Photographers round the internet cry: "PLEASE!" they all plead. "Do not hire an ameture to shoot your wedding!! Don't have your uncle with the 'nice' camera shoot it for free!! Go with a pro!!" I see it in every post. While I agree, yes, your wedding photos are the only tangible relic that will remain of your wedding day when the cake and flowers are long gone, I have to say, you need to decide how important photography is to you. If, when you really sit down and think about it, you can honestly say that you're fine with trading quality photography in for upgraded meal options and top notch ambiance then I honestly think you should go with the least expensive option possible. An uncle, a neighbor, a student at a local college. It's your day, and it's an expensive one, so spend the money you plan to spend on it exactly how you want to. Just please, close your eyes and consider the worst case scenario.. don't close them yet, read first, then close... You, 20 years from now, looking at your photo albums, and you have only one blurry photo of you and your husband on your wedding day. Your mothers eyes are shut in the only photo of you and her, and somehow whoever was taking the pictures plain forgot to take one of you and your father.. Please make sure that you feel like you'd look back on your day and smile anyway.
ok, so photography is important to me, now what? Alright, it's time to decide on a budget, and search for a photographer. Most brides will hit up bridal shows, and ads in local bridal magazines looking for their photographer, but this is an article about finding photography on a budget. Think about it, the more anyone, not just photographers but any business owner, puts financially into a service based business, the more the cost of their service is going to rise, correct? So photographers who are paying fees to have tables at bridal shows and for ads in magazines are going to be more costly. Not the best jumping off point. So, where do you look?
craigslist is yo friend! ok, I may have jumped into that statement a bit, but don't be afraid of craigslist. Many photographers would rather use their hard earned money for things like great lighting equipment and lenses to better be able to photograph your wedding day. Some of them are great photographers already working for larger companies and are just trying to pick up extra work on the few weekends they don't already have booked. And alright, some of them are total creeps. So you're going to have to pick through them patiently. It's like shopping at TJ Maxx, it's a hodge podge of the good, the bad, and the ugly, and it's up to you to decide what's worth what.
Now, you may be tempted to jump on the first photographer that's offering "$400, all day wedding coverage!!".. Please don't do this. You're looking for a good deal, yes, but you know what you're mother said about things that seem too good to be true?
The best way to weed through the sea of photographers on craigslist is to look at the website they should have linked to their ad. Do they not have a website? Well, that's our first red flag. The average computer literate person (and you want a computer literate photographer!) can keep a basic website running for less than 10 bucks a month. If they're not at least committed enough to their photography to shell out ten bucks a month, it's bad news. This goes for any photographer you have referred to you by any means. Always ask to see a website. Photographers these days should have one. It doesn't have to be fancy at all. It can even be kind of crappy, it just needs to exist, and have a portfolio of photos that make you sit up and take notice.
Keep a bookmark on your browser of all of the photographers who's websites wow you, and even those who are wowish but are totally wowing you price wise. You can make more concrete decisions concerning how you feel about them once you've made some contact.
Wedding websites: Another way to hone in on photographers is to hit up wedding websites. Again, you might want to skip the photographers advertising on their pages. Instead, hit up the message boards. Make a post that says something like "budget photographer in (insert state)??" then a short post about what you're looking for. Other brides LOVE to talk about the great deal they wrangled, so you're bound to have several bites. Again, make sure you get websites. If a bride doesn't seem to know her photographers website, just Google the name. If nothing comes up, but she swears he's great and she can give you his phone number, you might want to skip this one.
Have a fancy photographer date: Contact all of the photographers that did have websites that struck your fancy. Let them know your budget up front, and what you're hoping to get out of that budget. Let them know what areas in which you might be flexible (maybe you're willing to forgo prints, or you'd like a second shooter, but it's not going to make or break things for you). Don't bring up price as one of your negotiables, because let's face it if you say you might be able to squeeze extra money out of the budget, no matter how great your photographer is, they're going to try to get at any cash they can sniff out.
Once your photographers have contacted you and you've emailed a bit, set up a time to meet, and ask that they bring either hard copies of their images, or a laptop for you to review their work on. If they tell you they can't meet, or that there's a consultation fee, then they're not your photographer. It's reasonable if you live far from them and they'd like to meet somewhere in the middle, or even if they need you to come closer to them because they have a very full schedule, but if they're just opposed, this is shadey behavior! Customer service is going to be part of their job during this process, and you don't want someone who's dropping the ball before it's even rolling.
