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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

wedding photography

54 replies

Kaloki · 01/06/2010 22:41

Let me preface this by saying I wouldn't do it myself, so do value those that do, however..

My DP is a photographer, and he mainly does fashion, so we do understand the costs involved. (He has the full studio kit etc) And definitely don't think they should be charging in a way that undervalues their skill. But we just can't justify spending so much on a photographer for 2-3 hours work maximum. It's crazy, DP doesn't charge even half that much and he's no amateur!

So it grates no end knowing that the same photographers (in some cases) will charge so much less for a normal on location portrait session (so no difference apart from the event) than they would for a wedding. Is it the use of the "w" word? Does the use of it in some way contravene a law and so requires extra money to pay off lawyers? What the hell?

We just wish we could clone DP so he could do the photos himself, rather than all this fuss finding a good photographer (understands f-stops, ISO, shutter speed, and that photoshop wont fix bad photos) who doesn't charge the earth.

AIBU to think the prices are insane?

OP posts:
splashy · 01/06/2010 22:46

everything wedding related is expensive!

you could get an amateur willing to do it for free however if you are on a tight budget. we did this and she was actually really good

IHeartKittensAndWine · 01/06/2010 22:49

what about using a student at a local photography/art college?

Original poster
Kaloki · 01/06/2010 22:49

Not a bad idea TBH, god knows where to look though.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 01/06/2010 22:50

We ended up without a photographer because in Surrey the prices start at £800! It was more than the cost of the reception.

Original poster
Kaloki · 01/06/2010 22:52

Same here cargirl. We're paying £600 for venue and registrar, can't really afford another £800

OP posts:
zapostrophe · 01/06/2010 22:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

EddieIzzardismyhero · 01/06/2010 22:54

Where are you based? I have a friend who is a v good photographer and will charge you a fraction of that. He's in Hampshire. Can send you details.

Original poster
Kaloki · 01/06/2010 22:57

In Herts, getting married at Whipsnade Zoo. All of our friends who are good with cameras hate doing wedding unfortunately - all have had bad experiences typically.

OP posts:
beanlet · 01/06/2010 22:58

As soon as you say "wedding", the price goes through the roof!

We got the bride's, the maid of honour's and the mother of the bride's hair done for £90 including tips because we pretended we were getting our hair done for someone else's wedding! Otherwise, the salons were quoting £500 -- it was unbelivable.

firsttimemum77 · 01/06/2010 22:58

My brothers just been quoted £1500 for wedding day photography. That's with a discount!!!!

LOOBYLOU2 · 01/06/2010 22:58

No I don't think you ABU - I think it's incredible what they charge and that people are prepared to pay it!

A relative spent £3000 on their wedding photographer a couple of weeks ago. Goodness knows how much the album is going to cost them on top of that!

We got married in Italy nine years ago - can't remember how much the photographer cost now but the pics were fab and we were given a set of big prints, booklet of all pics taken and full set of negatives - this was all inc the price - we didn't pay extra for the prints.

Does your DP have any photographer friends who could help you out?

splashy · 01/06/2010 22:59

kaloki have a look on gumtree, thats where we found our lady. we paid a photographer for the ceremony and she was there for the reception and was actually lots better!

Original poster
Kaloki · 01/06/2010 23:01

None of DP's friends are able to do it unfortunately

The prices are totally loopy. DP actually did a wedding a couple of months ago, for what now appears to be sod all money

OP posts:
EddieIzzardismyhero · 01/06/2010 23:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Funkycherry · 02/06/2010 07:09

See if you can find another photographer that is getting married. They do your pics, your DP does theirs.

Or a photographer just starting out (or experienced but just starting out in the wedding field)that will do it at a discount if they can use some pics in their portfolio. You could also write a testimonial for them.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 02/06/2010 07:45

We only had a small wedding so didn't bother with a photgrapher.
I set up a photosharing site and gave everyone the username and password for it and asked them to upload all their photos after the wedding.
Got some fab ones and got a gorgeous photobook made up with loads of them.

