POLL: Please vote on a photography package! (Long)

Our estimated budget for photography is $3500. Here are the 3 I can't choose between:

#1 - $3045
50 10x10 album library flush w/ 1 digital effect pic, 2 balck & white pics, 1 black & white w/ color splash pic
2 5x7 parent album (24) - w/ borders
150 Thank you's
6 5x7 bridal party
2 8x10
1 16x20
all proofs w/ no imprints in an album
-studio is AMAZING
-photo CD ROM can be done
-no negatives (can be purchased after 1 year)
-can't meet w/ actual photographer til 1 month before
-1 person w/ an assistant if he wants one
-they may use free-lancers

#2 - $3195
50 10x10 album library flush w/ 1 panoramic album pic, 1 hand tinted pic, and as many black & white & sepia pics as I want
2 8x8 parent albums (24) - any type of album I choose
125 thank you's
15 5x7 bridal party
2 11x14
1 16x20
free photo shoot a few months before to make place card pictures
all proofs w/ no imprints in a 5x5 album
-studio was big and nice
-can't meet w/ photographer until 1 month before but they will only assign a guy familiar with Fox Hollow
-no negatvies (can be purchased after time)
-1 guy and an assistant

#3 - $3195
50 10x10 album library flush
2 5x7 parent albums (24) - w/ borders
1 16x20
2 8x10
100 thanks you's
6 5x7 bridal party
all proofs w/ small imprint on bottom (that can be cut off) in a box, all negatvies, & a CD ROM
-studio is kind of cheesy and small
-owner himself photographs the wedding & I can meet w/ him to book
-he is familiar w/ Fox Hollow
-1 guy no assistant
-works 8 hours plus $50 per hour overtime (may need about 2-3 hours overtime)
-any digital touch or balck & whiote pic is $40 extra per pic


PLEASE HELP!

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Posted by september2004

not being able to select your photographer right away and the option to purchase the negatives after a year (at what price?) are RED FLAGS in my book. i would shop around a bit more, or clarify those 2 items prior to booking...

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you also need an asssitant !!!!!!
try LELI seems like the same price range for more stuff or many people recommend DUET

#1 - $3045
50 10x10 album library flush w/ 1 digital effect pic, 2 balck & white pics, 1 black & white w/ color splash pic
2 5x7 parent album (24) - w/ borders
150 Thank you's
6 5x7 bridal party
2 8x10
1 16x20
all proofs w/ no imprints in an album
-studio is AMAZING
-photo CD ROM can be done
-no negatives (can be purchased after 1 year)
-can't meet w/ actual photographer til 1 month before
-1 person w/ an assistant if he wants one
-they may use free-lancers

I wouldn't book if I couldn't meet the photographer. All proofs with no imprints is a plus. How much for the negs?


#2 - $3195
20 10x10 album library flush w/ 1 panoramic album pic, 1 hand tinted pic, and as many black & white & sepia pics as I want
2 8x8 parent albums (24) - any type of album I choose
125 thank you's
15 5x7 bridal party
2 11x14
1 16x20
free photo shoot a few months before to make place card pictures
all proofs w/ no imprints in a 5x5 album
-studio was big and nice
-can't meet w/ photographer until 1 month before but they will only assign a guy familiar with Fox Hollow
-no negatvies (can be purchased after time)
-1 guy and an assistant
Small # of pics for your book, how much to add more. Many newelyweds post how they have to add more pages and winds up costing a lot. The 8x8 parents books are nice. Still can't meet with photographer? How much for the negs?



#3 - $3195
50 10x10 album library flush
2 5x7 parent albums (24) - w/ borders
1 16x20
2 8x10
100 thanks you's
6 5x7 bridal party
all proofs w/ small imprint on bottom (that can be cut off) in a box, all negatvies, & a CD ROM
-studio is kind of cheesy and small
-owner himself photographs the wedding & I can meet w/ him to book
-he is familiar w/ Fox Hollow
-1 guy no assistant
-works 8 hours plus $50 per hour overtime (may need about 2-3 hours overtime)
-any digital touch or balck & whiote pic is $40 extra per pic


Good book size for you, nice amount of pictures. The imprint on the proof can be cut off and you get the negs. You'll work with the owner- but is there a backup incase something happens to him? That's a high touch-up fee, is that for the bigs pics too?


It comes down to who you feel the most comfortable with and what pictures you need. One package said you get 150 TY's, if you are only having 100 people, what are you going to do with the extra ty's? Do a search for all the studios on here. Are you doing a video? Who is doing it? If one of these studios is doing it, can they work with you on price if they do both jobs?

I defintiely agree. It depends on the work, that's much more importantthan packages and pricing in the long run. I ean, whoc ares how many pics you get or how inexpensive they were if they stink?

Also, I think you can shop around and find a photogrpaher who will work with you and give you everything you want for your budget. I haven't looked at photogrpahers yet, but I'd imagine there are companies who would be willing to work with you so that you get exactyl what you need. Maybe you only need 100 thank yous, not 150 and you'd like an extra 8x10 instead. Try to find someone whose work you love and who will work with you.

you should go with who you feel comfortable with... most photographers can alter there packages.. but id be nervous about not meeitng the photographer until 1 month before.. when i booked patken i did my e-shoot(which most places throw in free) a year in advance having the wedding day photographer do it..to me it was important we meet the guy and feel comfortable with him

for parents albums i think 5x7 is big enough, and for thank yous remember to have enough to send to people who cant attend but still mail something... so a little more is always better

I think you still need to keep searching. I would never book a place if I don't meet first the photographer who will be taking the pictures on my wedding day and I'd have also have to view the photographer's work and not someone else's. And sometimes having an AMAZING studio does not mean you are getting a better deal or a different quality of prints. You are just paying their overhead. I see a lot of red flags in all three packages.
Just MHO though

I do feel like I am settling with any of these...I guess I just needed other people to agree with me!

Nora-it is actaully 50 pics in my album in package #2...typo!

I have 2 more appts lined up but I guess I will make a few more! Thanks all!

Definitely keep looking. There are SO many photographers out there, that I'm sure u can find someone who mkaes you happy. You didn't settle with your groom, don't settle for anything else in the wedding!

What might help is if you make a lust of what you're looking for. How mnay pics you want in the labun, Do you need proofs and negs? How many BO pics will you need? How much b/w and sepai do you think you'll want? if you want a lot of B&W, I'd go for someone shooting b&W film (a 2nd photographer maybe), b/c making a color pic B&W isn't the same. How many thank yous will you need? What are the top 3 things you want froma photogpraher? Really sit down and think it though, and look at websites for the kind fo style you want and don't want. If you go in hvaing a real idea of what you want, you won't get sold on setttling for something else!

If it was up to me I'd pic #2 - BUT only because it looks like you have a lot of options to play with. #1 has more thank you's - will #2 let you sub a 5x7 for some extras or 8x10's instead of 11x14's? I liked that my photographer put I could 'exchange items of with that of equal or lesser value...' later on in my contract.

Having someone familiar with your catering hall isn't a must though - but it's a great plus!

I like that you can have unlimited B&W's though - a big plus for us.

I'd talk with Duet, everyone on the boards seems to love their work & packages!

Don't book any photographer that you have not met personally and who does not give you the negatives.
You can chance it but I honestly think that if you go with anyone who does not allow you to meet the photographer and who keeps you from getting the proofs (immediately once album is delivered) they are sketchy and it is a huge red flag!!!