While you meet with them talk to them about all of your concerns, even if they've been gone over via email, and really look at their images while you're having your sit down. You don't want to hire someone you just LOVED having coffee with over someone you were just pretty cool with because you forgot how much more you loved photographer number two's images. If they're in front of yo face you won't be entranced by a mediocre photographer based solely on you're common interest in Atari. Do keep in mind however, you want to make sure you like the person you hire a bunch. Your photographer is pretty much your new bestie on your wedding day. They're right there for all of the most memorable moments. You don't want to hire some creep that gives you the willies no matter how amazing their photos are or how low their price is.
Good Questions to Ask on your fancy photographer date:
- Schooling or training (remember, self taught is A-ok, just ask a few questions about how long they've been doing their thing)
- ask about their equipment, and if they have backup gear. (write the info they give you down, because while you may be reassured by their confidence in their gear, they may actually have a steaming pile of garbage. Google it up when you get home.)
- How they like to run their "average wedding day".
- If they have an assistant, if this is included in their fee, and if their assistant has compatible equipment to theirs. (again, none of these are deal breakers, it's just pluses in their column)
- Copyright arrangements. (IMHO a photographer who won't give you rights to your photos IS a deal breaker these days. But again, it's your day and you need to know what's important to you.)
- Random social questions! Seriously. Chat. Ask them if they like Vampire Weekend as much as you do. Do they watch Game of Thrones? OMG, I love Game of Thrones. BFF!!
Before parting ways ask for a copy of their contract and bring it home to really read it. They may seem great, but you don't want to find out later you signed on for some shadey nonsense. Once you're ok with them, and their contract, get them the deposit, fast! Don't let them get away!!
I found a photographer who's totally out of my price range, now what?
Don't you watch Say Yes to the Dress? You're never suppose to fall in love with a dress (or a photographer) out of your price range!!! Well, I suppose since it's too late for that you can try some creative options. Inquire as to whether they work with an assistant, and if you can hire THEM for your wedding day instead. Most higher end photographers work with an assistant who is essentially training under them. Their assistant is likely properly equipped with the necessary knowledge and equipment to shoot a wedding his or her self, and likely shoots a similar style (with the photog you loves guidance and training) at a more affordable rate.
No, but I like, really freaking love that photographer.. So you're smitten. I get it. Well, there are two options that would be an alternative to throwing caution to the wind and breaking the bank.
Option one would be to hire the bank busting photographer for a short portion of your day. Have them show up just as your done getting ready, and photograph your formal shots (it would probably be advantageous to do a first look session in this case), and your ceremony. Then have some cameras around for your family and friends to document the rest of the evening. Or enlist the help of the dreaded "uncle with the nice camera" or "budget college student" we mentioned earlier. Personally, I have to honestly say that I feel like this just isn't the greatest option. Please don't get me wrong, I don't feel like it's a mistake to book a photographer for half the day. Some couples aren't planning on doing a bouquet and garter toss, and just don't really see any need for professional photos of their drunk cousins doing the Macarena late into the night. I wish these couples all the best. However, in this particular scenario it would still be a fairly costly option (dream photog will realize that you're smitten making all of these compromises on his or her behalf, and will likely not be merciful), and you'll be stressing if things are even running a minute late.
The second option I feel is the better of the two. Hire someone who is lower than your initial budget for your wedding day. Make sure you still love their photos, but juuust have some money left over in the budget. A few weeks later take that money (you might have to toss in some of the cash you got at your wedding, but I'm sure you got plenty. Your fam likes you, right?) get your hair done, buy a small bouquet, and put your dress on. Put your husband in his nicest suit, buy him a boutineer, and book two hours with the photographer of your dreams. You won't feel the least bit rushed, and you won't be overly concerned about getting grass stains on the underside of your train or messing up your hair. Sure you might not have the exact bouquet from your wedding day, and your husband might not be wearing that tux he wore that night, but the shots will be beautiful because the photographer will have all the time in the world with the two of you to make them just right. Plus it's an excuse to wear your wedding dress one more time!
