Why did you use an offproperty photographer?

[PrincessBrideKatie]

Why did you use an offproperty photographer? Was it just the price? Are disney's photograhers not as good? What were your reasons behind your decision?

I'm still agonizing over the photography and am not sure who to use.

Please help me out.

 

[caryndisneydiva]

this is easy...half the price and you get more for your money! i'm using randy and i like that i will own the copyright of my pictures...this is really important to me. i also feel like his photography style is more what we want, the disney photographers are not that artistic. pictures are what we will have to remember our day for generations, it is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of our wedding!

 

[4luvofthemouse]

To be honest the price thing wasn't the main reason we decided to go outside, although it is a bonus. I have seen Disney pictures and they are really nice, I didn't see anything wrong with them.
We just wanted to be able to have the rights to all our pictures without having to pay an extra $1000.
I think it's just a matter of choice. Some of the other photographers out there have a more "artistic" approach than Disney, and alot of people really seem to like that, myself included.
I also think that when a person decides to use Disney they second guess their choice because of everything that people say about them.
Each experience is different. In the end you know that they are going to be good because well let's face it's Disney, and Disney does have standards.
We had a really hard time decideing what to do, but in the end it all came down to us owning all our pictures.
Again I think that it all comes down to each individual person and what their budget is, they style they like etc.
I know how hard this decision can be, but just do what you feel is right and it will all work out!

 

[orangetiggs]

we liked the price and the fact your get mroe for your money and the cd of all the prints and the rights as well, with disney this is like an extra $1000.
There are many good photographers outside disney as well sucj as misty miotto and randy chapman

 

[D&R love Disney]

I liked the fact that using Randy I would get all the pictures on a cd and be able to print whatever I wanted and share with people. I think it was a great deal for the price paid and back in 2004 we were able to get credit towards our MK shoot which is no longer available.

 

[lurkyloo]

The reason we never even considered Disney was the high prices and low value (paying $1,000 for the disc of images on top of the $1,500+ for Wishes wedding photography, etc.). But the reason I picked Root Photography (www.rootography.com) was the quality and style of their work.

Disney's traditional-style shots are not my cup of tea - I wanted something modern and artistic (but not necessarily every shot on an angle or totally Photoshopped to death). However, many people have been perfectly happy with Disney photography.

I'd suggest really looking at the photos posted by brides on this board - Disney photography, Randy, Misty, The Roots, etc. - and trying to imagine these were your photos. You may be able to get a sense of which you prefer that way.

 

[pintradingwedding]

our disney photographer did great post ceremony photos -- but they did a lousy job covering our reception. who on earth takes pictures of people in the food line?!!!

i wish we had used a more photojournalistic photographer

also our disney videographer was GOD AWFUL.

definitely do your research -- i wish we had !!!!

 

[JaxTeach]

We chose to use Randy for the same reasons it seems everyone has. It is a much better value. I think Randy does very good work. He is also extremely personable. We've had contact with him (including our engagement session) and I know we will feel comfortable with him on our wedding day. You don't get that with DPS. Since we're an Intimate, we were also able to trade our wedding photography for an Epcot Honeymoon session so that was an added bonus.

Another bonus for me, I am the most indecisive person in the world and my life will be much easier having the CD from Randy (that I didn't pay an arm and a leg for) to print whatever pictures I want, whenever I decide I want them!

 

[JonetteA]

I chose to go outside because of price and because with DPS I could not choose who my photographer was. I would weight these two things equally. I decided that it was important to me to control this part of my day b/c this would be what I would have going forward. I chose Randy Chapman b/c of his style. I really liked the beautiful photojournalistic style. I wanted to see things as they happened and not posed and stiff. We did do posed pictures but that was b/.c of the family shots we "had" to have. When it comes down to it, decide what is important to you and run with it. No matter who you choose, communication is the key! Take as much time communicating with your photographer and videographer as you do picking out the menu and your dress. These are the conversations that you will see when you look back on your day.