1st photog appointment

FH, me and my Mom went to check out Modern Art Photography on Saturday afternoon. Their pics are really nice and they have 2 styles of video to choose from. They are my second choice photog (angelica glass being my first) but I really don't think we can afford ag and since she isn't booking for 09 yet, I'd be afraid that she'll book the date before I can reserve it.
My Mom really liked Modern Art (she wanted to leave a deposit) but I felt like even though I really like them I should check out some other places first. I am gonna send ag an email this week to see what her prices are (I know they are listed on her website but those might go up for 09 and that's just for her to shoot the wedding). I think once I have prices from a few other places I might be able to make my final decision.

well for one thing, if AG hasnt booked for 09 yet then you know she doesnt have your date booked,if you email her from now then you should be fine. BUT if you like AG's style and in case she is not available then maybe stick to a photojournalistic photographer, other suggestions are

Henry Chan
Blue daisy
Thomas Paul
rae barnes
something in blue

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Posted by little34

I wanted Ag too...but I didn't want to wait to know for sure that I had my photog booked.... photos are one of the most important things to me but I would keep looking too.... I found my photog on the first shot and was so happy and felt such at ease and we meshed that i booked on the spot. If you want any other suggestions let us know.

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Yeah she responded to my email that she doesn't have 09 pricing yet and doesn't know when she will even be booking for 09. She said check back in March or April. I just don't feel I want to wait that long.

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Posted by Dr Meg

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Posted by little34

I wanted Ag too...but I didn't want to wait to know for sure that I had my photog booked.... photos are one of the most important things to me but I would keep looking too.... I found my photog on the first shot and was so happy and felt such at ease and we meshed that i booked on the spot. If you want any other suggestions let us know.

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Yeah she responded to my email that she doesn't have 09 pricing yet and doesn't know when she will even be booking for 09. She said check back in March or April. I just don't feel I want to wait that long.

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its funny because at EXACTLY this time last year i had contacted AG, actually week of thanksgiving and i had to wait and personally I decided to do so because for me it was more important that I get her as a photographer since her pictures were exactly what i wanted rather than just to book somebody to get it out of the way, pictures are too important to me to not have somebody whose work i think is perfect and that i absolutely love...its also funny because alot of girls decided not to wait, they had the same problems but then many of them ended up booking another photographer after she started taking appointments for 08 brides so they waited anyways. i was actually happy when she said she wasn't booking for 08 yet bc that meant she was definitely available for my date...I am so glad i made the choice to wait a few months bc personally if i picked another photographer it would've been my 2nd choice and not what i had my heart set on...but i also dont know how much you want to book AG so not sure if its the same for you.

Also its funny bc even with waiting i booked her over a year before my wedding so there was plenty of time.

I definately suggest that you look at other photographers to make sure whomever you choose is the right pick. Have you tried:

Duet
Twelfth Night
Blue Daisy ( not taking appts yet for 09 until the end of Jan 08)
Perceptions Photography
Eau Claire Photographics
Laura Ryan Photography

HTH

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Posted by Espo22
its funny because at EXACTLY this time last year i had contacted AG, actually week of thanksgiving and i had to wait and personally I decided to do so because for me it was more important that I get her as a photographer since her pictures were exactly what i wanted rather than just to book somebody to get it out of the way, pictures are too important to me to not have somebody whose work i think is perfect and that i absolutely love...its also funny because alot of girls decided not to wait, they had the same problems but then many of them ended up booking another photographer after she started taking appointments for 08 brides so they waited anyways. i was actually happy when she said she wasn't booking for 08 yet bc that meant she was definitely available for my date...I am so glad i made the choice to wait a few months bc personally if i picked another photographer it would've been my 2nd choice and not what i had my heart set on...but i also dont know how much you want to book AG so not sure if its the same for you.

Also its funny bc even with waiting i booked her over a year before my wedding so there was plenty of time.

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Honestly I REALLY want to use her. She is/was my first choice. However, she doesn't have pricing for 09 yet (which unfortunately plays a big role) and she isn't even sure when she will be booking for my date. She just said to check back in March or April. Which to me means she could already be booking by then and then I will be SOL. If she had a more firm date of when she would be booking I would wait, but to wait until march or april and then possibly still not get her doesn't make me feel comfortable. She seems so popular that I feel like if I don't book her as soon as my date opens, someone else will.

