photographer?... small budget dont work with the photographer i've found!

michaelascott

I have a really small budget... and it seems like all the photographers i find are half of that!... does anymore know of some lower end photographers that are good...?... HELP!

mayflymanitou

With photography, you really do get what you pay for.

That being said, you may want to check out some of the local university photography programs- they sometimes have students looking for side jobs.  You might also try Craigslist, but I've heard some horror stories so be careful.

Rather than shelling out money for sub-par photos, do you have a friend or family member that has a good photographic eye that would be willing to take pictures for you?  Or hire the photographer you want to come and shoot portraits and capture the ceremony, and rely on friends and family to take pictures at the reception.

Good luck!

shericamarie

well it depends what your budget is.   A lot of photographers that only do weddings charge more just for the wedding factor.  i wouldn't have friends and family do all the photos for the wedding - there are so many things that can go wrong, and they don't HAVE to even give you photos after the big day.  

If you just hire someone for an hour or two you can get a lot of photos and a lot of photos increases the probability of ones that are good.  you can always cut out the formal portraits to save time as well.  good luck!

here's who I'm using, I've done pictures with them before and completely recommend them if you are in the portland area - Daniel James Photography

http://joom.herphotographer.com/

DND2010

I am using Rob Powell Photograhy for our wedding. He has been doing photography for over 25 years, but the bulk of his income comes from another source and so he can keep his prices really low, but not scrimp on the quality! He really has a passion for photography. He did our engagement photos and actually gave us more pictures at no extra charge than what we ordered and his work was great!! robpowellphotocom.

thecatergator

Hi.  My daughter used Brian Foulkes Photography.  His website is brianfoulkes.com.  He charged $850 for 8 hours and had about 900 pics on a DVD with free copyright to print photos from.

Here is the website that the actual dvd proofs are on. Use the password Lauren

http://brianfoulkes.smugmug.com/Other/Eric/14251555_3P9RU/

Leah&JP

My cousin is doing my wedding.  He is an amazing photographer.  He mostly does editorial stuff, but has done some weddings and has such a great eye!  Check out his website... http://www.jeffparkerphoto.com/bio.html

evabo31

http://www.plaksey.tk/

Illya Plaksey is a photographer located in the Northwest. That's his site. He does amazing work and is definitely affordable. I encourage you to contact him, he's a wonderful man. 

mustanggoonie

Garridan at Camiga Studios is super friendly and his prices are great!   http://www.camigastudios.com/
I love that he will add color and will even do sepia tones.

estherandgeoff2

As a former bride and hobbyist photographer I have to comment on this post. I recently posted a similar post on the Bump. While I appreciate ppl having small budgets, skimping on photography is something you should really think aboutt. You want someone that is experienced at shooting weddings and will create the best possible pictures on your wedding day. These will be your memories of the most special day in your life and there are no do-overs. 

Get someone whose photos are timeless. Things like sepia toning and selective coloring are already a thing of the past in my book (my apologies to the previous poster, I know this is personal taste, but IMO those skills would turn me off from a particular photographer). 

We used Craig Mitchelldyer for our photography and while his prices have gone up considerably over the past few years, I will still wholeheartedly recommend him. His photos are stunning and they documented the day so well. He was never intrusive and is very easy going. He also had a DVD with the hi-res photos ready for us the day after the wedding. That combined with his impeccable photography and editing is why we went with him. We also talked with Christina Gilchrist and she is a little bit more affordable. You could get 6 hours of coverage for $1600. Not cheap by any means, but like I said, if you go with a good photographer it's worth it. Brian Rupp photography is another photographer I admire but I have no idea how much he charges. 

shericamarie

@estherandgeoff2 - i don't agree with your supposition that good photography has to be expensive.  as a "hobbyist photographer" i don't think that you would say your photos are any less good than a professional photographer, or do you?

estherandgeoff2

shericamarie, that's true but there are a lot of cheap "fauxtographers" out there and price is often one way to separate the wheat from the chaff. With more expensive photographers it is more likely that you are dealing with experienced professionals who have a licensed business, pay the appropriate taxes, pay license fees for music on their site, etc. In other words they do things the right way. I

'm sure you can find a lot of cheap photographers on craigslist but be sure to ask them how many weddings they have shot as the main or sole photographer. Ask them about their equipment. Ask to see photos of a complete wedding they have done. Look for specific things. Can you see all the detail on a bride's dress, or are a lot of them blown to the point where you just see a big white canvas? Does the photographer pose people or shoot them at certain angles to show off their most flattering side? Are the subjects of the photo sharp and in focus? Do the skin colors look natural? Does the photographer tend to chop off limbs a lot?

