[AMA] I'm a Professional (Wedding) Photographer in Sydney

Ldanielkcheung on 09/08/2016 - 17:07

I'm not sure when I first started lurking here. It was either due to pizza coupons or utter boredom (read: procrastination), but ever since finding this wonderful place, it has been bookmarked and frequented at least 5-times a day. Oh, and I've spent countless $$$ as a result of saving $$$. Go figure :)

Anyhoos, I've been a professional wedding photographer since 2010; leaving behind a stable admin job in the city with pathway towards senior management. Up until recently, I was completing my final four electives in my MBA (UTS). But I've decided to walk away from that because (a) I have absolutely no interest in working in Finance and (b) I can't stand traditional methods of assessing competence.

You can ask me anything, from entrepreneurship, to photography, to the business of photography. I'm here to share my experience. Ask away!

PS - My name is Dan and I'm addicted to refreshing this website.

Introduce Yourself

closed Comments

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 11:49

      The trick is to find a Govinda/Bonjo before they become popular. Indonesian photographers are heavily found on Instagram, your best bet is to look for #baliweddingphotographer results.

      As for your second question, the quickest and dirtiest way to have a cheaper wedding is to cut out any lunch/dinner component. If you must have one, keep it as a simple dinner with family.

    • Tech and cars on 11/08/2016 - 14:32
      +2

      OzB Tricks

      • Do lunch not dinner.
      • Avoid alchohol if possible, if not see if you can externally supply.
      • External catering if possible.
      • Spend a bit on decorations/flowers. You want the event to look grand.
      • Photographer (make sure you interview him, you'd be surprised at how leadership is a very important part to being a good photographer. So many people can take great photos, but cannot 'control' the crowd. On your wedding day you won't be thinking about group family photos etc, you definitely want your photographer to come up to you and say "hey, family photos haven't been done yet, would you like me to gather them".)
      • Videographer - if this is not critical to you, don't spend a lot here. For you I think the main bits will be to capture the speeches. A tripod and a proper video camera + a 64gb card would do the trick. Set it up in the back of the room, as a friend to turn it on, on the day, and you'll get all the footage you want. Worked perfectly for me.

      Good luck mate and congrats.

      • cheapoooooo on 11/08/2016 - 14:55

        Wow! Thanks for the comprehensive reply.

      • John on 11/08/2016 - 22:11
        +1

        I say don't look down on value of video. At the very least hire someone decent just for the documentary footage (the highlights is where it becomes expensive). I say save yourself $1500-$2500 at least and at the bare minimum have a basic coverage done by professional. Do not rely on friends as you are betting yourself on luck - video is a lot more than just the video.. there's the audio, lighting and editing that comes with it

        • Tech and cars on 12/08/2016 - 08:57

          Definitely video is important to some people - if you're trying to stick to a budget look at what's important to you. To me, I personally love photos. I never go back and watch videos. Same with my wife so that was our thoughts.

          Venues also negotiate quite a lot with the venue! When I was considering Hilton Brisbane they dropped the per head price to $95 per person (I think), no alcohol, but 3 course meals, including desert. I had a large volume of people attending (400+) - so I had reasonable negotiating power.

        • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 11:24

          I have watched my wedding highlight more than the photos. The only photos I've printed are the family ones.

        • John on 12/08/2016 - 12:43

          @danielkcheung: Me too. If you have a great highlight you will most likely be watching it. And 10-20 years down the road, I think it will be an awesome moment seeing the stories/words spoken through video (hence why im passionate with it). But if you have amateur video you will definitely not watch it. And if you haven't got any, you cannot relive it in a different way years down the toad. Photos tell stories, but very differently to what video can do.

          So yeah, I understand some people may not really value video more than photo. But its also an old misconception that people think photo is more important than video. No longer the case with what's on offer today. So consider wisely for yourself before deciding.

  • bozter on 11/08/2016 - 12:32

    Beautiful portfolio Dan!
    Good on ya to follow your passion.

    Have a question for ya - I dropped my D7000 and since then the Autofocus doesnt seem to lock in. I can hear the motor work. but it doesnt lock in. I've tried different lenses, resetting, cleaning the contacts, etc. No luck. Any advice?

