Wedding photo suggestions?

Question

We are looking for ways to save money on our wedding photos. They are absolutely outrageously priced everywhere we go. Does anyone have any creative ideas to save money on this? We are very nontraditional...so we would consider all kinds of reasonable options.

Answer 1

Im in the same boat. You should try to go buy you and your fiance a nice ditigal camera and have a family member who isnt in all the pictures take the pictures . Then on each table have a dispoable camera and have your guest take pictures. Those are going to be most memorable. Good luck

Answer 2

There are at least a couple of informed, well thought out responses ahead of me. As a photographer and a person involved in the photo industry, I put a pretty high premium on the wedding photos. They are what you will have left after the flowers have wilted and the dress is packed away.

It is a great suggestion to ask an established wedding photog what they could offer in your budget, but don't be surprised if they don't bite. Most won't block off a prime wedding date for a small job, because potentially they could be losing thousands of dollars.

Craigslist is a good resource. Be sure to see some work before you hire them, but there are gems waiting to be discovered there. Of course, there are lumps of gravel, too, which is why you want to see a portfolio.

Your local college may have a photography program. Ask there. Some high schools have photography classes as well. Not sure if you'd want a high school kid, but maybe their teacher.....

Your local photo lab might be a resource. Often they know who the sideline or part time shooters are, or they might recommend a talented customer, or one of their own employees may do a bit of wedding work on the side.

Next consider friends and family. Do you have a friend with a decent camera that you could press into service? Weddings are full of what we call "Uncle Bob" photographers. Usually they are just in the way, but maybe they could step up to be the primary photographer if there is no pro there.

Pass the word around for everyone to bring their camera, digital or film. Then get several people to make some posed shots of the b&g and family. Make sure to look for good lighting, don't squint into the sun, and take some with flash and some without. Every time you have an event, (vows, kiss, cake cutting, dance, etc etc) make sure your amateur shutterbugs are standing there snapping.

A final word about disposable cameras, don't rely on them for ANYTHING! You may get a few useable images out of them, but most will be kids playing with them, people shooting birds, people putting their fingers in front of the lens or flash, people taking shots from either 40 feet or 4 inches away, not using the flash, blah blah, the list goes on and on. If you do decide to use them, get Kodak or Fuji, not the cheapo ones from the dollar store. And make sure you have someone with a real camera getting pictures as well.

Good luck, hope you end up happy with your photos!

Answer 3

Put a post on cragslist with exactly what you want ie "looking for wedding photographer date time until time. price range: two buck" something like that. See what nibbles you get.

Also, post on the boards at the art department of the local college. There are many talented photographers just starting out who would love a chance to bulk up their portfolio and earn a few bucks. If you find someone you think might be a match do a test run by having them take some engagement pictures of you. If you like the work hire them. Thats what we did and our pictures will be $500. We keep all the high resolution files so we can make our own prints any time we want.

The camera on the tables thing is not reccomended...at least not by me for a few reasons (I can't count how many brides have been in tears at the counter because this was all they did for their photography):

a. by the time you buy all those cameras, develop them, blow up the prints you have spent pretty close if not more to what a decent amature photographer would charge

b. kids get ahold of them and you end with entire rolls of feet and someone's parents

c. adults get drunk and think it's funny to take pictures under the table or in the bathroom of..well stuff.

d. people walk out with the cameras and are usually never seen again

e. people forgot to turn the flash on or that picture of you cutting the cake has a nice finger in front of the lens shot

f. like previous posters have said, most times people bring their digital cameras anyway and would be happy to share the pics with you so why waste the money?


Above all, remember to always make sure your negatives or high res. proofs are included in the package. Also keep in mind that just because you pay more doesn't mean they're better. It's up to you to do the homework.

Answer 4

For our daughter's wedding, we had an acquaintance who takes pictures for a local paper do the photography. It was actually her first wedding to photograph, but told us if we trusted her to take the pictures (something she always wanted to do, but just never had the opportunity) she would give us a great price. About two weeks after the wedding she brought over the CD (which is all I thought we would be getting--to have our own prints made) along with a beautiful white wedding album filled with 300 pictures. She only charged us $300.00. I tried to give her more money, but she insisted she was just so happy to have been given the opportunity to do a wedding. The pictures are absolutely beautiful!! She was with us from 2:00 (at the house, getting ready, then she went to the church to photograph the groom and his son getting ready) until the reception ended at 11:00. You might want to try someone like this. She is now doing wedding photography, something she never had the courage to try, prior to doing our daughter's wedding. Good luck and best wishes!!

