Originally posted by dugrant153 Hey everyone,
Hopefully this Q is not too off topic.
I absolutely love photography and just love seeing a really nice image pop out of my camera (film or digital or whatever). Ever since I picked up my Pentax DSLR for my Singapore/Sydney trip, I've never really put it down since. Whenever I hear the word 'assignment', something in my heart and mind click and I get really excited, whether it be a wedding, a photoshoot, a project, etc.
Which has me seriously considering doing freelance photography for events and weddings and portraits and such. I've done a lot of reading up on the business on photography but I would like to know people's personal experiences.
One thing that sort of came up for me was this: Most wedding photographers are booked way in advance of the wedding. My question is, if something comes up (like you get sick, seriously injured or a family member gets sick or seriously injured or... something to that extent) and you're forced to back out like a week before the wedding... I mean, how do you deal with that? That obviously looks really bad. Do you folks ever have a backup plan?
I know it's an extreme hypothetical situation, but I guess I'm just curious.
Thanks!!
That's what well written contracts are for. During my meeting with B&G (and before I take a deposit) I explain this as well as other catastrophic things that may happen (i.e. my car burns to the ground with all my memory cards as I am driving home from the wedding). Then I explain the precautions that are in place to avoid catastrophe or deal with them once they have taken place. It is good to be paranoid about everything bad that might happen when you take an important job.