Ben Rubinstein
pro member
Is anyone here shooting for the Ultra Orthodox ('frum'/'chareidi'/'chassidic') wedding market here? It is my primary market and I would be interested in getting together photographers shooting this market to discuss the changing styles prevelant at present as the super formal + documentary that is still pretty firmly entrenched starts to slowly open up to a more reportage style of coverage and more importantly storybook albums.
As this market is so very varied depending on the different groups, level of orthodoxy, location, country, etc, it would be interesting to swop notes, share tips, etc. For example I shot two weddings one Wednesday that was a normal 'black hat' wedding, nothing posh through to the wedding I shot on Thursday that was Satmar Chassidic with the entire UK division of Neturei Karta present (the grandfather is one of the biggest NK fanatics in the UK/world).
An interesting development which has filtered through from Israel where it is now the norm, is the requirement for a female photographer to photograph the womens side of the partition during the meal and dancing or even for the whole wedding. I've noticed here in the UK that I'm asked for a female photographer in 1 out of 2 weddings I do though people don't seem to grasp the concept of how much more it will cost, they seem to assume that it should be included in the price (you must be joking!). Their has been an announcement in the Hamodia (Jewish weekly paper) from a group of Rabbi's in London banning a male photographer from appearing on the womens side of the partition. How this is going to effect my business I'm not as yet sure but I'm having to give it serious consideration.
Anyway that was just by way of being an opener, I would love to hear from other photographers working this market, love to hear how you are moving away from posed studio lit portraits to more natural outdoors work keeping in mind that many couples will not touch for photos, etc, how you are trying to convey the idea of the bride+groom with weddings where little if no emotion is show between the two openly and anything else that comes to mind.
Beni
As this market is so very varied depending on the different groups, level of orthodoxy, location, country, etc, it would be interesting to swop notes, share tips, etc. For example I shot two weddings one Wednesday that was a normal 'black hat' wedding, nothing posh through to the wedding I shot on Thursday that was Satmar Chassidic with the entire UK division of Neturei Karta present (the grandfather is one of the biggest NK fanatics in the UK/world).
An interesting development which has filtered through from Israel where it is now the norm, is the requirement for a female photographer to photograph the womens side of the partition during the meal and dancing or even for the whole wedding. I've noticed here in the UK that I'm asked for a female photographer in 1 out of 2 weddings I do though people don't seem to grasp the concept of how much more it will cost, they seem to assume that it should be included in the price (you must be joking!). Their has been an announcement in the Hamodia (Jewish weekly paper) from a group of Rabbi's in London banning a male photographer from appearing on the womens side of the partition. How this is going to effect my business I'm not as yet sure but I'm having to give it serious consideration.
Anyway that was just by way of being an opener, I would love to hear from other photographers working this market, love to hear how you are moving away from posed studio lit portraits to more natural outdoors work keeping in mind that many couples will not touch for photos, etc, how you are trying to convey the idea of the bride+groom with weddings where little if no emotion is show between the two openly and anything else that comes to mind.
Beni