    Cheers

    • syswong on 11/08/2016 - 12:44

      I can answer that for you. Go get a new body. A five year old body is not worth servicing. Nikon will charge you an arm and leg.

      Get a D5500 or D7200 during a ebay sale. Problem solved.

      • bozter on 11/08/2016 - 15:07

        haha. I would've done that if i had the money. Im only a hobby photographer

  • ProjectZero on 11/08/2016 - 13:01

    How did you get into this career? Always thought it would be a great job but never understood how to get into the industry (qualifications and such).

    I've dabbled with photography as a hobby but havent touched it for a while… currently shooting a Canon 7D, what's your take on lenses? Any combos you'd recommend (for just everyday life)? I've been looking into a 50mm 1.4f, 24-70mm and a 70-200mm but the latter two is just too expensive.

    As a professional photographer, would you say that it is more about the skills of the person or the equipment? I've seen some beautiful pictures taken with just a crappy crop body with a kit lens and I've seen some horrendous ones taken with a high end full frame (5D3 actually lol) so i've always thought skills is more important but would love to see a professionals opinion.

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 16:03
      +1

      I fell into photography by accident. After graduating from my Bachelors, I found myself in an administrative role. I've always been a bit of a gadget whore so after mobile phones, and countless computer upgrades, I moved onto new territory: DSLRs and lenses. I wasn't taking any photos per se. I was purely enjoying owning nice stuff.

      One night, I met with a guy on Gumtree at my place. We started chatting. He said he was a wedding photographer. I didn't really know what wedding photographers did and I said off-handedly, "I don't think I have the personality to be a wedding photographer." Famous last words as he invited me to tag along to his next one and from that moment, I experienced something unknown.

      I assisted that guy for a few months before making the decision to give it a substantial go. I started pestering every couple that I knew (from work and otherwise) for free shoots. I built my portfolio from ground up, mixing it with landscape photography and a journal. Slowly I gained my first paid wedding customer and that was back in 2010.

      As for lenses, I love my primes. Zoom lenses are convenient but they bore me (except for a 70-200mm). For everyday stuff, I would recommend a Sigma 35/50mm. It'll give you so much fun framing and getting amazing subject isolation. They're not cheap lenses but you will never let it go.

      As for your last question, I think there is a careful balance between skill and equipment. I can produce my portfolio because of fast lenses and high-end camera. I' not saying cheaper/lesser equipment will not, but it will take me a lot more effort and time to do so. By then, I may have missed the moment entirely. That said, without skill, gear is useless.

      But there is one more dimension. Editing. And by editing, I mean VSCO lol.

      All joking aside, VSCO has saved my ass. It makes an average image look interesting. It saves me time. And that is one pathway towards profitability.

      • ProjectZero on 11/08/2016 - 16:34
        +1

        "I don't think I have the personality to be a wedding photographer."

        Pretty much how I feel too lol… I enjoy taking landscape shots so capturing moments is probably something I don't have any experience in. How long did it take you to build up for portfolio? Might give it a go if I ever feel the drive to change things up a little.

        Honestly, I've never heard of VSCO, currently using adobe lightroom 5 for my light editings. Would you recommend VSCO for amateurs or is it more suited for professionals?

        • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 16:42
          +1

          Photographing a wedding is no different to photographing an event. The only difference between an event and a wedding is that the latter is highly charged with emotions, pressures, face, and personal $$$. I certainly do not think my photography skills are on par with the greats but I do know my way around a wedding with my eyes closed.

          The initial portfolio took perhaps 2 years to build. My current portfolio is still taking shape and form as I try different things/markets/customer avatars. For example, I was one of Sydney's favourite wedding photographers for Vietnamese couples. After a few years of doing 15+ hours days, I'm slowly replacing that portfolio with mixed culture weddings and shorter/simpler weddings. You sell what you show.

          You can experiment VSCO for free on your Android/iPhone. I find it invaluable because I get consistency across an entire set of lighting conditions. Given how much variables exist on a wedding day, something that anchors the tonality of the images is a godsend for my workflow. I have recently come to really enjoy VSCO 05. For the past 4+ years, I've been using VSCO 01 pack.

