Brett Mattews Negatives

2UNTAMED Posted: May 05, 2003 07:28 PM

Brett Mattews Negatives

Did any of the brides who signed with B rett M atthews have a clause in the contract that they will not give you the negatives for 5 years?

lorimari Posted: May 05, 2003 07:36 PM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

I did not book him but did meet with him and remember him saying that I would not get the negatives.

Hope someone is on to better answer your question! Good luck :)

Edited to say - I loved his work.....too much money for a bride on a budget though

kelly6273 Posted: May 05, 2003 08:18 PM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

I'm not sure about Brett Matthew, but my photographer also said the same...5 years. I think that's standard but I could be wrong.

MayDay16 Posted: May 05, 2003 08:50 PM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

I had the same experience as lorimari. His work was great but expensive. I do remember him mentioning the negatives. See if you can negotiate it as part of the contract.

2UNTAMED Posted: May 05, 2003 09:43 PM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

Thank you, I did book him, but I was wondering if this is common amoung most photographers?

smooch Posted: May 05, 2003 09:51 PM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

I heard that about some photograhers, others don't keep them. I booked Imagine and they do NOT keep them. Like Lia says, she doesn't want to be responsible for them. They are our pics that we paid for, we take the negatives with us.

I think photographers have that 5 year clause so if you want to reorder or make pics, you have to go through them and they charge you for it. Not nice at all, if you ask me.

But if you really like the photographer and it doesn't matter to you, that's okay too.

2UNTAMED Posted: May 05, 2003 10:29 PM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

I was considering Imagine, but Lia had was not as experienced with my hall as Brett. But she would give me my negatives. However I had to use her husband for the video, and I was looking for more of a romantic feel to it. But at the end I went with Brett because they are a vendor at my hall and are very fimiliar with the grounds. Thank you all for your feed back!!

lesleyw Posted: May 06, 2003 09:26 AM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

My photographer is Susan Francy, she will sell me the negatives for $200 right after the wedding. Some of the photographers I looked at kept the negatives for at least 3 years. I guess that's so I would have to order reprints through them.

EaD04 Posted: May 06, 2003 09:29 AM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

I am using B rett M atthews as well and yes- they do keep the negatives for 5 years. I think this is pretty common- but I know that my friend is using proline studios and she was able to work out a deal in which she would get the negatives immediatly.
BTW- what photographer are you using? We have Ray...

Fletch Posted: May 06, 2003 09:42 AM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

Our photographer will give us the negatives once the albums are done. I totally understand why photographers don't want to give the negatives to you (their name and reputaion if you make copies that aren't as good etc.) but in the end they are my pictures and should something happen to my originals, I want to be able to reproduce them. I wouldn't have booked with a photographer that wouldn't give me the negatives. JMO

Rob-luvs-me Posted: May 06, 2003 10:04 AM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

I wanted someone who would give me my negatives. Actually my friend used to work as an assistant to a photographer and then as a second photographer a few years ago and told me it was rare to hold negatives for more than a year or two. She said they do this so that you and family members will have to go thru them for photographs after the wedding.

I have to say most of the photographers I looked at were great only 1 wanted to hold them 5 years. Everyone else either gave them for free or charged 100 or less to get them within 1 year. I think 5 years is a long time - JMO

2UNTAMED Posted: May 06, 2003 01:55 PM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

Yes, I asked if there was a way I could get them in less time, even if it meant paying for them, but they said no. I liked their work so much I signed with them and had them write on the bottom of the contract , that I get them in 5 years.

I wanted John, but he was already booked. Ray and Chris will be my photographers. I know excatly the kind of shots I want, and was told Ray could duplicate them. They were proofs from a bride who got married at my hall in December. I have faith in Ray and Chris. But I still have to work on the Video.

EaD04 Posted: May 07, 2003 09:26 AM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

Yes- I saw those shots at Oheka- they were beautiful. I am using Ray too. Have you done your enagement shots with Ray yet? any idea where you will do them?

2UNTAMED Posted: May 07, 2003 11:24 AM

Re: Brett Mattews Negatives

No we havn't take our pics yet. I've heard that if you ask the hall where you are having your wedding, they may allow you to use thier grounds. I am probably going to try and have them done there. I've been to Christmas parties at the Harrison House and I think you could have nice pictures done there? If not maybe the Atrium , Westbury Gardens, or the Beach seem to be very popular, and you?