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Honestly? You should be able to get something great for $1700, as long as you don't expect that to include a fancy album. I'd put up a post on craigslist and see what kind of responses you get. I can't tell if the wedding is in SB or Bakersfield, but either way it might be worth posting on the LA site. Our wedding was 3 hours north of San Francisco and we had literally a hundred responses to our post on the SF craigslist site within 24 hours, and they were all people who lived in the city but were willing to travel. Our budget was a bit under yours, and we had at least 10 options that were better quality than the lower priced one you mention.
It looks that photographer you really like is in your budget. They charge $2399 for photography plus videography. I assume photography only would be half that price. Doesn't hurt to ask.
@Cola262: Yea, that is their prices for a spring 'special', but you have to book before April 30th. I don't want to rush myself :-(
@historienne: I've been weary of posting on Craigslist, but I think I'll do it! Maybe some of the photogs I've looked at will respond with lowered prices! :D Or I'll find something comparable! Thanks :)
Not sure where in the Bakersfield/SB you are, I think I remember reading that you are in SB, and your FI is in Bakersfield? If so, have you thought about check out Brooks Institute? They have (I believe) two campuses in SB, one right off State St behind The Habit, and the other up in the hills off Jefferson I think. Check out the student porfolios and you can get an amazing deal and great shots. My FSIL filmed an indie film that she put on her reel and it was really good. Because these students need their portfolio for their grade and to graduate they really care about the work they're doing! HTH!
Also if you go with someone you like, maybe you can ask them to customize your package, remove things, etc, so it will fit within your budget?
@Miss Godiva: Didn't even think about that! I'll look into it. The only problem would be travel, since the wedding is in Bakersfield. I'm sure it wouldn't be a huge issue though.
@FutureMrsMcDermott: nah, I don't think a 3hr drive is gonna kill it :) We have a Brooks student (friend of ours) shooting at our wedding. He's giving us a discount b/c we're all friends, but his normal rate is 1k, and I know he works well b/c I've shot with him before.
I think book what you love, if at all possible.
I have rationalised spending lots of money on a photographer this way: Over the course of your lifetime, what will be more important? Having wedding phtos you really love, or having $400 (for example) extra dollars. Over a whole lifetime that much money is NOTHING, but beautiful photos will last forever.Of course, this only applies if it is actually possible for you to somehow scrounge enough money to pay more! Otherwise, cheap it is.
That said, I actually don't mind Setrik's photography. It's not too bad.
I would contact your first choices,let them know what your budget is and see what they say. My photographer included all day coverage, an engagement shoot and a very large album in her package. I didn't need the first two and downgraded the thrid option to fit my budget.
I ended up being very disappointed with my expensive, well-known photographer. If I had paid for a larger album, I wouldn't have had enough pictures to fill it. Out of over 800 shots, only 30-40 are worth keeping. Whomever you hire, ask to see the WHOLE wedding shoot, not just the album. I saw this advice on the bee after my wedding.
Depends on how much you think photos are important. For me, it was probably THE most important part of my wedding. I wanted it all captured beautifully. I honestly think that cheaper photographer has some pretty good work. It also depends on what kind of package they can give you. Does it cover all the hours you wanted? Do you get all the pictures in the end? etc. I honestly would cheap out on other things (decor for example) before I cheaped out on the photographer.
@FutureMrsMcDermott: I know these photographers are just examples, but I'm wondering what you like more about the second than the first? To be honest with you, I don't see a ton of difference in quality between them (and I hate the selective coloring/SUPER over-saturation in the second one). I'd be interested to know what you perceive to be the quality difference, or what makes number one "sub-par". This may really have an effect on finding the right photographer for you within your price range, so any sort of info that might help us figure out what really draws you in would be great!
@BeeM: I also hate the selective coloring, which is why I'm most likely not going with the second one. I like a photographer that captures the details of the wedding and captures unique photo ops. Looking back, Azahn really doesn't even have these things! lol. I think I'm getting caught up in superficial things like the look of the models, the wedding, etc. Also, Azahn had a special going on that was really great in terms of price, I think that swayed me to 'liking' them. I don't know a lot about photography so this is easy to do. This guy is an example of the photography I like, in terms of the details and creative photos: http://www.jandrewphoto.com/
And here's someone who responded to my craigslist ad. I like his photos, but they don't wow me for some reason. His packages are completely within our budget (i'm talking 10 hours of coverage, cd with pics, albums, prints, parent albums, etc etc for 2199!) and he offered to travel. I think I'm willing to go up to 2300 for a good photog. http://www.corbinkell.cc/
@Georgia Bee: Great advice!!! I would've went with the portfolio had you not mentioned this.
@Lindsay05: It's very, very important to me! But so is staying close to my budget. :-/
@FutureMrsMcDermott: That's great that you're reevaluating what draws you to a photographer. I think you're right on that many people get swept away with the look of everything, but I always encourage people to look at the content of the photos. My question when looking at Azahn was . . . WHERE is the wedding? Where are the guests, the moments, the dance . . . just a lot of over saturated photos of really attractive people. Feel free to keep posting here for feedback from brides and photographers who may be able to point these things out!
