Photographer Pricing...Need Help!

WellsKristin · August 2009

Hi Ladies... I haven't been on in a few weeks and WOW have I missed some good information! Thanks!I met with Faces Photography last week and I fell in love with their work. They are a husband/wife team and you can really tell their passion is in what they do. However, with that being said, I am a little concerned about how much a photographer should cost. It seemed like the package that would best fit my needs is $5,500! Is that on the high side, or do I just have no idea!?!For that price, it includes:2 photographers, 8 hrs of wedding day coverage, bridal and engagement portraits, 10x10 flush-mount album, $500 photo credit, online viewing gallery and proof portfolio of wedding pics.AND... that package doesn't include all my wants / needs, b/c I would still like 2 parent albums, a mounted bridal photo to put at the reception & the license to my pics....Please give me your thoughts / input...I have a meeting with Jenny Martell photography this Friday, so we'll see how those prices add up...

appletango85 · August 2009

I am going to say that is on the high side for what you are getting in my personal opinion.My photographer would more than likely give you all that you are getting for almost half the cost.The price could also be because of how good they are(?) and how in demand they are.

Mariah&Steven · August 2009

That's definitely on the high end. And Jenny is also going to be on the higher end as well. Check out Lynn Michelle. She's amazing.And I'm sorry but if I can only order my pictures online, I'm not going to go with that photog. I want a CD of all my images that way I can either choose to get some prints (that are extremely overpriced) from the wedding gallery online or go to CVS and print them off myself for .10 cents a piece.

elle8m · August 2009

My budget was around $2000 and I was able to go below that and get so much more with my photographer that one of the girls here recommended. McGowan Images. I love their work and she gave me a great deal for this year, but I know her prices have gone up for 2010. Here is what I am getting. $1600, 2 photographers, full day coverage, disc of all images, disc of at least 150 edited images, 1 12 x 8 album, and 2 8x6 albums.I looked into other photographers and she definitely had the best package. She may not be your style but this will at least give you an idea of what you can get.

nae82 · August 2009

Are you good with a photo just saying.. go over there and act like we're not here? I had an engagement session with them and thats about all they did. Us, having never really been infront of a camera (besides our own silly candid shots) had no idea what to do and just felt weird. They didn't give us much direction at all. Overall, I wasn't impressed..With that said, it was a free engagement session that I won at a bridal show, and I had already made it clear to them that they were out of my wedding budget, so maybe they just didn't care too much. They were super nice though.Just thought I'd share lol... I've never seen them mentioned here on TK.

fallbride1109 · August 2009

You could certainly get a comparable package that would include your images on a CD. You are getting a lot for that price--people don't realize how expensive albums are, and you are getting engagements AND bridals.I LOVE Jenny Martell. She was not available on my day however. I would say keep looking until you can get all that and your CD for about that price or cheaper. You can do your own parents albums, print your own portrait, etc. with the CD.

SarahandAlex2010 · August 2009

I would think that is on the high side. I would not go with a photog who wouldn't give me printing rights to ALL my photos especially if I had to pay extra to have them. IMO.If your super creative I would make a photo album online and have it printed. But if not, than I would make sure its in your package. I have heard recs on photogs that are alot cheaper than 5k.

juliebug1997 · August 2009

I got my photographer for $800 and that included a disk with all my pictures. I could have gotten some prints through her but it was easier for me to go and pick them out when I wanted. BTW, I got two photographers for all day as well.

callie_knot · August 2009

I think that is kind of high. But all I have to base that on is my photographers packages. We are getting the Essentials package which is really just the CD of all the images and the hours. There is also a little print credit too. I would love an album but it is not something we can afford to do until later. My photographer told me I can come back up until a year later and she will give me an album for the add-on price. so maybe that will be a good 1st anniversary present.

