Price Range of Wedding Photographers

[derekinla]

What is the general price range for a wedding photographer shooting in medium format(just the prints and NOT for any fancy album)in a major city like Los Angeles? In my limited search so far, I''ve seen things from a few thousand to 10,000!!! Does this seem right? Any suggestions?

 

[Mara]

Well here in CA I couldn't find anyone worth their salt for under $2k....more of the average ranges were around $4k just for the photography that day...totally out of the question for our budget. We lucked out and found an awesome photographer, worked a great deal..and he is coming with us to Hawaii. We got their full day package, a proof album, online hosting, etc etc etc for their half day price...and we are paying half of his expenses in that half day price. It's an excellent deal.




That said--I have really found photography to be a huge ripoff. Just do not pay $7k for the photographer for the ONE DAY and then realize later that you can't afford any pictures. Be sure to ask questions like..what are the costs for enlarged prints later? Some charge as much as $150 for an 8x10 reprint! Ridiculous.




Also I would highly suggest going digital if you find a really great digital photographer. Ours is digital and film but we chose just the digital package. They use 10mp excellent cameras and the pictures look just like film but for cheaper (no developing fees etc) plus they can do so much more than with film. For example they can take a picture in color, then afterwards they can make it black and white or touch it up (e.g. remove a twig from the back of someone's head) or hand color in portions of the picture (a black and white shot of a church may have colored in stained glass windows as the only color in the picture). It's really cool.




Anyway...my 2 cents..don't get carried away with the photographer fees! Don't pay those exhorbitant rates. Keep looking, and maybe try a photographer that is up and coming but not as expensive. We started working with our photog. who is part of a 'team' last year and their rates for 2003 are about 1/2 of what they are going to be in 2004 because they said their name is finally getting around (they've been a photo team for about 4 years now) and they are booking up really fast now that people are more familiar with their work. So we lucked out!

Good luck!

 

[isthree00]

derek,

i'll pretty much echo what mara said for the most part. our photographer costs $4,000 to just have him there shooting. This seems pretty reasonable based on what I've found. Albums and travel expenses are more. Albums range from $700 to $1,500 depending on how elaborate you want to go.

Take it from someone who used to be a professional photographer, don't go with film. digital technology has surpassed even medium format in terms of resolution. our photographer, whose professional (non wedding) clients are too long to list, is all digital now - doesn't even shoot film on request. This is coming from someone who only 2 years ago was shooting all 35mm and medium format tri-x and hand developing the film.

another advantage to digital is the ease with which you can get your pictures reprinted. our photographer provides a cd with every single hi-res image to us on our two year anniversary. granted, you have to wait 2 years, but it's only so he can make some money on the prints - understandable from a business perspective. others provide cds immediately. this CD then serves as your negatives and you have the full freedom to do whatever you want with them.

my last and final suggestion - go with a PHOTOJOURNALISTIC wedding photographer. find a good one and you'll never regret it. why hire someone to just take the "standard" pictures when you can find someone with the creativity and experience to document your wedding so that your album tells a story and portrays the mood and feeling of the wedding to anyone who looks at it?

just my $0.02

 

[mike04456]

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On 10/3/2003 12:02:51 PM derekinla wrote:





What is the general price range for a wedding photographer shooting in medium format(just the prints and NOT for any fancy album)in a major city like Los Angeles? In my limited search so far, I've seen things from a few thousand to 10,000!!! Does this seem right? Any suggestions?
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Yes, that sounds like the usual range in So. California. I would echo the comments above. Be very careful about your photographer because this is the official record of your wedding! Review all the fine print in the contract, ask to see as many examples as he/she/they will show you, and ask for references. Some photographers are straightforward, but some will really try to screw you with hidden charges and extras for enlargements, add'l prints, etc.

Figure on paying a couple of thousand if you want someone who knows what they are doing. My cousin is a professional photographer (albeit a highly sought after one) who did ours for a discount, and it still cost us $1500 twelve years ago.

 

[Mara]

I also echo the 'photojournalistic' vote...ours is like that but he spent 10 years doing formal and standard photos as well. So he is very much the well-rounded individual. When we first met with him, we talked for three hours and we loved him. Clicking with your photographer is really important too. If he doesn't have a sense of who you are as a couple and individually and what you like, you won't be happy with his work. For what you end up paying, make sure you love him.




I also would recommend giving the photographer a list of photos you want him to take. Don't assume that he will know what shots are important to you. I hear this so many times from couples..we were so busy we didn't get a chance to tell him x or y and in the end we didn't get this one shot we really wanted. I am making an ongoing list of photos I want...and even when I see something in the magazine that I like (e.g. aa shadowed photo of us on the beach) I write it down. He can do pretty much anything...so why not list it!




Check out theknot.com...they have a 'Top questions to ask...' and they have it for Photographers, Florists, Caterers etc and it came in VERY handy when we were interviewing people.

 

[derekinla]

WOW

THanks for the GREAT ADVICE!! Lots of things to consider. One more question for you guys. Will the wedding photographers advertise as "photojournalistic photographers" or is that something I'll have to verify based upon looking at his work and samples? (i.e. the photojournalistic approach will be self evident in the progression of the pictures that are shown)

 

[Hest88]

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On 10/3/2003 6:20:34 PM derekinla wrote:











WOW

THanks for the GREAT ADVICE!! Lots of things to consider. One more question for you guys. Will the wedding photographers advertise as 'photojournalistic photographers' or is that something I'll have to verify based upon looking at his work and samples?

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Oh, they'll advertise all right. Not only is it hot, but photojournalists usually will charge more than a traditional photographer. Be careful, though. Like in other industries, just because they advertise it that way doesn't mean that they know what they're doing. We had wanted about 90% photojournalistic pictures and weren't disappointed that we went that route.

 

[Mara]

Yes they will say that's their style and you will see it in their porfolios etc. It's more like telling a story and/or random abstract type pictures 'cataloguing' the day...as opposed to all stiff formals. But you will probably still need someone who does formals (and knows how to pose people) so that your parents and families are happy..since those are usu the pix they like.

Another way to save $$ is if you can find a university student who is pretty talented who would be willing to do alot for less $$...a good way for them to get experience and for you to have nice photos...but only if you don't want to spend the $$ to get the professionals--you may have to handhold the young more...but also you may find that there are some students like this who have done other weddings and/or are fledgling up and comers. Maybe bulletin boards at schools etc.