I publish this newsletter once a month to help shed light on how, when, and why to hire a professional photographer (and why sometimes, you may not need to do).   Sign up here!!

November

2011

Dear Reader,

Remember Cinderella? Yeah, I’m kind of groggy on many of the details myself, but the part of the story everyone remembers is how her horse and carriage (magically created from pumpkins) were set to turn back into pumpkins after midnight.

Well, the next time a photographer tries to convince you that hiring him for eight hours is better than six hours, I want you to ask him this question: “Are you worried about turning into a pumpkin at a particular point during the evening?”  I suggest this because quite frankly, I find it to be an unprofessional sales technique to make a bride worry about how much time is enough time.

Here are some excuses I’ve heard over the years from pros in the industry: “I get tired—there are only so many dancing shots you can take.” “I’m old I want to be in bed at a reasonable hour.” “I do this every week—the bride does this only once [hopefully].” “It’s a great sales tool.”

As far as I am concerned, a professional’s job is to remove stressful decisions for a client, in any profession. For weddings, you’ll have plenty of choices to make over the planning process. Why is your photographer adding to your list when he can easily remove some for you? There are four extra things you’ll need to worry about if time is a factor in a photography package: 

1. What time should the photographer arrive?
1. You will want to have photographs of everyone getting ready at your home. It’s an important part of the day. But if you’re worried about how long the whole day is, you might feel pressured into having your photographer arrive at a later time.  
2. Can we have a unique and fun send-off after the reception?
1. Again, if you’re worried about fitting your photographer into a limited block of time, you may miss that grand exit you’ve been planning.
3. Should we get that extra product or two extra hours?
1. Having a limited number hours gives you a false choice between an additional product or more time. I’d rather not make you choose.
4. How many extra photographs get taken in the last two hours?
1. You shouldn’t be calculating a “photos per hour” algorithm when you’re deciding on your photographer. In reality, sometimes the best photographs are created from the least expected moments, and I don’t want to miss an opportunity to create those photographs for you, even if they are in the wee hours of your celebration.  

I understand why photographers use an hourly package as a sales tool: It helps them convey the value of their time, by focusing your attention on making those choices. And it’s important to understand that, once you’ve booked a photographer, there is an opportunity cost for him.  But rather than pressure a bride with time constraints, I’d rather earn the bride’s trust and show my value by being a professional—not someone who has got to leave your wedding before I turn into a pumpkin.

Cheers,

- Ben

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