JessAndColton · August 2009

Yeah. That is a little on the high end. Jenny martell is great. So is Lynn. Kandice and jackie are waaay below that (if you wanted the two photogher) they have a new website/name and such. www.sixpenceweddings.com

SarahandAlex2010 · August 2009

Julie - What is the name of your photogragher?

juliebug1997 · August 2009

Michelle Johnsonwww.easysite.com/mjohnsonphotos

Donnaaries · August 2009

That is on the higher end, but it's also a package with a lot of stuff. Consider this: albums are where the photographers make a lot of the money, you'd save a lot by getting a CD/DVD with all the full resolution photos and making your own albums (there are plenty of websites that you can do this through). They are not going to be "artistic" as an album by your photographer (assuming you don't think you have the same artistic eye as your photographer, but it's an economical option for parent albums, etc. Maybe splurge and purchase your own wedding album through the photographer. I think the photo credit is silly. Like Mariah said, if you get the rights to full res photos on a CD/DVD, it's so much cheaper to print your own photos through any drug store/online website. You can easily print your own 14X20 or even larger bridal portrait for $10 or less. Every photographer's work should come with an online gallery and proof portfolio... this is 2009, not 1989, how else would you order photos (if you wanted to) through the photographer? That shouldn't even be considered part of a package as it is part of any package.

fallbride1109 · August 2009

Every photographer's work should come with an online gallery and proof portfolio... That shouldn't even be considered part of a package as it is part of any package.ITA. And like Donna said, this sounds high, but it's higher-end photographers you are looking at.

Donnaaries · August 2009

Agree with Stephie, you are looking at higher end photographers so this price is high, but not ridiculous. I just wanted to push the point that even if you decide to hire a high end photographer, you should look more so at those who will provide you with a full res CD/DVD of your photos because you can do much more with that than you can with print credit, album allotments, etc.

tarleton05 · August 2009

Also look at onelifephoto.com They are who I used and they are wonderful! Great prices and GREAT quality. They are also a husband and wife team - very personable and very nice!

TXsizelove · August 2009

I have to agree with Mariah@Steven in that if you are paying that much for a photographer you should get a copy of the high res files that will go online. I can understand your friends and family having to order but a photographer charging you that much should give you rights to your high resolution files, that was one of the things that we are getting. Jenny's work I have seen and Lynn Michelle's also but not faces. I will suggest you look into our photographer as well as two others and see who will give you the high resolution files, keep looking is my two cents. There are plenty of good high end photographers that will release those to you. www.tonyvaladez.com www.jvsweddings.com www.salleephotography.com

WellsKristin · August 2009

Thanks! All of the information and input was great! I agreaa that the license, online gallery and proofing should be a given and not part of a package....I thought that was strange when I saw that "included" in the package list. I went ahead and contacted Sallee and Tony Valdez, so hopefully I can find someone that works. I just love the artistic / edgy look, while still keeping the traditional wedding moments...coming from an Advertising degree, it's hard not to be so critical...I know in the end, something will work out. Again, thanks for all of your help! Ya'll are great!

wagnerj3 · August 2009

I completely agree with the girls. I hired a high end photographer because it's the most important thing to me (besides, of course, marrying my FI!). I love a true photojournalist style and realized that in order to get what I wanted, I would have to pay a premium. I am going with Huy Nguyen at f8 studios and he charges $4900 for-up to 8 hours of continuous coverage by Huy and an associate photographer- private website with slideshow and online image gallery- ownership of a minimum of 500 master files on DVD - minimum of 500 4x6 in. bordered archival printsHe doesn't give you albums or bridals or engagement photos but honestly I would rather make my own album. We are paying a bit extra to do engagement photos but I think he is totally worth it. I would do some research and see what styles really fit what you like and go with what feels right, what's in your budget and with someone that will give you that precious DVD! If you like a photojournalistic style, I highly recommend looking into Huy. My friend used Gary who is at the same studio and also loved her photographyHuy's blog is http://www.f8studio.com/blog/huy-nguyenand his potfolio is at http://www.f8studio.com/f8/html/viewHuy.html I swear I am not related to him nor do I work for him. I just think his photography is incredible.Good luck!!

fallbride1109 · August 2009

F8 is fabulous. Not in my budget, but fabulous!

Donnaaries · August 2009

F8 is pretty awesome. I had a photographer friend from Austin who recommended them, but they were a bit over my budget. I went with Perez Photography. They also have a photojournalistic approach. I have a package that includes a couple of hours coverage of the rehearsal/rehearsal dinner, 8 hours of wedding day coverage, bridals, engagements, online slideshows for each of the photo shoots for a little less than what the PP quoted. Link to my engagement photo slideshow in my bio if you're interested.

Photographer Pricing...Need Help!

Re: Photographer Pricing...Need Help!

Choose Another Board

Search Boards