Just this past week, we were contacted by two separate Brides who had hired other photographers to photograph their weddings. However, they were both having buyer's remorse as the people that they had hired were not very professional - in communications, timeliness, quality of photography, and overall customer service.
The main common theme in both of these other photographers was that neither were true professional photographers. Both were MWACs - mothers with a camera. Now before you throw darts at me, let me explain a few things. I have nothing against people owning cameras, especially to record things around their own household.
But, that's where it needs to end. There are hundreds and hundreds of MWACs and Uncle Harry's out there that cannot be classified as professional. They do not earn the majority of their income with photographs they sell. Most, if not all, do not have a retail shop. Most, if not all, operate out of their house and meet people at Starbucks to conduct "business". A vast majority do not belong to the professional photography organizations (mainly because they can't get in or afford the dues). Most, if not all, do not carry $1 Million liability insurance (mainly because they can't afford it or don't see the need in in).
Did you know that photographers who charge for their images are supposed to have a Limited Use Sales Tax number from the State, and that they are supposed to charge their customers sales tax, and that they are supposed to send the collected sales tax to the State? There are 10 times more photographers in any geographic area on the internet than there are registered with their State Government. And those who collect sales tax and don't send it to the State are breaking the law.
But, like I said earlier, the market has been flooded with these amateur photographers claiming to be professionals and a lot of consumers are not doing their due diligence in researching the market. Unfortunately, most consumers are only asking who is the cheapest, and quite frankly, that's all their getting and after it's too late, they then complain about their budget photographer. But as I said, it's too late then.
The 2 Brides who contacted us last week wised up before it was too late. THEY HAVE FIRED their original photographer (both MWACs). One of them has already booked us for their wedding and we're pretty confident the other one will do so this or next week.
Do your research first so you don't have to go through what these 2 Brides have gone through.
