Things You'll Need:
- telephone directory
- telephone
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Step 1
Have your wedding on a non-traditional day or time of the year. Late spring/early summer is the prime time for weddings, as are Saturdays. If you have your wedding on a Friday evening, the photographer could fit another wedding in on Saturday and could offer you a discount. In the off-season, the photographer may be willing to offer a discount. They will not be as booked as they will be in the summer.
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Step 2
Hire an amateur or photography student. Many study underneath a professional photographer. They are concerned with making a name and portfolio for themselves and will be more apt to offer a discount for the experience.
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Step 3
Look for a photographer that works out of their home. If they have a separate studio or office, this cost is passed on to you.
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Step 4
Have a photographer for the ceremony only. A majority of your wedding photos will be taken at the church and during the ceremony. Have friends and family take candid, relaxed shots at the reception. Many photographers charge a flat fee, and then a fee per hour. The ceremony is usually the shortest part of the day, and the reception the longest.
Comments
photologist said
on 7/31/2009 I have never shot a ceremony that lasted longer than 40 minutes, and that was during a Catholic wedding. The truth is, about 20% of the photos take come from the ceremony and the rest are taken during the reception. Formals are a dying trend, but consider that an hour of formal photography yields a couple hundred photos of you with your family.
Plus, why would you want to miss out on cutting the cake, the toast, the bride's first dance with her new husband, the -- well I could go on and on.
The first three steps are spot-on. The fourth is just blatantly wrong.
plumtreestudio said
on 9/10/2008 Yet, I must ask about the quality of output and historical proof of work. What is his experience? How many weddings has he captured? Who did he train with? Will he be socializing at your wedding or actually working the entire 12 hours?
Another important thing to note is how much time will be spent on your images. Will someone take out pimples, edit out the bad shots, and increase the exposure on every image? Or will you simple get three mis-matched photos of images which you will never get around to printing or organizing into a book? My brides, for instance, have the option to purchase the images or order a professional designed book. Within 2 months she has her images preserved for life in a nice book she can share with guests, versus stashed away in some shoe box in her closet (which is a shame, given how much she paid for the wedding photographer!)
plumtreestudio said
on 9/10/2008 It is about quality of product over the cost. Though you may be able to find a large wedding photography package for under $1000, it will usually depend on the number of hours and the additional items you receive.
The value? I always compare my work to an airline pilot (well it may not be as risky, sometimes!). Think about… if someone buys a nice 747 plane, does that make them a pilot? The same goes for photography. If someone owns a nice Canon Mark II, does that make them a wedding photographer? If someone took a class in photography, does that make them a photographer? Just a few things to keep in mind as your make this critical decision.
Many times I have had brides to be comment that “my uncle has a nice camera and will take our wedding pictures for free”. Absolutely admire the uncle for his courage and determination and am always glad to see new entries into the market. Yet,