How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

I had my meeting this week with my photographer Nick at Patken. I was under the impression that we would be getting well over 500 proofs (espically since my bridal party is 18 people all together, and I have a 500 person wedding). But Nick informed me yesterday that it would be somewhere between 300-400 proofs. I'm really disappointed and upset that I wont have enough shots of my wedding. My wedding in on Sept 27th, what do you think I should do about this?

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

What sort of photography do you like? 300-400 should be enough if you want mostly traditional/posed shots.

Of the photographers we interviewed, most of the traditional styles had about 400 proofs. Patken was one of them so i think that is in line. But i dont remember exactly what he offered.

If you want photojournalism, you need a lot more. I have somewhere between 1500-1800 (never counted). I think a min of 1000 is standard for photojournalistic photographers.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

We used Verdi and I we got about 800 pictures... it was really hard choosing our albums with so many different options...

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

I used Imagine Studios. We had 322 color shots and 232 B/W shots. You can't necessarily go by # of shots. We don't have hundreds, but the ones we do have are all good pictures. Think of it that way.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

I used cassarinos and got a little over 300

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

I don't agree 100% with Stef, we did not get 1000+ proofs, but we got over 600 and I believe Lia captured our day above and beyond all that I could have expected. We used Imagine Studios. Lia is a photojournalistic photographer

I don't think the # of proofs is what gives you quality. I saw Jen's pix and she has over 400 proofs and she used Patken/Steve and he captured her day quite nicely.

LisaT another Pateken bride, her #'s are along the same lines and her pix are gawjus and I think her day was captrued rather nicely.

I have seen 1000+ proofs and they get to be rather repetitive and redundant. I think if a photographer has an eye, he or she can capture your day with a good # of pix. I think 600 was a bit much for us. I still have a ton in the box and we have given away a lot to family and BP members.

Remember its the quality of the proofs you are getting. I can come to your wedding and take 2000 pix of nothing.

All the best. I am sure when you chose them, there was something about them you liked. Don't get so caught up in # IMO

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

Shamma: I didnt say one style captures the day better than another.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

Stef, I did not say you said that at all. I got from your statement above that you feel in order for a photographer to be photojournalistic, one must or will get a 1000+ proofs. Did I read that wrong???

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

We got about 550 and it was hard for us to decide what we wanted with all those pics.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

I also disagree with having to have over 1000 proofs. I myself am really happy with my photos (Thank you Shamma) and the way my day was captured. I really have no complaints.

Shamma I must agree your pics are stunning and Lia did capture your day amazingly well.

So american Police, I would not worry about the # of proofs you were told you are getting. I am sure they will capture your day beautifully, after all, you chose them, so have confidence in them.

Also remember your must have photo list

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

No, i said the average photojournalist shoots quoted me 1000 photos. I think the any photographer will tell you need more photos to do photojournalistic/candid work than to do traditional wedding photography. I thought she was asking what everyone got so i was trying to give her the averages from what I saw.

I also think the term photojournalistic is used by every photography now and its very clear that most do not use it properly (or at least they do not use it in the way professional photographers consider the definition). Photojournalism is very 'gritty' - for lack of a better term - and most wedding photographers have a much softer style than that. (b/c that is what their clientele want)

There is no one that is better than another or captures the day better. Its all about preferences...some like a certain style over another ... no right or wrong.

I think everyone here has thier own opinions about what they like and dont like - but i was just trying to give the the poster some general information rather than opinion. Obviously everyone who liked their photos thinks they had enough.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

I think the true sense of photojournalistic is newspaper photographers. I guess wedding photographers should be called candid photographers, who knows. I guess some photographers who are considered 'wedding photojournalist' do it and do it very well no matter the # of proofs that they give.

IMO I don't think that a # can be placed on whether or not you are happy with your pix in the end. you could get 1million and be unhappy and you could get 100 and be happy.

AP, give them a chance, remember you are more concerned with what he captures vs how much he captures, if you get my drift.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

Yes, I totally agree. You could be happy with 100 or unhappy with 10000.

