Whats a realistic budget for Wedding Photography?

[Lagerstatten.ca]

FullerEdge (Chad and Erin) are AWESOME photographers. I've checked out their work every so often and have seen them do their magic twice now. They just seem to understand the audience and adapt to every situation perfectly.

Plus what they create behind the lens is outstanding They're packages started at $6000.00 for the '08 year. Not sure what it is now for '09-'10 dates.

JTImages is great too. I haven't met the photographer personally but my cousin Bao shadows him every now and then. His work on his site is great and he recently won an award too!

Not sure what he charges but a member on here just got a quote for $6000.00 I think for '10.

Photobolic - saw them at a friends wedding this past summer (Will & Mimi Cao). The results were great, not overly done like FullerEdge.

[benyl]

Originally posted by R-Audi
Did Wei used to have that Nogaro Audi S4?

Pretty sure he still has it.

[eblend]

http://coconutphotography.com/

This is my friend who does photography as a hobby. He has some pictures on that site as well as wedding photos.

He doesn't do big weddings but you can always email him and ask

[JC Civic]

It can vary by a huge amount. It really depends on what you want/need. Getting the full resolution pictures would be great (I wish I had gotten them) Do you want them there for the full day from getting ready all the way through the reception, or do you only need a few hours? Do you want an album/prints? What kind of style do you want?

Honestly you could find a photographer from $500 and up. And yes you could easily spend $10k(or more) on photography if you wanted.

Some local photographers:
http://www.lulufoto.com/
http://www.alanmaudieweddings.com/
http://www.eyecatchingmoments.com/
http://www.khphotography.ca/
http://www.fulleredge.com/
http://www.janettemorrisonphotography.com/
http://www.imagewave.ca/
http://www.shalephotography.com/
http://www.dqstudios.com/
http://www.samanthaellen.com/
http://www.68photography.ca/
http://www.kristyreimerphotography.com/
http://www.andrasschram.com/
http://www.dazaphotography.com/
http://www.imagestyle.ca/
http://www.perphoto.com/
http://www.rwphoto.org/
http://www.joininghearts.com/
http://www.jtimages.ca/

[narou]

just take your own god damn pictures...

[eblend]

Originally posted by narou
just take your own god damn pictures...

my managers (woman) had her wedding pictures taken by her husband haha, tripod and all. she said it was very weird

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by JC Civic

http://www.khphotography.ca/

http://www.khphotography.ca/equipment.php

Oh, boy, did I have a giggle at this page.

It is not enough to have a photographer show you some samples of their work and hire them based upon that alone. The fact is there are a lot of local photographers (that charge more than myself) that use cameras and lenses that were not designed for professional usage.

[eur0]

Check out Sarah Pukin, shes another talented local:

http://sarahpukin.com/photo-services...hotography.php

She's pretty big into creative/artistic shots and her rates are good.

[benyl]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat



http://www.khphotography.ca/equipment.php

Oh, boy, did I have a giggle at this page.

I giggled at more than that. haha, I am going to hell.

[Godfuader]

I spent $10,200...and that is still without the rights to the pics for another 1.5yrs.
Mind you that it was for 3days of coverage, photo and video, 3 person team, 1hr Beach front sunrise shoot with printed 36" shot for the entrance at the reception, 3 coffe table books. And for the reception we had a staff of 6 inclusive of 1 Videographer, 2 Photographers, 2 assistants, and 1 mobile flash person. Our proofs totalled 2,350 shots. Looking back, dont think that was too bad of a pricetag.

[smc]

I've heard that this guy is REALLY good :

www.n-images.net

great value

[eblend]

Originally posted by Godfuader
I spent $10,200...and that is still without the rights to the pics for another 1.5yrs.
Mind you that it was for 3days of coverage, photo and video, 3 person team, 1hr Beach front sunrise shoot with printed 36" shot for the entrance at the reception, 3 coffe table books. And for the reception we had a staff of 6 inclusive of 1 Videographer, 2 Photographers, 2 assistants, and 1 mobile flash person. Our proofs totalled 2,350 shots. Looking back, dont think that was too bad of a pricetag.

Don't take this the wrong way...are you asian?

Asians always seem to have these ENORMOUS weddings and don't spare any expense (as parents usually the ones who pay)

I spend a total of $700 bucks for my small wedding (about 25 people total), about 1500 shots total, 3 full albums and right to all my digitals. It was about $150 per album and I gave a tip of like 70 bucks haha, so really it was like $630 and I couldn't be happier with our album and everything.

[Godfuader]

Originally posted by eblend


Don't take this the wrong way...are you asian?

Asians always seem to have these ENORMOUS weddings and don't spare any expense (as parents usually the ones who pay)

haha. Well, Asian in the literal sense...but South Asian by defination. Yeah, ours was dragged out over 5days of ceremonies with about 500+ at reception. Cost a pretty penny...but tons of cash gifts...and somehow we are still receiving cash 6mths after.

