Frustrated and confused about how to choose a photographer!

brizzie918

I am so overwhelmed and hoping someone out there can help me.  I am living in san diego while in law school and planning my october wedding in philadelphia. I am really torn about how to choose a photographer. We have a budget ($1500 max).  But how do you pick a great photographer?  Who is to say that someone who charges $5000 is superior to someone who charges $1500?   How did you choose yours....any suggestions on narrowing down would be great. I just want gorgeous pictures!

PharmJen

Most photogs have websites and blogs - I had followed my photographer's blog for a few years so I knew exactly who I wanted.  You can tell a lot about their style and quality just by looking at their work.  Since you're planning from a distance and if you can't schedule meetings in person soon, you'll have to get a feel for them over the phone.  Many will book over a year out in this area so it's best to get started right away just finding people within your budget.  

It's a very personal decision - for some people, you can't put a price on quality pictures or a specific photographer.  For others, money is the bottom line.  Good luck in your search!  

 

LaRositaMonita

Brizzie, would you mind e-mailing me?  Ive been here a while and seen many photographers.  I'd be happy to tell you why I prefer some over others and send you a few articles to help give you an idea of what you pay for when you pay for when you hire a wedding photographer and why it costs so much.  (It just might take my long-winded self a while...and I would hate to make someone on the board here feel bad if I had to publicly explain why I liked another photographer better than theirs

Photography was something very important to me, so DH and I spent a lot of time on this during our search.  In my personal opinion, there IS a difference between at $1500 and a 3 or 4000 dollar one.  Beyond a certain point, you are simply paying for a photographer's years of experience and reputation (hence why I personally think it's silly that some people will spend upwards of 10 grand on a photographer!), but up to that point, you are putting a price on their talent, expertise, training, dedication to the profession, creativity, and level of service.  There are VAST differences between certain photographers if you know how to look at their work with a somewhat trained eye - I'd be happy to share what knowledge I have with you.

One thing to ultimately keep in mind - at the end of your wedding, the cake and the food will be eaten.  The flowers will die.  The venue will be used by countless other people.  Your dress will sit in storage;  your husbands tux will get returned.  You will have two things left to remember the day by: your actual marriage, and your photos, which will hopefully have perfectly captured all the most important moments of the day so that you can cherish them together through the years and pass them along to future generations of your family. 

If you want to get in touch, I'll be available on and off this weekend.  colinandheather at me dot com  

sarsilver

I agree with Jessie. We are both using Marc Anthony. Just to use him as an example, when I met him he told me that he does photography for the love he has for it not the necessity. That he doesn't do it for a living and he can charge what he does because he can. That he doesn't advertise and works out of his home so he doesn't have a studio to rent. And he doesn't charge extra for enlargements. What he get charged from his lab is what he charges you (That was a huge selling point). POINT IS, there are so many others like him. You can find someone for $2000+ who does incredible work. I would try and up your budget a little though. I also agree with the WPJA. They are a great resource.

sarsilver

P.S. My photog also wrote a little note on his facebook page which may sum things up. Don't be discouraged. You will find someone. http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&suggest&note_id=258911366883&id=182688734415#!/note.php?note_id=258911366883.

P.S. I have also heard some decent things about Perfect Day Photography. They start around $1100. They are  little more traditional but looks real good.

LaRositaMonita

Sara - thats a great article.  However, keep in mind that brizzie just wants coverage and the DVD...she already knews she can save a lot of money this way by etting the digital "negatives" of the photos and making her own enlargements.

That said, Marc Anthony is absolutely right in that article.  At a certain point, pro photographers doing their ting full-time charge more because they have more expenses.  That shows up in their pricing and in particular in what they will charge you for prints, enlargements, canvases, albums, etc.  (They actually make a relatively small amount of money from things like sitting fees or their charge per hour of their time.) 

sarsilver

I agree LaRosita as well. I just feel bad for people who get so discouraged thinking there is nothing out there without have to spend through the nose for it. I know you also recommend Rich Lavigne. They are the same. They do great work but don't charge a lot. I  know they are somewhat new to the industry but they could still charge more. It's funny but choosing Marc reaffirmed my beliefs that there are good people out there. Just don't give up. That's all I am really saying.

LaRositaMonita

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_frustrated-confused-choose-photographer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:105Discussion:276b41f7-400a-4d3f-b97f-6196ab2bdb15Post:5513b688-418f-4472-be8f-6f2688a75c94">Re: Frustrated and confused about how to choose a photographer!</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree LaRosita as well. I just feel bad for people who get so discouraged thinking there is nothing out there without have to spend through the nose for it. I know you also recommend Rich Lavigne. They are the same. They do great work but don't charge a lot. I  know they are somewhat new to the industry but they could still charge more. It's funny but choosing Marc reaffirmed my beliefs that there are good people out there. Just don't give up. That's all I am really saying.
Posted by sarsilver[/QUOTE]

I agree completely.  Rich also does not have the overhead of a studio and is relatively new to the industry, which keeps his prices low.  He did increase his prices for 2010 over 2009, though, to keep up with industry standards and to relfect his growing experience.  Most every photographer you find does that - it's part of the reason why many brides choose to book photographer more than a year out.  (It locks in their prices.) I think Marc and Rich's artistic eye is somewhat different, but I agree that it's a very fair comparison in terms of pricing and why they do what they do and charge what they charge.

ooodsie

Another thing to ask is if you are getting a 2nd shooter.  Some of the budget photographers don't do second shooters, they may do "assistants" but not actual second shooters.   If I didnt have a second on my wedding day, I know I would have missed some awesome photos...  I remember some of the ones our second shooter took, and they are some of our favorites.

