Ivica & Ivana
This past weekend we shot another wonderful wedding well worth blogging about. Ivica & Ivana had a really beautiful ceremony at Welcome Church in Wakely. We then zoomed across the city to Vaucluse Lighthouse and Nielsen Park on the tip of Rose Bay.Their Reception was at Ambassador Lounge in Fairfield, where they played some fun games with the bride and groom... (I'll post them soon)
At the reception we edited some of the wedding footage and showed it to the couple and their guests. They loved it!! All the guests said they had never expected to see a sample of the wedding video at the reception! Ivica & Ivana appreciated the extra effort we went to and we could tell they were touched.
Here is what we showed...
Daphne & Jared
Last weekend we did a beautiful wedding at Penrith. Daphne & Jared had their wedding ceremony and reception at Nepean Shores Reception Centre.We popped across the river to do some photos after the ceremony. The guests were enjoying some predinner drinks at the venue whilst we were across the river.
At the reception we edited some of the footage we shot on the day and showed it to the couple and their guests. The reaction was amazing! Everyone loved the shots and was astounded that they were able to see a preview of the wedding video at the reception.
Here is what we showed on the wedding night.
Interview with David From Practicaps Photography
I recently interviewed David Rich from Practicaps photography in Campbelltown NSW. Here's what he had to say.
David Rich: Principal of Practicaps Photography and Imaging which includes Practicaps Portraits, Practicaps Pets, Practicaps PhotoArt, Practicaps Products and Practicaps Weddings. A family business, we specialise in family-friendly photography.
What can you provide your customers?
To focus on weddings, clients can expect a very personalised service, where their style is more important than my own. We have quite a fast turnaround, and we are pretty green too - all proofing, correspondence and billing is electronic
How long have you been in business and to what do you attribute your success?
We established Practicaps Photography and Imaging in 1996, and Practicaps Weddings just two years ago. We don’t try to be a success in the typical sense- we just enjoy what we do, try to support other photographers and the community generally and keep on having fun.
What is your most popular product/service/package?
A wedding package that includes full day coverage (both bride and groom preps ceremony, location shoot, reception) with images on disk plus an online gallery, a coffee table-style album, Multi-media slide show, a framed enlargement. We price it at about $2300 and usually upsell post wedding with orders for canvas prints, parents albums, extra copies of the slide shows and prints for the attendants: about an extra $600
Why do customers choose you?
Feedback suggests that initially it’s on the basis of sample photographs they see on-line; this also applies when they have been referred by an existing client, although some fall in love with our album designs. Once we have met, I think it is the relationship and our willingness to do what we can to meet thier needs.
Where do your customers find out about you?
Our business is low-key with little advertising (less than $200 pa) and I am surprised brides and their parents keep finding us: we are generally booked up to about 9 months ahead, and yet there is no consistent path that our clients follow to get to us. We are not prominent on Google (page 6, I think), yet about 1/3 of our clients say they found us on-line; we don’t solicit endorsements, but many clients say they sought us out because “we heard of you”; we don’t enter competitions, but directories and publishers approach us and ask for permission to highlight our images on their sites and in published books...
Describe one memorable experience in your business.
Our very first hired wedding was at the request of a business acquaintance whose daughter was getting married: he and his wife are accomplished amateur photographers and his daughter was (is) a wedding photographer. The wedding went well, I just loved it and the reaction of the newlyweds and the parents on both sides to the prints and album I designed for them was just so positive it convinced me to shift my career down the Wedding Photography path.
Give an example of a difficult situation that you turned into a successful one.
A couple with a large wedding (400 guests, 5 locations) were determined to have their location photos done at the Sydney Opera House... 6 months out I started to counsel them about having an alternative venue in case of rain, but they would hear nothing of it. On the day, it poured! But I had booked the gorgeous Queen Victoria Building and we had a fantastic time - and got one classic shot of the barefoot bride splashing through puddles on her way from the limousine to the shoot.
What is your favorite type of wedding?
I like the classic church service followed by a fashion-styled shoot and a big reception; or an open air wedding that lends itself to a journalistic style of photography.
What do you require from your customers? (Apart from payment)
The more we can talk together about them, their hopes, plans and aspirations, they more I enjoy the work I do - but I really don’t require anything except some general directions that lets me plan properly for their wedding day.
What motivates you?
Wedding photography is just the most fun you can have with a camera - who needs more motivation than to be allowed to shoot? Sometimes I am tempted to give back the fee (but I have a sensible wife).
What do you do in your spare time?
Write. Explore the Australian bush and outback with my camera, travel, shoot charity events and support programs for mental health, drug health and carers; I am on several mental health rehab programme committees, run an annual Photography Competition to raise awareness of mental health and drug problems, do an annual week long photo event for a youth programme, teach photography as part of the rehabilitation service of two programmes, deal with online advice calls to the Australia Drug Foundation, contribute as a group therapist in a treatment programme for people with concurrent mental health and drug dependency issues [until I decided to go full time as a photographer, I was for 15 years the Clinical Nurse Consultant in Dual Diagnosis for the state health service for about half of Sydney] - I guess the question is “what spare time?
What are your long term goals?
To train up and expand the group of photographers who contribute to Practicaps, allowing my wife to retire from quite such an active role.
How do you balance work and family?
I spend 70% on family, 30% on business. It is like a part time business with a full time pay packet.
A customer asks you "Why should we buy from / hire you over everyone else we have seen this week?". How do you respond?
You should go with the person you trust to deliver the kind of wedding experience you want. I’d like to think that’s me, but it’s a really personal choice Anyone quoting less than about ($xx depending on what is required) is not making enough to (xxx) or to use quality products that will last, and you only get one chance to do this properly. - But if you avoid the “too good to be true” bargains I have no doubt you get a decent photographer. And of course, I would appreciate having the opportunity of offering a final quote if the package you choose seems cheaper but isn’t quite the same as we have discussed.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
About to retire.
Where are you located?
Campbelltown. A south western suburb of Sydney, Australia.
Who is the best customer contact?
What is your website address?
http://www.weddings.davidrichphotography.org
http://www.davidrichphotography.blogspot.com
Thanks for your time David, I'm sure our readers will be thankful for your openness and honesty. David proves himself to be an upright quality businessperson who is clearly passionate and motivated. If you are looking for a photographer, check out David Rich at Practicaps Photography
