Hi Peter Chan, I am KC, a photographer and also a friend of 2 of the photographers interviewed in the article. I just wish to say that one shouldn't second guess or assume what a couple would think unless you really know the couple who have spent $8K on photography.
1) If it's indeed due to peer pressure, that means the coupe have many friends who can spend $8k on photography. Does it mean the wedding photography market is maturing and more and more people realise the true value of good photography? On the other hand, if out of 10 friends, only 1 spend $8k, then I can hardly qualify that as peer pressure.
2) Do you know of any couple who spend $8k but yet do not know how to "appreciate the PG work"? Maybe they do, and they find something appealing in those photogs' works that make them willingly part the money in the first place?
3) Cheap means low class, expensive means good. If the photogs concerned are expensive and yet produce low class work, then it's just a matter of time they go out of business. There are photogs who are cheap and good, no doubt, and I think given a chance, the really good ones will want more monetary recognition for the good work they are doing. That's simple economics. Dare I say this, Kuang and Kelvin Koh were once cheap and good too.
4) Again, do you know of any couple who has spent $8k and they only viewed their albums once and forget about the whole thing? Those who view their albums only once are probably looking at albums that don't "wow" them. To want to spend money on photography means the couple value the photos and they are the ones who love to look at beautiful captures of their wedding day so that they can always remember the lovely feelings they have for their loved ones. If my wedding photos can't convey that feeling, I'd probably won't give my photos a second look as well.
Conclusion: pls don't do the discerning couples a disservice by claiming that they are ignorant, crass and vain. perhaps they really don't know much about wedding photography, but as long as they can fall in love again and again upon relooking at the wedding photos, I'd say that it's money well spent! On a lighter note, who says love can't be bought?
Finally, let me ask you this:
Who would in the right mind pay $60,000 for a Patek Philippe watch? Do they know much about the movement and mechanics of the watch? Maybe most don't, but that do not prevent them from getting something they love and can connect on an emotional level. I guess I won't understand them until I am able to afford one myself.
