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How do you know if a photographer is good? =)

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wishinpink

wishinpink

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
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587
Hi,

I'm usually in the LIW forum, but I popped over here cuz FF is proposing soon *read... next week* and I am looking into engagement pictures/ wedding pictures and the like.

My problem is - Every photographer's website I go to- I think their pictures look great! Maybe I don't have a discerning eye?

The photographer I've been in contact with is this one - http://www.saskiamphotography.com/index2.php

Her pictures are nice? RIGHT? Please, can some of you lovely lady and gents with more discerning eyes than mine tell me if I'm doing okay!

I like her because she's relatively inexpensive (we are poor graduate students), and is offering a 25% off of package if I book before the end of June.


Please, if you have any other photographers that are inexpensive, and superb at photography, let me know! We are considering all options. Say something now before I sign the contract with her next week =)



Side question- I am supposed to pay 50% of price of package right now, and the rest right before the wedding. My wedding is probably going to be in a year... how do I ensure the photographer won't run off with the money? What if she disappears a year from now? I'm not saying I don't trust her, I'm just wondering with ANY photographer, what can I do to make sure I don't lose a chunk of money?
 
basics: In focus and sharp, pleasing to the eye? no stuff growing out of peoples heads?
tone: are the faces properly exposed and a natural color?
exposure: Look for is detail in the wedding dress, does it look like a blob or are the details showing up?

Looking over the portfolio of the one linked:
basics - very good to excellent
tone: very good
exposure - good to very good, the dress is blown(blobish) in a lot of shots.

Then you balance that against price.
I would consider her at the low to mid range but not the top dollar range.
 
1/2 down is pretty normal some will do less if it is a long time out, like $300 to hold the day and 1/2 due at 6 months before and balance before the wedding.
 
We looked at photographers websites. Lots of them were nice but blah. When we found our photog we just got a different feeling. We met up with her, got on great. Most importantly she showed us pics of weddings shed shot and even though we didn''t have a clue who the people in the pics were, we were smiling all the way through. Her photos just radiated the joy and love everybody felt on their wedding day. All the other photogs we''d met left us feeling blah at the end of the meeting, annemarie left us beaming.
 
Photographs are super important to me. I chose our photographer based on the same criteria as Strm, but in addition I had stipulated that the photos had to touch me, I had to feel real emotion off them.

I went through dozens of websites going 'meh', 'nope', 'nooooooooo', 'yeah, ok', and 'all right'. Then a friend recommended her wedding photographer, or alternatively her wedding photographer's assistant. I looked at the friend's wedding photographer and was only 'hmmmm'. I expected to be disappointed with the assistant. About 30 seconds after opening the website I was in floods of tears and knew that was the photographer I wanted. I ran the website by a friend who's a professional photographer to make sure they were technically good as well as having that emotional connection, and when I got the thumbs up I arranged to meet the photographer. We clicked, got along really well, and FI was delighted too, so we booked!

ETA - our photographer also brought two sample albums to our meeting in addition to the 'portfolio'. I think it's easy to put up a selection of your best shots and look like a whizz, but it's a very hard thing to consistently deliver the goods wedding after wedding. I ruled out any photographer who only had a selection of shots on their website and not an entire sample album (although I would have been prepared to make an exception for someone just starting out who maybe hadn't found a client willing to give the OK to their album being used, if I felt their photos were great and I wanted to find out more - and I would have expected them to bring a sample album to our meeting).
 
Rosebud - the pictures on her website are, in my opinion, definitely "good" - but, she has a fairly distinct style. I know nearly nothing about photography so excuse my wordage but she used quite a bit of sepia/black and white, and makes most of the photos seem almost "dated" - but in a good way - like you''re looking through an old photo album. Does this make sense? I''m only mentioning it because if this fits YOU and your style, then great! But if not - if you are more modern/contemporary/vibrant colors, then maybe you should keep looking.

Delster said it well and I had the same experience with our photog - we sat down and went through online albums of various people, and I didn''t ever "feel it" - then through facebook, I saw the photos of a high school acquantaince and thought, surely her photographer is outrageously expensive because those are incredible! Turns out, she is giving us the 2009 rate on her nicest package - so $3,600 for a ton of stuff (it''s now at $4,500.) But most importantly - looking through her photos on her website/blog (she updates the blog daily) almost makes me yearn for my wedding day - its incredible, what she does with lighting and color and faces and people and emotion - she so gets it. Thats what you need to search for - until you know someone can capture what you want them to capture, and in your style. Good luck!
 
