What made you decide to book your photographer?

[Novel]

Was it his/her style? Style and price? Personality? Did you "just know"? We're meeting with photographers and I'm hoping when I sit down with someone whose pics I like and whose price is right, I'll be sure. But I'm not sure!

 

[Mayk]

she was very creative.. an artist.. and my pictures... the family shots... are terrible.. but that's o.k.... the rest of them are off the charts different... so we are happy... I just didn't want really traditional pictures...

 

[sillyberry]

Was it his/her style? Style and price? Personality? Did you "just know"? We're meeting with photographers and I'm hoping when I sit down with someone whose pics I like and whose price is right, I'll be sure. But I'm not sure!

I think it has to be all those things, really. First, it's only worth looking at someone you can afford. If someone is fantastic, but over your budget, you're setting yourself up for heartbreak. Second, they have to do photos you like. I met with one guy, and he was really cool and shot beautiful photos, but his processing style wasn't quite the dreamy look I was going for...and it took me a few days to figure out that was why his albums weren't grabbing me. I met with another woman who I liked, and she was fun, but I could tell we weren't quite going to mesh. She recommended me to a colleague and in her I ended up finding someone who (1) was in my budget, (2) had a wonderful fun personality I wanted to be around on our wedding day, (3) had a great eye, (4) did the kind of photo processing I love, and (5) made great albums.

Which is a lot of factors, but it wasn't as difficult to find as I thought. Best advice is to familiarize yourself with a lot of different photographers so you can figure out what style you're looking for and seriously determine your budget -- that'll make it easier to find someone who matches your needs!

 

[Novel]

Was it his/her style? Style and price? Personality? Did you "just know"? We're meeting with photographers and I'm hoping when I sit down with someone whose pics I like and whose price is right, I'll be sure. But I'm not sure!

I think it has to be all those things, really. First, it's only worth looking at someone you can afford. If someone is fantastic, but over your budget, you're setting yourself up for heartbreak. Second, they have to do photos you like. I met with one guy, and he was really cool and shot beautiful photos, but his processing style wasn't quite the dreamy look I was going for...and it took me a few days to figure out that was why his albums weren't grabbing me. I met with another woman who I liked, and she was fun, but I could tell we weren't quite going to mesh. She recommended me to a colleague and in her I ended up finding someone who (1) was in my budget, (2) had a wonderful fun personality I wanted to be around on our wedding day, (3) had a great eye, (4) did the kind of photo processing I love, and (5) made great albums.

Which is a lot of factors, but it wasn't as difficult to find as I thought. Best advice is to familiarize yourself with a lot of different photographers so you can figure out what style you're looking for and seriously determine your budget -- that'll make it easier to find someone who matches your needs!

Thanks, Sillyberry. I think my problem is that I know what my budget is, but am tempted by those who are significantly under it but whose work just isn't as good. I'm having a hard time letting myself spend what my budget is, I guess (and it's not that it's a particularly high photo budget, it's just that I've found some really cheap photogs). There was one photographer who I adored and whose photos I wanted to love, but I realized they're just too trendy for me. I have to keep reminding myself that since this is one of the most important things to us about the whole wedding, it's ok to spend what we budgeted on it!

Mayk, sorry to hear you don't like your family shots. That combination of artistic and practical is one of the things I'm looking for, too, and it can be hard to find!

 

[Amys Bling]

He did an amazing job at my friend's wedding and a cousins wedding.

 

[Amys Bling]

I think you have to find someone rhinos a balance of your budget and loving his work. Don't go cheaper just to save money-- when thevday is over, what you have left are the pictures

 

[centralsquare]

Reputation!

 

[mrsjacob]

We interviewed 2 different photographers via our engagement shoot and my bridal portrait shoot. They were both the same budget-wise, and pretty similar style and quality, but the personality match was better with the one we ultimately chose for the wedding.

 

[jstarfireb]

Price was #1, followed by style and the gut feelings I got after meeting with them. I chose one that was a simple family-owned business run out of their home over one that had multiple locations and employees because I got a better feel from the smaller business.

 

[Novel]

I think you have to find someone rhinos a balance of your budget and loving his work. Don't go cheaper just to save money-- when thevday is over, what you have left are the pictures

You're so right, and I know that, it just seems like so much money! I just have to keep this in mind! We can afford that amount, and this is what makes your wedding memories last!

 

[Novel]

I'm glad others went on personality and gut, too! We're meeting with someone on Wed and someone else next Mon, and I can't wait!

 

[ame]

We set a photography budget and I checked out all the photographers in taht price range. The ones that had the style I wanted are who I was going to meet with. I ended up hiring the first one I met with because his style, his personality, and his package was exactly what we wanted. He was like the love child of Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney.

 

[Novel]

Ok, I finally get it. I just met with a photographer and adored his pictures, felt like I wanted to be in them, and had a great time with him. My fiance kept talking to him long after I was just looking at pictures and he (the photog) asked fantastic questions. So I get it; he fit within our needs for budget and style, and talking with him was comfortable and felt right. Woo!

