Set_Nights
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and please use their services
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Jayst84
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First of all, don't stress about it. People always bang on about weddings being stressful. They aren't. Well, not unless you let them be.
As for choosing a photographer, I presume you (and your partner) know what you want out of the coverage. Find someone who offers that, then see if their pricing fits your budget. It really is that straightforward.
We wanted someone who would shoot unobtrusive doco stuff of the day. We found (through Google) someone who had a portfolio of weddings covered in that style, and to a good standard. Then arranged to meet with him to check he wasn't a complete tool. Think we paid the equivalent to about 1400 quid. Don't use price as a judge of quality though, look at the work. I know awful photographers who charge 5 times (and more) that price. Just look for a decent amount of coverage from individual weddings, rather than solely a "best of" highlights package.
Not critical of the photos looking at them now. Partly because they're good, and partly because I'm not judging them like a camera club or something. We hired the photographer to document the day, that's what he did. You will have your own reasons for hiring a photographer.
You're a person, not a photographer. Your job, or in your case, your hobby, shouldn't have any bearing on how you look at your wedding photos.
So, my advice -
1. Stop stressing. Why would you make yourself stressed about getting married? It's supposed to be fun, and there is no reason why it should be stressful.
2. Regarding photography (and videography). If you want someone to shoot your wedding, decide what you want, then find someone who offers that at a price you can afford, easy.
Just the same as a band, DJ, venue, caterer, celebrant, etc., etc.
As for choosing a photographer, I presume you (and your partner) know what you want out of the coverage. Find someone who offers that, then see if their pricing fits your budget. It really is that straightforward.
We wanted someone who would shoot unobtrusive doco stuff of the day. We found (through Google) someone who had a portfolio of weddings covered in that style, and to a good standard. Then arranged to meet with him to check he wasn't a complete tool. Think we paid the equivalent to about 1400 quid. Don't use price as a judge of quality though, look at the work. I know awful photographers who charge 5 times (and more) that price. Just look for a decent amount of coverage from individual weddings, rather than solely a "best of" highlights package.
Not critical of the photos looking at them now. Partly because they're good, and partly because I'm not judging them like a camera club or something. We hired the photographer to document the day, that's what he did. You will have your own reasons for hiring a photographer.
You're a person, not a photographer. Your job, or in your case, your hobby, shouldn't have any bearing on how you look at your wedding photos.
So, my advice -
1. Stop stressing. Why would you make yourself stressed about getting married? It's supposed to be fun, and there is no reason why it should be stressful.
2. Regarding photography (and videography). If you want someone to shoot your wedding, decide what you want, then find someone who offers that at a price you can afford, easy.
Just the same as a band, DJ, venue, caterer, celebrant, etc., etc.
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As a Wedding Photographer, Photographic Judge and hobby photographer too I TOTALLY 'get' your problem
My own best work is never good enough and, though it pains me to say it, some Weddings you just do a better job than at others
But - James is spot on with his advice above
Your budget is easily enough for a good photographer and there's bound to be one near enough to you for a proper meeting to make sure you like each other and understand what they can deliver and for them to see what you're wanting. Your problem now is that 'perfect' fit local photographer may well be booked, and you may well have to look further afield or pay more than you might have done had you booked them 10 months ago
On the flip side, many togs, me included, tend to reduce our fees for 'last minute' bookings. I know it may not seem last minute to you but few good bookings come in within less than 3 months so we'd normally assume the date was 'lost' for income, hence you may find a £2k tog willing to drop £500 as they'd rather earn a good amount on that date now than sit at home watching crap on telly
What you MUST do is get on with it as there'd be nothing worse than having relatively poor images from your Wedding simply as you've left it too late - my advice then...