Brides beware of this! Photographers go to workshops all the time and use those images from workshops with models and all the time in the world to perfect these unreal photos and they have no obligation to tell you they're not from an actual wedding. These photos don't tell you anything about the photographer's ability to capture your wedding, especially if their site is heavy on portraits and not much else.
We didn't want to go over our budget on photography, and we had a way smaller budget than you. We ended up finding this awsome photographer, I would have thought that she was going to be way way out of our budget. But supprisingly she was well within our budget. So from this what I found out that you can get both quality and a good price.
i am a wedding photographer and i can tell you that quality over price every time.
i would rather have 20 fantastic photographs that are expensive that 1,000 crap ones .
maybe if you had a smaller package from the good photographer? or maybe they do a disc only option, ?
i do this a lot for couples and in fact i am getting married myself next year and have booked a disc only option.
that way you can spread the cost of albums and prints. maybe someone might be kind enough to buy you a photo album as a wedding present?
the thing is, the photographer is the one that captures everything else you spent your money on.
once the dress has been packed away, the cake eaten, and its all over, the photographs is the only thing you have....other than your memories.
i would suggest either a disc option, or a small package from a really great photographer, rather than go cheaper.
That's a hard question! Photography was the number one priority for me. I also knew who my photographer was going to be before I knew my budget. When I found out my budget, I was glad that the photog fit into there.... but I still had to lower other aspects of the wedding to afford my photog. Seeing that you have already set your budget, I would try to stay as closely to your budget as possible. I wouldn't go to far over unless you are willing to cut other things out.
But I do like that you're reconsidering what you like and what you don't in photogs. I was not impressed with Azahn, and felt that the first photog was just as good as they were (for different reasons). I looked at the photog from Craigslist and they seem alright too. You're right though, there is something I don't like about them... and then other pictures are just wow! So I guess just take your time so you know what's best for you :)
@anne B: I have been offered a disc option from a few photogs. I did this with my e-pics, but still haven't printed them! haha. I'd kind of like to have at least some prints because I'm so lazy. I'm definitely looking into that option though.
@pinkhorse: Great find, especially in San Diego! I feel like California photogs are so much more expensive than other places.
@kperry3: Thanks! I agree on the craigslist photographer. I'll probably at least meet with him to see more of his work.
Anyone else getting swayed by prices?! I think I need to look at photos before prices!
I personally think #2 is a much better photog but I definitely not a fan of the spot color or tilted angles.
I may be biased because I am a wedphotog but I was also a bride 6mo ago so I have some perspective from there. If you look at everything you are spending on your wedding as an investment, your food, dress, venue, decor, your photography. Which investment is going to be the most valuable in the long run? Yes, you are paying a lot to have a quality photog capture your wedding, but you will also get to benefit from that investment for years and years. So brake it down by year, say you pay $3000 for your photos and you live for another 60 years {hopefully longer} you are really investing only $50 a year to relive your wedding day in a beautifully captured way.
If you end up disappointed in your photos then that is what you are going to feel every time you look at them and your investment is lost. Even $1700 is a lot of money, but you will be getting a better return on your investment if you end up paying a bit more to go with someone who is going to wow you.
Quality, definately. You don't want to end up with pictures you don't like, your photographer missing an important moment, or having a bunch of pictures lost to a faulty memory card.
Depending on how far off they are on pricing, the photographer may work with you. My photographer was originally out of my price range, but she threw in 10% off because of my venue AND a free engagement session once she met us. I couldn't be happier with my engagement photos and I CAN"T WAIT to have her shoot my wedding.
Also, don't forget that you should mesh well with your photographer and feel comfortable around him or her. It makes a huge difference in the pictures.
I'm getting so frusterated!! I can't find any photographers under 3500 whose work I like and that we also get high resolution negatives from engagement and wedding!!!!!!eeerrrrrrrrrr
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I have a dilemma!
Currently, we have 1700 in our budget for photography. So far, the photog's I've liked are far over this budget. I have found one that is perfectly within our price range, but his photos are sub par (especially in comparison to others in our area). He is a family/child photog that is just starting to photograph weddings.
Here is the photographer who is within our price range, Setrik Photography: http://www.setrik.com/portfolio/wedding-photography/.
I have another photographer that I love, but they are way out of my price range. The pluses are that they've shot at our venue many times and have fantastic reviews. Here they are: http://www.azahnweddings.com/
These are not the photographers I'm going with, they are just examples of the quality vs. price dilemma.
Two questions:
1. It is worth it to go over your budget to get a better quality photog?
2. What do you think of Setrik Photography (the cheaper option)? I feel like I'm being swayed by the price and I don't want that to happen!!!
As usual, you're all awesome, thanks hive!