I've shot weddings for friends (never as the main photographer, just as a guest and hobbyist) and I realized how challenging it really is. There can be different lighting conditions to deal with. You can be inside in a dark church, or outside in the harsh sun. The photographer's equipment and skill can help make the most of these situations. If they have off-camera flash they can create much better lighting in dark places, or if they have lenses with a low f-stop and camera bodies that are low in noise at high ISO's they can do a lot more than someone who has a Canon Rebel and a kit lens and the on-camera flash. With harsh sun light, you can position people in the shade to get rid of harsh lighting, but then you have to watch out for sun spots on the people and not underexposing them when they are in the shade. 

I just want to warn people to really do their research on this, as it will serve as your main memory of the big day. 

DramaGeek

I don't think she's been around for a while, but Cristi used a photog from CL and isn't thrilled with her photos.  Besides your memories and a video if you do one, your photos are all you have after the fact.  Don't go for "good enough."  Pick someone whose photos you love and who has a good reputation.  Don't think "it won't happen to me" if you've heard even iffy things about a photographer.  Trust us - you will regret it for years, possibly always, if you settle on your photography.

DND2010

My wedding was Nov. 20th. I used Rob Powell photo. His contract stated that he would shoot 600 digital photos. He gave us over 1000!!! We had our cooy right release DVD's the next day!!! He also chose his favorite picture and gave us 20 4X6 colored corrected prints at no charge!!! His package price also includes prints as well as the copy right release DVD's!! He has over 31 years experience and his prices will fit a modest budget!! He advertises as a "budget photographer" because his main income comes from a different source!! I am so glad that we chose Rob!!! He was professional, flexible, fun and his photos are amazing!!! I can't say enough good about him!!!

mustanggoonie

@estherandgeoff2- If you have a budget that is small, you don't have thousands to spend on pictures.  Your snooty attitude towards my choice in photographer is clearly evident.  A good quality photographer doesn't have to be pricey, and because they can offer services that you may feel is "dated" that doesn't mean someone should automatically dismiss them.
It is true that your photographs have no do-overs, but there's no sense in spending thousands on something that the average person isn't going to be able to tell the difference between those and the ones that cost me $695.
If someone's on a budget, they're on a BUDGET!  Might as well find the best you can for what you can afford, sepia tones or not!

RooRoo7

@estherandgeoff2 Bryan Rupp's packages start at $2,000.  I've been following his work for years and I love it, so I'm not skimping on pictures.  It will be at least 20% of my budget, but I know I'd regret it if I used someone else.

estherandgeoff2

mustanggoonie, sorry you think I'm snooty. I'm just trying to educate people on the value of photography and what to look for in a good photographer. I'm not saying you can't get a talented photographer who is just starting out for a good budget, but for $700 those are extremely hard to find. 

Rooroo7, I love Brian Rupp's work! Good for you for prioritizing your budget to get someone who you believe will give you the most beautiful memories of the day .

deslanact21

I have been looking for an affordable photographer in Portland as well.  Good photos are very important to my fiance and I.  They are the 1 thing that will stand the test of time well beyond the wedding day.  HOWEVER, when you are on a budget- you are on a budget.  Its as simple as that.  No matter where else I try to cut corners,  I just can't afford to put $1000 towards photography.  

I lived in LA for several years and made a living as an actress and model, until my fiance was shot in Afghanistan and I moved back to the NW to help him.  I KNOW what good photography is and isn't.  I also know that digital film is cheap (free in fact).  And it does not make a difference to the photographer whether they shoot 400 photos in 6 hours, or 2000 photos in 6 hours.  They are there for six hours doing a job and should be clicking thru the whole event.  What your really paying for is re-touching (and I'm sorry, but changing a photo to B/W or doing auto enhance on their computer is not re-touching (and likewise is not worth the $1000 or more that they are asking).

It blows me away that the "photographers"  in Portland think they can charge upwards of $1000 for their time alone.  I would be happy with paying a photographer $100/hr for 5-6 hours, and then let me choose 30 of my favorite photos to retouch (anything beyond 50 photos just gets overwhelming, and they all start to look the same at that point).  Burn those photos on a disc and I will print them myself.

SORRY EVERYONE-  I just needed to vent!!!

By the by- If you want to see my modeling photos, feel free.  You can see what true, amazing, lightly re-touched photos look like (and I didn't pay a dime for ANY of them)!     http://www.modelmayhem.com/1129612