She was asking about #s so that is what i responded with. I dont think the number of photos gaurantees anything if the photographer behind the camera is talentless.

That said - assuming you have a talented photographer - the more photos you have, the more GOOD photos you are going to get.

But everyone is going to have a different threshold of what is enough. If AP wants 800 and is only getting 400 - then that is a problem that she could easily correct now (but not after the wedding) just by speaking to the photographer. So why not give her all the options?

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

I think if you have over 500 guests at your wedding then a few hundred proofs is just not enough to capture that day properly.

Also, I think style is important in this matter. I have 1800 proofs and I would say 200-300 are mishaps, eyes closed, I look fat etc... and then there are about 300 that I love and then the rest are moments that were captured that are dear to me and I am glad I have a photo of, but I wouldn't use in an album. I also have b&w, color, and high-speed photos. Now, it I only had 500 proofs I highly doubt that I would love 300 of them and there is no way that so many moment could be captured IMO.Heck, many of the captured moments are ones that I didn't even know where happening at all because I didn't witness them. I also have a mix of formals and candids because that is what I wanted. But some of those 'gritty' photos (to use Stef's word) are amazing and really show the action or emotion of the day. In a way that a traditional posed photo just couldn't show.

But her question is based on an 18 person BP and a 500 guest wedding. So, you need a lot more proofs. The chances of getting 18 people to all look the same way, eyes opened, no weird smiles, etc... in a photo are not great so the more photos the better IMO. Also, you will want to make sure you have plently of dancing photos with so many guests.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

Hello Stefanie.

I saw last week in your album posting, that you really did not have alot of cocktail hour photos.

What hapened?

I would think with 1800 photos, you would have alot of everything.

Shamma your point is well said.

Stefanie, I agree, photographers do take the word photojournalistic out of propertion nowadays.

Jenbaby, Shamma, smooch, I loved all your pictures
Stefanie yours were also very nice.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

Shirly: For a good portion of my cocktail hour, my photographers were taking photos of us in the library. We do have a lot of photos of the actual cocktail hour but nothing album worthy in my eyes. As far as Im concerned, photos of people eating and just standing around talking are not that interesting to me. The photographers can only capture what really happened - that has nothing to do with the # of proofs. Trust me - i do have a lot of everything that really happened.

ETA: This thread is not about me. Its about # of proofs. Obviously everyone who is happy with their photos thinks they got enough - but there is really no way to say for sure. Getting more seems like the 'safe' bet. You may not need all of them, but better to have too many than too little right?

PS: I dont see why everyone is getting so defensive over this. Why not suggest AP ask for more photos? Nothing bad will happen if she gets more assuming she has the same talent behind the camera. Whats the worst that happens? SHe has too many?

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

I have 450 proofs and I am happy with 99% of them!
I am sure they took alot more and I don't have them, eyes closed etc. ALL the proofs I have got back were all good shots, no closed eyes etc.

I know the more action you have on your day, the more pics they take.

Again mine & Shammas photos I saw were all great and our days were captured just the way we wanted.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

Shirley, what was the point of that question??

AP did the photographer tell you that is the minimum he will take or is he saying that is all you will get. Lia gurantees 300 but we ended up with over 600, so ask them to be certain.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

Shirley- what is up with your attack on Stef?

This whole thread is getting out of control IMO. I mean, it is about a girl asking if with 18 member BP and 500 guests if 500 was enough proofs.
I don't think it is based on how many guests she has. I doubt any of us had even close to that in this thread- right?

Everyone's photos are nice and makes them happy. And that should be enough.

Re: How many proofs did your Patken Photographer give you or any other photographer?

Ok then.

We got about 500 proofs, we had a small BP and guest list. We had so many duplicates, triplicates, etc that we could have easily had more pictures of the BP & guests. I think that takes more time not necessarily more pictures.

Since you are concerned, you should definitely tell them that you would like more pictures taken as promised and that you want a nice balance of B&G, BP, family & guest photos.