And f you are going to have som photographers as guests taking snaps anyway you will end up with some brilliant ones.

AnnieJL · 02/06/2010 08:09

I run my own photography business, don#t really do wedding photography but would be happy to discuss it with you.

Website is www.littlemunchkinphotography.co.uk

MrsC2010 · 02/06/2010 09:23

Put wedding on the front and the prices leap! Crazy! We thought the same thing when we got wed last year, so we used a commercial photographer who was a friend of a friend. He charged about £300 for 3/4 of the day, all images on DVD and an album. The pics aren't as 'arty' as some, but that was fine by us and we had millions of pics from friends etc!

wildfig · 02/06/2010 09:51

DH is a photographer and is always being asked to do weddings by friends and friends of friends - he's reluctant to do it for exactly the reason your own photographer mates don't want to, kaloki: if something goes wrong, it ruins the bride's entire life day.

Not to excuse the insane Bride Tax that's slapped on anything wedding related, but they're a slightly different kettle of fish from general studio photography - it's more like press. Ideally, you need a reflector-wielding assistant to make sure the right permutation of Auntie X + Cousin B (but not Cousin C) shots are taken, and to get everyone herded in and out before the next wedding arrives. You can't go back and reshoot, you have to be prepared for rubbish lighting/sudden showers, brides often say they want 'reportage' but then decide they need a formal family set as well, the day can start at 7am, and finish at 11pm at the reception, etc, etc.

If you want it done cheaply, have you thought about approaching a freelancer from your local paper? S/he's more likely to have the 'coolness under pressure' that you need with 50+ people milling around, plus a reporter's eye for the one great shot you'll end up having on the wall.

JaneS · 02/06/2010 11:08
wildfig · 02/06/2010 11:38

Sorry, didn't mean to make it sound panic-worthy! What I meant was, it's quite high stakes: if someone's granny gets missed out in the confusion, or another guest picks up the camera and erases shots by mistake, there's no way of going back and redoing it. An experienced wedding photographer should be totally organised - and insured - so you can relax and not worry. But then any good photographer should do that for you, so long as you're really clear about what you want beforehand, and make a list for them to check off.

You don't have to get a 'proper' wedding photographer, but it depends on what you want to end up with. From experience, asking guests to take pictures can provide a lovely spread of unexpected moments, but you're unlikely to get full-team family groups with everyone looking the same way at the same time. Unless you give one of the bridesmaids a loudhailer and a whistle.

JaneS · 02/06/2010 11:42

Thanks wildfig.

Actually, what bothers me is that I am one of those people who has a knack for looking crap in pictures. My DP agrees with this btw, and I couldn't tell you how many pics show me blinking or whatever. So I was hoping a professional would just be able to get past that, but maybe that's daft.

Anyway, I am shamed by my hijacking now ... Kaloki, tell me about your wedding?

And btw, why is it that MN seems to be full of sane brides while the outside world is full of crazies?

Mingg · 02/06/2010 11:46

If you can't afford a photographer how about putting some disposable cameras on the tables and asking all the guest to take photos and then return the cameras somewhere specific when they leave? My friend did this and they got some really lovely photos - won't be digital though so you'll be paying extra to convert them (if you want)and to have then printed.

wildfig · 02/06/2010 11:57

Sorry, final hijack: in the interests of fairness, I should add that my sister's 'professional' wedding photos are out of focus at the edges of the shot, and make her look shiny. They're in a box at my mum's. We've all got big versions of some informal shots DH did, but then most guests thought he was the official photographer anyway and were quite co operative.

The key to looking good in photos is (a) being relaxed, (b) the person behind the camera knowing how to light you flatteringly, and (c) deleting any bad photos of yourself before anyone else sees them.

shelleylou · 02/06/2010 11:57

I got married just under a month ago and paid £500 for my photographer which was a lot for us. I didnt get as many photos as we were surposed to and im not impressed with the quality at all although his smaple pictures were great. We just didnt get what we wanted at all. I've seen some of the guests photos and they are much better. I'd look at getting guests to take photos and share them with you a lot of people will take cameras/ camera phones