Photographer Decisions

[gujarwala]

Before anyone gets upset at me posting this I have been researching

 

And it seems the more I research the more questions arise than answers lol.

 

Here's the situation - wedding is in Riveria Maya in Dec/2010, photography budget is $1500 to $2000, but my expectation/hope is to also have a lot of photos taken for that price, including a TTD session and maybe even some shots at the ruins, marketplace, etc.

 

I haven't yet found any of the vendors who will do all that for the above price?

 

One option there is a photographer from Canada who is friends with one of the guests and would like to come on the holiday, so said he would photograph for the cost of the trip + $300, which falls within the range. He said he can take all kinds of pictures every day of the week - the catch is he has never done wedding photography before I don't think that's a huge deal however my wife is wary that he may not take great wedding pics if he is inexperienced in it, however on the plus he will be available all week as opposed to only several hours like the local photographers.

 

For a living he photographs sporting events, celebrities, etc. and sells images to various publications.

 

What do you guys think - should I go with the local photographer or is there any experienced ones out there who will do it all for $1500 to $2000 (hopefully closer to $1500).

 

Please feel free to PM me as well.

 

Thanks!

[TheFutureWagners]

Hi! I am having the same dilemma and I am definitely looking for a certain type of photography. I found this site FineArt Studio Wedding Photographers Mexico Destination Boda but I cannot seem to find any reviews on them. I am much more apt to hire a single photographer with a great portfolio instead of a company- but to be honest, I'm not sure which one they are. If you find any information, let me know.

 

Good luck!

[~Nicole~]

I guess it all depends on how important photography is to you. I know that for me there would have been no way in hell I would have even considered that deal, but photography was #1 on my list of wedding priorities. But everyone's priorities are different, so if you're not looking for a specific style and don't feel that you'll be missing anything, then maybe its the right route for you!

 

If you're looking for a full wedding day of pics plus a TTD, I'm pretty positive that you won't find someone experienced for the price you're looking for, but what if you cut down on the number of hours of photography? That will likely bring you closer to your budget amount.

 

If you do decide to go with the local guy I recommend showing him what type of photography you like to help him understand how you want your wedding day captured.

 

Good luck!!

[Guest iluckie]

I think after you choose your budget now its time to search for "style" just remember something really important, behind price there are a lot of so many important thing than only what you watch in a web site, it is called marketing, just think in backup systems.

 

Good luck!

Ivan

blog.luckiephotography.com

[DeanSanderson]

This is my first post on this forum and I want to be helpful and not soliciting... so if you have any suggestions, please PM me... thank you

 

Honestly, $1500-2000 is a real tight budget for everything you want... and the fact that this friend of a friend will only be making $300 and will likely be spending more than that if he goes out of the resort, basically he is shooting your wedding for the vacation. My concern would be what is he willing to do to the photos after the wedding? Photos do not come out of a professional camera looking great. They need to be edited and when he gets home, he might not feel like he is getting paid enough to put it in front of other work and get your photos finished... so have an honest conversation with him regarding this please..

 

Also, it sounds like you are taking him on a vacation, but asking him to work the a lot of the time... That's not really a vacation... And if this is his first time doing this, he might not realize this himself....

 

Finally, weddings are different, they happen in seconds. Clouds come over during a ceremony quickly and you have to notice immediately that the light has changed. To seasoned photographers, it is obvious, but to newbies, they are sometimes too focused on the event to recognize. Also, schedule LOTs and LOTs of time for photos, because he needs it to come up with poses and things to do, don't rush this process..... These would be my main concerns... The reality is you are paying for airfare in his rates and if you can find someone already there, you are likely to get better value.

 

On the other side of things... your getting what you want for the budget you have... So maybe this is the right thing to do. Just be open and honest, discuss your concerns, and then put it all down on paper...

 

As for me, I'm generally not in Mexico at that time of year, I'm more of a Feb to May kind of guy.... But we are looking for a place to go to for Christmas, so when in December??? My prices start around $1,600 for the weddings and $500-600 for TTD's.... PM me if you want to know more...

 

I hope this was helpful

-dean

 

btw. What Ivan says about back up. He is kind of correct. Just make sure he is able to double back up your photos and have the back up fly separate. (eg. you carry the backup). Hopefully you guy will know these little things...