What Chris said!!!! I am nowhere near as good as most of the people here in the wedding forum, I watch the videos they share and wish I could do what they can. But I try to concentrate on doing a solid job, maybe it's not spectacular, but it doesn't suck either. I've done pretty good business that way, honestly being nice to the couple and going the extra mile for them will go a heck of a long way to giving you a reputation as the wedding videographer that couples want to hire.

"12 is young"

As a 12 year old, I take offense at that!
No, seriously. Don't be afraid to get out there and do it! I'm not 12, but I'm not 21 either. I guess I kinda fall in between, at 16. I'm working my own business part-time and making $100-$125 for approximately two hours of work(not counting the editing, approximately the same amount of time, so really, you can half that if you count my editing.) That still comes out to $50-$63 for a part time job. Every 6 weeks I do this, and while I couldn't live off of it, I'm going to school at the same time, I have plenty of time to do other stuff if I feel like it, and since I'm not paying for food or rent, I can put almost all of that money straight back into toys for myself. I have tons of fun, and I could definitely see myself doing this for a living. I hope that you go out there and do it, because you won't regret it!

I just thought I'd drop my 2 cents worth in here.

While you might only be getting $100 for your time that day, the primary shooter is only getting $1400 to cover his own shooting time for that day PLUS . . advertising costs, marketing materials, time spent developing advertising and marketing materials, business rent, office expenses and utilities, educational expenses, time spent meeting with the couple, paying for new equipment (and repairs) and media and software, time spent editing (LOTS of time invested here), producing DVD's and so on.

Also, while you might feel you're "experienced" after 3 or 4 weddings, you aren't. I have assistants that have been working with me for years and their footage still is nowhere near as good as my own. I probably only use 10% (or less) of my assistant's footage from the wedding day. Part of the problem is that when you don't edit what you shoot, it's hard to know what you're doing wrong. Part of it is the fact that when I shoot for a client I'm shooting for MY OWN business, which makes me more invested in getting great footage. And honestly, part of it is just that you have to shoot A LOT of weddings (a lot means dozens and dozens over the course of years) to really become experienced at it.

I'm not saying you aren't worth more than $100, because I've never seen your footage. However, I feel pretty confident in saying that you're probably getting paid just about right considering your experience. In the end, though, you'll work for what you and the guy who is paying you thinks is fair. Best of luck to you!

Excellent point Travis - you never realize how good or bad your footage is until you must sit down and hammer it into something representing a "final product". It's one thing to shoot footage/pictures, it's an entirely different thing to shoot USABLE stuff!

If anyone could do it, you'd get great pictures back from those silly disposable cams I see at many weddings...

The more you shoot the more you develop your eye and your technique - it may come easy if you're talented, or a bit harder if you're bull headed enough to keep at it <wink>!

my 3 cents worth. I do instructional videos, so I own the equipment, but I do not do weddings yet. I am getting married this May, about 150 miles away. the only people I know that could possibly run my cameras are in the wedding. I placed an ad on craigslist, offering 250 dollars for an operator to run two camera for the wedding. I felt 250 for a half days work was fair, using my equipment. I got over a dozen responses, at least half have a bachelors degree in fine arts, and two had a masters degree. most have a very impressive resume and experience. it blew me away what I can hire for that price. several offered to use there own equipment for the same price. I know I could still end up with a lousy cameraperson, however what surprised me was the number of people willing to work for that price, in that area. so I assume I could book a wedding, hire a cameraperson, and never leave my house. is 100 dollars fair for a second camera operator? I would assume it would depend on the demand in your area.

Rehi Jenna,

Thanks for the update - sounds like you certainly benefited from the experience. If you're interested in doing more weddings, I'm sure you're picking up lots of tips besides shooting. Be sure to check out the final video and ask your boss for a critique and insights of the overall process.

Happy Trails, Michael

BTW - be careful not to mix lubricated/non-lubricated mini-DV tapes when others provide you "free" tapes. If you must mix tapes, be sure to clean your heads in-between swaps.

When I started out, I found someone to mentor me in weddings (I was already in the market selling other products). When I started, I got $100 and access to the tapes when he was done with them to build a wedding-specific portfolio.

Two years later, our terms have changed a bit. Now, he 'only' gives me $200, but we have an agreement that I would shoot as his second for $200, but I could also hire HIM for that same amount of money....not a bad deal.

At this point in my game, I'm not looking to build a portfolio and certainly can't get by on $200, but the ability to call someone who knows what they're doing, brings their own equipment is worth the trade.

Having said THAT, I recently did a job in SoCal and ended up paying a second shooter $1000/day for three days...so I would say that it really depends on where you are, the agreements you can work out etc.