Lately, everyone's been tightening their belts, even when it comes to once-in-a-lifetime events, like a wedding. In the past month or so a number of hopeful couples have contacted me, only to discover that I am outside their budget. When we discover this, two things can happen: negotiation, or we part ways.

It's painful for me when we're forced to part ways. One of the most charming things about each couple who contacts me is that they all have a wonderful story, and they all absolutely deserve to have their event photographed beautifully. I'm frustrated when economic realities prevent this from happening, since I absolutely love what I do.

If negotiation opens up, fun, fruitful, frustrating, and futile things can result. Both sides suggest possible solutions, with varying success. Admittedly, I have spent very little time on the couples' end of the negotiating table. When I first realized this I paused to think: was there something that I knew, something about the way I worked, that might help couples find good compromises with the photographer they want to hire?

So here I am, offering what little nuggets of advice I have. Please keep in mind that I speak as a professional photographer, from my own experience and perspective; my opinion is decidedly shaped by being on "the other side of the table." Also, I am only one photographer; most likely my opinion and approach differ from that of others.

Things To Try: Cutting Back & Bartering

This is tricky, even if you put it nicely. I personally love the idea of negotiation, but some photographers see it as a threat to their professionalism. Even with photographers who are open to a little negotiation, it's important to communicate to them that you think their services are worth what they're asking. I love to be told that I'm valuable; don't you?

Offering to cut back or barter right off the bat, or simply saying "I don't want to pay the full amount," can sound an awful lot like "I don't think your work is worthwhile." In which case, I start to wonder if you enjoyed my work in the first place and why you would want to hire me; perhaps I'm not for you!

A good way to start is by saying, "You do wonderful work, and I'd love to be able to hire you, but I can't afford $____.  Is there any way you would consider ____?" As with all communication, the how you ask is as important as what you're asking.

1. Cutting Back: Ask to reduce package options, or go a la carte

If the photographer you're looking at has packages with lots of extra do-dads that you could personally do without, it can't hurt to ask politely if they'd be willing to scale down a package for you.

Be aware that some photographers won't budge on this, as they consider the packages they offer as an integral part of their client experience. Even though it may seem superfluous to you, those packages are carefully thought out, and are a part of the attractive image they work hard to maintain.

But some photographers will be willing to trim things a bit for you, and that's great! And while I offer several scaled-down options there are still a few things I provide that I just won't cut back on, because to me it feels like I wouldn't really be doing justice to my clients.

2. Bartering: Trade your skills or trade your stuff

If I need brake work, a new couch, or someone to design a website for me, I will (and have) bartered photography for those necessary things! The art of bartering is a lost one, and I'd love to see this come back into play. It can't hut to ask politely and generally about bartering as an option for payment, and find out if it's even a possibility.

Things To Avoid: RAW Files and Promotion

I call these items "things to avoid" because although they are valid requests, I have found them to be incompatible with my own approach and goals as a photographer. And based on my knowledge of other photographer's attitudes, they are also less likely to be fruitful. If these ideas interest you, delicacy is key, as it was with the "things to try." How you ask for them is as important as what you're asking, but keep in mind that these are probably things for which no matter how nicely you ask, you likely won't get what you're asking for.

1. Asking for RAW files (unprocessed images straight from the camera)

Some clients may try to cut costs by asking for the photographer's RAW files so they can process them apart from their photographer. You may just happen to find a photographer who specializes in what's called "shoot and burn" weddings, and this arrangement will work for you. More often than not, you won't.

For a photographer who doesn't do so (myself included), it's often a philosophical reason: the belief that the beauty of the photographer's work extends into the way they process their images. Personally, this helps me maintain control over how other perceive and view my work. It's important that my portfolio should never appear different from the images I deliver so that clients can trust that my work is consistent. It proves that I am skilled, and ensures I'm providing a beautiful result every time.

There is, however, a practical reason for avoiding the photographer's RAW files: do you have the setup necessary to process through hundreds (perhaps thousands) of high-resolution image files? If you don't have the basic software, RAM, or hard drive space to do so, you may want to reconsider.

2. Offering promotion in return for a discount

I, personally, am not interested promotion unless it's something that happens organically--hopefully the result of me doing an exceptional job. Any other arrangement would mean I was creating a different, less authentic reputation for myself. Genuine word of mouth is invaluable, and I hope to deserve more of it every day.

So, for me, while I really truly appreciate offers for promotion, it's simply not an option. Other photographers may be open to the idea, but find it difficult to quantify; they have to ask themselves, "How many blog posts or glowing message board reviews constitutes 10% off?" It's a really tough call, and I'd be curious to hear of any successful arrangements.

It Can't Hurt To Try

Reading this through, it must sound like we photographers are touchy people. "Tread fearfully!" you must be thinking. Please don't think so! I encourage everyone to consider these options and put them in their budgeting arsenal, but using them sensitively and appropriately to the situation. You never know what great things could result from a polite question and creative thinking! I feel for all you couples on a budget, and with everything in your life being squeezed right now it's tough to manage to afford the beautiful, meaningful event you desire.

I owe a lot to several friends who helped me brainstorm and edit this piece. Please, if you have feedback, do contact me with your experiences, questions, and advice.

Coming Soon: What to Do if You Just Can't Hire a Pro

This is a second part of a two-part series on wedding photography in a recession. See Part 1: How Do I Negotiate? if you missed it!

