ANSWERS TO A STUDENT

Self-portrait 1996
ID photograph studio exercise at CFT Gobelins

Recently a student from Leeds University contacted me regarding wedding photography.
He obtained my details from an online wedding listing. He left me a message and sounds young.
He emailed me his questions. I hope putting them online will help to understand people's vision or approach to wedding photography. I wish it could lead to many other questions.

1) What do you think is the best format to show your work to clients or employers ?

I do not believe in one standard way of showing your work across the trade. What I am looking for, as a photographer or as a client, is "personality" and "dedication". My work is about telling stories. Therefore I will try to find the best way to show with style this particular approach. People who use my service contact me because I am different, and most of the time the people I work for have similar taste to mines.
You should think about priorities first. If you want to do wedding photography, you have to see what is on the market. You have to meet professional wedding photographers, and position yourself either as one or as a customer. Think. If you were getting married, what sort of photographic service would you like to be delivered. I am not only talking obviously about the presentation, but mostly about the contents. How do you want the photographer to capture your wedding ?
If you are a freelance who only does weddings and cares about making money, you will provide cheap photography and cheap presentations. You can be a genius at retouching but still you style will remain poor and disengaged. On the contrary, if you care and and work hard, you will invest yourself in providing something unique people will recognize as your signature.

So "format" doesn't really mean anything. You have online format presentation, or website, which I do not trust personally, but you have to be out there. Until few years ago the main portfolios were in hardback and you had to commute a lot to show your work. Nowadays the main portfolio is your website, so do one with style at low cost. A lot of people visit websites but it doesn't mean they will contact you, very few in fact. But what matters is to have your visuals out there and to generate interest. Second phase is to motivate people to meet you and see your work in real. That's where you show your portfolios. Big, medium, small doesn't matter. What is important is to present something which will look like the final result first, then you can show different formats highlighting some details of your style.

2) What skills do you think would be expected of me as a graduating student; technically and socially and what level of experience would be expected ?

Basic skills of photography indeed and most especially without having trained with digital, which seems to be almost impossible nowadays. Why ? If you train with analogue cameras you have to understand the whole philosophy behind photography from the lab to shooting. It is endless to be honest but it is terribly exciting. You will later find this very same logic with the way engineers designed computers, softwares, digital cameras and online publishing. One major mistake nowadays is that most people think they are good photographers. To be honest to be one has nothing to do with a camera or device, it is about your eye and what you have to say. If you rely on technology to save you, you will be an average freelance; if you think outside the box and look with your eyes first there are more chances to succeed.
But what matters first at your stage, is to get the experience in as many areas as possible to make yourself an idea of what and how you want to do it.
When I was 16 I knew I would become a photographer in a split second. The grand plan was already laid down instantly. I went to Art University to make sure I loved photography. Once confirmed I passed the CFT Gobelins exam and got in to be a lab technician. I wanted to know as much as possible what was going behind the scene before being on stage. I knew already that too many photographers have actually no idea of what they are doing and even more after they have done it, they just rely on others, and I am talking about top professionals. After the school I worked in the best labs in Paris for the best photographers in the world working at all the possible positions. Once I knew I had knew enough for the time being, I moved to London to become freelance without any help, money and contacts, and I made it. You just need to be patient, impatient and dedicated.
But I would say that the most important is the motivation. If you don't have it young, you will never have it. If you feel like photography is your passion, you shouldn't sleep. You should photograph everything and learn as much as possible. If you are not really "sure", like it happens very often with young assistants, you should forget about it and come back in 10 years time when you feel like it !
I would say that you have to be generous with people, thirsty of photography and learn as much as possible from everyone and make your own opinion. School, studies, grades, that's important, it really shows your determination. But later, this is simply the school of Life, we adapt.
I personally never envisaged younger to do wedding photography, but it was the first real job I got as a freelance in London, and I realized that I was good at it. I was able to make a living out of photography and taking photos the way I wanted, and people would pay for that.

3) What sorts of equipment would be expected if I was to photograph weddings on my own ?

What do think ?
Would you use a 120 Rolleiflex with Metz torch ?
Would you use a 35mm reflex camera ?
Would you use a digital SLR ?
Would you use a disposable camera ?

It is up to you and to your customers.
What do you think your parents would want for example ?
What is the most convenient for you and for them ?
What is the most affordable for you ?
First at you stage, you have to compromise, and that will help you a lot later.
As I keep on saying, there is no perfect ideal camera, there is a perfect one for each of us.
Do not forget that you have to invest in flashgun and learn how to use it properly.

Now I would like to conclude with 3 of my questions, hoping that will engage a productive dialogue between two generations.

1) Why do you like Photography ?

2) Why do you want to do Wedding Photography ?

3) Which works, artists or photographers do you like and why ?

I am looking forward to continuing this question/answer possibility format.