My FI and I are getting married in Jamaica in April, 2009. My question for any destination brides, how did you find/choose your photographer? I have searched and searched for a photojournalist/artistic photographer in Jamaica and am coming up with nothing!
My wedding planner isn't much help - she thinks I will be happy with their "36 low resolution shots" (why would you brag about that?).
I just don't know what to do! We chose a DW to keep costs down (we live in downtown Chicago), so flying a photog down there from Chicago really isn't an option.
I have heard of couples hiring a local photographer who's work they like (and maybe have done their engagemen shoot with) and pay to fly THEM to the destination location.
I have also heard of couples contacting the resort to hire someone local to do it.
AND I have also heard of resorts who have a resident photographer.
Is your planner someone at the resort? Or is she local? If she's at the resort, it kinda sounds like she's trying to sell you an upgrade. It almost sounds like she is, because she's talking about 36 low resolution pictures, to get you to ask about higher resolution and/or quantity. If she is trying to upgrade, maybe the cost of the upgrade is worth it, especially when compared to flying someone done?
My coworker took an interesting approach. She had a destination wedding in Anguilla. Having no luck with local photographers, she created a posting on craigslist specifying the criteria/options she was looking for, the price she was willing to pay, and photog inquiries flooded in! She said it was the best decision she made during the entire wedding process. Good luck!
Unfortunately I don't know of any great photogs in Jamaica. I hate to refer outside of the country, there must be some great ones, but the resort photog's aren't good.
Your best bet is to find someone in Miami that you can fly in. Miami the main hub to Jamaica and the flight it short.
Not sure your budget but there are also destination photog's that will go for a great price because they love to travel. Check out www.genehiga.com
There's a couple that works together by the name of Anika London, and for the low price of 3500... you get photography AND videography!! They do an awesome job!! They're based in San Deigo, but they pay for their own travel expenses!!!! I'm telling you they're worth every penny and i tried to switch to them, but they're already booked on my day :( Do a quick google search. Hope this helps!
Hi! I posted about my photographer a week ago. He's doing a special on Destination weddings. I think his quality is very rare, even if you paid full price for him. But he's offering his services for 1/6 of his full price.
Check with photographers that you like, regardless of their location. Many are willing to fly to your destination, as it is like a mini vacation for them and they get interesting pics for their portfolio. You pay for their flight and lodging. Then, discuss pricing for the actual shooting based on this. If they really want to go, maybe they will do it for free - not kidding.
My photographer is AWESOME and is getting into the destination business with her videographer partner. They are: KLK Photography and BlueSky Videography. They are located in Orange County, CA, but are shooting my Miami wedding. They have some awesome shots from a recent Mexico wedding in their blog: http://klkphotography.blogspot.com/
I know this is an old post, but I wanted to caution brides about portfolio building, photographers who don't charge travel costs.
First, from a common sense point of view, would you be willing to travel for work (even a vacation area) and pay all your own expenses?
There's nothing wrong with portfolio builders. Sometimes you can find a gem. But if you're not paying for your photographer to get there, how can you be sure they'll be there?
I know of a photographer who learned the hard way to charge for travel. He & his wife had never been to HI so when a DW came up there it seemed like a great opportunity for a portfolio builder and a mini vacation. So he offered the couple a deal below market rate to shoot their wedding and didn't charge travel. He booked his flight on Hawaiin Airlines to leave on Thur morning for his Sat wedding. Unfortunately, that was the week Hawaiin Airlines went bankrupt. All flights were cancelled, no refunds in sight and the few available seats on other airlines instantly went up by several thousand dollars. There was no way for him to get to HI for the wedding!
He pretty much lost all the wedding income on the two tickets for their flight. He couldn't afford to hire a local photographer to cover him (remember it's Expensive to live in HI & he undercut all the locals). He ended up having to sell some very nice & expensive lens in order to pay someone else to photograph the wedding. Luckily for the couple that he's a good guy and a man of his word. Many are plain shady & the couple could have been left high & dry with no money or wedding photos.
That was a painful lesson for him. Many photographers, including me, learned from his mistake too. I'd love to photograph a DW and may be willing to offer a package perk but I'm not traveling for free. Traveling is a hassle. Customs is an even bigger hassle. Weddings are stressful. If I'm going to pay for my travel, I'll do it on my own without the added burden of someone's once in a lifetime memories.
If you're still looking for an experienced/qualified photographer, the ISPWP website has a listing for Caribbean Wedding Photographers who all travel to Jamaica and all Caribbean locations.
They are all from various locations such as Texas, Florida, California, etc. but they all have experience traveling for DW so at the very least they could offer you some advice. Good luck!
Hello Hive-
My FI and I are getting married in Jamaica in April, 2009. My question for any destination brides, how did you find/choose your photographer? I have searched and searched for a photojournalist/artistic photographer in Jamaica and am coming up with nothing!
My wedding planner isn't much help - she thinks I will be happy with their "36 low resolution shots" (why would you brag about that?).
I just don't know what to do! We chose a DW to keep costs down (we live in downtown Chicago), so flying a photog down there from Chicago really isn't an option.
Any advice is much appreciated!
posted by mentionbien1 20 posts 3 months agoI have heard of couples hiring a local photographer who's work they like (and maybe have done their engagemen shoot with) and pay to fly THEM to the destination location.
I have also heard of couples contacting the resort to hire someone local to do it.
AND I have also heard of resorts who have a resident photographer.
