Engaged...Wedding Photog question..

I just got engaged 2 days ago!!
We are planning on June 20, 2009 as our date
Obviousely I cant take photos for my own wedding. What should i look for in a Wedding Photographer? What amount is WAYYY over priced and what is WAYYY underpriced that they would be crap? (just example dollar amounts) also. I am interested in the new upcoming trend of Pre wedding Boudoir photos.. Do most Wedding photogs offer this an an additional package or should i really search for only the ones that do? ANY wedding photog advice would be great! TIA

Congratulations!

I'm not a wedding photographer but I can tell you what I paid and received in turn. I paid $2500 for 6 hours of coverage, full rights to the pictures on CD, bridal portrait sitting (the prints were extra), and photo cards with the picture website on the back. I was pretty satisfied with the end result (he was relatively new in the wedding photography field).

Good luck with all of the wedding planning (make sure your groom helps with the planning!).

Congrats! I can't really say what is extremely overpriced and underpriced because I don't know what you are looking for in a package. I would just say to work out your budget and find someone who shoots a style that you like within that budget and that gets along with you and your fiancee. As far a boudoir shots I don't know of any in MD off the top of my head who do it but I am sure there are some. The problem I have is most women are more comfortable with another female photographer and so wouldn't consider having a male shoot them in that manner.

There is no stock answer. I would suppose more of this is dependent upon your budget than what you "should" pay. Of course, this may offend some on here, but I think you would find most serious professionals (that have been doing it for more than 2-3 years) would be over $2,000. Maybe way over, depending upon the quality of the work.

I tell all my brides to search for people (whether DJ's, Bands, Caterers, etc.) that care. You don't want to hire a photog where it's just another wedding for them. OR sends their junior associate. Make sure that if you LOVE the work that they're doing, that THEY are the one that will be taking the photos at your reception. Basically, get out there, visit with some photographers, don't stop at the first one that you come to (even if his/her work is awesome) and find one that bowls you over. Then, as much as you can, try to afford them.

This is a biased opinion, of course, but what else will you have in your hands a year from now? So, perhaps the most important expense of the day! If you end up spending $8,000 and you get awesome work, have you spent too much!? I don't think so. Let us know how it goes. This should be an interesting thread.

PS - I would LOVE to come photograph your wedding!! (You're not that far, either)

I say find someone you like, and perhaps set an upper end on the budget, but don't be stingy. You often get what you pay for, honestly. There are plenty of people who overcharge for their crap, but just do lots and lots of looking. Your photos are the #1 thing (next to just getting married) so don't skimp! You don't want to regret it later.

And btw.. Congrats!!

auroraskye wrote in post #5657622
I say find someone you like, and perhaps set an upper end on the budget, but don't be stingy. You often get what you pay for, honestly. There are plenty of people who overcharge for their crap, but just do lots and lots of looking. Your photos are the #1 thing (next to just getting married) so don't skimp! You don't want to regret it later.

And btw.. Congrats!!

Agree completely.

Thanks Everyone! we are looking into a budget of 1500-2000... I have a friend who said shed do it for 800. For Full day (up to 8 hours) full rights to the CD, Post processing, and up to 150 images. I would take her up on it being a friend etc.. and she is a great photog, BUT not my style ya know? she said she can accomodate any style i wish. I like crystal Clear, bright and beautiful ya know? hmm collier do you have a website with examples and your packages?

I would highly reconsider if she is not your style. Speaking as someone who hates a lot of their wedding photos.. Please, think about it!

I can think of nothing worse than having a friend ask me to shoot their wedding as a paid job. The responsibility combined with the risk of creating bad feeling between friends would put me off in an instant. Think about that too.

Thanks for your tips! we have decided not to go with her.. we have a few photogs we are researching. and still doing more research.. Im already becomign bridezilla and i have a whole year to get this wedding together!

Look around on here first. That's what did and then got tons of offers, even from out of staters. The soon-to-be Mrs. was scared to fly someone in and then something happen.

I hate not being able to take photos at my own wedding, I'm only allowed a few but with my SD750.

I looked for what she wanted though and confirmed whether I liked them or not and whether they were worth it after searching around on here...a lot! You ot plenty of time, heck of a lot more than I did and I found someone somewhat local for a good price considering the amount of time and they have to drive an hour (gas) which you might find in increased prices. I know I calculate it now pending location.

The best thing to do is to figure out what you can afford, leaving a little room to push things if you need to.

With this figure in mind, go hunting. Ask other people you know. Make sure you go to the studio if they have one to look at photos. Make sure you know the total cost of everything. I.E. if the coverage costs $1500, but you have to purchase an album, digital files, etc.

Also - some photographers may be nice to a fellow photographer. If I was shooting a wedding of a fellow photographer I may be inclined to work a deal on digital negatives and let them design their own album or something like that.

Just do research and make sure that you and your photog "click" if you know what I mean. It's supposed to be a wonderful and fun day and to have a photog who isn't fun and upbeat is a downer IMO.

_aravena wrote in post #5658901
Look around on here first.

Good idea...I was going to say the same thing.

Post an ad in the "services needed" section of the marketplace and see who pops up.

OdiN1701 wrote in post #5659508
The best thing to do is to figure out what you can afford, leaving a little room to push things if you need to.

With this figure in mind, go hunting. Ask other people you know. Make sure you go to the studio if they have one to look at photos. Make sure you know the total cost of everything. I.E. if the coverage costs $1500, but you have to purchase an album, digital files, etc.

Also - some photographers may be nice to a fellow photographer. If I was shooting a wedding of a fellow photographer I may be inclined to work a deal on digital negatives and let them design their own album or something like that.

Just do research and make sure that you and your photog "click" if you know what I mean. It's supposed to be a wonderful and fun day and to have a photog who isn't fun and upbeat is a downer IMO.

Exactly. That's why I said look around here first. Another photographer maybe but definitely another POTN member!

I had some jerk off photographer quote me WAY more than someone on here who's photos were quite phenomenal. Actually, I think most of the people that post "First Wedding" have had better photos. Watch yourself.

My cousin had an awesome photographer but, I'm not sure if he does or doesn't pose. I had the inclination (since she was his apprentice so to say) he would have no idea how to pose people. Most of the photos in the album were candid with very very little posed portraits.

I'm in PA so I call dibs! j/k. Sortof. If you're really a bridezilla, I'll have to pass.