TRUTH:
I agree in part.  Yes, more attendees are there with digital cameras.  So what? That means the last guy didn't sell the relatives well, so they do things themselves. Markets change. See it as an opportunity. There are more folks causing car accidents with their cell phones and more idiots forgetting to turn them off at the right times. A good professional photographer knows how to get this under control.  If you do not take control in the beginning, don't expect it to go your way after things are done. 

There are hints here under Paparazzi on how I do this. And now with prices dropping on point and shoots, there numbers will grow.  Some local weddings had digital disposables, turn in the give-a-ways at weddings. But they are not your real threat.  They really don't affect your bottom line if you cemented it in the beginning.  RULE ONE!

OH-OH, UNCLE FRED:
Who is Uncle Fred?  He is an intimidation.  He’s the guy with the better grade of camera; the uncle of the Bride, or her nephew from the school paper. In forty years I had one Uncle Fred and it was the worst day of my shooting life because it was a job I did for a family friend. In the end Fred made me money. The story is later on. 

TRUTH: Fred’s not the culprit to your lagging business, you just think he is.  For years the Photographer was the leader at the Wedding, just read “Bridezilla”.  It explains the crucial change that takes place during the event.  Without a good coordinator the whole things falls apart and you take over.  The problem is inexperience. When you don’t know what’s coming, you’ll be as surprised as the rest of them. When you don’t recognize the impending signs, you’ll suffer.  When you book the Wedding and the Bride tells you her favorite TV show is “Bridezilla” and you don’t pass on the job, then you are an idiot.

TRUTH - WHAT DOES AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS…
Here are the six major factors that did contribute or have caused change in the industry:

  •  Digital - A revolution toward simplicity, perfect pictures from idiot boxes and well documented in the ads that promise they will make you Ansel Adams.
  •  Photojournalism - a style so indifferent, anything to the untrained eye is called art and easily copied, passed off, and technically flawed. Owning Reeboks doth not make you a Kobe Bryant. Owning a D3 or Canon IDs whatever does not make you Monte Zucker.
  •  Post Processing- The ability to take the bad stuff and make good "Crayola" pictures for the Bride to revel over.
  •  Film's Death - You can't erase film, now you have instant confirmation, no fear of failure, increased numbers, no limit shooting. Sort of a shotgun approach and you can win when the numbers , not the talent is on your side. We call it just shoot enough.  Rambo’s….
  •  Access - More people with cameras because there are more people with computers.
  •  Competition - More and more are either looking for another source of income or have to find another source since they are zillions behind and up to their ears in debt. 

LOSER'S and WINNERS:
Loser Talk: The entire structure of our western economy has changed.  And that affects the Wedding Industry. The middle class is diminishing.  The middle class is the bulk of the Wedding industry. If this keeps up there won’t be a middle class. Just the low cost Wedding at the local park and the extravaganzas by the rich proving NAFTA works for some.

Wedding brokers, brides and family are getting frugal, and wedding income is diminishing but they still have a few bucks left over for cameras and everybody has a cell phone. I think some Brides have taken a short view of the complexity of the business. "Oh it's just a camera!"  Again that believes the quality comes from the camera and not the shooter.  That drives wedding prices down. Simple, more people spending less on Weddings and spending more on toys. More of those toys are cameras and like Home Depot do it yourself.

The technology is incredible and it’s simple enough to get a decent image today. No formal training in the art and science of photography is needed, just point and shoot and attend a forum or two.  Or make a phone call, and shoot.  Maxwell Smarts shoe phone and Dick Tracy’s watch size communicator are today’s toys.

Winner thinking: On the other side, still many new-bee's will give up as soon as they find out how much work goes into a wedding besides pressing the shutter. All that post processing and making the album is a hell of a job which most 'amateurs' do not really like.  This is true and they get around it by making a batched or botched CD and charging less. But remember the software has gotten better too. It may be acceptable for some.

But it's when they trip over you at the wedding or over-flash you, or get in the way of a sale that tends to get a few folks, including me, a little irate.  Or worse, you see we all have an innate fear of THEIR WORK...especially if their work makes yours look bad.  That’s the ultimate FEAR of failure, that fear is unfortunately inherent in all of us.  How I cringe when I see someone in a forum offer "Oh he pulled out a camera better than mine!   

What confidence in ones talent!  Some one, anyone can have a lucky day. Few will ever admit to fear of the other guy since the ego-arrogant protection tends to flow rather easily here in forums and in front of our peers.  Fear mostly occurs when in front of the other shooter not the keyboard. 

THE DIVORCE MARKET:
"I noticed someone had mentioned divorces are good for the business. I listened to their plan for divorce parties. Sort of divorcees only, wear the last dress you used to seduce your husband with, and hire a good DJ. Yes Sir, lets get the party rolling!  Invite guys take pictures and celebrate."

TRUTH: 
The reality is more people can get re-married.  But, I don't see the divorces really helping the situation that a few think will, maybe the volume sustaining or holding it's own, I see the angle for more weddings, but smaller, more intimate, and with the costs and the ECONOMY the way they are, perhaps less spent on pictures. The re-players are older, with kids and more responsibility and credit card rules are changing. 

SAME SEX MARRIAGES:
Growing market possibility. The same sex marriages tend to be smaller and obviously more intimate unless you live in Hollywood.  Many may come out of the closet but many don't hang pictures in the company elevator either.  

TRUTH:
That particular lifestyle may just have more digital enthusiasts than you might think.  So I wouldn't count on that revenue for your latest lens purchase,  on the other hand as it becomes more prevalent, look for a trend for more than just a civil affair.