Thursday, May 08, 2008

Welcome ! ... to all the Unsung Heroes of Love and Romance

This excerpt was taken from a posting which i have made ( 1st May 2008 ) under the pen-name "Enchanted" in the "ClubSnap Photography Community Forum" ...

( For the link to the mentioned posting, please send me an email :
nickgoh@nickgoh.com )

..... Message clipped .....

" ... It's interesting to note that the makeup & hairdo styling are typical Malaysian , including the wedding gown & dresses designs ( you can cross-check with local makeup artists comments and their works ). Even the modern Taiwanese makeup styling ( which was once shun ) has move forward in leaps-and-bounds.

Same goes to the design & layout of the album pages, including the graphics elements and the etched-out portraits effect pasted over the a stock-image of seascape or landscape ( ... have you guys seen any actual bridal shoot done over actual seascape or scenery backdrop ? with good natural lightings and beautiful locales ? ) These are a quick-fixed methods of putting 'a hot sellable concept and commodity' into the world of commercialism of the Bridal photo industry -- a sad but a true fact.

I believe that these "80's styling & concept" or outdated ( some have call it ), are beginning to take center stage even in India & Indian bridal photo Album photo & concept ... ( Do a search and you'll know ).

Anyway, like all fashions, design and graphics, photo presentation trends, it needs to take cue from the leaders of the industries, and rest of the guys follow.

However, many followers are looking at the wrong directions -- taking cue from the "out-dated" Mass Market-Makers.

Having said that, it's still the Wedding and Bridal Buyers whom have a choice of the "Cheap-&-Follow-the-Rest-package" ( aka economical packages ) verses the "Premium-&-One-of-Kind-package" ( aka Designers' Labels & Branded Works Packages ).

[1] At least 70% ( majority ) of today's Bridal Service Buyers will fall into this group - "economical packages" .

[2] While the 10% ( Minority Elite ) will falls into the Premium category -- whether they have good taste or Not is not important.

[3] And the remaining 20% of these Buyers are the People who can distinguished Good Design & Works from the So-so, and willing to fork-out and budget for these privileges.

"Remember, good design and artwork is not a commodity -- and neither is a must-have -- But for those who can appreciate fine creations and the art of professionalism, will seek out those fellas that provide such premiums."



..... Message clipped .....

Welcome ! ... to all the Unsung Heroes of Love and Romance


I understand many Singaporean photographers have had visited my web-blog, and among them are professionals serving in the bridal segment.

I have been constantly sharing with the local like-minded photographers and peers ( in the forum ), on both bridal photography works, in the hope to inspire, and collectively ( being Singapore Pro Photographers ) made a significant changes and betterment to the local bridal photography trend and scene.




This is important in the era of the digital golden age ( 2000- 2010 ), as demand on fresh creativity & new concepts, technical and post-productions skill-level in area on advanced techniques, lightings, executions, editing and digital re-touching, to professional albums' layouts and designs, has reached a new height in 2008.

Once in a while, you get to encounter or have seen some "out-dated" bridal photo artworks online or at wedding shows, done by peers, and you can't help but feels that something is wrong -- either they have lag behind ( still in the usual old state of mind like in the 80's and 90's ), or we are too ahead of our times ?! ... Of course, from the commercial perspective, it's still the Wedding Buyers that decides what's-HOT-or-what's-NOT.

However, in the bridal and wedding industry, the Buyer will be doing her ( one and only ) life-time purchases of your bridal service or product, and the options will be limiting to what's her wedding budget or desired spending, and the current vendors and market offerings.

But being in and for the sake of the industry and passion, i can't help but to share my concerns and thoughts on such matters, in the interest of seeing many good men/women and talents going into this field, and help shaped a new generations of passionate Wedding Professionals, and would like to see the many of the 80's & 90's mindsets of the industry, to take a back seat.

On the Rising Cost of doing / sustaining a Business

Being in the industry for more than a decade, i have observed that while inflations and standard of living in Singapore, have risen steadily over that period of time ( and more so in the last 2 years of hyper-inflations in Singapore ), the bridal & wedding packages being offered in terms of dollar value has either stagnant or declined.

Nearly 15-years ago, a standard package offering by any bridal shops, was being offered for $3,888. And today you still able to get $3,888 or lower !! ... And 15-years ago ( while i am still a young fresh photographer *ahem* ) wedding day photography was offered for $500 buck for 8 rolIs of films + Prints, and today's bridal shops are churning-out similar deals in the Name of DIGITAL for $100 extra ( at $600 ) for the same numerical ! ....

Is this good news for the Wedding Buyers ?? The answer is YES and NO ... ( I'll explain and write on this later ).

It's a dangerous time, for many small trades and businesses, bridal shops and studio owners, as the cost of doing or sustaining their businesses will faced the ultimate 3 challenges ahead --
High Rentals,
High Labor and
High Materials and Productions Costs ( which is related to the Transportations / Fuel Cost, which has increased >300% over last 10 years -- we used to pumped $40 worth of petrol for a full tank ( 10-years ago ), and today, after putting-in $120 worth of petrol, we still couldn't fill-up the gas tank ! ).

The point here is that there must be and will be a shake-out in the industry.

I am forecasting, since 2006, that some well-known established bridal shops will fold-up, and new Bridal Players will be filling-in the ranks, by competing with low budget packages and "mass-market" products and works ( of low design value and using "alternative talents" ).





How many common laymen or to-be-wed couples, can tell the difference between the "Alternative Talents" to the Real McCoy of the industry ? Never. Unless they themselves are in the industry.


Closing Remarks

It will be interesting to watch for the next 2-3 years, and who will be left standing, when the dust settled -- and it's NOT about who is offering the "cheaper alternatives" and survive the great storm of 2008 / 2009 / 2010, but WHO can have the mental strength, guts, and will to see and live thru their own vision and fulfill their calling.

With that said, my well-wishes and long-live to all the "Unsung Heroes of Love and Romance" of the Bridal & Wedding Industry !

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