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Seriously?!

shigaitesshigaites
1000 Comments
in North Carolina
I've been setting up meetings to talk with photographers while I'm home.  Most of the people I've emailed with so far have been super cool.But the emails I've been getting from Craig at Luster have been kind of bizarre.  He keeps asking me for a photography budget and I keep telling him I'm too far out for that, I'm just doing preliminary meetings to get to know photographers while I have the chance, but that my budget will be tight.When I tell him my budget is tight he then tells me, "Well, just so you know, it will be difficult to find any professional photographer on a tight budget."wtf what kind of thing is that to say to a potential client?!  I'm really peeved right now but I'm not sure if I'm just overreacting.
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Re: Seriously?!

  • katherineUTCkatherineUTC
    1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    You should honestly just ask him what his range is, and then see if that's way outside of yours. It really isnt fair for him to waste his time and for you to waste yours if he is outside of your budget (honestly you need to come up with something, even if it's a very rough estimate).
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  • jennifer111180jennifer111180 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Given that Craig has a very good reputation with a few other knotties, I would definitely give him another chance. As Katherine said, giving him a budget, even if it is a rough estimate, would be helpful. In addition, just remember that it can be difficult to infer tone in an e-mail, so it might not have been his intent to come across snarky.
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  • Kellybeth124Kellybeth124
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I think the trouble with saying things like "my budget will be tight" is that it means different things to different people. Tight to some may mean just a few hundred, which would mean yes it might be difficult to find a pro. If you could try to ballpark it that might help you both understand each other better.
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  • shigaitesshigaites
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Yeah, that's the problem with email eh?I did ask him at one point what his going rate for a basic shoot and burn since we aren't interested in getting photo albums, bridal shots (I won't even be around to take those!), etc and rather than tell me it was just another email of "what are you spending?"  I hate telling people a price straight out because I remember when I worked retail as soon as someone told you a price it was your job to sell them something right at that price.  I just emailed him with my range and reiterating that we just want a basic package since we won't be around for the stuff that usually gets throw into photography packages anyway.  Too bad I won't be able to check my email again until I'm in Raleigh :/
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  • mycicybridemycicybride
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Very interesting reference to Craig's tone lately.  Got a weird email him about this recently too...hmmm
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  • katherineUTCkatherineUTC
    1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    He does have a very good reputation and his work is really really good (he did a wedding at the Biltmore recently that was phenomenal), but if you dont feel comfortable with him right off the bat, you might want to consider talking to other photographers as well. You both need to feel that "chemistry" - after all this will be the person all up in your face with the camera on your big day! :)
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  • gizmo91909gizmo91909 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Regardless if he has a good reputation or not, if you don't feel a good vibe from him, don't go any further with him. I made the mistake of going with a wedding vendor based on their good reputation and ended up super disappointed. Any photographer should be able to give you their pricing up front without first questioning you on your budget. Most of my meetings with photographers started by going over their prices and then mentioning that they could work with my budget. I had a price list from Craig and his prices were pretty reasonable, so not really sure why he would tell you that it would be difficult to find a photographer on a tight budget.
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  • dontworryloverdontworrylover
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    It is strange to me that he wouldn't send you a price list. Every photographer I contacted immediately sent me a list of their prices & packages. That way, neither of us wasted our time if the prices were too high.
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  • heatherjesseheatherjesse member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    i was the biltmore wedding with craig and we honestly had no issues working with craig.  his emails tend to be a little short.  try calling him if you are really interested in his work.  he is much better on the phone!  he will send you a price list if you just ask.  i have the one from last year if you would like (hns730 at yahoo).  his rates have since increased and i'm not sure how much.  in comparison to others of his caliber he was on the lower end of pricing at the time we booked him (summer 08).  we really loved craig and i had a great experience both pre wedding and during with him.  good luck!
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  • Liz and Ryan 2010Liz and Ryan 2010 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I think he should be able to say well I have a package for xyz. I feel like there are plenty of photographers in every price range.
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  • midnite007xmidnite007x
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Wow, that is an extremely odd response that he gave you....while he could just think he is being direct it does seem a little rude...but you never know with emails. I'm just surprised he wasn't willing to give you a package/price list and work with you. Most photogs I talked to were willing to work out custom packages based on budget and what we were looking for. I chose my photogs bc I clicked with them immediately. I booked them before the venue, lol
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  • mycicybridemycicybride
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    email me and I can give you the pdf of pricing that he recently gave us (cmitchel{at}bios{dot}und{dot}edu). His pricing starts at $2250 for 4 hours of coverage. This is a little under the going rate for someone with his talent...IMO. If we don't win the contest we will book with him.Cicy
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  • mycicybridemycicybride
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    sorry I saw a typo cmitchel{at}bios.unc.edu
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  • shigaitesshigaites
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    So I'm at the airport and decided to check my email. Man, I am not meeting with Craig AT ALL.  What the heck?!  He STILL hasn't sent me any prices and the email that I just received from him basically told me to sod off.  Considering that I gave him a range in the THOUSANDS of dollars I'm quite shocked.  It's not like I emailed him saying, "So you'll do everything for $500 right?"   Whatever, I'm meeting with four other photographers this week so I'm not going to let his emails bother me too much. 
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  • jennifer111180jennifer111180 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Maybe he read this thread...idk.
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  • shigaitesshigaites
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Maybe he did.  At least it saves me from scheduling another meeting during my vacation lol.
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  • JemmessicaJemmessica member
    Fifth Anniversary 500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    That's really awful!! I hate you had this experience with him, bc his work is great, and so many people love him! Good Luck with your meetings with other photogs let us know how they go!
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  • midnite007xmidnite007x
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    K - i hated doing wedding stuff on my vacation!!! less you have to do the more you can actually enjoy, it just still felt like i was working on my vacation
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  • 1Michelle11Michelle1 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Oh, I'm so sad to hear you've had a bad experience with Craig! I looked through so many photographers' Web sites, and I chose to work with Craig. We hit it off quickly through emails and phone calls, though we did have some email confusion when he mixed me up with another Michelle. I think it's because he's running things all on his own, so maybe he just came across really short with you because he himself is short on time?I'm on a tight budget too, but he happily sent me his price list and we talked through it. For his kind of work (catching those happy, not staged moments, which I prefer) and quality of work, I was willing to go a little over my budget for him. And he was still less expensive than some others!I would suggest talking with Marthanna Yater. I sent her a vague email, saying I was on a tight budget, and she offered to talk with me on the phone. I was a little hesitant, thinking she would be really pushy, but she was actually super sweet. She also does really, really great work, and has had a good reputation for years. I told her what I wanted, she explained a lot of stuff to me, and she actually offered me a really competitive price, throwing in an extra photographer too. I was actually really surprised by the price because of her quality of work. Of course, I ended up not going with her because of Craig's price and how we got along well, but I wish I could have two weddings, just so I can include both of them! Maybe she'll be able to offer you a good price too :)Michelle
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  • lusherlusher
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I'm surprised to hear that too! He wasn't available for our date, but was helpful in recommending others, and even checked in with me a few weeks later to see if I had been able to find anyone!
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  • shigaitesshigaites
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Oh the whole thing overall with him was weird.  He'd take weeks at a time to respond to emails initially, then the bizarre set of emails over the past 48 hours.  Maybe he has something else going on in his life right now?  But either way I'm meeting up with some other amazing photographers so I'm not going to sweat it at all :)
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