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photographer package question

JoBell123JoBell123
500 Comments
in New Jersey
We're just now doing our search for a photographer, and I've found the recommendations on this board about who people like, etc, but what my biggest question is - what do you typically get in a package?

I always see people saying "I paid under $4k" or whatever, but what does that include?  Is that including all albums, prints, etc?  Do many include engagement photo sessions as well, or is that an extra charge?

We just want to make sure we're getting a good value on the package price.
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Re: photographer package question

  • USER876USER876
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Photographer's prices reflect many things, including talent, demand, and what is included in the package.  Also, not all albums are =, so it's difficult to compare without knowing the brand of album they are offering.

    You can spend 800, 8000, or 18000 on a photographer that all supply the same thing, so in a way it's subjective.


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  • cindy9178cindy9178 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I'm getting the following:

    One day shooting w/ unlimited photos and no time restriction
    One 38 sides 10"x10" wedding album w/ complete page design
    Complete 4"x6" photo prints w/ DVD copy of Full Resolution and Full Copy rights.
    Three 11"x14" prints.
    Web Wedding gallery post for 6 months.
    Total cost including tax and shipping and handling
    $2150

    The original package contained some different things, but he allowed us to customize it to our needs. (for example we didn't want parent albums, or thank you cards, so added extra pages to our album instead).
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  • GolfChick78GolfChick78 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I dion't think there's any one standard idea of a package.  Our photographer doesn't even offer packages; he's a la carte so you build the package you want from the ground up.

    I think we're pretty typical; we're going to do a failrly large album:  12x12 and probably around 40 pages, two 6x6 parent albums, and ~75 thank-you cards.  And, of course, the disc of images with rights to print and an on-line gallery.  Although they're options, we decided not to do a second photographer or an engagement session, we just didn't feel they were necessary. 

    Our package is totaling in the low $3k range, but as User indicates, not only the quality of the photographer but even the quality of albums can very greatly.  Some are so much nicer than others and we're going very high end on our album.

    But I would tell you to get what you want, don't worry too much about what others are doing.
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  • mbcdefgmbcdefg member
    10000 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    My photographer's price was $3500 back in 2009 (now it's $4000) and I received:

    - an engagement shoot (this was actually part of his pricier package, but he threw it in for free), and 100+ edited images on a DVD and in an online gallery
    - about 10-11 hours of his time on our wedding day (came to the house before I got dressed, and left the reception hall when we left)
    - a second shooter for 5 hours on our wedding day
    - about 700 edited shots from the wedding, on a DVD and online
    - an external hard drive with every single unedited shot from our wedding
    - full rights to our photos, so we can do whatever we want with them
    - engagement shots were sent to us within about a week, and the wedding shots came back in under three weeks; we got teasers of both about 4 days after the respective events
    - a few meetings with him before the wedding to plan out shots and just get to know us, and he came to our rehearsal and scoped out two possible after-ceremony photoshoot locations for us


    The pricier package ($5500 at the time, probably at least $6k now) would've included the second shooter for the whole day and an album.
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  • JoBell123JoBell123
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks guys.  I just want to make sure we're not being screwed by going with a pricier option that's giving less than what most photographers give.  I know there's no set packages for all.

    This is what the package we're thinking of is just under $4k and includes::
    Up to 8 hours for photographer and assistant
    Disc of high resolution images
    Online gallery of images for 1 year

    When we met it seemed like they would throw in extra stuff and we really like thier work.  We're good negotiators so I'm sure we can get them to add in a bunch more if we booked with them.
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  • GolfChick78GolfChick78 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    $4k for a single photographer and nothing but a disc is pretty pricey.  That's okay if he's THAT good and you love him that much and it fits within your budget, but that is certainly above a typical cost (IMO).  I have to assume his albums are going to be similarly expensive so you'll want to make sure you understand all costs up front so there are no unpleasant surprises.
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  • ginabean82ginabean82 member
    Knottie Warrior 100 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_photographer-package-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:a49e2405-5802-4af7-a9cb-775fce02f5dcPost:f88a27af-00ce-47de-887c-e7e60d91d93a">Re: photographer package question</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm getting the following: One day shooting w/ unlimited photos and no time restriction One 38 sides 10"x10" wedding album w/ complete page design Complete 4"x6" photo prints w/ DVD copy of Full Resolution and Full Copy rights. Three 11"x14" prints. Web Wedding gallery post for 6 months. Total cost including tax and shipping and handling $2150 The original package contained some different things, but he allowed us to customize it to our needs. (for example we didn't want parent albums, or thank you cards, so added extra pages to our album instead).
    Posted by cindy9178[/QUOTE]


    Hey Cindy, what photographer did you use?  That seems like a good price!
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  • USER876USER876
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Who is the photographer?  Seems a bit pricy for just a shoot and burn, for that price you can get Neil Van Neikerk of One Perfect Moment
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  • uppereastgirluppereastgirl member
    2500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I agree with User -- so much of photography is subjective that comparing packages can be comparing apples and oranges.  Even if you looked at two $4000 photographers with identical packages, one could be a bargain and while the other may be a complete rip-off, because their talent levels are different.  That's what makes photography packages so hard to compare -- paying more than others paid absolutely don't mean you got "screwed" if the photos are better than what others got.

