Photo journalists or Photographers...?

[Nicrez]

Okay, I have gotten so far my reception place booked and my dress, but NOTHING ELSE.

I am at this horrible stage of "I don''t want to even go near this mess...",

BUT I need to figure out whether I want photographers with photo studio pictures and their big fat expensive coffee table books and cool effects OR artistic photo journalists who are cool, a big gamble, and are almost completely in control of the look and feel of all your wedding memories, but offer no wedding books, but free digital negatives...

A few months ago, I put up an ad in Craig''s List for Photojournalistic photographers. I got over 50 e-mails, and choosing one is SO HARD! Many had amazing websites, some where actually TOO cool for a wedding (but perfect for a fashion show), some where actually SCARY, but none of them offered me a good idea what to do with getting a nice coffee table wedding book for us, and one for each set of parents.

At those horrible wedding expos my MOH dragged me to, I saw some great books (albeit a bit cheesy), and I want those professionally bound, well put-together books, but can I get them done myself?

Anyone know of companies that DO that? I could use a photo journalist, keep the digital negatives and all, and put the books together myself, but how much more can they cost? Or should i just drop the pre-requesite $3000 MINIMUM on these "professional" photgraphy studios that do it all for you?

HELP!!!

 

[abradabra]

Well, I would go with a photojournalist if it was someone I had met with and trusted. My number one requirement in a photographer is being able to keep all my proofs and negatives. I had a friend who had to pay $2000 extra just to get all her proofs back because she didn't think to put it into the contract. I've heard horror stores about paying ridiculous sums every time you want reprints if you don't have the negatives.

I also really like the more candid feel of photojournalist work--portraits are not something I'm that comfortable posing for or interested in viewing years after the fact.

Whatever you do though, you should really try to make sure YOU get your negatives.

 

[Nicrez]

Abracadabra, I TOTALLY AGREE!!!

That's the only kind of deal I will make actually. I heard so many things about the negatives, that I will not sign ANYONE to be at my wedding if I feel they are trying to rip me off, negatives ARE included, or else, what they hell do they need MY pictures FOR?!

I have even set up a list of requested shots, like Bride with her family, Bride with MOH, Groom with groomsmen, etc. Standard shots. Then I have MANY clips of magazine pictures of shots or "feels" I would like to have in my pictures...like the Bride and groom sharing an intimate talk by the window, etc...

I won't be hideously disfigured by turning my head this way, and poufing my skirt here, and leaning to the left while standing on one leg sort of thing...I will get a photojournalist photographer, either independant or within a studio, but I am worried about getting the albums....

Anyone know if Albums being made on your own are good quality, or who can work with you to do them???!!!

 

[cmcwill]

What about going with a studio that is known for its photojournalistic approach but that does weddings? I am using stephen taylo photography in bernardsville NJ but I think they travel...check out there site and see if its what fits you. www.stephentaylorphoto.com

Colleen

 

[mightyred]

Hi Nicrez,

You can try the chat boards on www.theknot.com . They have a local message board where you can ask people in your area to recommend someone who does what you are looking for. Most people on there have bios with photographic examples so hopefully you will get some good referrals (people will also tell you who to avoid!)

It's not everyone's cup of tea with regards to what people talk about on some of the boards on there but in your case I think it may be helpful.

Good luck!

 

[lindsal]

Agree with checking out the Knot local boards for your area... they have a lot of good ideas and potentially some great vendor reviews that can help you narrow down your list. As far a books/albums.. well there are several options I can think of.

1) Site for PC users called MyPublisher.com (and a similar site run by Mac for their users). You can create your OWN album with pictures, poems, scenes, different background pages.. fairly easily and at about a 1/4 of the cost of the photography professionals.
2) Get all the negatives, and post on Craigslist for a certified scrapbook nut.. pay them to create a meaningful totally personailzed book for your wedding with your negatives. I just happened to be at the scrapbook store getting paper for my 'save the dates' last week when I heard about this idea from a lady who was there creating one... I was unbelivably gorgous.
3) Local college graphic art students. See if one wants to work with you on creating a photo montage/album as work towards their portfolio.

Good luck with what ever you choose... I agree, this wedding planning stuff is certainly a lot to think about.

 

[Nicrez]

Lindsal, great ideas...

I may end up with a studio that has Photojournalists since I really want those great books where the pictures are not glued in, but actually printed on a very heavy sheet of the page. Has anyone seen these? Where it's actually printed in high definition ON the pages, but it's totally waterproof and all?

Again, saw them at wedding expos and things, but would do that sort of quality without the cheesy picture fades and stylizing of color.

On average what are we looking at for 400 pictures to unlimited pictures where you get to keep your negatives ???

What kind of packages do you guys have??? Any suggestions??

 

[moremoremore]

Nicrez!!! Now I just saw that you are getting married in the Westchester area in NY!! I did too!!!!!!!!!

