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I think you need to think about the bigger picture of what you want out of a wedding photographer. If you really don't care about how your pictures turn out... just hope for a couple nice ones then I think DIY is fine... If you want to have specific shots that you want to look fabulous for absolutely sure... then get a professional... If you are somewhere in between these two options, I'd check into a photography student who is just beginning... I would hesitate to suggest that DIY is the best option, because asking a friend to use your camera... puts a lot of pressure on that friend to produce the photos you want... (I've used friends' cameras for group shots before, and think that just getting the hang of how a specific camera works can be a challenge... )
I'd go on craigslist & hire a student-photographer if you don't have the budget for a pro. Don't go on purely price, you want to like their work & the photographer themselves. I hired a student photographer as my back up photographer & he was amazing! I haven't seen the pics yet, but I already know I'm going to love the shots & it barely cost us anything.
Just a warning: My husband's sister was absolutely insistent on doing our photos. She has worked as a portrait photographer before and has shot maybe ten weddings, but she is not a pro. I had seen her work and thought it was good enough and to avoid spending $5000 and hurting her feelings we gave her the okay.
Well, fast forward to yesterday when we got the first batch of photos from her and every single photo of the ceremony is dark and blurry. There isn't even a halfway decent one of me walking up the aisle. I cried when I saw them. And while she redeemed herself with the family photos that were taken outdoors, I am still fairly pissed about the situation. Luckily, we have video from the ceremony that turned out good, so I am trying to remind myself it is okay.
So, be aware that saving money right now sounds really great, but ten years from now when you look at your blurry, dark ceremony pics you might regret it.
We didnt got a prof. photographer. I have some friends who are just starting a business and i thought they would give us a good deal bc we know them but thats not the case. Needless to say we hired a friend of my FI and we are hoping the pics come out good. I have a feeling most of them will end up in a box in the closet in a few years anyways. I know it should be but its not one of my biggest concerns.
Thanks for all the advice. It's really got me thinking about what is important to me and my FI. What my FI and I would be really disappointed to miss would be a great picture of us as a couple. That's it. So now I'm thinking why not just do a pre-wedding shoot with the photographer I love of him and I in our wedding attire? I can afford something like that. I know there will be lots of pictures taken at our wedding pro photographer or not. And I probably should mention our wedding is gonna be so quick and simple. No bridesmaids, groomsmen, Moh, or bestman. Just our parents standing at our side under a tree by a lake on a mountain.
I think that is an excellent solution. Get a couple prof shots to hold onto, but still very affordable.
Our wedding photographer is the most expensive part of our budget. I'm an aspiring photographer myself so I wanted to pick someone who was excellent and who I knew wouldn't disappoint me. To me, photography is a HUGE deal, though. Ive always known that I'd shell out big bucks for a professional photographer. I want nice, beautiful, awe inspiring photos to look back on in 15 yrs.
I like what someone else suggested about hiring a student photographer. Have you considered that?
You don't always have to hire a pro for the whole day and most photographers base their pricing on all day coverage and editing time. You can probably find one that will shoot for 3 or so hours vs all day. Ceremony, formals then the first formalities of your reception and have a friends cover the rest. I have a few weddings this summer I am doing like that.
Good luck
This is a really personal decision, but just remember that the wedding photographs are the one lasting thing you will take away from your wedding day (except your spouse :) ) that you will look back upon years down the road to remember your day and there IS an absolute difference between professional and amateur photography. Some couples are willing to splurge due to this notion, and others are ok with a less "professional" solution. To each their own, and in the end you just have to be comfortable with your budget and what you want to have in the end.
Hope this helps!
If you can't afford professional photography, I would say to either go to your local newspaper and see if their photographers would be willing to step in, a good friend with some photography sense, or a student photographer. There are many options, and I am sure you are bound to come up with at least a couple alternatives!
I was a newspaper/magazine photographer for years. I got paid pretty well, so I'm not sure how much cheaper it would be and you still wouldn't be getting any wedding experience. I would say check Craigslist. There are a lot of newbies on there who are looking to make a serious living out of photography charging nothing or little to it. Many of them will be better than a friend or even a student. You didn't hear it from me though ;)
I am not having a professional photographer, a close friend is doing our photos (including photoshop-ing them) and I have two photography students who will be assisting and doing our photo guest book so that our friend can enjoy the reception as a guest. I realize I won't be getting $5,000 photos but honestly I like his work as much as a lot of the less exepensive (as in $2,000-$3,000 in this area) photograhers. $5,000 for photos just wasn't in my budget and $3,000 for photos I feel OK about didn't seem like a great thing either. I realize I am in the minority on this (taking a chance with an ametuer photographer) but I really like my friend's photography and I'll have the sentimental value of the photos being taken by a friend, which means a lot to me. Also,in appreciation for his time and effort I am giving a really, really nice thank gift paying for his hotel.
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I'm in a real dilemma. I've contacted several professional wedding photographers and while I love their photos and style, I can't afford them. I did find someone who could shoot my wedding at the right price but their pictures are just plain. I'm seriously considering saving my money completely and not having one at all. I have a nice camera myself and feel like a friend could take some pictures with it or something. Am I the only one who has either done this or at least considered it?