Connecticut

photographer dilemma

My FI and I have been on the search for a photographer. I've gotten a lot of great input from some of the posts here, but one day I happened onto the website ot Rebecca Hansen Photography:

http://www.rebeccahansenphotography.com/index2.php?v=v1

We really love their style and their packages are amazingly affordable filled with everything we are looking for- (10 hrs, 2 photographers, engagement sess, photobooth, 3 albums, dvd, full rights- the works!). Here in lies the problem. They are currently in Idaho, Utah? I don't remember, somewhere west of here haha but they are planning on moving here early summer of this year. They don't have a New England following, which is why I think their prices are so low.  I'm worried if we wait that long to meet with them, and our personalities don't "click", other photographers we are interested in will be booked. A few photographers we are interested in are already booked for our date now, so I can only imagine how many more could be by June.

What do you ladies think? Would we be taking a risk booking now? I just don't want to let this great deal pass by. Any input would be great! TIA


05.21.11
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Re: photographer dilemma

  • edited December 2011

    I'd say go for it if it's that great a deal! If you have a personality where you can get along with most people- I'm sure you will click!

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  • jmestylejmestyle member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thats hard. I would def want to meet them in person before booking them. Only because you want to see their work in person.
    Did you find others around here that fit your budget?
    My photog has all those things that you are interested in.I paid $1300 but w/o the photo booth. She has that option but not sure howmuch it is.
    There is also this one thats very resaonable because they arejuststarting off.Iknow Heidi personally and she is very nice and passionate about her work
    http://phphotography.net/index2.php

    I say hold off and try to find someone around here so its one less worry you need to stress about (especially photography)
  • edited December 2011

    Hmmmm...  My one concern would be what happens if suddenly their plan to move changes?  You could be totally stuck.  I would say that at the very least they have to guarantee in their contract that even if they have not relocated, they will travel here to photograph your wedding and they will pay the expense for the travel.  It would suck if they suddenly said, 'well, I'm not moving now, but if you pay my travel I'll come'.  You also very definitely need them to send you pictures for you to see... even if it's a sample album that you send back, you need to see more of their material.  At the very least you should have a very detailed, in depth conversation over the phone.  Ask lots of questions, chit chat, see if your personalities mesh.

    I would also go on to the local board where they are located and ask the girls there for reviews on this photographer.

    Personally, if it was me, I'd be scared to commit to someone not local just because circumstances always change.  Her photographs are fabulous though, so I totally understand why you'd want to try and make it happen.

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  • starrbuk13starrbuk13 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    i agree with everything carrie said.  asking the girls on their local board is a great idea.  i think you can determine a personality match over the phone if you speak to them long enough and in enough depth, but the point about travel plans changing is something to reallllly consider.  

    personally, i'd wait until they actually moved here to book them.  since they're new to CT, i doubt they'd book that far in advance.
  • edited December 2011
    Akulaji- great ideas!!!  I never thought of checking the local board where they are now. And I will ask about sending some sample albums. She has assured me their plans are set in stone. They bought a house in Springfield,MA, where she grew up. And they are expecting a baby this summer and want to be close to family. But I definately will set up a phone date. :o)

    She seems pretty cool via email and she seemed really excited when I showed her our venue. Maybe after I actually talk to her on the phone I'll be less nervous? I'll keep you all updated!

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  • Vanessa630Vanessa630 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I wonder, also, if you decide to book her- if you could do your engagement session ASAP of them arriving in New England. I don't know how that would tie in with the deposit and how much of a deposit they ask for but if you find that you don't click during the session, you should have plenty of time to look for someone else (though again, I don't know if you would just lose the deposit or if they would charge you extra for the E-pics etc.) 
    I can definitely see why you're tempted to book. I checked out the site and they seem great!