        • Tech and cars on 12/08/2016 - 12:17
          +1

          @danielkcheung: Thanks Daniel. Some very good advice you're putting out there :)

      • windows7 on 13/08/2016 - 00:38

        Do you mind sharing what are some of your favourite specific VSCO? :)

        • danielkcheung on 13/08/2016 - 08:34

          VSCO is very dependant on lighting and skin tones. I'm usually using Pack 01 as they're not as strong.

  • JetLi on 11/08/2016 - 13:11

    Kudos for having the guts to leave behind the daily grind and following your passion! What do your parents think of your career change?

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 15:20
      +6

      TO be honest, I don't know as my relationship with parents is not the greatest (typical high achieving father, immigrant, son issues). I do know that when I did break the news to them, my father had trouble sleeping for a fortnight. They had put me through school and a Bachelor degree and I had seemingly thrown it all away.

      I did have a chat with them recently and my father was quite understanding. He said that the family already had scholars and doctors but there was yet to be an artist. I think they can see my talent but I have yet to produce financial results to allow them to cease worrying. I understand that. But as with all things, it takes time to nurture and grow (plus it doesn't help when I'm not very consistent in my ways).

      Are they proud of me?
      Probably.

      Would they prefer that I finish my MBA and get a salary job?
      Very very probable.

      But someone very wise once advised me that it is not my responsibility to make my parents happy. I can only do my best and happiness is their own personal choice. But being the son of immigrant parents (who sacrificed everything for their children), I cannot help but feel the unsaid pressure. Perhaps my rush to try to achieve success (and indirectly, their success) has taken me backwards rather than project me towards success itself.

      • JetLi on 11/08/2016 - 15:46
        +1

        I feel for you bro, it's definitely hard being 1st generation migrants, let alone when you buck the trend and stray from the path they approve of. Good luck!

        • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 15:50

          Thanks! I am going to continue to do my best.

      • Tech and cars on 12/08/2016 - 12:21

        This comment resonated with me quite a lot.

      • skywards on 17/08/2016 - 14:13

        Because it's all about face.

  • daleyboy79 on 11/08/2016 - 15:28

    What are your thoughts on the various photographer directory websites currently available? Do you use any and if so do you get much work from them?
    My wife has just finished building one if your interested ;)

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 15:34

      A directory website by itself has almost no value. I've advertised on Polkadot Bride for 12-months and have had zero sales conversions. I've been on a lesser known directory and that too yielded nothing. Without ongoing, active and personalised promotion from said directory, I'm throwing money away.

      From my experience, a directory website needs to offer a whole not more than mere traffic. It needs to be targeted traffic. And if the directory has more than 10+ vendors in the same category in the same region, it will be a complete waste of time for both its audience and paid stakeholders. That is, a bride is not going to trawl through each listing and a vendor is not going to see any financial returns.

      I'm always eager to try new channels in search for a blue ocean so I'm open to a chat.

  • PAOK11 on 11/08/2016 - 16:13

    Hey not sure if you can help but I just bought a Canon M10 (thanks ozbargain)comes with a 15mm lens. I predominately need for close up pictures of products, what sort of lens would you recommend for close up shots ???

    Thanks

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 16:27
      +1

      Ideally you want something slightly longer to avoid close up lens distortion.
      But when it comes to product photography, lighting is more important that the camera + lens combination.

      How are you planning to photograph your products? In what environment? What is the size of your products? Is it for eCommerce website or something else?

      I highly recommend https://www.facebook.com/PixcCom/ for product photography (they remove backgrounds and replace it with white/transparent). Extremely cost effective.

      • PAOK11 on 11/08/2016 - 16:56

        Sort of like a E-commerce website I use two white pieces of timber and put the product on top then take a pic in close up mode. My room has terrible lighting so I use a feature in my camera to increase the lighting which is life saver because it saves me setting up lamps

  • itstuan on 11/08/2016 - 16:28

    Good on you mate for following your dream. I'm a semi-professional wedding photographer. That said, I still cannot walk out of my full time job due to financial responsibilities. How do you transit between quitting your FT job and became a FT photographer and still sustain your income?
    Cheers

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 17:55
      +5

      To be honest, I think the smartest and fiscal responsible way to go is to have a salary job (part time or full time) + do weddings on the side. There have been some periods where I've been swamped with work and it was necessary for my workflow to have the freedom to not have to report to a day job. However, as you will know, wedding photography is extremely seasonal and cashflow is uncertain (for 80% of us).