Sometimes the sad truth is that with some wedding budgets, it just doesn't work out to hire a professional. Regardless of what your budget is, the photography is one of the longest-lasting investments you'll make in your wedding day. It's important to have it done well. Here's what I'd do if I was in dire straits, and had a minimal budget to work with.

Hire A Talented Amateur

There are a lot of resources on the internet about how to amateurs can go about photographing a wedding. You can probably find a student who already knows a lot, a friend who has taught themselves a lot, or someone who's willing to give it a go and has a fairly good eye.

The key here is that no one--not even an amateur--should photograph a wedding entirely for free, in my opinion. A friend who is the photographer has the unfortunate status of not being able to fully participate, since the photographer's job is to capture the moment, not enjoy it. A student in training or a photo enthusiast still has specialized knowledge to put to use.

I'll reiterate it again: an "amateur" needn't command professional rates, but their efforts should never go uncompensated! How you work it out with your amateur is up to you; just please, don't let them work for free.

1. Find Your Amateur

Instead of looking to the omnipresent Craigslist first, turn to your local colleges and universities; each of them has art departments with students who may be willing to give their skills a whirl. In the Baltimore and D.C. areas, a few of the prominent schools include MICA, Baltimore School for the Arts, Washington School of Photography, and Corcoran.

If your student pool turns up dry, you can mine your friends, associates, co-workers, and family members for any photo enthusiast who might be interested in the job. The benefit of looking within your networks is that may turn up someone with whom you feel more comfortable, since they already have a connection with you.

Another great resource, but probably a little tougher to find someone local, would be Flickr: you can search through regional groups and see if you find shooters you like, or someone who dabbles in wedding photography but who may not advertise. It's worth a shot!

2. Get Comfortable With Your Amateur

Subject your amateur to the same scrutiny that you would as if they were a professional. This is your wedding day, and you want to feel at ease with the person in charge of capturing the moments. Examine their portfolio and ask them why they enjoy photography. Give them your timeline and ask them what their thoughts are. Invite them to come to the location with you on a pre-wedding visit. Ask them what they would do in the event of inclement weather, uncooperative guests, or equipment failure.

Plenty of students and enthusiasts, though, may already have those things in the bag. But just in case, consider providing part of your photography budget for their backup equipment needs, and travel expenses too.

3. Help Your Amateur Get What They Need

Here I've prepared a short list of helpful resources that amateur wedding photographers can use to enhance their shooting skills, get the equipment they need, and feel inspired.

Enhance Skills
21 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographers
The Digital Wedding Forum
Planet Neil: Flash Photography Techniques
Strobist: Lighting 101

Gear Resources
B&H: Photo and Video Equipment
Ziplens: Online Lens Rentals
Service Photo: Rentals & Photo Equipment (local to Baltimore)

Inspiration
Jonathan Canlas Photography
Laura Burlton Photography
Carina Romano Photography
Ellen Warfield Photography
Sabine Scherer Weddings

In Summary

Regardless of what happens with your wedding photography, please make sure that your longest-lasting investment is in each other. In the end, all the beautiful photographs in the world can't compare to a happy, healthy, and joyous relationship.

Every now and then I like to give myself a little project when things slow down around here. This week I've promised myself that I'll shoot self-portraits every day.

I think the most challenging thing for me will be to find a portrait I like where my eyes are open. As with everyone, the first thing I notice about my face are the flaws--the very same things that add character and make me, well, me.

Today's portrait is a quick-and-dirty, reflecting the unexpected flow of my day--an emergency trip to the pediatrician. All is well now, thankfully. I like to think of this picture not only as a self-portrait, but as a snapshot of the haphazard life of a full-time parent trying to run a home business. I held the picture frame up to disguise my haggard face & disheveled hair. Flash off to camera right, on remote trigger, to cut down on reflections on the frame and on the frames in the background. I edited it out of the final photograph, but I didn't even change my shirt, which was covered with smears of graham cracker and kid ooze.

And even though it's quick-and-dirty, it manages to be meaningful. The photograph in the frame is me--a me from about eight years ago, when I had long flowing hair and more youthful skin. I printed it about eight years ago, too, on silver gelatin RC paper in my college darkroom. It was one of my first gifts to my sweetheart-now-husband, who hangs it over his desk. In the background are other college memorabilia: the giant senior show print, a portrait of Stephen from seven years ago in the upper-left, a framed letter from him beneath that, and then a small picture of Ruth, our recent history. It's a picture that looks backwards and forwards and presently all at the same time.

I promise I'll try a shot where my face is showing tomorrow, wink wink.

When I was little, when drawing a self-portrait, I always had yellow hair. Even in a box of 64 Crayola crayons, I would seek out the yellow that specifically said "YELLOW"... no other yellow would suffice.

Since then, of course, my hair has darkened quite a bit. Perhaps you could call me a light brunette, or a dark blonde. But in this photo, I decided to drape myself with a little yellow silk. Just as good as Crayola yellow, eh?

For the post-production nerds out there, yes, I did a little post-processing manipulation to bring out some saturation, but not much.

This is the week of self-portraits!

Perhaps the theme of the week should be "putting strange things on my head" rather than a week of self-portraits. I like being goofy, and try not to take myself too seriously. And sometimes I get truly fed up with the tired trope that artsy has to mean edgy or depressing. And yes, perhaps I'm not smiling in this photo, but it's mostly because I'm trying to balance that doohickey on my head while I focus my camera. It's harder than it looks!