Date: 6/5/2009 12:42:34 AM
Author: strmrdr
basics: In focus and sharp, pleasing to the eye? no stuff growing out of peoples heads?

tone: are the faces properly exposed and a natural color?

exposure: Look for is detail in the wedding dress, does it look like a blob or are the details showing up?


Looking over the portfolio of the one linked:

basics - very good to excellent

tone: very good

exposure - good to very good, the dress is blown(blobish) in a lot of shots.


Then you balance that against price.

I would consider her at the low to mid range but not the top dollar range.
Click to expand...



Wow, thank you!!! You are such a pro!!!!! =) (From helping me with my rings, to helping me with photographers.... thanks so much strmrdr!)

Hmm she is priced quite cheaply.. so I guess now I have to balance price with quality.
 
Date: 6/5/2009 2:17:40 AM
Author: SapphireLover
We looked at photographers websites. Lots of them were nice but blah. When we found our photog we just got a different feeling. We met up with her, got on great. Most importantly she showed us pics of weddings shed shot and even though we didn''t have a clue who the people in the pics were, we were smiling all the way through. Her photos just radiated the joy and love everybody felt on their wedding day. All the other photogs we''d met left us feeling blah at the end of the meeting, annemarie left us beaming.
Click to expand...


I will definitely keep that in mind, thank you!
 
Date: 6/5/2009 6:37:52 AM
Author: Delster
Photographs are super important to me. I chose our photographer based on the same criteria as Strm, but in addition I had stipulated that the photos had to touch me, I had to feel real emotion off them.


I went through dozens of websites going ''meh'', ''nope'', ''nooooooooo'', ''yeah, ok'', and ''all right''. Then a friend recommended her wedding photographer, or alternatively her wedding photographer''s assistant. I looked at the friend''s wedding photographer and was only ''hmmmm''. I expected to be disappointed with the assistant. About 30 seconds after opening the website I was in floods of tears and knew that was the photographer I wanted. I ran the website by a friend who''s a professional photographer to make sure they were technically good as well as having that emotional connection, and when I got the thumbs up I arranged to meet the photographer. We clicked, got along really well, and FI was delighted too, so we booked!


ETA - our photographer also brought two sample albums to our meeting in addition to the ''portfolio''. I think it''s easy to put up a selection of your best shots and look like a whizz, but it''s a very hard thing to consistently deliver the goods wedding after wedding. I ruled out any photographer who only had a selection of shots on their website and not an entire sample album (although I would have been prepared to make an exception for someone just starting out who maybe hadn''t found a client willing to give the OK to their album being used, if I felt their photos were great and I wanted to find out more - and I would have expected them to bring a sample album to our meeting).
Click to expand...


Thank you so much for your advice Delster =) I will definitely keep in mind the emotional impact!!! Your photographer doesn''t happen to live in the Seattle area does he/she? =)
 
Date: 6/5/2009 7:57:21 AM
Author: laughwithme
Rosebud - the pictures on her website are, in my opinion, definitely ''good'' - but, she has a fairly distinct style. I know nearly nothing about photography so excuse my wordage but she used quite a bit of sepia/black and white, and makes most of the photos seem almost ''dated'' - but in a good way - like you''re looking through an old photo album. Does this make sense? I''m only mentioning it because if this fits YOU and your style, then great! But if not - if you are more modern/contemporary/vibrant colors, then maybe you should keep looking.


Delster said it well and I had the same experience with our photog - we sat down and went through online albums of various people, and I didn''t ever ''feel it'' - then through facebook, I saw the photos of a high school acquantaince and thought, surely her photographer is outrageously expensive because those are incredible! Turns out, she is giving us the 2009 rate on her nicest package - so $3,600 for a ton of stuff (it''s now at $4,500.) But most importantly - looking through her photos on her website/blog (she updates the blog daily) almost makes me yearn for my wedding day - its incredible, what she does with lighting and color and faces and people and emotion - she so gets it. Thats what you need to search for - until you know someone can capture what you want them to capture, and in your style. Good luck!
Click to expand...


Hi Laughwithme =) I kinda like that "dated" style I guess but I don''t like it for every picture. I wasn''t originally too impressed with her website, cuz it was a little too black for me, but I love pictures with lots of sunshine in it- or happy looking pictures. I found her flicker online when I googled her name, and that''s what made me like her pictures. But you are right, I might not "Feel" her pictures as much as I should be feeling them. I will think about this some more =)
 
New Question-

Can anyone recommend any Seattle Area wedding Photographers?

My photography budget is around $2000....

I will keep looking and if I find anyone else that catches my eye, I will be back for your expert photography opinions!! I'm so glad I asked you guys!
 
