Photographer advice!

[blue11c]

Hi all!!

 

I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how to hire a photographer for a destination wedding. My venue gave me some recommendations for photographers who are all based in the US- and it is expensive!!!

 

how much should photography services cost on average?!? and has anyone ever hired a local photographer. i thought this might be a little cheaper.

 

thanks!!!

 

[KLC77]

Where are you getting married? There are several photogs on this site. Many from Mexico if that's where you are heading.

[Jen_S]

We decided to bring a photographer from home. We are getting them for more time then we would if hired someone from mexico. There are a number of great photographers on this forum.

[photographerShay]

Sometimes you can save money by hiring a US photographer instead of the resort's....fortunately since I'm a photographer myself I have a network of people I know. But if I were you, I'd first start by finding a photographer whose style you like, then look at prices. PM me if you need any help

[blue11c]

thank you all for your advice! i am actually getting married in the bahamas- i thought i was posting to the bahamas forum (whoops!!)! but thanks for your help and any specific recommendations much appreciated!!

[jillhiggins]

There are lots of great photographers on the forum. And yes - sometimes it can actually be less expensive to hire a U.S. photographer.

 

The most important thing is to find a photographer whose style you like. You never know - they may be able to give you a good deal. I know that I have slow times of year - and most photographers do. If someone contacts me and I am out of their price range - I can usually refer them to someone who lives somewhere else - because slow periods vary from state to state.

 

Good luck with your search!

[lambert13]

When choosing a photographer, my wife Karen and I started by looking at destination wedding photos in general to get some ideas of what we wanted and did not want, liked and did not like and so forth.

 

Then we started looking into photographers in the area of Mexico where we were getting married. Once we found a few that we were interested in we sent out some emails asking for specifics.

 

We asked for..

 

-prices for what we wanted. Not necessarily what they had pre-packaged

-samples of entire weddings instead of just a few shots from a few weddings. If you only see a few you are looking at the best of the best for that wedding. What about the other couple hundred images? You need to look at those too.

-and finally and very importantly......if they are available on the wedding date.

 

We ended up choosing Vanessa Vargas (based in Cancun) and we are so glad we did. She is an amazing photographer and an amazing person as well.

 

That's what we did in a nutshell. If you need any help or ideas feel free to ask. I am more than happy to help out. We also have a large number of very talented and very helpful photographers on the board.

[PamelaLuedekePhoto]

local is definitely going to be a cheaper option for you. Unless you can catch a photographer who is trying to break into the destination wedding scene. Sometimes we offer coverage for travel expenses, etc (which can also get pricey though) when its somewhere we haven't been yet in order to beef up out portfolios.

 

if there are any bridal stores or florists in the area, they can usually recommend som great photographers.

 

hope that helps!!

 

good luck and best wishes!

 

[Evan Baines]

Well, here's some additional info to add onto the great stuff earlier in the thread:

 

Depending on which statistics you check out, the average US bride spends anywhere from $2-3k on photography. This is a good guideline for the starting point for quality US-Photographer coverage. Many photographers offer discounts on destination work, but travel can be expensive ESPECIALLY if you're getting two shooters.

 

Ultimately, its simple math that local talent can beat out of towners purely on price... assuming equivalent quality. However, if you're looking for a particularly high quality level or given style, you will have more options if you can afford to look at bringing someone in.

[bellalucefoto]

Congrats on your upcoming wedding! We are currently offering destination weddings for travel fee only. Just let me know if you'd like more info!

 

Katie