    Good luck!
  • edited December 2011
    NOOO!  Several reasons. There have been scams involving people booking photographers thru websites that way. This may  or may not be the case. Also the price they are offering IS to good to be true. It's undercost for photographers in the CT area. If and once they do move here they will not be able to operate and stay in business which means that you might never get your albums from them or once they get here they will have to double or triple that price to just stay in business. Third, honestly their pics are artsy but mostly a few of the same poses with a photoshop filter over them, will you be happy with them in years to come?  Another consideration is that when you are loooking a portfolio from an OOT photographer the locations are unique to us and tend to look better then the usual stuff we see here in CT. Lastly and this in the smallest consideration. Is an OOT vendor going to possiblity have a problem finding locations  I did see it says she grew up in Springfield but how long ago??  You'd be surprised at how customs differ from area to area! The whole thing really worries me also that part about her having a baby soon, life is going to change drastically after that but that is the least of my concerns as we women always seems to make it all work!
  • edited December 2011

    Had a similar situation but on a MUCH smaller scale...our limo company just opened their location in Greenwich but their main locations are in Brooklyn & Queens.  They actually told me that the only reason they opened their Greenwich office is because they have a contract with a local corporation doing cars for the executives.  They said that, if for some reason, this company's contract is not renewed this summer and they decide to close their office, they will GUARANTEE their services for our wedding for the same price, no increase in cost, out of their NY offices.  We got it in writing and I feel very confident about it because of that. 

  • edited December 2011
    Yeah except Greenwich is 30 minutes from NYC It's the pricing that scares me mostly, you can't provide two photogs with albums for that price in CT without going out of business eventually. Perhaps in Utah but not here. Even in Utah the price would be almost that for three albums cost.  Also if there was a problem or a lawsuit would you have to track someone down to Utah etc I know there are some young photogs offering similair prices but I fully expect there to be problems soon with their businesses. $1500 seems like a boat load of money to a newbie for doing something they love but it catches up to them quickly because they don't take into account the expenses involved with running a sucessful business.
  • edited December 2011
    Hey Everyone!
    I'm the photographer "in question" here! I'm not trying to butt in, but, I feel as though there are some things that I should clarify before you guys get carried away with scam schemes. We're not scammers, I promise! Our prices seem low to you because well, they are low, for New England. The standard of living in Idaho is COMPLETELY different. We've repriced ourselves for new england for next year, if you'd like to book us for THOSE prices, we'd be happy to send them along, but we're not jerks haha. I'm sure you'd find them much more appropriate to New England/Boston standards. Most people in the Idaho/Utah area pay about $1000 for wedding coverage. It's crazy haha. I've only been away from New England for 3 years but have been back for a month every year to visit family and to shoot weddings or other events.

    Tia, if you'd like, I can send you some names and numbers for people to get in contact with that we've worked with. We don't shoot in Idaho very often, so you won't get much from the Idaho board, plus, people in Idaho don't really use the knot.

    We're not jerks, and we're not shady, and I have no plans of quitting once our baby comes, I'll probably work even more. This is our passion, what we love to do, the people that quit when they feel like they aren't making enough are people who got into it for the wrong reasons in the first place, or just are downright bad at it. If you look at some of the most successful photographers in the industry most of them are parents. We would never leave you hanging without an album or your images. That's why you have contracts, you have the right to sue people who don't deliver those things. Never hire someone who doesn't make you sign a contract, they're not just to protect us, they're to protect you as well. I didn't mean to be nozy! I just saw this link visiting our page a lot and was curios to see what it was all about. I'm glad I came :) I hope that helps!
  • tlt0811tlt0811 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I agree, I would be careful, The photographer is the vendor you want to feel 100% confident about. Your cant go back and get new wedding photos.  My suggestion would be to look around for local photographers in CT who offer similar packages.  My husband and I found a great photographer in Branford, CT he will travel anywhere though his name is John Steady his prices are more than fair, and the quality of the pictures are fantastic, his pkg also includes an engagement session, all the pictures on a cd-rom (same for the wedding photos) i think the pkgs start around 1800 we paid $2,500 which included a few extra hours and a second photographer.  his website is www.steadyphotography.com tell him Tara Troy sent you.

    check out my real wedding contest submission entry (feel free to vote) good luck i hope this was helpful

    http://www.theknot.com/my-real-wedding/Photo/151194/a-connecticut-beach-wedding-tara-amp-craig-gambardella
  • edited December 2011
    I agree.  I think that the photographer is one of the most important vendors and I defintiely wanted to meet with mine and make sure we clicked.  Other than your groom, you will spend most of your wedding day with your photographer!

    Check out Ashley Therese Photography.  Ashley is awesome and I LOVE her work!!!!   She has that photojournalistic style I think you are looking for!

    http://ashleytheresephotography.com

    Good Luck!
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