Make sure to ask to see ALL the proofs for a few entire weddings. They often tell a very different story than just the carefully selected photos they will post on their website. Make sure that they have MANY great shots from each wedding-not just one or two lucky ones.
 
Date: 6/5/2009 3:59:51 PM
Author: neatfreak
Make sure to ask to see ALL the proofs for a few entire weddings. They often tell a very different story than just the carefully selected photos they will post on their website. Make sure that they have MANY great shots from each wedding-not just one or two lucky ones.
Click to expand...

That is an awesome point! Thank you so much neatfreak!
 
We chose our photographer based on word of mouth from friends and coworkers. I liked what I saw of her work and the price was really great. When I met her, our personalities just clicked. She is bubbly and has an upbeat personality, and I think that is important to get me pumped for taking hours of pictures. She required a $200 down payment and the remainder of the balance at or before the day of the wedding.

I''m not a photographer, and I really don''t know anything about the technical aspect of photography. However, I know what I enjoy and I knew what style of photos I wanted to see hanging on my wall for the rest of my life. It was just a great fit right from the start. I hope you find that same fit for your wedding!
 
Date: 6/5/2009 3:40:05 PM
Author: rosebud10
New Question-


Can anyone recommend any Seattle Area wedding Photographers?


My photography budget is around $2000....


I will keep looking and if I find anyone else that catches my eye, I will be back for your expert photography opinions!! I''m so glad I asked you guys!
Click to expand...

Will try and find some to look at.
 
Date: 6/5/2009 6:04:13 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 6/5/2009 3:40:05 PM
Author: rosebud10
New Question-


Can anyone recommend any Seattle Area wedding Photographers?


My photography budget is around $2000....


I will keep looking and if I find anyone else that catches my eye, I will be back for your expert photography opinions!! I''m so glad I asked you guys!
Click to expand...

Will try and find some to look at.
Click to expand...


Oh my goodness, thank you! I REALLY appreciate it!! I''ve been searching all day.

What I''m ideally looking for-
2 photographers, at least 6 hours of coverage, proofs, and an album



Am I doing better or worse?-
http://imprintsphotography.wordpress.com/

Prices-$1500.00
6 hrs coverage
Includes 1 photographer
Online proofing
All images on CD

$1800.00
All day coverage
Includes 2 photographers
Online proofing
All images on cd


Saskia M- The first link I posted offers-

$1900 x .075 = $1425 (25% off)
Six hours of wedding coverage
Second Photographer
Complimentary CD of watermarked images for web sharing and viewing
Complimentary Engagement Session
$500 print and album credit

(I can add a cd of negatives for $500 x .75=$ 375)

http://rubinphotography.com

$2,395
Includes: 7 hours of wedding coverage at an unlimited number of locations by
Alex Rubin, 200 original 4x6 prints in a wedding album or a DVD Montage,
free online proofing, $100 in online print credit, online slide show, and you
receive the digital negatives of all the images.
BONUS: Free retouched 8x10 print ($45 Value)

$1,995
Includes: 6 hours of wedding coverage at an unlimited number of locations by
Alex Rubin, free online proofing, online slide show, and you receive the digital
negatives of all the images.
BONUS: Free retouched 5x7 print ($26 Value)

$1,795
Includes: 5 hours of wedding coverage at an unlimited number of locations,
online proofing, online slide show and you receive the digital negatives of all
the images.


 
Date: 6/5/2009 3:59:51 PM
Author: neatfreak
Make sure to ask to see ALL the proofs for a few entire weddings. They often tell a very different story than just the carefully selected photos they will post on their website. Make sure that they have MANY great shots from each wedding-not just one or two lucky ones.
Click to expand...


thats such good advice!
 
Date: 6/5/2009 6:57:44 PM
Author: cocolaw

Date: 6/5/2009 3:59:51 PM
Author: neatfreak
Make sure to ask to see ALL the proofs for a few entire weddings. They often tell a very different story than just the carefully selected photos they will post on their website. Make sure that they have MANY great shots from each wedding-not just one or two lucky ones.
Click to expand...


thats such good advice!
Click to expand...

It totally is!! I''m so glad I asked this question! =)
 
It's so hard to choose a photographer! I liked this from what I could see from the galleries. They're in Portland but I know lots of Portland photographers travel to Seattle for weddings.

http://laurenbphoto.com/
 
Here's my advice (it's pretty minimal and might be redundant as I haven't read everyone else's responses).

