 BetterPhoto Member |
Wedding Photography Business: Digital/Traditional If I am starting a wedding photography business, should I be investing in traditional darkroom equipment or a good digital setup?
|
|
|
|
||
|
q p. w |
would invest in a good digital setup. You never need to buy film, never need to take the time to develop it, and you can directly access the cameras with the computer. The traditional way requires a scanner to get the images onto a computer (if you want to enhance them with a photo editing software). Digital cameras can also store a huge number of pictures on a single chip (depending the size of the chip and the resolution setting of the camera). This eliminates the need to change film every 24 or 36 exposures. In all practical means, digital is the way to go. Just carefully look into both. Digital is a lot cheaper and more convenient, but the pictures would have to be printed with the highest quality color laser printers. Take your time and research the pros and cons of each.
|
|
|
|
||
BetterPhotoJim.com - Jim Miotke  Contact Jim Miotke Jim Miotke's Gallery |
I would just add two points: 1) this is not an either/or choice 2) the kind of digital you need to do good wedding work may be more expensive than you think. You can also invest in high-end film-based photographic equipment while leaving the darkroom work to a professional lab. A little extra money will get you a film scanner and this will open both worlds up to you. When a client wants traditional film, they can have it. This will also give you something else to sell. The other aspect is that high-end digital cameras - something more than your usual point & shoot - can cost anywhere from $5000 to $30,000 or more. Something to think about...
|
|
|
|
||
|
Suzanne Boulanger |
Hi! I don't think digital photography is ready to replace film yet. I use both but am waiting another year or two before taking pictures with a digital camera to sell. Unless you have a lot of money for an expensive camera and printer it's not an option for the ordinary person who's making a living from photography alone. I can't see myself selling wedding pictures in digital format at this time. I'd have to spend a lot of money to just be able to get a good 8 x 10 enlargement. How can you offer your client a 16 x 20 when you can't produce one? I have made part of my business digital by scanning my photos and making up some arrangements with the photos I take. These sell really well especially since I can manipulate the photos to their liking i.e. by changing the background and adding fancy lettering. I've invested over $4,000. so far (computer, printer, scanner and a lot of memory to work with pictures) and I don't have a digital camera. I expect to spend about $2,000. for one in the future - that's a $6,000. investment. Most photographers can make a living with a good second-hand medium format camera or 35 mm doing weddings without spending much money! ... (cont.)
|
|
|
|
||
|
Suzanne Boulanger |
There's a good article in the July 2000 Photo Life Magazine about the advances in Digital Photography.
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||