OK- photog- all i have are these simple words:
FRANKLIN SQUARE PHOTOGRAPHERS (out in Long Island but came out to Westchester). You don't even understand. I look like Cindy Crawford in my pictures. I HATE the way I look in photography. HATE it. They now even use digital...so they can fix you up if the pictures aren't quite right. They have a web site (FSPHOTO) which is not too impressive...but I adore my pictures. They were pretty pricey but worth every penny. I didn't do the photojournalism...you can do either or mix both. I opted for no video b/c I'm very hard on myself. I pref'd to have a few GOOD pix of myself and the say.

And my florist is in Westchester too!!..Mamaroneck area. Can I just tell you that I still get comments on my flowers, 2 1/2 years later. They were stunning if I do say so myself. I can't remember the name right now for some reason, mental block...

 

[moremoremore]

I think it was Arcadia Floral Co on Mamaroneck Ave in Mamaroneck.

p.s. I checked out the fsphoto web page...don't be scared by the scary brides lol...you feel like you're on a model shoot but at the same time you don't know richard is there. He's the best.

 

[treysar]

Oh my God - you guys are locals? I live in Westchester too! How funny! I never go on this board, I'm always on the Diamond boards - i had no idea you guys were so close!

I wound up going with Celebration Studios in NYC, because they had a nice package deal, about 3400 with tax including my album 3 paretn albums, negatives, proofs and the works. My sister is a professional photographer and I brought her with me - she agreed that it was a good deal.


If this does not float your boat, i looked at a GREAT GUY in Larchmont - www.rickyrestiano.com. His stuff was AMAZINg, but over my budget. He is a photojurnalist, and his albums were GORGEOUS.

 

[moremoremore]

Cool treysar! I'm ctually in Queens...made all my Suffolk county family and friends schlep out to Westchester! hehehehe

 

[Nicrez]

Actually, my "people" are in Long Island, but I am making them schlep as well! I am actually in the NYC area (NJ across the border), so it's about a 40 minute drive for us. I will have to get a hotel room around there for the night before so it's not a logistical mess!!

My fiance's people are in Connecticut, NYC, LI, and some in NJ. So considering all the varied people from other countries (hiw whole family), other states, etc, we figured we would just go with a place we really liked and offered a good "bang for the buck". If they love us, they will travel. Hey' it's a free night out with awesome dinner and dancing!

MMM, Fountainhead IS owned by the same people as my place, and it's funny that they made you use Arcadia as well! I have to book all this, but honestly, we are waiting a bit, because everyone demands deposits and such, and right now between buying a car and me going to GIA it's tough. 6 months of GIA is about $14,500!

Wedding is on hold until I get a job and we pay off some of these insane bills!

But still I am keeping my mind on the search and doing the preliminary research on the prices, and all that sort of stuff...

I will look at the photographers you guys mentioned! If anyone has any more, I would LOVE to know about them, so I can compare them to a few and get an more accurate selection. Thanks!!!!

 

[Daisy2418]

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On 10/18/2004 6:34:22 PM Nicrez wrote:

Lindsal, great ideas...

I may end up with a studio that has Photojournalists since I really want those great books where the pictures are not glued in, but actually printed on a very heavy sheet of the page. Has anyone seen these? Where it's actually printed in high definition ON the pages, but it's totally waterproof and all?

I think that album you're talking about is called "Flush Mount." I think they're very cool. I have a choice between one of those, or a regular album. I think I'll take the Flush Mount, because it's cool, and I probably couldn't do it myself. A traditional album, I think I could handle.

I second looking at the local boards on the knot. That's where I found my photographer, and I think he's great! (But, I'm in Dallas, so no real help for you.)

 

[Nicrez]

Yes! Flush mount, that's it!!!! Thanks so much Daisy!!!

Does anyone know if I NEED to go through a studio to get a flush mount album? They are so cool, and I want a classy, well done book of wedding pictures, as well as digital shots (so film and digital pitcures for the wedding) so we can always have the "coffee table book" (probably on a shelf, not the table, really) and the website for family and friends who couldn't make it.

I figure we spend so much damned money on the reception, the dress, the details of the whole day, that I need a good photographer to capture all those memories really well, but it all gets so damned pricey. Honestly, I am becoming such a bridezilla with this elaborate wedding planning that I would take the damned pictures MYSELF (if I wasn't in the wedding...) *grumble grumble*

 

[Daisy2418]

I think you MAY be able to do a flush mount album on mypublisher.com. I don''t know for sure though.

We decided (I think) to do a Flush Mount from our photographer, because I''m not creative enough to do one myself....but, i think I could do a traditional album myself. Hopefully.

I bet if you googled flush-mount you could find a website that does it...if not, maybe we should start a business!

When are you getting married?