Need a Photographer!

Dave-Morris · May 4, 2009

We are t rying to save some money on our wedding by hiring a cheaper photographer. Any ideas? Our wedding will take place in the Northwest WA.

bigtwinky · May 4, 2009

Yellow Pages Local Directory - YELLOWPAGES.COM

Call as many as you can and find one within your price range.

fast1 · May 4, 2009

good idea or try craigslist

Big Mike · May 4, 2009

Why not save money and get cheaper flowers, or serve cheaper food at the reception, or get a cheaper wedding dress etc.?

After the wedding day, you are left with the memories, a bunch of kitchen appliances and the photos. You may someday regret it, if you cheap out on the photographer.

surfingfireman · May 4, 2009

My buddy took all the photos at my wedding and we were thrilled with them. He had no formal training but just worked with what we gave him. Mind you, we had a destination wedding and the locale sure helped out with the photos. But we also didn't want to hire someone on the island.

Here are a few of the ones I had already posted on here 3 years ago.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/440193-post1.html

schumionbike · May 4, 2009

Big Mike said:
Why not save money and get cheaper flowers, or serve cheaper food at the reception, or get a cheaper wedding dress etc.?

After the wedding day, you are left with the memories, a bunch of kitchen appliances and the photos. You may someday regret it, if you cheap out on the photographer.

true, but sometimes, you don't want to have cheap memories either

. One thing you can do is have the pro shoot for a short period during the important part (4 hours or so) and have a friend who have some idea about photography shoot candids for the rest of the time.

abraxas · May 5, 2009

Or don't even worry about it at all. Me an the old lady have been married for almost 25 years. Don't have a single photo of the wedding. A few of the reception after everybody got ****-faced. Got memories, but more important, still got her--Let me make sure ... ... ... Yep, she's still there.

JE Kay · May 5, 2009

We are t rying to save some money on our wedding by hiring a cheaper photographer

I ask someone once who said this to me, when looking for a photographer for their wedding.

'If you can't afford to hire a photographer and pay them what they should be paid for shooting your wedding do you really think you should be getting married in the first place? Because if you can't afford it, then that tells me you have bigger problems than finding a photographer. If you're too cheap, well that's a different story, if that's the case, go to a gas station and get a couple of disposable camera's and give them to a couple of guests and get them to shoot it for you.' :mrgreen:

They were quite taken aback by that, I heard they ended up paying a reasonable rate and got a decent package.

I hated shooting weddings, worst jobs ever. :thumbdown:

mrodgers · May 5, 2009

abraxas said:
Or don't even worry about it at all. Me an the old lady have been married for almost 25 years. Don't have a single photo of the wedding. A few of the reception after everybody got ****-faced. Got memories, but more important, still got her--Let me make sure ... ... ... Yep, she's still there.

Sort of the same for me, only 12 years. And we do have photos, but can't say we've even seen one of the photos since our 1st year anniversary. Where are my wedding photos? You guys have just as good an idea where they are than I do. I think they are somewhere down in the basement. Not in the box with all the other wedding garbage because I found that when it dumped all over the floor cleaning up the junk corner of the basement. It's been 11 years since that box has been open. Wonder where those photos are?

chantal7 · May 21, 2009

I don't blame you for wanting to find a cheaper photographer for a wedding; but I guess it all depends what you expect of the outcome of the photos. My brother recently hired a photographer, and she basically said you can make it as cheap or expensive as you want it. It is nice to have the memory, but I don't think you need high class photos for a wedding.

JE Kay said:
We are t rying to save some money on our wedding by hiring a cheaper photographer

Click to expand...

I ask someone once who said this to me, when looking for a photographer for their wedding.

'If you can't afford to hire a photographer and pay them what they should be paid for shooting your wedding do you really think you should be getting married in the first place? Because if you can't afford it, then that tells me you have bigger problems than finding a photographer. If you're too cheap, well that's a different story, if that's the case, go to a gas station and get a couple of disposable camera's and give them to a couple of guests and get them to shoot it for you.' :mrgreen:

They were quite taken aback by that, I heard they ended up paying a reasonable rate and got a decent package.

I hated shooting weddings, worst jobs ever. :thumbdown:

How come you hated shooting weddings? I am curious about this. I suppose it can be pretty chaotic, but I'd like to hear it from someone who's actually shot a wedding before.

~Stella~ · May 21, 2009

I hired a friend of a friend who had done several weddings. His portfolio (of yes, actual weddings) looked good (not amazing, but well more than competent), his price was extremely reasonable. He assured me he could do a great job. Yeah...I got what I paid for. I was so disappointed, I never even had any printed. I have the proofs in a ratty old album somewhere. I haven't looked at them since.

One day I may dig some out, scan them, and try to fix them myself (yes I know illegal...blah blah blah) but I don't have the heart to even try at this point and it will be 10 years this year.

The moral of this story is this - hire a pro to shoot at least a few really great photos of the wedding party and maybe the ceremony - even if it's just for an hour or two and then trust an amateur/buddy with the reception and the rest. And switch to a cash bar to make up the cost. It will be worth it.

~Stella~ · May 22, 2009

JE Kay said:
We are t rying to save some money on our wedding by hiring a cheaper photographer

Click to expand...

I ask someone once who said this to me, when looking for a photographer for their wedding.

'If you can't afford to hire a photographer and pay them what they should be paid for shooting your wedding do you really think you should be getting married in the first place? Because if you can't afford it, then that tells me you have bigger problems than finding a photographer. If you're too cheap, well that's a different story, if that's the case, go to a gas station and get a couple of disposable camera's and give them to a couple of guests and get them to shoot it for you.' :mrgreen:

They were quite taken aback by that, I heard they ended up paying a reasonable rate and got a decent package.

I hated shooting weddings, worst jobs ever. :thumbdown:

A photographer is just another expense, like any other wedding expense. And like most wedding expenses, it is an optional one. Particularly given my own experience, I do think that weddings are an occasion where (if you want good photos) you should probably hire a professional with a proven track record, but I certainly don't think that anyone who can't or won't hire a pro doesn't deserve to get married. That's a pretty condescending attitude.