Wedding Photographers

adamblaiklock

Hi

So just after some advice,

We have been to visit 2 wedding photographers and just after opinions.

Have Visited Healy Remington in Rochestown was very impressed with their products but as with all things the price was a bit of an issue.

We have also visited Frank Morgan in Fermoy. Wasn't too sure of what to make of him as a Photographer in the way he comes across but maybe he just has a different style to Remington's? and he was more cost effective.

Just wonder what people think of these two? are the Photos something to budget a lot on ?

Would value any info.

Many thanks
Adam

texanman

Try
http://www.aquariusphotography.com/about_aquarius.htm

Well worth a try. I know Michael and he does great work at a reasonable price.
If you do ring him, mention Ashmore Productions

girlaloud7

adamblaiklock wrote: »

Hi

So just after some advice,

We have been to visit 2 wedding photographers and just after opinions.

Have Visited Healy Remington in Rochestown was very impressed with their products but as with all things the price was a bit of an issue.

We have also visited Frank Morgan in Fermoy. Wasn't too sure of what to make of him as a Photographer in the way he comes across but maybe he just has a different style to Remington's? and he was more cost effective.

Just wonder what people think of these two? are the Photos something to budget a lot on ?

Would value any info.

Many thanks
Adam

Hiya Adam

Can you tell me how much these photographers were charging please?

Toots

Have a look at the photographers sticky on the top of the forum, there's lots of recommendations in there.

Personally I'd say don't go for the cheapo option with a photographer, but at the same time, don't spend a small fortune either. Some of the quotes I got for photographers were just insane, one guy was charging €4k for the morning, ceremony, and 2 hours at reception. Also if we wanted reprints we'd have to go back to him, and there was another charge for that! He seemed to be trying to justify the price by saying that he'd photographed a lot of Irish 'celebrity' weddings. Pfft!

I know a few people who've paid top dollar for a photographer but were really disappointed with their photos when they got them. My BIL hired a very pricey photographer, they were waiting for months after the wedding to get the photos, and they were pretty crap TBH. Another BIL had just gotten a new camera, and took loads of photos, and they were better than the ones the photographer took. Price isn't always an indicator that the photos will be good. There's plenty of wedding photographers out there, and it's possible to find one that does great work without costing the earth.

My tips with looking for a photographer would be:
- Look at their portfolio, do you like their style?
- See can they give you 'references'? (not essential but can be handy)
- Check online forums like weddingsonline etc and see what kind of reviews they have.
- Check what their package contains: do you get your photos on a disc? can you print them if you want or do you have to go back to them for reprints? what sort of albums do they do and are they dear? does the package include any prints? how much of the day do they cover?
- Check do they have professional indemnity insurance, this is really important in case anything goes awry.
- Check how long does it take for you to get your photos?
- Ask friends or family who have gotten married recently for recommendations.

The photographer we're going with is Darren Purcell of Visionary Photography, he seems like a really nice guy, his portfolio was very impressive, and we've heard very good reviews. Also the price isn't OTT either, and I think it is good value for what you're getting. Fingers crossed we'll be happy with the photos. It'd also be a good idea to have a browse through the photography forum, there's a lot of boardsies who do wedding photography.

girlaloud7

Toots* wrote: »

Have a look at the photographers sticky on the top of the forum, there's lots of recommendations in there.

Personally I'd say don't go for the cheapo option with a photographer, but at the same time, don't spend a small fortune either. Some of the quotes I got for photographers were just insane, one guy was charging €4k for the morning, ceremony, and 2 hours at reception. Also if we wanted reprints we'd have to go back to him, and there was another charge for that! He seemed to be trying to justify the price by saying that he'd photographed a lot of Irish 'celebrity' weddings. Pfft!

I know a few people who've paid top dollar for a photographer but were really disappointed with their photos when they got them. My BIL hired a very pricey photographer, they were waiting for months after the wedding to get the photos, and they were pretty crap TBH. Another BIL had just gotten a new camera, and took loads of photos, and they were better than the ones the photographer took. Price isn't always an indicator that the photos will be good. There's plenty of wedding photographers out there, and it's possible to find one that does great work without costing the earth.

My tips with looking for a photographer would be:
- Look at their portfolio, do you like their style?
- See can they give you 'references'? (not essential but can be handy)
- Check online forums like weddingsonline etc and see what kind of reviews they have.
- Check what their package contains: do you get your photos on a disc? can you print them if you want or do you have to go back to them for reprints? what sort of albums do they do and are they dear? does the package include any prints? how much of the day do they cover?
- Check do they have professional indemnity insurance, this is really important in case anything goes awry.
- Check how long does it take for you to get your photos?
- Ask friends or family who have gotten married recently for recommendations.

