I shared this on my Facebook Fan Page & felt in case you missed it there, I wanted to share it with you here for my first post of the new year.
Be cautioned, what I’m about to share with you is NOT for the faint of heart & some strong language is being used to get my point across.
So…. Check this out and if you think these are some of the worst wedding photos people paid for. Then read on.
Yes, people paid for this garbage.
Now for the bitch-slap…
I’m NOT biting my tongue anymore and will be speaking my mind like a hip hop artist saying plainly, frankly and coldly what I think and what I feel a LOT more.
I’m coming up on my 30th year of shooting & have been biting my tongue for quite a while as I’ve been seeing more & more crappy photos delivered from shitty “faux photographers” (aka; what I call them; “McTographers”) who should learn the craft AND learn how to use their tools first and couples complaining to me at receptions how much they hated their photos and experience at their wedding (not the wedding I’m shooting).
Photographers; If you’re a picking up a camera “thinking” you can photograph a wedding because you saw a professional make it look easy – screw buying cheap-ass gear, you better get your skill set down first before you even take money from someone. If you don’t, YOU are NOTHING MORE than a thug on the street corner hustling innocent people, stealing their money & NOT delivering the goods you say you can.
Couples: If you’re contacting me with another story of “a tight budget” and crying about how you only have $500 for a 12 hour wedding day, 4 hour engagement shoot, full digital files and another 10 hours of hand holding AND expect the photos delivered the next morning when your wedding is done at midnight – DO NOT call or email me. Go to craigslist & leave me alone because you’re clogging up my inbox and voice mails – taking my attention away from clients who do know at the end of the day, photos of their memories and experience are all that they have left and have prioritized that in their budget.
Then when you get your mediocre or garbage photos, remember you can’t re-do your wedding day and it’s YOUR FAULT for believing all the websites telling you photographers charge too much and the idiotic sites with all the DIY crap saying you should have your wedding guests “work for food.”
BECAUSE that’s all your’e doing. Paying $20, $30, $40 OR MORE per person for their dinner and expect them to use their cameras for up to 8, 10 12 OR MORE hours to shoot for you. That said, you must hate your friends & family because you’re paying them LESS THAN minimum wage in a chicken or beef dinner AND expect them to deliver all their photos because you were too cheap to hire a real professional.
That said —
If you’re a photographer and are offended, too bad, I don’t care and unfriend me. Then go look in the mirror because it’s you who aren’t a master of your craft and expect to get paid.
If you’re a bride & groom and felt you didn’t want to pay your wedding photographer more than minimum wage after their COG & taxes – remember you get what you pay for and you’re stuck with what you get.
Yes, I said it and 2013 will be bringing more unchained thoughts about McTographers & cheap clients who expect, want and demand top shelf products and services but don’t want to pay for it. Or worse yet, pay more for napkins than photography. Don’t insult me, my talent or experience.
The gloves are off.
David