[R-Audi]

While on the Wedding topic.. can anyone suggest any good live bands? If the budget permits.. I'd prefer a band over a DJ.

So far Mocking Shadows have been suggested numerous times, but their rates are quite high. (4-6k I have been told)

[trevh]

http://www.andrasschram.com/

Just did an unreal job on our wedding at the start of the month, use him. He was 5500.00 for us. Money well spent, these pictures will last a life time shell out the cash.

[Mitsu3000gt]

How many of you actually pull out your wedding pics and look at them on any sort of a regular basis? I'm simply curious, and most certainly not discounting the importance of getting wedding pictures. I figure if your not the type of person to do that, maybe you don't need to be spending the really big bucks on a wedding photographer and just go with one of the more reasonable options. Aside from 1 or 2 small framed pictures, most people I know's expensive wedding pictures/albums have been sitting in a closet since the day they got them.

[The_Rural_Juror]

Originally posted by smc
I've heard that this guy is REALLY good :

www.n-images.net

great value

There's something familiar about that guy. I can't quite put my finger on it...

[kamakurakid]

Originally posted by R-Audi
So I recently got engaged.. and just trying to get everything in line for the big day... I now have the task at looking for a Wedding Photographer. I know there are a few Wedding Photographers on here... so I was hoping you could help me out.

1. What would a realistic $$ Amount to spend be? From breifly looking most are ala carte... but I want a big general number. (Budget, budget, budget!)

2. What are the things to look at when deciding on the Photographer? Obviously you look at their pictures... but some are hard to decipher between.. Are there good questions to ask about?

3. Any other advice?? One thing a friend said was to make sure you get the rights to all the pictures after its all said and done.. but other then that Im open to suggestions!!

Thanks!

Mark

I work in the Audio/Video industry, live events, Stampede rodeo, concerts, etc. Normally operate a camera. If it matters.

The more you pay, the larger the photographer's portfolio. The longer one does this business, the higher the fee. You pay for the assurance the photos are going to be done right. Something between $5,000 and up would be my estimate, you pay for comfort.

Check out the photographer's portfolio, online and in person. What you see printed on paper is very, very different from what a website will feature.

I have a cousin who is a second generation pro photographer, he is a calm type of person which is exactly what you want on a hectic day. He does weddings, but not in the Calgary area. Seek calm waters, kind of a dentist vibe I would say.

You gotta own the rights. Do you want your photos entered in contests or displayed in a shop window?

If you are looking for a more economical avenue, look for a new graduate of a photo school, someone from SAIT or the like. I know recent graduates are hungry for work, and affordable. Again...portfolio, references. Can you trust the guy to do what he says he will do? Ask an instructor at the school, he knows who has talent and who will be working at the local Sears Family Studio.

Another idea which is kind of cool, give everyone a disposable camera and have them take photos of the evening. At the top of each plate, place a camera with a note. At the end of the night, toss all the cameras in a bag and when you have time have the photos developed at WalMart or CostCo, look for a sale. These amateur photos are often really the ones you will enjoy more so than the stiff pro pics. There is something about a photo taken by your guests and really the kids do the best job overall. Actually, I would consider giving the kids cameras, they really do have no idea of what a structured photo looks like, and this is the gold in the idea. Besides, your guests are going to be more relaxed with their little niece taking their photo than the pro.

I would seek mostly black and white wedding photos, colour photos always look dated. Black and white are timeless. Think of your parents and grand parents; black and white any day over colour.

Watch out for the over Photoshopped post development. I have looked at a few of the links others have supplied and really the PS is garbage. The guy doing the processing is as important as the photographer, maybe even more important. One could, if one wanted to, simply take the photos and have someone in India do the processing on the cheap and charge you as if it was all done in Calgary. Some operate this way and you would not know the story.

Taking professional photos of people is a different ball of wax than architecture, action, etc. Wedding photographers are great at what they do, if not they are out of the business.

I have a friend who is a staff photographer at a major hospital in Toronto, he shoots operations. Great photos of patients being repaired. Now his people photos, like a birthday party or something are really way below average. Working with "live" moving people can be a challenge. It is a skill, one he is not paid for, nor has the skill set. Wedding guys know weddings and the lay of the land, they know the drill.

Make certain the photographer dresses for the event, I have been to too many events where the photographer is strolling around in hiking boots, jeans and a plaid shirt. The last was a black tie event, Mr. Casual is certain to have garbage photos.

Good luck and book early!

[kamakurakid]

Originally posted by Pepsi_boy
http://www.andrasschram.com/

Just did an unreal job on our wedding at the start of the month, use him. He was 5500.00 for us. Money well spent, these pictures will last a life time shell out the cash.

Nice photos.

[alpha_gangsta]

http://www.dqstudios.com/

I can't comment on pricing but my sister and my family has had work done by them and we've been quite impressed. I just thought I'd throw it out there.