For me, I am looking for someone who does different pictures for every wedding. I had fallen in love with one of my good friends pics from her wedding, which were taken by a vendor of LIW (I won't mention vendor names as I don't want to offend anyone). I thought they were really original and creative. That is until I logged onto here and saw hundreds of other girls with the same pics. I know that I would be the only one who knows that but it still bothers me. And I have seen that with a lot of photogs which are mentioned on this site. Thats why I like AG's pics and why I am looking into photogs whose pics all look different. I know I won't get 1000 shots that no one has taken before, but as one of the photogs we went to mentioned 'just because a pic works at one wedding for one bride, doesn't mean it should be restaged at every wedding'.

well this happened last year too and its how she does it so i went through the process. She will announce on her blog ahead of time when she will start taking appointments so if you check her blog constantly beginning of next year then you will know right away when she will start taking appointments, dont worry its not a thing where she decides and doesnt let anyone know and for everyone to guess for themselves when she will start booking for 09...She doesnt decide in march or april when she will take appts, she decides this ahead of time so info will be up before that.

Be glad bc like you said she is popular and if she didnt do it this way she would already be booked for your date, the whole booking just the year before works out better for most people, thats how i looked at it. I was so nervous contacting her bc i thought she would be booked for my date.

I feel like this photographer stuff is going to drive me crazy and honestly I am starting to think I am being too picky and I need FH to bring me back down to earth and all he keeps telling me is 'We can choose who ever you want honey.'

For instance, I really liked Modern Art's photography-ie the books they showed us at their studio. However yesterday I was searching around here and saw a few different brides pics (a few of their proofs) by them and was like 'Oh they aren't that great.' I think what I need to realize is that out of 1000+ proofs, there aren't going to be 1000+ 'WOW' pics of FH and I. What I see on a photogs gallery or in a sample album are the best pics from that day and I guess it's just hard for me to grasp that I am not going to get 1000+ pics that I am absolutely in love with.

Then there is the whole issue of not wanting to have the same posed pictures as 1000 other brides, because it is a shot that the particular studio always takes. The guy at Modern art said he has no 'standard' shots that he takes, which is good. And I know AG takes pretty different shots at the weddings she shoots.

Then last night I went on AG's blog and saw pics of the most recent wedding she shot and I LOVE THEM. Fh was like we can just wait and book her, but when I ask him his opinion he said he doesn't see much difference between her pics and Modern arts.

We have an appointment with a few other photogs over the next two weeks but I just feel like I will like what they show me and then second guess it when I get home.
I feel like I am being a bit out of control about this. What do you girls think?

Think ALOT about the style of pictures you want...Personally i love photojournalistic and honestly dont want traditional pics...if you decide on this it will make your decision easier bc then you narrow it down to those who stick to your style.

Personally i think a person who does strictly photojournalistic their style will be different than a place who does traditional and PJ...I dont know modern art to know what they do but its YOUR decision so only what you think matters. I say go with your gut

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Posted by Espo22

Think ALOT about the style of pictures you want...Personally i love photojournalistic and honestly dont want traditional pics...if you decide on this it will make your decision easier bc then you narrow it down to those who stick to your style.

Personally i think a person who does strictly photojournalistic their style will be different than a place who does traditional and PJ...I dont know modern art to know what they do but its YOUR decision so only what you think matters. I say go with your gut

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I know I want photojournalistic...that was the easy decision. Now it's deciding which photojournalistic photog I want.
However, I know my mom would scream and probably FH's mom too if there weren't at least one pic of each of the families...even if they aren't perfectly posed, etc.

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Posted by Dr Meg

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Posted by Espo22

Think ALOT about the style of pictures you want...Personally i love photojournalistic and honestly dont want traditional pics...if you decide on this it will make your decision easier bc then you narrow it down to those who stick to your style.

Personally i think a person who does strictly photojournalistic their style will be different than a place who does traditional and PJ...I dont know modern art to know what they do but its YOUR decision so only what you think matters. I say go with your gut

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I know I want photojournalistic...that was the easy decision. Now it's deciding which photojournalistic photog I want.
However, I know my mom would scream and probably FH's mom too if there weren't at least one pic of each of the families...even if they aren't perfectly posed, etc.

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well from what ive seen, those who stick to a true photojournalistic style usually work for themselves...if you go to a company usually its a bit mixed.

Even with PJ you do get pics with your family and BP

Well my choices just got a bit easier....
I emailed AG back and asked, for comparison purposes, what the price was for photing the wedding with 1 photo album was for 08. I almost fell off my chair when I read the price and FH said 'no way' as soon as I told him. I am sure her work it worth the money but we can't afford her prices.

So the Saga continues...
The photog who is currently my #1 choice (based on his presentation in person and looking at others portfolios online) just called to say he has another couple coming in to possibly book on our date, on Friday.
Fh and I haven't gone to see any other photogs (we're going to see another video person tonight) but our next photog appointment isn't until next week and I was going to set up a few more for next week as well.

Now I don't know what to do. I mean these other people could come in and not book also, but they could also book and then if I decide to go with him I will be SOL. I thought it was really nice of him to call and tell me, but now I don't know what to do. What do you girls think?