My personal recommendations:
Mike Landis

Ryan Estes

Sarah Schulte

Doug Bournes

ButtonsPepper

Recomending Marc for this job though won't help her. If her budget is 1500, and marc's price is over 2k even if you drop his 2nd photographer, that's still over 700 dollars over her budget. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to e mail, and see what can happen... but to find a really good photog. with photojournalistic eye, you have to be lucky, and take a chance on someone new starting out, or have your wedding on an off time, so a photog. may lower their prices because it's a hard day to book.

I'd also look on weddingwire.com. You can find a ton of great reviews from a ton of brides on their wedding photographers. From there you can figure out you like, and narrow down a price point.

Picking a photog. is a very personal decision, and what is right for some people, won't be right for you, and what is right for you won't be right for others. I would comunicate through e mail asking to see pictures. If you like a blog you see, e mail the photographer and ask to see a WHOLE WEDDING. Some photographers showcase only their best pictures. If you want a feel for them, look at what they shot for a whole wedding, that will really help.

I agree spending 10k wasn't right for me, but spending just over 1k wasn't either. To get what we wanted, we bumped it up, and it's the one thing I don't regret paying for. Also, if you find a photographer you like, post it here and ask for feedback, and also check weddingwire.com that place is LOADED with reviews.

Good luck!

ButtonsPepper

Also, before booking with my photog, we booked with someone MUCH less expensive. In the end, I fell in love with my photog's work and increased our budget. Won't hurt to check him out, he did a good job at our friends wedding.

Ryan O. Photography

LaRositaMonita

BP - I think the overall point here, which we would all agree on, is that for the OP to really get what she wants and be guaranteed good quality she may have to reprioritize and icnrease her budget.  Hence the Marc Anthony/more expensive photographer recommends. 

Stacylynn702

I'm using a younger (budget friendly)  photographer and she does include a second photographer. 

CA2PABride2Be

This was the most annoying part for me as well.  Lots of Knotties are going to give you advice on different photographers - not sure they'll be in your budget though.  I had a $2000 budget and a lot were way off.

I still looked at every single website and blog of each photographer recommended to see if I liked their style.  I also looked at every photographer already used/recommended on the Knottie Philly Blog (link is at the top of the message board and on LMR's signature).  And THEN I looked at Weddingwire.com  Weddingwire was my BIGGEST help b/c there are a lot of photographers on there that have great reviews that never get mentioned on here.  That's how I found my photographer - M2 Photography (they might be a bit out of your price range but you can always ask).

Some photographers are going to have their prices flat out on their websites, others will not.  But after you come up with a list of photographers you like just start emailing them all seeing if they'll work with your budget.

One last tip - I ended up going over my budget (not a lot).  I loved my photographer and, quite frankly, after searching so long for a photographer from a long-distance location I was tired of the hassle and just wanted to be done with it.

brizzie918

To ALL OF YOU:    thank you soooooooo much!  You have really helped me enormously. I am looking into all of the names you have suggested. We are also thinking about increasing the photography budet to $2000......any suggestions on where to CUT the budget to compensate for the photography increase? 

LaRositaMonita

Depends on what your budget for other things is.  My first instinct (because this is where I cut) - flowers.  They will die and no one will remember what they looked like except for you.  (Everyone else will tell you they're pretty no matter what they look like, too   Invitations also come to mind - MANY girls here have DIYed their invtations or done them through kits at Michaels, and if you're not willing to pout in the time for that, we can help you find good places to look when the time is right.

You can also get pretty savyy with ebay and etsy ad find GREAT deals on things like your wedding accessories, your shoes (zappos and DSW are your friends! or the record, though, I actually bought my wedding shoes unworn from a girl on ebay), etc. 

Sharing your budget for various things helps immensely.  If you're not comfortable or don't know how to break it down yet...what is your total budget for the whole wedding, and what is your venue (or the type of venue you're looking for?)  We can help you figure this out


EDIT: YGPM

jillnpaul11609

After my hubby and I were engaged, I basically stalked photography blogs until I had enough. I think I read about 20 different photographers' sites for weeks on end. Some were awesome and some (to me) were so-so. It all comes down to how you feel about a photographer's pictures.

I fell in love with Cindy Guessford's style immediately and knew she was in my Top 3 choices. I also loved Ryan Estes but he was a bit more pricey. In the end I went with Cindy because I loved her pictures and for my money I was getting more "stuff." Jenn Childress was up there for me too but unfortunately she was booked on my date. She did my budoir pictures though so I could have a chance to work with her and she's just awesome.

Definitely check out blogs because they offer such a variety of pictures. Also based on the photographer's comments you can get an idea his/her personality.

emoran04

There is a new wedding photog based out of NY but I think she still has family in the Philly area so she may be willing to travel. She is just getting started full time but she's been doing weddings for a while. I am pretty sure I'm going to book her for my B.Session over the summer if she comes into town.

http://www.melanierosephotos.com/index2.php

She also has a facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Melanie-Rose-Photography/121838128518?ref=ts

Good luck.