    General rule of thumb is that photography should cost about 10-15% of your overall budget.  I would maybe set a price range that way and figure out what photographers you love in that range?  Things like albums could always be purchased with money you receive as a wedding gift, so you could always set aside more money later if you fall in love with a photographer who doesn't include an album in the budget you have for photography now.
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  • KarKarnjKarKarnj member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We're paying just over 4k. we have Album, Parent albums, engagements session, thank you's, 2 11x14 portrait, Printed proof book, proofs online and on DVD. No limit on time and images taken. The most important part is we love love love the work, their personality and their albums.
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  • cindy9178cindy9178 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_photographer-package-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:a49e2405-5802-4af7-a9cb-775fce02f5dcPost:9fb1d093-61ed-4ad1-9576-1e3c2d5acde7">Re: photographer package question</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: photographer package question : Hey Cindy, what photographer did you use?  That seems like a good price!
    Posted by ginabean82[/QUOTE]

    We're using Jason Rhee.

    And I agree with PP's.. $4k for no album seems high to me, not only in comparison to the photographer we booked but also in comparison to many others we looked at.Does that disc with the images include the copy rights at least?
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  • sgdc2011sgdc2011 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    we are paying aournd 3500 for:

    engagement session  plus 2 5x7s and 1 8x 10 enlargement from the session
    guest sign in book with engagement pictures
    unlimited time day of
    2 photographers
    (apparently he threw in a slide show the day off on a laptop)
    2 5 x 7 and 1 x 10 enlargement from the wedding
    10 x 10 album with 40 sides (about 120 pictures)
    online website to order from
    disk of proofs with rights

    I think that might be it.
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  • bereasonablebereasonable member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    For those people that are getting "second photographers" in their package, how qualified are those photographers?  I mean, are they just warm bodies with cameras getting paid $100 to be there?  I always wondered this.
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  • uppereastgirluppereastgirl member
    2500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_photographer-package-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:a49e2405-5802-4af7-a9cb-775fce02f5dcPost:39d95a59-ac8c-4042-a750-5e2953f2efcc">Re: photographer package question</a>:
    [QUOTE]For those people that are getting "second photographers" in their package, how qualified are those photographers?  I mean, are they just warm bodies with cameras getting paid $100 to be there?  I always wondered this.
    Posted by bereasonable[/QUOTE]

    Totally depends.  We booked with a studio (a studio with a small, set group of photographers that get booked by name -- not a Pros or even Milton Gil-type place) and we got one of their other photographers as our second shooter.  Some individual photographers hire their friends (for instance, Josh Lynn has acted as a second shooter for Neil Neikirk or however you spell that).  Some photographers hire warm bodies with cameras off Craigslist.  Definitely worth asking before deciding whether it is worth it.
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  • sgdc2011sgdc2011 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    My photographer is a husband wife team.  So the 2nd photographer is the wife.
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  • bereasonablebereasonable member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_photographer-package-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:a49e2405-5802-4af7-a9cb-775fce02f5dcPost:1f5efa0a-02ea-4a7c-a1e3-221bf033dc43">Re: photographer package question</a>:
    [QUOTE]My photographer is a husband wife team.  So the 2nd photographer is the wife.
    Posted by sgdc2011[/QUOTE]

    I've wondered about this situation, too.  Could the wife shoot the wedding by herself with the same level of expertise and artistry?  If not, then she's not really a second photographer and just a "warm body with a camera."
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  • bereasonablebereasonable member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_photographer-package-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:a49e2405-5802-4af7-a9cb-775fce02f5dcPost:47006ee3-1d23-42fd-b770-1bd3b7414bad">Re: photographer package question</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: photographer package question : Totally depends.  We booked with a studio (a studio with a small, set group of photographers that get booked by name -- not a Pros or even Milton Gil-type place) and we got one of their other photographers as our second shooter.  Some individual photographers hire their friends (for instance, Josh Lynn has acted as a second shooter for Neil Neikirk or however you spell that).  Some photographers hire warm bodies with cameras off Craigslist.  Definitely worth asking before deciding whether it is worth it.
    Posted by uppereastgirl[/QUOTE]

    Thank you!  Makes sense.
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  • sgdc2011sgdc2011 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_photographer-package-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:a49e2405-5802-4af7-a9cb-775fce02f5dcPost:a4b56e9d-28a3-4aa0-965e-95c59ff2c0fd">Re: photographer package question</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: photographer package question : I've wondered about this situation, too.  Could the wife shoot the wedding by herself with the same level of expertise and artistry?  If not, then she's not really a second photographer and just a "warm body with a camera."
    Posted by bereasonable[/QUOTE]

    She could shoot the wedding by herself.  We asked before we hired them :)
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  • GolfChick78GolfChick78 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Maybe HE's the second photographer Laughing
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  • uppereastgirluppereastgirl member
    2500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_photographer-package-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:a49e2405-5802-4af7-a9cb-775fce02f5dcPost:c033a099-2545-4a7f-8712-e69f91831f77">Re: photographer package question</a>:
    [QUOTE]Maybe HE's the second photographer
    Posted by GolfChick78[/QUOTE]

    That's an excellent point.

    Also, it isn't *that* weird to think that two photographers married each other, became business partners too, and are of roughly equal talent levels.
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