Photography dilemma

[niceguy2]

My fiancee and I are stumped and we've spent the whole evening deliberating and changing our minds over photographers. We've narrowed it down to two but we keep flip flopping between them.

The first is a very friendly guy who has some very lovely looking photos. We can see many examples of his work on his website, full weddings and his prices are very competitive. He seems very approachable and flexible. He's happy to cover from ceremony until first dance. His style is very fly on the wall, candid as is the trend nowadays.

The second is in a different league. His portfolio is amazing and we would get some amazing posed photos. In his price we'd get a second photographer who would also help with capturing candids during the ceremony/formal shots then help with lighting etc with the posed shots. His prices are nearly double but we love the results. However, he's not as flexible but still friendly/professional. He will cover the ceremony, photos after then disappear during the meal/speeches to go home, dump the data onto his PC, eat etc. then return later for the first dance.

The latter will stretch our budget but I'm sure we'd find the money from somewhere. But we both a little put off by the fact that we almost fit into his routine rather than someone to fit around our day. But that said we both love his contemporary style and is that just being picky? I know it's boring for photographers to be hanging around during the meal so it is understandable. But we would like the speeches covered.

That said, we have at least three guests who are semi-pro photographers who'd be more than capable of covering the speeches. Two of which have done weddings themselves. But we didnt want to ask them to cover the whole day as we want them to be guests and also to avoid any future problems if something went wrong.

The first guy is cheaper tho by a long margin and would still I am sure come out with some great photos. And the price difference would probably go a long way towards our honeymoon!

To boil it down, Tog 1 let's give him 8/10. Tog 2 = 10/10

So....MN'ers. AIBU to save the cash and go with Tog 1 or should we go with Tog 2, ignore the niggles and get some amazing photos of our day?

we just had casual pics and a friend took a few 'staged' of the bridal party then we put disposables on tables at the reception and got loads of really funny and great candid shots from all the guests. far better to have good memories of a great day than an album of starch!

Personally, I'd go with number one - your photographer is going to be around you most of your special day. You want someone you can relax around and not who makes you feel rushed or expects everything to fit around him.

But it depends on how much you want the photos staged.

I was lucky in finding everything I wanted with a great photographer for a fab price.

If you like photographer 1's work - and it doesn't look as if it's been captured by sheer luck alone (check for too many Photoshop effects!) then definitely go for the person who you have the greatest rapport with. Especially if he is cheaper!

Never pick the prima-donna who acts as if they are doing you a favour. Your pictures will reflect the stress that this sort of photographer will create.

It's really boring for guests to wait around while photos are being taken.

My DH and I had no professional photographer. We had no worries for photographs because so many of our friends and relations took so many and sent copies to us. Some were large enough to put on the wall and all we had to buy was an album for the 100+ lovely photographs. We have some beautiful examples.

By coincidence, three friends of different groups took videos from different places and we received a copy of each.

what about the payment terms? When we viewed/spoke to photographers on of the main reasons we went with ours was that other than a deposit he didn't want the full fee until he had delivered the images - I wasn't prepared to pay the hundreds of pounds on someone that hadn't yet delivered the goods........

Can you get Tog1 to look at Tog 2's website/portfolio and maybe have a couple of similar type shots. If not still go with Tog1 - No 2 sounds like a pain in the proverbial.

I'd go with the first, he sounds easier to work with and you don't want a diva photographer trying to take over your wedding! For what it's worth we didn't have an official photographer my fil did the photos. Camera set up on tripod during ceremony with remote control so he could still be a guest. Was a very small informal wedding though, might not work for you.

Please, don't ask a photographer to take pictures like another photographer! You are paying for an individual interpretation of your wedding based on the chosen photographer's style and the examples shown in their portfolio. Trust me, this sort of request doesn't go down well!

Sorry all. I didn't meant to imply the 2nd guy wasn't friendly or would be a nightmare to work with. It's just that he was more structured/business like and had more an air about him that he knows he's got a quality product which others will find hard to beat.

We do really want a few really top quality posed/contemporary style photos so we can blow one up and frame it. Looking around there are many competent photographers who can take a decent photo but it's the attention to detail and fresh ideas which are hard to mimic.

The problem is that myself and a few of our friends are keen photographers. I have over £2k worth of camera gear myself and have become very critical over photographs. So whilst 99% of people would probably look at a photo and think "Wow, that's nice", I'd probably think "Hmm, should have used a reflector to remove that shadow"

But then do we want it enough to spend almost double when we could chuck that towards a better honeymoon? OH is now taking the piss out of me saying "I'm worse than a woman" lol

Argh!

I think you've spent too much time on Ephotozine. Relax and enjoy your day for what it is - ie. a wedding and the start of your married life, not a photoshoot.

niceguy, I'm a keen amateur too (done a couple of pro jobs) and currently planning my wedding and deciding between photographers, and having the identical dilemma. I know precisely where you are coming from, and I know exactly what you mean about contemporary style etc. I'm also a massive perfectionist and photgraphy is really important to me. But so is the difference between 1 and 2 K!

I guess form the fact you've not posted links yet suggest you'd prefer not to but I would really appreciate it if you would pm me with links please then I can really set to on helping work this out with you. :)