1. They will be in your face ALL DAY. ALL FREAKING DAY LONG.
a) Make sure they LOVE weddings and brides. GENIUNELY. Not just photography, but WEDDING photography. It makes a difference.
b) Make sure you AND your groom like them.
c) Make sure they like you.
2. There are all KINDS of styles, start looking through theknot, project wedding, PS wedding pics and decide on the 'style' that's right for you.
a) Traditional
b) Photojournalistic
C) Mix style of the above
D) Really artsy and cutting edge
E) Lots of other styles out there
3. Post Production work is where ALL the time energy and talent pay off. Don't get me wrong, the people have to have a good eye, and temperment and have to know when to shoot. But the editing, processing, all that is the finishing touch, the polish to it all. Make sure your photographer does this.
4. MAKE SURE that you see AT LEAST 2 or 3 weddings they've shot. RECENTLY end to end. ALL the proofs. The good, the great, the terrible. ENITRE weddings -- soup to nuts. Ask if the couple had any special requests, and ask to see the shots that reflect those requests.
5. Find out how many proofs/shots they take normally.
6. Who gets the films, high res digitals? When? Who owns the copyright?
7. What does their contract say about what YOU are obligated to do. Some require meals (multiple ones) some require other things. Meals, for me make senes. Hot meals make sense. But seated as a guest and alcohol? Um. NO.

Best thing to do is get recommendations from REAL brides, from venues, from other vendors. Makeup artists, venues, florists, wedding coordinators, caterers all of these will have recommendations. Wedding Wire, project wedding and theknot's local message boards are good resources.

Another GREAT way to get recommendations is to find a photographer whose work you flat out love. Disregard the pricing. Call them up and TALK TO THEM. Tell them... I love your work, I can't afford you but can you PLEASE recommend three photographer's whose work you respect, who have a similar style/philosophy and who might be within my price range? Repeat as needed.

I don't know where you are or how much photography costs in your area. It is one thing I WOULD NOT skimp on, even if it means cutting elsewhere. Post on local boards (theknot again) and ASK for what they think the average costs of a GOOD photographer in your area are?

In Nor Cal? I'd say (honestly) 4-8K. 6K being about were many of them are. You can pay less. You can pay more. I'm just saying on average for the photographers with the experience style and services *I* wanted... that was the range.

Here for example is what I wanted:

6-8 hours of photography.
2 shooters.
ALL proofs processed, retouched, editted.
All my high res processed and editted films. All my proofs in an album. NO watermarks on the proofs.
A great personality and someone who LOVED brides. Someone who understood me. Someone who I liked.
Someone who on AVERAGE took 800-1000 shots (total between two shooters) for an event my size. And where AT LEAST half of those were of quality they would pleased to have shown. AT LEAST.
Someone who captured emotion, details, who was a blend of artsy and photojournalistic and all that jazz (there was a LOOK I wanted)
 
Date: 6/5/2009 8:15:16 PM
Author: Gypsy
Here''s my advice (it''s pretty minimal and might be redundant as I haven''t read everyone else''s responses).

1. They will be in your face ALL DAY. ALL FREAKING DAY LONG.
a) Make sure they LOVE weddings and brides. GENIUNELY. Not just photography, but WEDDING photography. It makes a difference.
b) Make sure you AND your groom like them.
c) Make sure they like you.
2. There are all KINDS of styles, start looking through theknot, project wedding, PS wedding pics and decide on the ''style'' that''s right for you.
a) Traditional
b) Photojournalistic
C) Mix style of the above
D) Really artsy and cutting edge
E) Lots of other styles out there
3. Post Production work is where ALL the time energy and talent pay off. Don''t get me wrong, the people have to have a good eye, and temperment and have to know when to shoot. But the editing, processing, all that is the finishing touch, the polish to it all. Make sure your photographer does this.
4. MAKE SURE that you see AT LEAST 2 or 3 weddings they''ve shot. RECENTLY end to end. ALL the proofs. The good, the great, the terrible. ENITRE weddings -- soup to nuts. Ask if the couple had any special requests, and ask to see the shots that reflect those requests.
5. Find out how many proofs/shots they take normally.
6. Who gets the films, high res digitals? When? Who owns the copyright?
7. What does their contract say about what YOU are obligated to do. Some require meals (multiple ones) some require other things. Meals, for me make senes. Hot meals make sense. But seated as a guest and alcohol? Um. NO.

Best thing to do is get recommendations from REAL brides, from venues, from other vendors. Makeup artists, venues, florists, wedding coordinators, caterers all of these will have recommendations. Wedding Wire, project wedding and theknot''s local message boards are good resources.

Another GREAT way to get recommendations is to find a photographer whose work you flat out love. Disregard the pricing. Call them up and TALK TO THEM. Tell them... I love your work, I can''t afford you but can you PLEASE recommend three photographer''s whose work you respect, who have a similar style/philosophy and who might be within my price range? Repeat as needed.

