Photo quote

Just came back from meeting with photographer and were quoted $1900 for:

36 8X 10 Bride and groom album
2 parent albums: 18 5X7 pictures
100 Thank You cards, photos, and envelopes
1 16X20 Portrait
1 11X14 portrait

Does this sound like a good deal?

how many proofs?
how many photographers?
how many hours?

---

Posted by september2004

how many proofs?
how many photographers?
how many hours?

---

Where were you yesterday!!! I never thought to ask these questions...I guess I have some more questions to ask!

Yes, we get all negatives and all proofs

---

Posted by Mbluegirl7

---

Posted by september2004

how many proofs?
how many photographers?
how many hours?

---

Where were you yesterday!!! I never thought to ask these questions...I guess I have some more questions to ask!

---

LOL

Do you get to keep your proofs?
Do they have imprints on them?
Negatives I see you have - good (that was my #1 priority)
What is the overtime fee?
What type of lighting/extra equipment do they use if any?
What is the timeline for delivery?
How will negatives and proofs be stored?

check theknot.com, i think they have a checklist of questions for photographers i snagged at some point...

september2004,

Thank you!!! I do know they don't charge for overtime....now only 9 million more questions to ask!!!!!!

I got his off weddingsitesandservices.com

How long have you been in business?
How long have you been photographing weddings?
Are you a member of any professional organization?
Can I see the portfolio of the photographer that will shoot my wedding?
Are the dates I need available?
What type of deposit is required, and until what date can it be refunded?
What kind of equipment do you have, and can you shoot in any light available?
What types of packages are available?
Is there a standard wedding package?
Are portraits available?
How soon after the wedding will the proofs be ready?
What other services do you provide?
Who, specifically, will photograph the wedding?
May I speak with him/her?
Do you do negative retouching?
How long are the negatives retained?
Are diffused lighting, soft focus, split framing, multiple exposures, etc. available?
How long will you stay at the Ceremony/ Reception?
What album styles are available?
What sizes of prints are offered?
Do you offer mini gift albums for reletives?
What is the cost of additional prints?
How many photographers will be assigned to my wedding?
What time will they arrive/ depart?
How many portraits and how many candids will you shoot?
Are the proofs included in a package, or can they be purchased?
How many months advanced notice is required to reserve a photographer?
What is the approximate cost?

Are special mountings available, and at what cost?
How will the photographer and crew be dressed?

definatly cheap, but you need to find out the other factors...

quality is a big issue...for example if you want big enlargements then you want the photgrapher using the photographer film.. not the 35mm that regular people use

---

Posted by butterfly20
quality is a big issue...

---

agreed - i based my selection on the person and the photographs, not the 'packages' he was offering.

my advice re: photographers, is make sure you see albums of a single event and ask the question 'how many shots were taken?' then you start to see ratio of 'good pictures' (good is a relative term, you need to be happy with the end result regardless of what others say) to total quantity...

also, make sure that this person has a qualified and available backup. always plan for the worst case scenario...

good luck!

It's a great price, but you really have to be careful of the quality. I'm pretty good (I think) at getting quality people for not that much money, but there are a lot more people out there who are inexpensive and suck. My photographer was $1150 for all day, 2 people, 400-600 proofs, (but no negatives ) but he's amazing and is trying to establish himself in the NYC area from San Fransico. Make sure this person is the best quailty you can afford.

Check out my budget vendor photographers, they all start at $1600 or under:

Page

And the thing about 35mm vs. medium format isn't really true anymore - 35mm has improved in quality so that you can get great large format prints - not poster size, but 16x20, which is about as big as I'd ever want a picture. You just have to have a photographer who knows what they're doing.

CHECK REFERENCES!

Okay, here's a page on the 35mm vs. Medium format thing:

35mm vs. Medium Format


It all comes down to how large you might want the pics and how photojournalistic you might want to go. I love photojournalism myself.