      I took my time to think about my response to your question as I want to (a) provide value to anyone who reads this and (b) be authentic. So here goes.

      I wouldn't be here without my parent's financial support. This is me being extremely vulnerable and honest.

      I basically live rent free with my parents. Being Chinese, it isn't uncommon to do so at my age but it is something that embarasses me.

      Through my photography, I managed to save $60,000. But I blew all of that between 2014-2015 when I expanded too quickly, took on overheads whilst losing on bookings. Plus the cost of living less-than-frugally in Sydney …

      I can honestly say that I have a lot of spare time on my hands now (even with my fast turnaround of client files). Only yesterday, the thought of finding a part-time salaried job entered my mind. I'm open to it because even should my photography business pick up again, I have a lot of time during business hours that I could be utilising more productively. For example, I'm typing this as I wait for prospective clients to arrive. All of my meetings take place after business hours. I can always outsource my editing.

      When clients ask me if I do wedding photography full-time, I often feel conflicted in how I best respond. Does full-time mean I'm better? What if I run another business on top of wedding photography? What if I disclosed that I have various ventures in place and each are full-time? These days, I simply nod and smile. Yes, this is my full-time role. It is the answer they're seeking after all.

      Back to the reality of things, my wife and I are nowhere near able to buy a house. We will be moving out come January 2017. We have some money saved up and although it will be painful to spend it on rent, our mental health and freedom is more important to us. It will be interesting to see what financial progress I've made in the coming months (if this AMA continues getting interest).

      • JetBombat on 11/08/2016 - 19:46
        +2

        Really apreciate the honest reply Daniel, best of luck, I almost want to book a wedding shoot now.

        Somebody book a wedding shoot with this guy! He is good, hard working and honest! :)

      • itstuan on 11/08/2016 - 22:44

        Thanks for your honest answer. I too get asked from times to times, that are you a professional photographer? are you doing this full time? how many wedding you've shot a year? etc…I find it hard to answer them as I don't do that many weddings a year, and I can't do this full time because it can not pay the bills and put the food on the table alone. It's a tough market where everyone with a camera can call themselves wedding photographer these days. But am I a professional photographer? Maybe let my work speak for itself. (While you're here, google twentyone photos and let me know what you think? :)
        Good luck with finding a new place and career choice. I'm also on the hunt for new house and hopefully can do photography full time in the next 3-4 years.

        • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 07:21

          There used to be a time when I was proud to tell prospective clients that I was a full-time professional photographer. But as workflows were streamlined, I found that I no longer had to spend all those hours on the photography business. Even networking and marketing could be done in a few set days.

          I suppose full-time equates to dedication or something in lay terms.

  • centrelink on 11/08/2016 - 16:36

    Throw me a camera setting to take a picture of my dogs in the park for a stock Canon 60D camera.

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 16:46
      +3

      Yikes!
      Um.

      Let's go for something with a bit of tele reach (at least 80mm). Have your dog(s) run towards you from 20m away. Use continuous focus with the centre AP point. Use back-button focus (AF-ON button). Also shoot in burst mode. You should be able to get 1 out of 3 images in focus.

      Throw the camera into shutter speed priority and start with these settings.

      Aperture: f/5.6
      ISO: 800 (to get nice high shutter speed without too much noise)

      Depending on the fur colour of your dog(s), you may find that different metering modes will be best.

      • centrelink on 11/08/2016 - 16:51

        Thanks man, will try it..

      • bluedufflecoat on 12/08/2016 - 21:10

        I have the same camera. Maybe I'll try it with my kids! =)

  • methdd on 11/08/2016 - 16:52

    Hi dan!

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 17:10

      Hien! What have you been up to?

      • methdd on 11/08/2016 - 18:36

        Usual stuff. Earning a small crust to feed the hungry mouths. Living life outside the internets is a good thing too!

        Hope things are going well there. We should be expecting a baby soon right?

        • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 19:36

          Hahaha. The wife and I have no plans although if it happens, it will be a blessing. Our priority is getting financially independent. I'm still a long way away from that!

          I'm glad to hear that you're doing well Hien. OCAU misses you.

        • methdd on 12/08/2016 - 05:48

          @danielkcheung:

          I'll ask a question.

          Have you had much comparison of the Sydney wedding photography market versus other cities? From experience, wedding work "follows me" and to break into a different market (city) without physically being there is not easy. This means expansion of the business beyond the current city, I find, is difficult. Of course, we'll get the odd wedding in various cities through various sources, but it's not a common thing.

          When I was in Melbourne, I would do an approx ratio of 5:1 for Melbourne:Perth, but as soon as I moved to Perth the numbers instantly reversed. I now do about a 15:1 ratio for Perth:Melbourne and it annoys me as clients don't "know" where we live.

          This brings me to the conclusion that the markets are drastically different, both vendors and clients, and I just can't seem to come to grips that there's so much variance between different cities in the same country.

        • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 07:16

          @methdd:

          It's extremely difficult to break into a different physical location without being present. Very few of my bookings are organic searches so word-of-mouth dominates and because of that, leads are often limited to a single geographical location. Every wedding outside of Sydney was either a direct referral or an assignment I 'tendered' for.

          Unless you're one of the few big names in the industry, my experience tells me that markets for wedding vendors are geographically based.

        • methdd on 12/08/2016 - 13:19

          @danielkcheung:

          Thanks for your thoughts. I've been flirting with the idea of a studio franchise that photographers can buy into and I think it will work, but I would need a pilot studio outside of Melbourne/Perth. This will come at a risk and cost of course, so there's a lot of thought that needs to be done beforehand.

  • FloppyGuts on 11/08/2016 - 18:30

    Hi Daniel,
    What would you recommend for a point and shoot? I want something with a good auto setting, small and under $500. DSLR's are just too big for me.

    Thanks

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 19:34
      +2

      I haven't looked into compacts for a very long time. In poor (low) light, they all perform similarly; similar to smartphone cameras.

      You can't go wrong with Canon point and shoots. Higher price tags often mean more manual control of features.

      • FloppyGuts on 22/08/2016 - 20:05

        Thanks! Very helpful.

    • itstuan on 11/08/2016 - 22:47
      +1

      Canon Powershot series is a good point and shoot camera, great in low light and has manual controls similar to a SLR. Look up G16 or G1X

    • BadGiraffe on 12/08/2016 - 10:15
      +1

      I'm no pro, but yes, Dan is right. I've been reading and watching reviews for years, and you just cannot go wrong with Canons. Forget everything else. Have a budget, stick to it, get a Canon in that price range.

  • Blargman2001 on 11/08/2016 - 20:10

    Was it the high ISO performance of the OMD that stopped you from using it? Or were there other factors with the Olympus system that made you swap back to DSLR? I'm thinking of switching to mirrorless when the OMD EM-1 MK2 hits later this year.

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 21:24

      If I had to pinpoint one reason for moving away from m43, it would definitely be high ISO performance.

  • easternculture on 11/08/2016 - 20:26
    +2

    hey Dan. pm me. i may have a job for you. happy to discuss

  • Tasmaniac on 11/08/2016 - 20:32

    Entrepreneurship, lol.

  • bemybubble on 11/08/2016 - 21:35

    Now a days with the mirical of camera phones and people instagramming. How much does this piss you off? I bet there's nothing more frustrating than seeing a bunch of phones in hands blocking your perfect view?

    • danielkcheung on 11/08/2016 - 22:16
      +2

      One of the hardest things as a professional is not take things personally. I've learnt this the hard way.

      Anyways, when I'm working, it's my responsibility to find an appropriate vantage point when the original is blocked. People enjoy events their own way and for many, it is behind a screen. I even make an effort to capture this as I'm sure 10-years down the track it will be a funny memory (just like flares were once all the rage).

      • ankor on 12/08/2016 - 18:35

        People set off flares at weddings now? I only had sparklers ;(

  • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2016 - 22:05
    -1

    I find it amazing how flippantly the word professional is used today.

    • phoenixx on 11/08/2016 - 22:42

      How so?

