dilemma
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- SteveJobs
i'm in an akward position and need some opinions from a few total strangers.
a recently engaged close friend of mine called me this morning and asked me if i'd take pictures at her wedding. i believe she used the word 'hire'. now since you know nothing about me, this might be a completely 'ok' thing to ask - but let me put this into context.
first off, we all used to be much better friends. 'we' being myself, my ex, her and her boyfriend. we'd go out for dinner, take trips together, the usual excursions couples go on after hanging out for a year or so.
when my ex and i broke up, this obviously all came to an end, and i've seen less and less of them over the last nine months. we still keep in touch via myspace and the occasional text - oh, and that random phone call a few months back when they asked me to help them move her dresser out of her apt (i kinda owed them, becuase they helped me move a year ago, so it was cool), but you get the idea.
second - i'm not a photographer. i wouldn't even pass as an amateur photographer except for the fact that i own an slr - which i haven't picked up in probably eight months or so. anyone who knows me knows i have NO reputation for being the guy with the camera - i don't even have one on my phone!
and third, wtf? i'm her friend. she wants to 'hire' me? how akward is that? can i not just be there to enjoy the wedding?
i told her i'd be happy to take a few pics, but that they'd probably want to get someone who knows what they are doing. she said i should think about it...
what would you, jesus or moby do?
- Jaline0
If you're not a photographer just let her know. The photos are pretty important to some people.
To me, it makes sense that friends would try to hire the people that they know best and trust the most to get things done, and done well. But you're right. It's more respectful to let friends enjoy the wedding (although some people have a lot of fun with their work, and therefore wouldn't consider it to be work). Anyway, that's besides the point.
- marychain0
Jesus would rock that wedding with wine & magic
Moby would rock it with cool dance tunes & hipster attitudeYou...should probably tell her that you're NOT a photographer and you'd feel a little silly being hired on....but'll you'll bring your camera and take a few shots.
Rock that wedding with honesty
- grunttt0
i say stick with what you originially said - sure you can snap a few candids but tell her you're not comfortable being in charge of photography on such a special day.
- grunttt0
tell her you're strictly doing nude work these days and you wouldn't even know how to shoot photos of clothed people.
- doesnotexist0
why not just ask for a few hrs of pay and take some candid shots? let her know they won't be posey or anything. She probably isn't paying for you anyways (her/their parents probably are)!
go take some fucking photos!
- harlequino0
Yup, first response.
YOu can also suggest getting a bunch of disposable cameras and leave them on the tables for people to take candids whenever. That alwasy works out great.
- 7340
more importantly what would calles do?
in fact he would probably take the girl out to some sleazy club and have half naked girls boozing and sexing everywhere take her home and fuck the shit out of her... take pics of you and some filthy tranny double teaming her all night long.... agree to do the wedding photos
fast forward to shipping her the prints after the wedding with a note saying 'i think they turned out lovely, i used the money from the gig to buy my first prescription of valtrex'
- ukit0
Say you're happy to take pictures but that you won't accept the pay, and be honest about your photography skills. Send some local wedding photographer links their way so they can see the difference.
- stoplying0
I had a similar dilemma for my own sisters wedding. Her fiance knew I had a Canon 10-D at work that I could grab for personal stuff. And he proceeded to ask me if I could grab it and take shots of the wedding reception. I told him I had a perfectly decent consumer camera that I would bring but not the 10-D.
My parents were willing to pay for a photog, and for some stupid reason they bailed on it. ? They hired one for the ceremony, but didn't want him for the reception. Stupid!
I think it's really kind of rude to ask one of your friends/relatives to "work" your wedding. Tell them to hire a professional if they want professional shots.- yeah, good point. i kinda felt like our freindship was cheapened when she used the word 'hire'.SteveJobs