getting down to the wire...

[nytemist]

for planning. I need some suggestions. We still don''t have a photographer. The one we really, really like and has the style we want is too far out of budget. Their basic package starts at $1900, not counting albums or addtional prints. Another one recommended to us seems pretty good, but also just as pricey and comes with a mandatory 100 wallets (that we don''t want- what would we do with them? coasters?) So far, lots of other photographers I''ve looked up are even more expensive. It''s times like this when having a real small budget is kind of biting us in the butt.

Anyone in the Boston area with some ideas?

 

[dani13]

Geez, it is going to be hard to find a photographer for all day coverage for less than $2K- sad reality....Is there a local art school/college where you can possibly recruit a photography student or someone just starting out in the field to shoot your wedding at low cost? I know a few people that have done that and it turned out great. Also another place to take out a free ad or look at jobs wanted ads (where you may find someone looking for a job like this) is www.craigslist.com....

 

[dani13]

Look what I found on craigslist- just what I was talking about- this looks
interesting...http://boston.craigslist.org/crs/167065717.html
Hmmm....may be worth a phone call?

 

[nytemist]

I though that getting a student would be a good idea and I mentioned it to my fiance a while ago. He nixes the idea because he was an art student himself and saw what student photographers are capable of. He thinks it''s a big roll of the dice. Then I considered not having one at all and have all our pictures be the ones our guests take with the cameras we''re putting on the tables, but now feel I''d really like a real album to look at 20 years from now.

 

[ellaila]

Hi,

I''m not sure what type of wedding you''re having, but we''re having a small wedding, so I inquired with probably about 25 photographers (in Rhode Island), telling them that we''re having a small affair and would like a photog for just two hours, with digital negatives and "rights release" to them, so we can print our own photos when we want to. Most photogs got back to me with prices of about $1000 for two hours. Though that''s a lot of money for just two hours, it''s cheaper than spending $1900+ to get more than what you really want! Two hours for us is perfect -- a bit of prep time, the 20-minute ceremony, and then some "formals" -- we don''t care about having any photos during dinner, and we''re not doing dancing or anything like that. Plus like you said, we''ll likely have disposable cameras on the tables anyway AND most guests bring cameras to weddings, so I''m sure we''ll have more than enough photos!

Most "basic packages" I found were for 5 hours minimum, and that was way more than we needed. So definitely contact a bunch of photographers and be specific with what you want -- chances are, they can customize a package that may suit your needs (and budget!) a little better.

Good luck!

 

[amyg]

NY- We also have a really small budget, and when I first started looking at photographers, I was in tears...but eventually I found a friend of a friend that was just starting her own photography business, and is just happy to be have the opportunity to build her clientele, and will do 3 hours at the wedding and reception plus 3 hours for Bridal portrait stuff at different locations, and she will give me all the picures and rights at the end of the day for $200...needless to say I was thrilled, and after I looked at some of her work I was even more thrilled...so if you could ask around someone might know someone, or even the student idea, couldn''t you look at their work before agreeing to it???

 

[selflove]

Don''t rely on those crappy disposable cameras on the table, or on your friends'' nice digital cameras! I have been getting my friends'' photos from the wedding over the past couple weeks and while they are nice, they are by no means professional; even though they all have nice expensive digital cameras, the quality just isn''t there. Like the lighting is way off in most of them at the reception, whereas the pros are all perfectly lit.

Last night I got our professional pics and whoa is there a difference! I wish I had booked him longer so we had more photos from the reception.

At least get a professional just for a few hours (2 or 3 hours?).

I was able to find a pro who gave me 4 hours, the master CDs of almost 500 pictures, a bound album (like 10 pages front and back), and 60 5x7s (that I can trade up for larger reprints) for only $700 (that''s not his advertised price, I had to negotiate that). And that was in LA. But I had to do a lot of looking to find him. I''m sure you will find someone in Boston too.

It sucks being on a budget, doesn''t it?

 

[nytemist]

Budget bad! What I''d give to have Bill Gates as a friend right now.

I don''t want to rely on disposables, mainly for guests to take pictures of everything else and the photographer to focus on us and the wedding party/families. A couple of friends have directed me to people they know and that hasn''t been fun. One said she doesn''t do small weddings and the other doesn''t want to take an assignment on Halloween (paranoia?) I''m still on the lookout- hoping to find something that works.

grrrr

 

[dani13]

I dont think the student idea is horrible at all. You and your fiance can review all of the portfolio''s of the possible candidates before you make a decision...I think if you do your research, it could turn out just fine...

 

[nytemist]

Dani- you are brilliant! I never thought about using craigslist for a photographer, even though I was on it looking for job postings. Thank you so, so much!

I looked up about 15 of them, emailed 5 who were advertising specials. We have two meetings scheduled this coming Sunday. One photographer just wants to fill out her 2006 schedule, so she''s offering a 6 hour package with album and disc for $695. Amazing, considering some of her other packages start at $4500.

 

[dani13]

WOW, Nytemist, that is AWESOME!!! I am glad I could help. Craigslist I know has been a HUGE help to many people I know in terms of finding photographers, bands, and other vendors who either are just starting out, are students, or as you found- an experienced vendor who is offering some type of deal or special. If you think about it, it is a great way to advertise for them- it is a huge site, and it is FREE! Cant get any better than that!!

Good luck with finding someone- I have a feeling you'll be just fine...let us know what happens!