  • Poseidon on 12/08/2016 - 01:14

    Thank you Dan for starting this AMA and for your well written responses. It makes for a very interesting read and I also like your website.

    If you lived in Perth I would hire you. Your Truffle Scrambled Eggs and Gin & Tonic seem very well priced. Did I mention that I like your website?

    Is there anyone in Perth you would recommend for a birthday or other family occasion?

    • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 07:18

      Thank you for your kind words. I've racked my brain and can't think of any Perth-based family/birthday photographers (only wedding photographers). Sorry!

  • tyb1987 on 12/08/2016 - 06:52

    Where is your hometown?

    How many language can you speak?

    I believe that I have purchased a nikon d700 from you via OCAU few years ago… =)

    • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 07:17
      +1

      I was born in Hong Kong. Grew up in Sydney since I was five years old.

      I speak two languages: English and Cantonese. I have picked up some broken Korean due to the wife (mostly things that will get me in trouble lol).

      How goes the D700? I swear it is easier to edit D700 files than D750.

  • bargainrus on 12/08/2016 - 07:28
    +2

    Hi Dan, just wanted to say all the best in what you do..Loved reading your answers

  • BadGiraffe on 12/08/2016 - 10:13

    Hi Dan. Ummmm… was there a link to your portfolio? I can't seem to find it.

    So a couple of questions:
    1. Do you do anything other than weddings, and if you do…
    2. Do photographers charge more just because it's a wedding?

    • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 10:40

      No link. Not sure what the rules are here.

      I will photograph anything. Weddings have been the most lucrative and reoccurring source of revenue (and easiest to market).

      And yes. I definitely charge more for photographing a wedding compared to an equal duration event. Why? Because weddings are intense, filled with emotion and unsaid expectations, and each wedding takes a significant physical and mental toll to do it well. They're also a lot more difficult to shoot than any given event. That's why I charge more.

      • methdd on 12/08/2016 - 13:21

        Not to mention extra time resources for the final edit and product, staff on the day as well as camera gear.

      • BadGiraffe on 12/08/2016 - 15:04
        +1

        So let's say I were a real tightarse (I am). And I were to go to a photographer, say, you. I tell you I'd like to hire you for a party. I don't say It's a wedding. We strike a deal, set a price in black and white, lock it in. On the day, you realise I was being a sneaky F@#$er and and the "party" is actually a wedding.

        What would you do?

        I wouldn't actually do that though. I'm not a sneaky F@#$er, although I think about these things sometimes.

        • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 15:11
          +1

          Personally, I'll still do the best that I can. It would feel dirty AF but chances are, someone will book me directly/indirectly because of said deception. Depending on how poorly I am treated on the day (a further kick in the teeth), I may invoice the client for the full amount (based on my wedding photography rates) prior to delivery of photographs.

        • BadGiraffe on 12/08/2016 - 15:12

          @danielkcheung: Has this ever happened to you, or any other photographers you know?

        • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 15:20

          @flaminglemon:

          Nope :)

  • alz on 12/08/2016 - 12:06

    What are your wedding packages? Can you show some of your work?

    • itajac on 12/08/2016 - 13:49

      Hi Alz
      If you search his full username daniel k cheung photography, you will find his website.

      • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 14:02

        And if you're really good, you can find my live cam show ;)

        • BadGiraffe on 12/08/2016 - 15:04

          Live… cam… I don't even.

        • itajac on 12/08/2016 - 17:52

          Say… what! :)

  • drfs on 12/08/2016 - 15:28

    Do you have any advice for an amateur photographer who wants to keep a bunch of photos, is running out of local storage space, and is overwhelmed by the options? Both in terms of where to backup (locally to a NAS bay, dropbox, google drive?) and what application to catalogue them in (Google Photos, Photos for Mac, something else??). I have used a few combinations of the above but always end up frustrated.

  • mooboy on 12/08/2016 - 15:43

    My typical wedding assignment is 11-12 hours long. I'll deliver anywhere from 800 to over 1,000 final images from that time period.

    Hi Dan,

    May I ask:

    1. If you're delivering 1,000 images for a typical wedding, how many are you discarding?
    2. How long would you spend on editing those photos?
    3. Is post-processing all in Lightroom, or do you sometimes bring images into Photoshop for finishing touches?