Answer 5

I know how expensive weddings can be, and I'm sure you're not eager to shell out thousands of dollars for a one-day party.

BUT ...

Remember that photography lasts forever. And no matter how great your wedding is, crappy photos will make the wedding look crappy. Professional photographers have expensive rates for a reason - they're usually very good at what they do, and they turn out a quality product.

So honestly, I wouldn't suggest scrimping TOO much on your photography. Try cutting back in other areas instead - nix the favors, get a less expensive gown or tux/suit, cut out the limos and use your own car, etc.

But anyway, look on craigslist.org for photographers, and interview them very carefully. Many up-and-comers advertise on craigslist because they don't have the money for big ads just yet. Someone who's just starting out may cut you a great deal. Ask to see their portfolios - and not just their best work. Ask to see a complete wedding's worth of photos.

Ditto for college photography students. They may have the talent, but an inexperienced student who's never shot a wedding before may not know exactly what (s)he should be shooting or how to arrange people for photos. If their rates are very inexpensive, maybe you could hire two seperate photographers just in case.

Also, call some local newspapers and ask to speak to their photographers. Especially if you want photojournalistic, unposed photos instead of all formal shots. Check out wpja.com for a listing of photojournalists in your area.

Finally, when talking to pro photographers, be honest about your budget. Say, "Look, I love your work, but I only have $700 to spend. Is there any way you could scale down your package and help me out?" They may offer you a deal, and they may turn you away. You'll never know unless you ask. It can't hurt to try. Especially if your wedding is held in the off-season (November-March) - they may be dying for some business, so they could have mercy on you and cut you some slack.

Answer 6

A friend of mine placed disposable cameras on each table at the reception and just asked people to grab a camera and start taking pictures. This created a whole different way to capture the memories of their wedding day in pictures because there were pictures taken that a professional photographer wouldn't be able to get.
As for pics of the bridal party and of the ceremony, you could get someone who just does amateur photography on the side. They are usually pretty good at what they do and alot of times will charge you only the price of the film!

Answer 7

Unless you have a friend who could do it your best bet is to call the art department of a local university in your area and ask if they have any students majoring in photography who would be willing to do it for you on the REAL cheap. They might do it for free to get their portfolio together. Those pictures in conjunction with the many photos your friends will send you will be enough. These days people take just as nice digital photos and they can be digitally touched up or enhanced.

Answer 8

Is there a gazebo region or a park interior reach, which would be great. it ought to be chilly yet you get some photographs in in all probability with a great returned drop. Does the reception corridor have a great backdrop, you may continually do it there. you're shocked, the components may well be great. Does the rite region have a close-by that would look stable for %.. additionally ask the photographer in the event that they have backdrops, if so then you definately in basic terms want a room for them to establish in the two on the rite region or on the reception internet site. while you're tense approximately being chilly get your self a lovable wrap and characteristic the bridesmaids get them besides, it may make captivating %.. wish this facilitates

Answer 9

I've heard of some photographers signing the rights to the proofs over to you and that way you can print the pics anywhere or even yourself. That cuts costs like crazy. it's the actual pics that are the expensive part.

Either that or give you guests disposable cameras and have them take pictures of your wedding...however I do warn you that you might not have all your special memories captured in this instance.

Answer 10

Let me tell you what I did... I paid a professional photographer to take pictures with his digital camera, and then he just gave us a CD. We were able to print them ourselves, and it was so much cheaper. The cost of the photographer was $500 total. That's cheap for wedding photography, and we got over 100 pictures out of it.

Then, we just uploaded the pictures to one of those online sites and got 4x6 prints for like 25 cents each, and then printed out a few favorites in larger sizes, and super-cheap wallet sizes of our favorite one to drop in the thank-you cards.

Another thing is to just get a few "formal" studio photos before the ceremony (so the photographer doesn't have to come to your event), then get a friend with a nice camera to take pictures at the ceremony and reception.