Disney Photography Reviews

[Whilykit]

Hey All!
Just wanted to hear all your stories/reviews about Disney photography - maybe vs. outside vendors... be honest...
Thanks!!

 

[hiwaygal]

I used Disney for my photographs and they did a wonderful job! My only "regret" with the pictures is that I didn't ask for specific pics or even ask for more. Mostly because I usually don't like pictures of myself anyway!

Our photographer was easy to work with, made the pictures "fun", and really tried to capture the very casual spirit of our wedding.

I know a few others had the same photographer and he did a fantastic job for them as well.

The biggest gripe I hear with Disney is that you cannot choose your photographer. So you really don't know if the one you get has the same "vision" as you. I think many of the photographers try to help with that by talking to you before the ceremony (mine called the night before to talk to me and find out if I had anything special in mind...I just missed his call!)

Most of the brides here have used an outside vendor (Randy Chapman) and have been VERY happy with his packages. For me, the extra cost of having him added to my intimate package was just more than I could afford...so I stuck with Disney and was not disappointed.

Are you having an intimate wedding or a custom? Sometimes that can make a difference in your decision making...

My only advice if you choose Disney is to PRE-PURCHASE your proofs. (Last year they were $225.) And, if there are any specific images you want (special poses, etc.) make a list and give a copy to your EM, then make sure your photographer is given a copy when he arrives.

Also if you use Disney (and are not a UK bride), you can purchase the hi-res CD of your photos for $1000. I think this is where most brides think Disney is too expensive. However, you can wait three years and purchase the same CD for $99 (which is what most brides who use Disney seem to do, I know I'm waiting! 2 more years!!! ) Until you have that hi-res CD Disney still owns the rights to your images. You will not be able to have copies made or printed anywhere until you have that hi-res CD.

 

[wendy46001]

Have to say i loved my disney photographers...
they are a bit more expensive, but i liked the idea that they knew the property so well
I'm one of the few who got to pick and have a meeting with my disney photographer before the wedding (I dont recall making a big deal about getting to meet him but I might have…lol)...I talked with Photo management for about two weeks before we picked who would fit our style and then had a sit down with our shot list and his photos to make sure we where on the same page....
I knew a lot of the pictures i wanted and it worked out great at the end...
The time goes very fast during pictures so make sure if you want a specific shot or group of shots you have them listed on paper before your day

 

[Whilykit]

Thanks for the details!!
Do you both feel that the photos were 'ordinary'??
Ive been looking at the Jeff Hawkins photos - and he looks so artistic! any thoughts?

 

[hiwaygal]

No, I don't feel my photos were "ordinary"...but then, I don't think anyone's wedding photos are "ordinary".

There are "standard" pictures everyone takes at weddings (regardless of who your photographer is), I guess those are "ordinary".

"Artistic" really is a subjective term. What I see as "artistic" could well be considered just plain old out of focus to someone else, kwim?

Disney photographers are professionals, they just work for Disney.

What is making you hesitate about hiring Jeff Hawkins? I've heard great things about him too.

 

[JandJ]

We LOVED our Disney photographer! He was so nice and really listened to us. He asked what we wanted, made suggestions, it was a real give-and-take and very comfortable. I knew he would do a good job, it's Disney after all, and so I didn't care that we didn't get to meet him until the wedding day. Our pictures are not "stock." We have some that are very artsy and some that are very traditional. My favorites are the more candid shots of DH and me laughing, MOH being silly, and some he took of my bouquet that are just "different" and of course we love the traditional ceremony and family shots too. I know others have used outside photography and been very happy, and it's a personal choice, but I am so glad we used Disney - they did a fabulous job!

 

[Luvndisney]

i love my pictures as well and I think they did a great job. Our fireworks shots are amazing and clear. But I ahve seen amazing work from outside vendors as well. Its your preference. We wanted to keep it simple and use disney....While we are big picture people we are what i would say "shy" picure people....we like formal shots and some non posed ones. We would have been shy about posing in some of those more interesting shots you get from other photographers.

 

[Whilykit]

We are going with Disney photography - the pictures are great - the only thing I am questioning is the - before the wedding pictures. I have not seen any Disney pics of the bride getting ready - has anyone done this while working with Disney? Thanks for answeing all my questions!

 

[Luvndisney]

oh you can do this if you want...you just need to either add hours or make sure the packages are enough.

we didn't want this because it would eb crazy, so we took our own shots

 

[Whilykit]

Luvndisney - you sold me - your pics are AMAZING! your dress is fantastic and you looked beautiful!
The photographer def. captured the party atmosphere - and that is what I was questioning I guess. I feel much better.

 

[wendy46001]

We are going with Disney photography - the pictures are great - the only thing I am questioning is the - before the wedding pictures. I have not seen any Disney pics of the bride getting ready - has anyone done this while working with Disney? Thanks for answeing all my questions!

You can set up your photography times how ever you want...

I wanted more of DH and so I didnt have them in my room getting ready...but they asked if i would like them there and I said no...
used that hour for beach pictures instead...and just had my bridesmaids take those pictures...

 

[Whilykit]

Thanks! I am feeling back on track!
There is a lack of info given to brides while planning, I have learned to just 'go with it', but the more I think about the pictures... the more I realize how important they are, even more so, I realize how many questions I have!

Is there a limit on how many pictures they take?

 

[ALittleDisneyFan]

My advice - GO with your gut instinct, and if there is a photographer that you absolutely love, GO with him/her.

I'm unsure if I'm aloud to say names on this board, in regards to who I used as my photographer. If anyone knows, let me know and I'll tell you all.

Disney VS outside vendor.

We had our engagement shoot done the day before the wedding at the Castle, with obviously, a disney photographer. Let me tell you, this man was REMARKABLE! I absolutely thought he was wonderful, my husband thought he was wonderful, he was very talkative, funny, and a very very nice guy. Our pictures came out beautifully.

The day of our wedding, we went with an outside vendor. My husband and I were not really thrilled with him, or his work. We MAY have been happy with him hadn't we had such a great time the day before with a Disney photographer. Our pictures were done poorly, he was not very talkative, and he didn't do any artistic shots at all. I hired him for the artistic shots, and we surely didn't get them. I don't even think he touched our pictures up. I'm a pale girl, and my skin pretty much blended with my dress.

With that said, we *really* wanted to go with Karla Fountain, but because of cost we went with this other guy. I really wish we had gone with Karla.

 

[dsnyfan6/18]

I used Disney (honestly only becuase I only found this board a month before my wedding & didn't know of any other good vendors) and I was so happy with them, we had two photographers and they were both fantastic, they specialized in different things (one photographer was the one who did the traditional pics and the other did the fun pics) I could not be happier with my photos!!

 

[JonetteA]

I used Randy Chapman. You can look at my photos in the link to my trip report.

 

[liberty]

I'm thinking of going with a disney photographer, how many pictures do they take for a custom wedding?

 

[wendy46001]

I'm thinking of going with a disney photographer, how many pictures do they take for a custom wedding?

We ended up with around 800 after they took out all the bad ones (aka fuzzy, eyes closed)

 

[liberty]

wow, that's brilliant!... thanks for the info!... are there any pictures out there of any disney photos?