    Thanks!

    • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 17:02
      +1

      In order to deliver 1,000 final images, the original amount taken would number at least 3-4,000.

      Editing probably takes me 6-8 hours collectively per assignment.

      Everything for me is done via Lightroom. I'll very rarely go into PS to shift pixels.

  • Skramit on 12/08/2016 - 15:50

    Why do wedding photographers want to charge "per print" post wedding in order to make money? It seems to me to be a very greedy approach.

    I eventually found a photographer who charged a flat rate for the day then gave me the USB stick of photos and I owned them. I preferred this greatly to other photographers I enquired with who charged nothing to take the photos but then $100-$500 per photo print and they owned them still. To me this is absurd and turned me off straight away. Yet so many we checked out seemed to operate this way (in Melborune) and I just don't understand how people select them when they know after the wedding they wont own their own wedding photos? Madness IMO.

    What payment model do you use? Have you tried the other or do you do what method the customer prefers?

    EDIT: Just saw you posted your pricing method here: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/260756#comment-3913281

    Have you ever charged using the per print method?

    • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 17:15

      Frankly, I'm surprised such business models still exist in 2016. Everyone prefers digital files, not because they dislike prints but because photographers charge so much for prints (without necessarily providing digital images as well). I understand that selling only prints is extremely profitable but I can't imagine paying for it myself. I get that I should value my art and experience and that it is my duty to turn a profit, but I simply cannot deploy a business model that doesn't make sent to me (as a customer).

      For full disclosure, I do have a prints price list and the margins on each print are easily a 400% markup of my cost. I do however provide high resolution, non-watermarked jpegs to all my clients so its not surprising I haven't sold a single print AT ALL LOL.

      • Skramit on 12/08/2016 - 18:02

        Maybe it's more a Melbourne thing to charge charge per print. One guy even offered to make us a photobook for $50 per page. Lols

        • jaybmate on 12/08/2016 - 19:41

          I got married last year in Melb and when looking for photographers, didnt find any using the per print method..

        • danielkcheung on 13/08/2016 - 14:24

          @jaybmate: Per print is more typical for studio/family portraits.

  • CVonC on 12/08/2016 - 16:21

    Have you seen the promo for Channel 7's latest dud, Australia's Cheapest Weddings? I lol'd @ the singing ^^

    • danielkcheung on 13/08/2016 - 18:48

      Can't say I have. I think I will keep it that way :P

  • T1OOO on 12/08/2016 - 18:13

    Just out of interest. Do u have to quit ur job or can u just do this on weekends? A few extra grand a weekend seams like decent cash!

    I'm assuming most ppl want weekend weddings right?

    • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 18:52

      You can most certainly be a professional wedding photographer whilst retaining your regular full time job although your assumption of a few extra grand per weekend is very misguided :) There is a lot of money to be had in wedding photography (my best was $125,000 in a year before expenses). It took a lot of effort, investment and time to get there however.

  • avgbowlofpho on 12/08/2016 - 18:33

    Eneloops. Yay or Nay?

    Btw an eneloop is a rechargeable battery that OzBargainers love

    • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 18:54
      +1

      All my batteries are eneloops (DSE days). I have a MAHA charger - they're beasts, a bit pricey, but needed for my line of work.

  • ankor on 12/08/2016 - 18:43

    Why are the wedding photographers who hang out on Whirlpool all so angry?!

    • danielkcheung on 12/08/2016 - 19:23

      Isn't everyone on WP angry?
      PS - I'm on WP :)

      • ankor on 14/08/2016 - 13:12

        hah, I just remember one particular thread about whether wedding photographers should be fed or not. There was this one guy in particular, real douchebro but with a pretty sweet portfolio. I think that guy was off his meds lol

  • LittleKatie on 12/08/2016 - 23:13

    Have you seen eric cheung?

  • wackedupwacko on 13/08/2016 - 01:21

    Hi Daniel,

    Love your portfolio.

    I'm currently in a period where I've put away my camera for a little while and am looking for motivation to get back into photography (mainly landscapes, candid of friends at events or street). Did you ever have time where you lost motivation for photography in general and any tips or stories on getting back into it?

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