Sort at least 2 evenings for you & hubby to get a take-away and some wine/beers in and scroll the net together until you find at least 5, preferably 10, websites where you like the work and can see the pricing is suitable. On the 2nd night review those 5-10 sites again and pick 3 to contact to see if they are available. DON'T bother emailing them, pick up the phone and CALL them then you'll instantly get an idea for if they sound the sort of chap/ess you want to spend your Wedding day with and you'll find out sooner if they are free. Then meet them all ASAP - then (and this is the hard bit) BOOK ONE and stop fretting
I hope you have a FAB Wedding and the photos you deserve to remember it all by - good luck
Dave
My own best work is never good enough and, though it pains me to say it, some Weddings you just do a better job than at others
But - James is spot on with his advice above
Your budget is easily enough for a good photographer and there's bound to be one near enough to you for a proper meeting to make sure you like each other and understand what they can deliver and for them to see what you're wanting. Your problem now is that 'perfect' fit local photographer may well be booked, and you may well have to look further afield or pay more than you might have done had you booked them 10 months ago
On the flip side, many togs, me included, tend to reduce our fees for 'last minute' bookings. I know it may not seem last minute to you but few good bookings come in within less than 3 months so we'd normally assume the date was 'lost' for income, hence you may find a £2k tog willing to drop £500 as they'd rather earn a good amount on that date now than sit at home watching crap on telly
What you MUST do is get on with it as there'd be nothing worse than having relatively poor images from your Wedding simply as you've left it too late - my advice then...
Sort at least 2 evenings for you & hubby to get a take-away and some wine/beers in and scroll the net together until you find at least 5, preferably 10, websites where you like the work and can see the pricing is suitable. On the 2nd night review those 5-10 sites again and pick 3 to contact to see if they are available. DON'T bother emailing them, pick up the phone and CALL them then you'll instantly get an idea for if they sound the sort of chap/ess you want to spend your Wedding day with and you'll find out sooner if they are free. Then meet them all ASAP - then (and this is the hard bit) BOOK ONE and stop fretting
I hope you have a FAB Wedding and the photos you deserve to remember it all by - good luck
Dave
Serendipitous Sid
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If that's the case, you're never going to be completely happy with them, whoever does the job.
Apart from that - what James and Dave said.
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Phil V
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Like James said, you've dug yourself into a hole, you need to get out of. Starting with a budget expectation was a mistake.
What are your real priorities? Draw up a shortlist based on those, anyone you shortlist should be able to show you whole weddings, then who are they as people? It's an odd thing, but you should get on with them.
You've magnified the importance of your decision (probably because it's one of the few choices you're making). You can easily find someone who will produce the style you want, but whether you'll get 500 images where 'you couldn't have shot a single one better', is a ridiculous expectation. They'll deliver the best 500 (other figures are as valid) they shot, but don't believe that they won't be wishing they'd had some slightly different angles, or a different lens in hand etc. The important issue is whether the results match your expectations, your expectations have to be realistic, but you really shouldn't worry about missed focus - they shouldn't exist, but the framing and colour balance are less carved in stone.
What are your real priorities? Draw up a shortlist based on those, anyone you shortlist should be able to show you whole weddings, then who are they as people? It's an odd thing, but you should get on with them.
You've magnified the importance of your decision (probably because it's one of the few choices you're making). You can easily find someone who will produce the style you want, but whether you'll get 500 images where 'you couldn't have shot a single one better', is a ridiculous expectation. They'll deliver the best 500 (other figures are as valid) they shot, but don't believe that they won't be wishing they'd had some slightly different angles, or a different lens in hand etc. The important issue is whether the results match your expectations, your expectations have to be realistic, but you really shouldn't worry about missed focus - they shouldn't exist, but the framing and colour balance are less carved in stone.
keeweeman
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The photographer was one of the things we managed to get sorted for our wedding next year quite early on. I am quite (very) camera shy and would be much happier spending the day behind the lens not in front of it, however this isn't in the rules (bloody rules) and so our priorities were that not only did we want someone as good as our budget would allow (about 1300 quid iirc), but someone who i hit it off with and put me at ease. The guy doing our wedding actually came in well under our budget at 695 quid (disc only package, we had the view to get an album at a later date when we restabilised the balance books) and I hit it off with him very quickly, an opinion that was confirmed when we met him at our house to confirm the booking. I liked his approach to the formal shots with just my fiance and i, in that he doesn't do much in the way of making the person pose, rather he steps back and shoots from a slight distance with a 70-200mm lens to allow you to just be yourselves away from the crowd. There is a small element of posed shots that i will just have to live with (on pains of it being a very short marriage if i don't), but mostly he goes for more natural looking formal shots. His actual portfolio is excellent too i might point out, that was the other prerequisite for whoever we booked in that they had to be as good as we could get for our budget and to be fair i think he is