Which photography package?

[luckystar112]

Hi ya'll. I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what is important in a photography package. Help please?

All 3 packages come with:
-photographer and assistant for unlimited time for complete coverage
-high resolution cd of images with complete copyright release
-online gallery for viewing and sharing

Silver Package: $1399
-traditional album filled with 100 4x6 prints of your choice

Gold: $1799
-11x8 hard cover contemporary album with 25 pages and up to 150 photos
-two framed 8x10 prints of your choice
-four 5x7 prints of your choice
So, you are paying $400 for the album upgrade, and a total of six prints, two of which are framed. Worth it?

Platinum: $2199
-Custom designed 8x12 hard cover heirloom fine art book
-two framed 8x10 prints of your choice
-eight 5x7 prints of your choice
-11x14 framed canvas print (kind of cool?)
-dvd slideshow of your entire day set to music of your choice (don't care about that. I can do it myself)
-free engagement session (can't use anyway)
You are paying $400 more (than the gold package) for the album upgrade, four extra 5x7 prints, the canvas print, dvd slideshow, and engagement session.

FI wants to go with the silver because he thinks that it would be cheaper to print our own photos and buy our own (nicer) album. He think the $400 price increase from silver to gold is ridiculous. Is it?

The platinum package isn't really an option for us financially, so we are trying to decide between the gold and silver. I just threw it in there because the photographer DID tell me that she'll allow us to customize our own package if we want.

So my question is, what is important? Shoud we go with the Gold so we get at least a few prints, or is it cheaper to print our own? And is it worth it to upgrade our album, or is it less expensive to buy our own album?

Any advice appreciated!!

 

[Sabine]

If you have the copyrights, you could definitely do your own prints and probably even find nicer, more individual frames. So it would depend on what kind of album you want. If you have your heart set on a more artistic album, you should really try to negotiate with the photographer. Maybe they could upgrade the album if you sacrifice something else or pay a smaller fee than totally going with the gold package.

 

[luckystar112]

Yeah, she told me that we could mix and match. She said that if I wanted to get the silver package and just one or two of the things from the other packages, she would make me a new quote. I just don''t know what to get!!!

 

[Sabine]

Did she have samples of what the different albums look like? I didn''t want a traditional album at all, so we went with a coffeetable book.

 

[gtn]

I would go with the cheapest (gold) plan. Sure you get more pictures and a nicer album, but you get a cd with all the pictures taken and copyright release. You could reprint the pictures of your choice and find nicer/cheaper frames. Although I haven''t talked to my FI about this, I want to take the cd of pictures we get and have a coffee table book made. My friend friend did that it it was a fraction of the cost. Save your $400 and spend it on something else. You don''t need it right away.

Alternately, if you plan to get an album for each of your parents, you might consider forgoing the nicer album and extra frames and have the photographer put together and album book for you, at least have them develop/print up the pictures. The most time consuming part of this process is actually putting the pictures in the albums and frames, so if you could get them to make you an album and then print up another two sets for each of your parents, you could put them in albums yourself. If this is the case, paying an extra $400 seems reasonable.

 

[laine]

Personally, I wouldn''t bother with the larger prints or the frames, I''d rather have them printed myself (cheaper) and get frames myself (I''m picky), but I might consider the album upgrade if I really like it better. I figure I know I''d get around to printing a few bigger pictures, but I''d never print all the 4x6s to keep, so to get one good album might be worth it.

 

[musey]

I won't be much help, as I'll be lucky to get 1 photog (no assistant) for 6 hours max with the digital negatives (only) for under $5,000.

All the extras I haven't given much thought to, because we always just price for our minimum requirements (aka the digital negs and 6 hours). So my thought is, if you have the budget, you can't go wrong with any of the packages!

 

[luckystar112]

YIKES MUSEY!!!!
Why on EARTH so much money for a photgrapher where you live?

Most of the photographers I was looking at were on the knot and around $2500. I found this women on a whim after reading neatfreak''s thread and finding out she looked on craigslist. I''d DEFINITELY check there if I were you. You can find some good deals!

 

[musey]

Date: 11/8/2007 8:05:49 PM
Author: luckystar112

YIKES MUSEY!!!!
Why on EARTH so much money for a photgrapher where you live?

Because I live in LA and we''re picky

We found one recently for $3500 who we could settle for, but the ones that we''ve found who really are worth it are in the neighborhood of $5000+

We might hire a single photog and have a photography student friend be the additional.

Anyway! No hijacking here

 

[BELLA9280]

thats such a great deal even for the top package. i went to a photographer in the town i work in and the lady said honey i think this is a great package for you it was $10000 was she kidding me????

 

[labbielove]

Hi
I''ve typed a couple responses that got chewed up! so hopefully this isn''t a duplicate post.

It''s good they are willing to work a la carte with you- personally if you can afford it I would go with the standard package but seriously consider an album, depending on the albums of theirs you''ve seen.

We have all the rights to the digital negs as well, but very much wanted one nice album for ourselves- and we really like the flush mounted, coffee-table book style but with thick board book pages almost. We would not have the artistic eye to know which photos would look the best full page, where a series would fit, to superimpose, etc.

So we sprung for the album. For in laws we will design a photo book online, and will get our own enlargements etc.

It depends on your budget as to whether you get the album (and also if you like their work in terms of album design), but either way I would not pay for framed 8x10''s.

 

[luckystar112]

Thank you everyone for your responses!

I''m going to see how much it would cost for the silver package, with the custom designed 8x12 hard cover heirloom fine art book from the platinum package. If she tells me $1599 or less, I''ll take it!

 

[basil]

The prints aren''t worth it.

Actually, my photographer suggested we wait until after the wedding to decide on the album. She says that a lot of her couples are waiting a year or so. So that''s what we''re doing. Have you seen the different album styles? That might make a difference.

 

[luckystar112]

UPDATE:
The photographer got back in touch with me and said that she would upgrade the album ONLY for $450!!!!!!!

So, scratch that. I think I''m going to create my own album on www.blurb.com

I was thinking that it might have been worth it, but she sent me a link to one of the albums that she''s done and I didn''t like it as much as the one on blurb--plus I''d save $400. SO glad I bought that magazine last night. lol

 

[janinegirly]

lucky--where do you live, I think those prices are great. but i''m thinking the NY area prices are all skewewd. example, i couldn''t find anything under 2700 for full day coverage and all prints, copyrights, etc. But that did not include any dvd''s set to music, albums, 8x10''s, nothing. sighh...

 

[luckystar112]

I live in TX, but we''re getting married in VA, so that''s where the photographer is from.
She is mainly a SAHM who is trying to build a business, but she only does 2 weddings a month. I think that for her it''s more of a hobby than a "career" which is why her prices are so low.
Anyway, I loved her work though.

www.your-life-photography.com