I don''t know where you are or how much photography costs in your area. It is one thing I WOULD NOT skimp on, even if it means cutting elsewhere. Post on local boards (theknot again) and ASK for what they think the average costs of a GOOD photographer in your area are?

In Nor Cal? I''d say (honestly) 4-8K. 6K being about were many of them are. You can pay less. You can pay more. I''m just saying on average for the photographers with the experience style and services *I* wanted... that was the range.

Here for example is what I wanted:

6-8 hours of photography.
2 shooters.
ALL proofs processed, retouched, editted.
All my high res processed and editted films. All my proofs in an album. NO watermarks on the proofs.
A great personality and someone who LOVED brides. Someone who understood me. Someone who I liked.
Someone who on AVERAGE took 800-1000 shots (total between two shooters) for an event my size. And where AT LEAST half of those were of quality they would pleased to have shown. AT LEAST.
Someone who captured emotion, details, who was a blend of artsy and photojournalistic and all that jazz (there was a LOOK I wanted)
Click to expand...
Gypsy... Thank you so much for your fantastic advice! I am literally going to print that all out and tape it somewhere to look at! Thank you so much!
 
Date: 6/5/2009 10:42:19 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 6/5/2009 6:54:59 PM
Author: rosebud10



http://rubinphotography.com
Click to expand...
I would hire this guy in a heartbeat
Click to expand...

Really? For some reason his pictures don''t really speak to me though =( I like the other two''s photographer''s pictures better..... do I have bad taste in photography? Is it his style I don''t like? I am not good at recognizing photography style...

Thank you so much strmrdr for your advice as always! You are always so helpful!
 
Date: 6/5/2009 7:47:00 PM
Author: vintagecushion
It's so hard to choose a photographer! I liked this from what I could see from the galleries. They're in Portland but I know lots of Portland photographers travel to Seattle for weddings.

http://laurenbphoto.com/
Click to expand...


Ooh, thank you! I will contact her and ask. I hope she doesn't charge a travel fee.. but I have a feeling like she would... I like her pictures though! Thanks so much for the suggestion!
 
You''re very welcome
1.gif
. I agree that they probably do charge a travel fee but it I find photographers more willing to negotiate prices on packages these days.

Did you check out Yelp? It''s helpful for seeing who''s out there, and getting links to websites.
 
I chose mine based off of recommendations- I knew of 4 other couples that used my photographers and they all had great things to say about him.

I guess that might be a bit harder if you''re new to an area, though.

Make sure you meet with them in person to get a feel for their personality too. Make sure that you get a contract too, that states what you paid and when. That way, if your photographer "runs off", you at least have a legally binding document that you can take with you to court, if necessary, but hopefully not!
 
Date: 6/6/2009 12:53:27 PM
Author: rosebud10
Date: 6/5/2009 10:42:19 PM

Author: strmrdr


Date: 6/5/2009 6:54:59 PM

Author: rosebud10




http://rubinphotography.com
Click to expand...

I would hire this guy in a heartbeat
Click to expand...


Really? For some reason his pictures don''t really speak to me though =( I like the other two''s photographer''s pictures better..... do I have bad taste in photography? Is it his style I don''t like? I am not good at recognizing photography style...


Thank you so much strmrdr for your advice as always! You are always so helpful!
Click to expand...
that''s kewl if you don''t like his style keep looking.
As far as the techniques go he is above the others but the style is also different.
If you can find one that good with a style you like you would be set
 
Date: 6/6/2009 6:55:47 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 6/6/2009 12:53:27 PM
Author: rosebud10

Date: 6/5/2009 10:42:19 PM

Author: strmrdr



Date: 6/5/2009 6:54:59 PM

Author: rosebud10




http://rubinphotography.com
Click to expand...

I would hire this guy in a heartbeat
Click to expand...


Really? For some reason his pictures don''t really speak to me though =( I like the other two''s photographer''s pictures better..... do I have bad taste in photography? Is it his style I don''t like? I am not good at recognizing photography style...


Thank you so much strmrdr for your advice as always! You are always so helpful!
Click to expand...
that''s kewl if you don''t like his style keep looking.
As far as the techniques go he is above the others but the style is also different.
If you can find one that good with a style you like you would be set
Click to expand...

Okay! I''m back with 3 more!

http://www.sarahbrookeportraits.com/
http://brandonpatoc.com/
http://www.daletuphoto.com/


I''m so glad I have your expert opinion! I am photography clueless! =D
 
Found an interesting one for you.
www.rkkphotography.com
He is normally out of your price range but he is looking for a job in Seattle to help pay for his vacation visiting relatives there.
Mention strmrdr if you contact him.
 
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