The photographer we're going with is Darren Purcell of Visionary Photography, he seems like a really nice guy, his portfolio was very impressive, and we've heard very good reviews. Also the price isn't OTT either, and I think it is good value for what you're getting. Fingers crossed we'll be happy with the photos. It'd also be a good idea to have a browse through the photography forum, there's a lot of boardsies who do wedding photography.

You have been a great help, thanks a million. Hope all goes well for you.

IPWS

Here are some tips I wrote sometime ago for the website.

Best of luck with your search.
____________________________________

Hiring a Photographer

When you’ve hundreds of photographers to choose from, how do you decide on the right one for your big event?

There is no single photographer who is perfect for everyone, but there is one who is perfect for you! The tips on this page will help you to make a good choice – and to ensure that the whole process of hiring a photographer goes smoothly for all concerned.

Photography is a creative process and while awards and memberships are often hard earned and richly deserved, not all professional photographers want to join associations or be judged by awards.

You may be better served by a small professional operation than an international, award winning (and expensive) one. Feeling comfortable with the person you hire and confident that they will produce the results you desire is the most important thing.

Points to Consider when hiring a photographer:

1. Experience Level
Has this person photographed in the field you are looking at? Does he or she do this for a living or for fun? Are they insured, do they have qualifications etc.
2. Appearance
Is your photographer well presented and neatly groomed? This may not be important for, say, a wildlife photographer, but it is very important for a wedding or a formal event.
3. Price Range
Although, the last thing you want to do is shop by price, you do need to establish at an early stage that a photographer is within your budget. If you may have to spend more than you planned, is he or she worth the price difference? Make sure you establish and understand all costs, including reprints, usage and albums.
4. Personality
Is the photographer that you meet someone you can get along with? Is the “chemistry” there? If you are going to spend hours or even a whole day working with someone, you want it to be a happy experience.
5. Photographic Style
Are the images that you are shown the sort of images you’d like to have after your event? There are “buzz” words flying about everywhere about photojournalism, formal, classic candid, and so on – make sure that you and your photographer are clear about the style you prefer.
6. Offering
Ascertain what exactly are you getting. Ask about such things as what happens if you need extra time or if there are other changes on the day – but remember if you make extra requests on site these will be reflected in the final invoice.
7. Delivery
Be clear about when your images will be ready – bear in mind that some photographers take longer than others, be sure to ask about this.
8. What about deposits and payments?
Most photographers will require a deposit; this is only natural. Be sure to ask about what happens if you cancel and about what will happen if for some reason the photographer cannot be there?

Spending some time making sure that you know everything that’s involved and that your photographer is clear about your requirements will mean a happier experience for everyone and, most importantly, the best possible results for you.


ENDS

SeekUp

I think a photographer typically "should" run from about 9-10% of your wedding budget. So the reasonableness of the estimates you got probably depends on your total budget. That being said, I second the posters who have mentioned looking at what you're getting for the money, both in terms of actual products (albums, prints, disk with RAW images, etc.) and the amount of time that the photographer will spend shooting at the wedding.

You mentioned that you weren't sure to make of one of the photographers you met, and that would make me a little wary. You definitely want to love their portfolio, but you also want to be quite comfortable with him/her, as they're going to be hanging around a lot that day and (hopefully) capturing some rather intimate moments. Be sure to not only check out their portfolio (which is what they consider the best of the best of their work), but some good advice I got was to look at one wedding that they shot from beginning to end. It'll really give you an idea of how they capture the feel of the day.

Also, Toots* brought up a great point about fellow boardsies. I'd be willing to bet that some would be interested in shooting your wedding for a fraction of the cost, simply to get experience and build their portfolio. Some are really talented, even though they're "only" amateur photographers.

smelltheglove

It would be rare to receive RAW images 1 they are straight from camera so little work would be done on them and they would not be as impressive as jpegs which have been edited and 2 because mist clients would not have the facilities to open a RAW file.

You should be looking for hi res jpegs and make sure you request hi reS, I've had clients cone to me for album design with their disc to find that the images are so low in resolution that the quality of print us nit great!

Getting along with your photographer should be just as important as the end result, you will see them for the majority of the day so you need to be able to relax.

Other important things would be insurance and experience, an experienced photographer will be ready for the key moments in the ceremony.

Unwilling

Hello

We've narrowed the search down to two. We've met with one already and we both got a good feeling. We're meeting with the second in the coming weeks.
The second one has the nicest on line portfolio, we love the pictures, and carried out a lil poll in the family and it seems to be the consensus. Which is good news for us as it's HALF the price of the first one.
So it remains to be seen if we get a good vibe from them in person and are comfortable with them.

However, having just plucked these people from the internet I' am wondering what kinda of questions or information we should be looking for in terms of qualifications, affiliations with any associations, insurances etc.

I mean who is to say they won't take your deposit and not turn up on the day?

Any advise?

Thank you