When you see a question about basic wedding photography tips, then they say they're shooting a wedding, do you

get scared for the wedding couple? I mean, if someone is shooting a wedding and they need answers to some of the basic photography questions like poses and lighting, I worry for the wedding couple. I mean, isn't a wedding supposed to be a one time thing? i'd get the best photographer I could, and not some neewbie

It's not necessarily the newbie or novice wedding photographer asking about shooting a wedding for a friend or family member who can't afford a pro that bothers me. I have a good link that I offer them, as well as my best wishes.

What DOES bother me are the folks who plan to go into business shooting weddings soon, but are asking basic simple newbie-type questions that anyone who has been shooting for a while should know. Obviously they have plans to make a lot of money for a few hours work on Saturday and the cost of a CD. Many are not prepared in any way, equipment-wise or in the photographic skills department, to even think of shooting a special occasion for pay. (Or sometimes even for free.) The wedding photography industry is suffering because of these Johnny-come-latelys. The thing is, they usually are not in "business" for long. But the weddings they manage to book before their business fails take away from the "pool" that working photographers have to dip from. Of course, the higher end pros really don't have to worry about the $400 and a CD beginner, they are targeting different markets after all. The mid-range and budget photographers are feeling some pain, though, at least from what I see and read about.

I imagine that many couples regret going the beginner or cheapie route when it comes to their wedding memories. Unfortunately, once it's done, they have what they have, good, bad, or mediocre, art or snapshots.

Well, not everyone hires a professional photographer for their wedding. I'm an amateur photographer and a friend of mine asked me to take the pictures at her wedding. I had never taken wedding photos before and I also had many questions about lighting and pose ideas.....not because I'm a "neewbie" but because I wanted to give my friend the best pictures possible. The pictures came out absolutely beautiful, by the way,and my friends didn't have to pay hundreds of dollars.

Yes, but also kind of scared for the photographer! Bridezillas can be mean!

I think anyone who has to ask how to use an SLR camera has no business shooting weddings anyway. There are professionals to do this for a reason.

If someone actually seems to know what they're doing, or the bride really doesn't care if the pictures are low quality, then I see no problem. But that's not what I'm seeing in the questions here.

I'm also a little scared for the out of work professional photographers trying to feed their families in a rough economy.

Lets be honest here. People believe that cheapest is always best. Those that hire someone who just bought a dslr in the last month and think that they are now a pro are just plain used to pictures that are of such low quality that they really think that their pictures are of pro quality. Besides everyone thinks that any flaw can easily be fixed in photoshop.

The truly professional wedding photographer who takes the time to set up beautiful shots and really knows how to use a camera is suffering because people simply believe that any pro looking camera is going to take the same kind of picture no matter how stupid the person looking through the lens is.

Photography is suffering as a result

There is such a wide variety of couples and budgets for weddings, not everyone can afford a pro. (I couldn't). Some couples have to rely on whatever they can get, and sometimes that means cousin Billy with his new DSLR he got at Costco. At least cousin Billy is asking the questions, and trying to do a conscientious job of it, and not just showing up with half empty batteries, and a half full memory card. Better to give him some tips, and send him to a book store or web site, and arm him with at least some basic skills, that doom the whole wedding for sure.

Every photographer starts out at some point. After having done it for a while, those photographers shouldn't be asking those kinds of questions but in the beginning, you have to ask. As long as the couple knows the experience level of the person whom they are hiring then no I won't be scared for the couple.

Newbies allows some couples to have a photographer at their wedding to take that special moment. Not all weddings are glamorous and extravagant. Not everyone can afford the pro prices.

We all agree on this one! In fact, a group of friends recently had a discussion about whether it was actually helpful to even try to answer these questions 鈥?kind of like the kids who ask for criticism, but only want praise. It might be better to ignore the question and not encourage them at all.

If it's someone who says that they want to start learning and ask how, then they can be helped. If it's someone who says that they want a really professional-looking camera so they can "do" a wedding next week (like one we got yesterday), there's no point in trying to save them. They are going to hang themselves.

well you have to think that sometimes even professionals have their idiot moments. as for the "newbie" photographer they still need to be guided and do, in this case, a wedding or else they wont get the know-how to get better in the future. i would be alittle weird about it though.