will recommend you through word of mouth,...and or see your examples as by far better than Mr. Snappy crappy GWC on the weekends wedding photographer..
It's all about service.. Don't cut your rates to be in step with those little ****s out there.. Show them who's the real photographer,...who is accountable,...who has a damn good portfolio,...who has back-up equipment,...who can take a great shot in dificult situations.....rather than Mr. snap-shot "P-Mode"..
Never stoop!
JP
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