Wedding Photographer costs

[kelleigh1]

Do you think you can find a wedding photographer for around $500?

(The wedding is in Massachusetts, if that makes a difference. )

I honestly have no idea what the going rate is for a photographer these days. We got married at Sandals in Jamaica and the photographer was included. We just had to pay for any photos that we wanted, and I don't even remember what we paid for that.

The few that I've looked at are easily over $1,000, so I'm just curious if there are any professionals out there who could do a wedding for $500.

 

[RadioNate]

I don't think so. I'm not currently up on prices but I guess it would depend on what you wanted. I don't think I'd expect any prints for $500. I'd look for someone just starting out.

I have several friend who are photographers. They are all good at taking pictures but they are more "extreme hobbyists" than "professional" photographers. Some of them even make a living as photographers but they don't have the schooling or years of experience that a top dollar wedding professional would have. Does that make sense? I'd look for a person like that.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Call your local colleges and junior collleges and ask around for someone who is talented and needs some cash for school.

My niece is a photography major and very talented. She's shot a few weddings for experience as well as book money. You might find that with students or graduate students, you might end up with some very creative shots and not just the standard boring stuff. But, you can get the standard boring stuff too, just ask your photographer!

 

[kelleigh1]

That's pretty much what I thought. Thanks. I do have a friend who comes from a family of photographers. Her parents are way out of this bride's price range (they get top dollar for everything they do these days), but my friend's brother may be able to work with the bride. But even his best deal, while under $1,000, is still more than $500.

 

[tiggger1]

check out http://hgbphotography.webs.com/weddings.htm

She is a friend of mine. I am not sure of her prices but she may be able to work something out for you....

 

[Imzadi]

I'd skimp on a lot of things at a wedding, but pictures are NOT one of them. It's really the ONLY thing you have from the wedding years later (other than the dress- and that won't be worn again.) No one really remembers the taste of the cake. No one, except the bride & groom, remember what the entree was. Flowers can be simplified. But bad or amaterish wedding photos, they sit on the mantle and in photo albums for decades. Try to pull that extra money from elsewhere.

 

[Geoff_M]

It's doubtful, but not totally impossible to find an experienced, knowledgeable, and reliable wedding photographer at that price-point. More than likely, someone changing that little would be a semi-pro just starting out in the business. I've shot a number of weddings and my costs are on the "low end", but it's been ages since I've charged that little. Wedding shoots are very logistically challenging and if the photographer hasn't thought things through and have Plans A, B, and C in mind, it can go very wrong. I was just reading a thread on another board about a wedding that someone went to and the "pro" shooter didn't bring enough extra batteries for his flashes and they weren't able to complete the post-wedding ceremony "squad shots" when the ones he brought died. They had to wait for them to recharge before the "pro" could resume shooting. By that time, their allotted time in the church was over.

 

[Imzadi]

By that time, their allotted time in the church was over.

Yes, that's the other half of the point I forgot to mention about bad/amateurish photography pictures. You will never get another chance to retake the pictures that got missed or messed up. If the camera angles are off, the lighting is bad, the cropping bad, the candid expressions are off, or the picture was snapped after the candid moment has passed, you won't know it until you see the array of photos later.

 

[Lindsay22]

I'd skimp on a lot of things at a wedding, but pictures are one of them. It's really the ONLY thing you have from the wedding years later (other than the dress- and that won't be worn again.) No one really remembers the taste of the cake. No one, except the bride & groom, remember what the entree was. Flowers can be simplified. But bad or amaterish wedding photo, that sits on the mantle and in photo albums for decades. Try to pull that extra money from elsewhere.

ITA. My wedding was 2 months ago and we cut out A LOT so that we could afford the photography package we wanted. I realized when I was doing a slideshow for her 75th birthday that the only thing we have from her wedding are the photos. I decided at that point that we didn't need extra food at cocktail or $300 worth of rose petals on the floor so that I could have extra photography.

 

[wdwiala]

I had a $500. photographer. He was HORRIBLE. I regret it. I still do. Don't skip on the photographer if you can helpt it.

 

[Castlebound]

I think your chances of finding a $500 Photographer are slim. DH and I paid $500 14 years ago for our wedding photographer in Missouri. By the way that did include a wedding album.

 

[kelleigh1]

Thanks for all the info. Now I'll try to find a gentle way to share this with the bride-to-be.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This is a subject that's debated on the Photography Board a lot, FWIW.

I hired a local (MA) professional in 1987 that cost $800 at the time. It was a stretch for us, but worth it in the long run. I imagine costs have gone up quite a bit since then.

