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I am going to start looking at photographers in the relatively near future. One thing I was really wondering about is if the photographers give you back the negatives after the album is done. I know that you pay for the film and the developing, so I assume so, but I don't want to sound stupid when I meet with the photographer.
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Cathy
I asked my photographer about it. They do charge you for them and the price seems to vary by photographer. I am using Marco Photo and he is charging me $40 for the negatives when every thing is done.
I used Gray Studios last year, and our photographer told us that they give us the negatives when they deliver our finished albums.
After all the $$ we already paid, I would refuse to give them another dime for the negatives. But, that's just my opinion.
I would not worry about sounding stupid - I think this is an important question to ask, regardless of which photographer you meet with. They all have different policies. There's no such thing as a stupid question!
Good luck!
We are using Glenar Studios in Roslyn for our photography. We can only buy our negatives after 4 years ($55). That way, they make money on reprints and such. So if that's the case, try and get as much prints as you can out of the package to reduce your costs if you happen to want more photos down the line.
I am using Fine Art and negatives are definitely included in the package.
I think it is a very good question b/c some I met with do not and then if you want reprints you have to order them from them and you will want to know the charges.
Some say they keep them for five years and then they are yours!
I used Cassarino and they give you the negatives when you pick up your album (at no further charge). You also get to keep all your proofs, it's included in your package.
I am in the processes of looking for a
photographer and was wondering how did
you like Gray Studios? I went to see them a few weeks ago and liked them a
lot. Which photographer did you have?
I met with Michael and saw one of his albums and was very impressed. I did not see anyone else's work. I am having a hard time deciding between them and someone else.
Also did they take a lot of black and whites and PJ type pictures? If so, did you have to pay extra for black and whites or were they included?
Any input would be greatly appreeciated.
Thanks so much!!!
I used Gray for my wedding last year. On the whole, I would say they were very helpful, very responsive and very accommodating, since my husband and I were planning long distance. Their studio is filled with incredibly breath-taking photos.
We recently ordered our albums and portraits, and our photographer (Prosper) was an amazing help regarding the layout, and also told me that I was missing some shots of myself prior to the ceremony. I really look forward to seeing the album proof over the summer.
We also have so many exceptional photos that didn't make the album. Our video turned out amazing, but I still ended up slightly disappointed with some details in the end.
On the day of the wedding, Prosper was polite, patient and very good - although, I felt that he lacked creativity and attention to detail with some shots. However, I have heard amazing things about Stephen and Michael, so you might want to ask if they are available for your date. I definitely think that Michael has a more photojournalistic style than Prosper. Prosper took some PJ photos, but not as many as I had hoped for.
My advice is to make your expectations regarding style and results very clear. Make a list of 'must have' photos, and have your MOH or best man check in with the photographer throughout the day to ensure that no shot is missed.
Also, make sure they instruct your videographer properly (if you use them for video also). I was very annoyed b/c we provided written instructions ahead of time (on our contract) regarding family and bridal party interviews, and the videographer kept asking me what I wanted on the day of the wedding. I could not remember, nor did I care to be bothered thinking about these details (which I had already covered) on my wedding day! Consequently, we do not have any interviews on our tape...not that this is so important (but it would be nice years from now to listen to everyone's wishes for our marriage).
Gray will tell you that they never spend money on advertising - all of their business, for over 40 years, is through referral and word-of-mouth. That is an impressive claim, but my feeling is that not all of their photographers produce the same results - they all have different styles.
My opinion is that no studio is perfect, and every photographer will either miss some shots or take them out of focus on the wedding day. Everything happens so fast.
One thing I will say that is good about Gray - none of my proofs were out of focus. Every single shot, whether they were posed or spontaneous, were crisp and clear. Some other photographers, who guarantee high numbers of proofs, take their pictures faster and don't have time to focus every shot.
Quality is definitely better than quantity!
Good luck, and let me know if you have any more questions!
I forgot to mention in my original post that my video had portions of footage from two other weddings at the end of my tape!! This was shocking at first (although my husband made me laugh about it later!)
The studio handled it by re-editing the tape for us and our parents - at no cost to us, and they paid the shipping, as well. Because of our trouble, we never paid the remaining balance on the wedding video.
Please feel free to email me directly, if you have any other questions. I'd be happy to help! [email protected]
Good luck!!!
Not every photographer will give you the negatives with yoyr package, so it's a good question to ask. We interviewed 7 different photographers before booking The Velvet Studio. Only three (including Velvet) included the negatives in the wedding package.
We're using Creative Compositions. Their work is all digital so we will be getting all the 'negatives' on a CD after 1 year.
Mine is hanging on to ours for now, since some people in my family are still ordering pics, but they are ours to keep.
Our photographer includes it for free.
Duet will give us the negatives free after they complete our albums
Our photographer included all the negatives and our proofs.
Posted by Gonnacatchapeacock
I would just like to BUMP this post for personal reasons. :)
i am so glad i made my decision regarding changing photographers. best decision ever
I had to pay $150 to receive the originals (cd-rom).