Is your planner someone at the resort? Or is she local? If she's at the resort, it kinda sounds like she's trying to sell you an upgrade. It almost sounds like she is, because she's talking about 36 low resolution pictures, to get you to ask about higher resolution and/or quantity. If she is trying to upgrade, maybe the cost of the upgrade is worth it, especially when compared to flying someone done?
posted by Krista 102 posts 3 months agoFor clarification, when I said local, I mean local to where YOU live.
posted by Krista 102 posts 3 months agoMy coworker took an interesting approach. She had a destination wedding in Anguilla. Having no luck with local photographers, she created a posting on craigslist specifying the criteria/options she was looking for, the price she was willing to pay, and photog inquiries flooded in! She said it was the best decision she made during the entire wedding process. Good luck!
posted by koolee143 1 posts 3 months agoUnfortunately I don't know of any great photogs in Jamaica. I hate to refer outside of the country, there must be some great ones, but the resort photog's aren't good.
Your best bet is to find someone in Miami that you can fly in. Miami the main hub to Jamaica and the flight it short.
Not sure your budget but there are also destination photog's that will go for a great price because they love to travel. Check out www.genehiga.com
good luck!
posted by glittergrl 322 posts 3 months agoThere's a couple that works together by the name of Anika London, and for the low price of 3500... you get photography AND videography!! They do an awesome job!! They're based in San Deigo, but they pay for their own travel expenses!!!! I'm telling you they're worth every penny and i tried to switch to them, but they're already booked on my day :( Do a quick google search. Hope this helps!
M
posted by mamamiya 140 posts 3 months agoHi! I posted about my photographer a week ago. He's doing a special on Destination weddings. I think his quality is very rare, even if you paid full price for him. But he's offering his services for 1/6 of his full price.
http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/1000-destination-wedding-photographer
posted by missydalal 7 posts 3 months agoWoohoo for photogs that travel!
I've seen Paul Johnson (from FL) with some beautiful bahama DW pics!
http://pauljohnsonphoto.com/
and I love love love my photog (Rae Leytham) and they travel!
RAE LEYTHAM ROCKS!!!
I love love love her. Absolute best decision I have made for the wedding (and thats saying something because I got a deal on my dress and I love it.)
And this is how I picked her:
http://barefootstargazer.blogspot.com/2008/08/vendor-bender-photography.html
http://barefootstargazer.blogspot.com/2008/08/photography-in-moment_06.html
Oh - and I did a boudoir shoot with them. WOW!! So fun and amazing amd my FI is going to flip when he sees my (tastefully) uber sexy shots!!
Cannot reccommend enough!
www.raeleytham.com <--website
www.raeleytham.net <--blog
posted by mdarrah 40 posts 3 months agoCheck with photographers that you like, regardless of their location. Many are willing to fly to your destination, as it is like a mini vacation for them and they get interesting pics for their portfolio. You pay for their flight and lodging. Then, discuss pricing for the actual shooting based on this. If they really want to go, maybe they will do it for free - not kidding.
My photographer is AWESOME and is getting into the destination business with her videographer partner. They are: KLK Photography and BlueSky Videography. They are located in Orange County, CA, but are shooting my Miami wedding. They have some awesome shots from a recent Mexico wedding in their blog: http://klkphotography.blogspot.com/
Hope this helps!!!
posted by sassyb2b 10 posts 3 months agoI'd like to start shooting DW. I'm willing to do a few weddings for free on 2009! you can review my portfolio online at www.miguelmayo.com Thanks!
Miguel
posted by miguel 6 posts 1 week agoI know this is an old post, but I wanted to caution brides about portfolio building, photographers who don't charge travel costs.
First, from a common sense point of view, would you be willing to travel for work (even a vacation area) and pay all your own expenses?
There's nothing wrong with portfolio builders. Sometimes you can find a gem. But if you're not paying for your photographer to get there, how can you be sure they'll be there?
I know of a photographer who learned the hard way to charge for travel. He & his wife had never been to HI so when a DW came up there it seemed like a great opportunity for a portfolio builder and a mini vacation. So he offered the couple a deal below market rate to shoot their wedding and didn't charge travel. He booked his flight on Hawaiin Airlines to leave on Thur morning for his Sat wedding. Unfortunately, that was the week Hawaiin Airlines went bankrupt. All flights were cancelled, no refunds in sight and the few available seats on other airlines instantly went up by several thousand dollars. There was no way for him to get to HI for the wedding!
He pretty much lost all the wedding income on the two tickets for their flight. He couldn't afford to hire a local photographer to cover him (remember it's Expensive to live in HI & he undercut all the locals). He ended up having to sell some very nice & expensive lens in order to pay someone else to photograph the wedding. Luckily for the couple that he's a good guy and a man of his word. Many are plain shady & the couple could have been left high & dry with no money or wedding photos.
That was a painful lesson for him. Many photographers, including me, learned from his mistake too. I'd love to photograph a DW and may be willing to offer a package perk but I'm not traveling for free. Traveling is a hassle. Customs is an even bigger hassle. Weddings are stressful. If I'm going to pay for my travel, I'll do it on my own without the added burden of someone's once in a lifetime memories.
Just some food for thought.
posted by imagesbynneka 10 posts 1 week agoIf you're still looking for an experienced/qualified photographer, the ISPWP website has a listing for Caribbean Wedding Photographers who all travel to Jamaica and all Caribbean locations.
They are all from various locations such as Texas, Florida, California, etc. but they all have experience traveling for DW so at the very least they could offer you some advice. Good luck!
posted by ispwp 46 posts 1 week ago