I think you can differentiate among hobby photographers. Some are truly novice (just got their cameras, no experience shooting weddings); others have some weddings under their belts and know what equipment to bring (extra camera body, batteries, flash, memory cards, tripod, at minimum), won't amputate heads, hands or feet, know how to work with light and color, catch intimate or candid moments, how to pose individuals, couples, groups, etc. (Unfortunately, you don't get a re-do when it comes to weddings.) I'd consider hiring the latter if it was someone I knew and trusted, but I'd have to be familiar with their work. (I wouldn't have said this two decades ago, but the digital age has brought many serious hobbyists close to the level of professionals, which is a problem for professional photogs, but I digress...) Even so, it's still going to cost a fair amount as a lot of time and effort goes into something like this.

With all that said, I think you do get what you pay for when it comes to wedding photography.

 

[Ephany]

Our wedding present from DH's parents were our photos. We had the choice of x amount of money or a photographer. My MIL had horrible pictures and has always regretted it. I know our photographer was 1K+ and this was 7 years ago, apparently he charges nearly double that now and people pay. The photographer is one thing you really can't skimp on; we had cut all of the other expenses to the bare minimum to afford a well recommended photographer before MIL made her offer.

 

[*JoGo*]

First, I agree with NOT cutting costs on the photographer. That doesn't mean you have to get a super expensive one, just don't go w/ Potentian Photographer #4 ONLY b/c they're the cheapest. Our photog was awful. We didn't purchase ANY photos. (btw, the Photog was a "gift" from dh's grandma)

Second, you CAN find someone out there to fit your budget... you just have to look. I'm just starting out and did a wedding last week. The GREAT thing about hiring someone just starting out is that they're more likely to work with you on what you want, how many hours they're there, etc. But you still have to see a sample of their work and like it. The wedding I did, I took their engagement photos and after they saw them, the couple asked me to do their wedding. If you're going with someone jsut starting out, I strongly suggest meeting the photog, show them some photos you like (tons of wonderful photog blogs out there!), see some of their work, and do a session with them. The session should tell you if the photog is a good fit - how s/he works with you, personality, creativity w/ poses/props/lighting, and also the final result - the pictures.

Also, after meeting with the photog, you should know if it's going to work. Most photogs just starting out will jump thru hoops to make sure you're satisfied. I knew what I wanted to accomplish for my clients, I had my personal work to show them and I also had several photos from photographers I admire to show my couple what I would *like* to do for them. I also asked them to look online for photos of what they'd like. We met, went over photos, I saw the style/angle they wanted.

Finding someone for $500 is possible - but I wouldn't expect that to include any prints. I give my clients a cd, they have them developed online or where ever they want. But PLEASE don't hire someone based on cost alone. View their work!

 

[bunkkinsmom]

I agree with most of the posters here, don't skimp on the photog. Having said that, I have a friend here in NC that shoots for me for $500 plus travel. She is in Raleigh and I am in Greensboro, I am a videographer. So when someone wants a photography/videography package, I call her. Here's how you get her for $500 (maybe you can take this approach with someone where you are): She will show for the day, take tons of pix, choose the best 100-150, and put them on a disk for you. That's it. You do what you want with the media. That way what you want blown up, you can blow up. Just extra work for you, but developing has become so "everyday" now. Good luck!

 

[ShuisFan584]

I'm in the middle of planning a wedding (in NJ which is the worst place to get married since it's way too expensive!) and I would be thrilled if good photographers only cost $500. In NJ, if you want a good photographer, you would have to spend at least 2 - 3k. Photography is the one thing that we did not want to skimp on since it's so important, so we spent more than average and probably went over budget on the photographer. I would be afraid to spend $500 for a wedding.

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

I have two friends getting married in the next 3 months. Both grooms are "extreme hobbyist" (love that term) photographers and acting as the photographers at each others weddings and charging each other nothing.

Honestly, with the awesome digital technology, photo editing software, and relatively cheap cameras, you can get great looking prints in any size from a digital or film camera.

 

[pyrxtc]

I ama pro-hobbyist, I do wedding for $500 but that only gets you my time and an unedited proof book of up to 300 shots. You still have to buy portraits thru my site, I do get them all online for you to view and edit those. There are quite a few edding shots in my sample album here : http://photographybylinda.zenfolio.com/p56172576 Also you can look here for my pricing structure and more samples.

Please forgive the rudementary website, I don't really know how to design those but I do know my photography.

I am in NH, where in MA is the wedding?

 

[kelleigh1]

Thanks for all the info. In case I didn't mention it, this isn't my wedding. It's actually a friend.

My Dad was a photographer years ago and he was very inexpensive because for him it was always more of a hobby than a career. He worked full-time and did weddings on the side - just a few a year.

I do have an old friend who is from a family of photographers. Her brother is now the primary photographer for their family studio. He has a 3-hour package where he gives you a disk for $600, but he said he'd do a favor for $500 because I'm a friend of the family. Hopefully my friend is smart enough to jump on that deal because I don't think she's going to find anything better.