to think it's too cheap?

[confuddledDOTcom]

A friend posted about an offer she's found where a photographer will take pictures for £30 and you get all the pictures on disc. I said that I'd want to know the catch because I use a professional photographer who I think is cheap (based on other photographers I've seen) and charges £350. She spends about 3 hours with us, although has spent a lot more, takes loads of pictures ranging from posed to candid and we get them all on disc (two copies of each as she does small for the Internet, emails etc and large for printing) copyright free.

Someone replied back to say that is expensive and you shouldn't pay more than £50 because it doesn't take much to buy a disc and transfer pictures onto it!

NO WAY! £50 for 3+ hours work not to mention the time editing the pictures etc and giving away copyright???

AIBU to think £50 is too cheap?

[BollockBrain]

there will definitely be a catch.

[BollockBrain]

probably got a disc with PROOF written right across them or somesuch.

[Chil1234]

If it's for a wedding (?) then you can't take a chance. When it's gone, it's gone. Anyone can turn up with digital cameras and tripods but it doesn't mean they'd do a good job. Ask to see examples of the £30 photographer's work.

[confuddledDOTcom]

Not for a wedding, at home with your children for up to three children plus £10 for each additional child.

I'd definitely refuse £30 for a wedding! Especially after reading about Squashed Apples this week.

[sapphireblue]

The price is probably just for the proofs and they will all have 'proof' stamped accross them. I expect you have to pay a fortune to get any printed.

[confuddledDOTcom]

On the photographers website she suggests taking them to Boots for printing.

[SloanyPony]

I'm a great believer in "reassuringly expensive" things. So yes, probably too cheap.

[beanlet]

Sounds like a scam to me.

[going]

Maybe the photographer is trying to build up a portfolio?

[ChippingIn]

YABU to dismiss it out of hand...

Maybe she is just starting out.
Maybe she will only stay an hour?
Maybe she needs the experience to get a portfolio to get other work?
Maybe she would be brilliant and doesn't know her value?
Maybe she's crap?

YANBU to think you might need to look into it a bit more before assuming you'd get what you'd normally get

[confuddledDOTcom]

I think what's shocked me more is that I've been told I shouldn't expect to pay more than £50 for what I'm getting and to be told that it's the same as what they're getting for £30 (well £20 as I have two children) or £50. I looked around for similar at the time and didn't find anyone that was cheaper for far less than we get with her.

Certainly the lady I use is worth it, her pictures are amazing (all pictures of my OH are hidden by his mother - think of "Chandler" from Friends! - except for these pictures, for a start) and she puts in the time.

It's £16 an hour just for her taking the pictures, not including traveling or the work she does afterwards if I only paid her £50 or £6 if I paid her £20. I can't see that's fair if she was only doing the photography.

[sanielle]

Maybe she is just starting out? Or is only an ammature? Call and ask.

[confuddledDOTcom]

I looked at the website, doesn't give the impression of starting out or ammature, but as I say it's the whole idea of I shouldn't ever expect to pay more than £50 for a photography session with disc/ copywrite.

[ChippingIn]

A friend had some done and it was £400 - 3 adults, 2 children - she was there for a couple of hours. So I think what you are paying is, or at least was, standard.

However, I think a lot of photographers just aren't getting the business anymore that they used to.

Maybe she's thinking that if she charges a very low price she will get the work in and then can creep her price back up... what I do know is, that I'd give it a go at that price!

I understand what you are asking though and you are right - it's highly unusual to get a good set of photos for under £350 and £50 is not the norm.

[harassedinhants]

My friends dh is a part-time photographer and he does an offer where he comes to you (so not a studio), either at home or outside somewhere, and takes pics for 1-2 hours (can't remember exact details) and then he edits the best 25, but you get all of them on a disc for £50.

It's been really popular! He's def not pulling a scam, and his photos are great. He took some of our wedding last year, and I prefer them to the official ones......

[jumpingjackhash]

I work with photographers all the time and I don't think £350 is expensive for what you're getting, I'd be wary of anything around the £50 mark for the same thing.

[JaneS]

That sounds far too cheap to me. My mate is taking wedding photos for me (he's semi-pro), and renting the equipment alone cost 180 for decent kit. I can't imagine how you could afford to buy and maintain kit, and pay for your time, for 30 quid, sorry.