 

[CharmyPoo]

We threw price out the window and went with the most talented photographer we found. For us, photos is one of the most important thing. This is our photographer - http://www.impulsephotographyblog.com..

 

[slg47]

charmy we did a similar thing with photography/budget. your photographer looks awesome!

 

[sba771]

Her pictures spoke for themselves and I still melt when I look at them, also her personality. We clicked instantly and I consider her a friend now and will continue to use her for milestones. http://www.susanstriplingblog.com/?postID=391&shira-eric Also my SIL who is a professional photographer suggested her, so a recommendation from someone else in the business seemed like a ringing endorsement.

 

[bee*]

It was his style. I'd admired his photographs for years and always went and looked at his website but his prices were very high. In the end DH and I decided to go with him anyway and we were glad that we did. We loved the photographs.

 

[sillyberry]

While I think it's wonderful that people can throw out the budget and book the best photographer imaginable, for me that would have put photography at a quarter of our entire wedding budget! Since I didn't *have* an unlimited pot of money to play with, and I still had a lot of people to feed, that wasn't a realistic option. And I don't feel I sacrificed.

Novel, I know you found someone (so exciting!), but I want to reiterate my original advice to anyone else reading this - look for somewhat at the price you're comfortable paying. You WILL find a photographer you love!

 

[Zunibaba]

my fiance and I are trying to plan everything ahead including the photographers and stuff. I think we're choosing the photographer who took on my brother's wedding every shot was amazing. He's got the perfect way of holding the camera and great editing. It would be best if you get recommendations too!

 

[vc10um]

While I think it's wonderful that people can throw out the budget and book the best photographer imaginable, for me that would have put photography at a quarter of our entire wedding budget! Since I didn't *have* an unlimited pot of money to play with, and I still had a lot of people to feed, that wasn't a realistic option. And I don't feel I sacrificed.

Novel, I know you found someone (so exciting!), but I want to reiterate my original advice to anyone else reading this - look for somewhat at the price you're comfortable paying. You WILL find a photographer you love!

I have to vehemently agree with SB here. Photography was SO important to me that I could have easily spent my entire wedding budget on services. But I limited myself (25% of our very very modest budget) and set out to find the absolute best I could in my price range.

Also, I have to emphasize that you should know what kind of coverage you want/need going into the meeting. Do you just want them to shoot the ceremony and important parts of the reception? Then you might have more flexibility because the amount of coverage you need will be minimal, maybe 4-5 hours. On the flip side, do you want shots of you getting ready, the boys getting ready, and every moment from then until you leave your reception??? Well, then you're going to need 12 hours of coverage and a second shooter and that's tougher to find (but not impossible!) in lower budgets. Also, do you want them to make your album? Do you want to make it yourself? Do you want all of your pictures for life, or just a handful of images selected by you (or even them!)... Do you want to only make 4x6 prints of your images, or do you want to be able to make large-size reproductions (if this is the case you'll need high-res files)...etc. etc.

I was able to find exactly what I wanted, in my price range, and I am absolutely THRILLED. Your perfect photographer, with just the right package, IN YOUR BUDGET, is definitely out there!

 

[Novel]

While I think it's wonderful that people can throw out the budget and book the best photographer imaginable, for me that would have put photography at a quarter of our entire wedding budget! Since I didn't *have* an unlimited pot of money to play with, and I still had a lot of people to feed, that wasn't a realistic option. And I don't feel I sacrificed.

Novel, I know you found someone (so exciting!), but I want to reiterate my original advice to anyone else reading this - look for somewhat at the price you're comfortable paying. You WILL find a photographer you love!

I have to vehemently agree with SB here. Photography was SO important to me that I could have easily spent my entire wedding budget on services. But I limited myself (25% of our very very modest budget) and set out to find the absolute best I could in my price range.

Also, I have to emphasize that you should know what kind of coverage you want/need going into the meeting. Do you just want them to shoot the ceremony and important parts of the reception? Then you might have more flexibility because the amount of coverage you need will be minimal, maybe 4-5 hours. On the flip side, do you want shots of you getting ready, the boys getting ready, and every moment from then until you leave your reception??? Well, then you're going to need 12 hours of coverage and a second shooter and that's tougher to find (but not impossible!) in lower budgets. Also, do you want them to make your album? Do you want to make it yourself? Do you want all of your pictures for life, or just a handful of images selected by you (or even them!)... Do you want to only make 4x6 prints of your images, or do you want to be able to make large-size reproductions (if this is the case you'll need high-res files)...etc. etc.

I was able to find exactly what I wanted, in my price range, and I am absolutely THRILLED. Your perfect photographer, with just the right package, IN YOUR BUDGET, is definitely out there!

I have to also ditto this! I found someone amazing in the price range we had originally set, and while I could have found people I might love as much (and definitely also those I wouldn't!) for more money, it seems to me that great photography can be found for many prices. And vc10um's advice is spot on, it was really helpful for me to know what we wanted in terms of coverage and shooters, pics, etc.