Average cost for photographer

adocholiday

Hi all,

Just looking at booking a photographer for our wedding. I've been in contact with quite a few at this stage and they all seem to be very expensive. I had budgeted what I thought was a conservative €1,500 but I'm getting quotes of €2,500+ and that's just for the USB stick and no photos after dinner. All of the other stuff is extra. I'm just wondering if I'm talking to a higher tier of photographer than I should be?

I started by contacting one who I liked. She wasn't available but recommended a few others and by contacting them I got more recommendations etc. See the same names being mentioned each time too. I'm thinking that maybe because they're all recommending each other they are all within the same 'group' so to speak. All of similar style/skill that is outside my budget. All of their work is superb though.

I'm just wondering if I should be adjusting my search criteria or my budget! What is an average price for a decent photographer?

AndersLimpar

adocholiday wrote: »

Hi all,

Just looking at booking a photographer for our wedding. I've been in contact with quite a few at this stage and they all seem to be very expensive. I had budgeted what I thought was a conservative €1,500 but I'm getting quotes of €2,500+ and that's just for the USB stick and no photos after dinner. All of the other stuff is extra. I'm just wondering if I'm talking to a higher tier of photographer than I should be?

I started by contacting one who I liked. She wasn't available but recommended a few others and by contacting them I got more recommendations etc. See the same names being mentioned each time too. I'm thinking that maybe because they're all recommending each other they are all within the same 'group' so to speak. All of similar style/skill that is outside my budget. All of their work is superb though.

I'm just wondering if I should be adjusting my search criteria or my budget! What is an average price for a decent photographer?

Like everything in life generally you pay for what you get. However if you search around you should be able to find someone of a reasonably similar standard for your budget - they may not be as good but could be good enough of a balance between style and budget.

bearhugs

I would have thought €1500-2000 was about right, that said I haven't booked mine yet. Getting worried!

lazygal

About €1500-€2000 would be the norm I think. We ruled out any that charged for staying late as we wanted the whole day captured. Our package included an album and prints, and we retained the rights to reprint pictures ourselves with no watermark on the images, which is something to watch out for. It depends on what you're looking for though, some people pay a lot more. I'd be wary of too cheap a photographer though.

Pistachios & cream

We are paying 1450 for disc only images, adding an album is an extra 500.
I think this is about the norm. Iknow our photographer is brilliant as he did my sisters wedding, my fiances wedding and a few other friends. He also won a good few awards recently.

He covers from getting ready preparations to the start of the dancing. He says it is first dance but in all the weddings i have seen him work at he stays a bit longer to get some good dancing shots.

traprunner

We paid €150 per hour. Photos were on CD. Three photographers were included in the price (one was a trainee). They were very good. Turned out really well. Some great photos too.

Liam McPoyle

Think we are paying €1800 and that includes a 40 page large album and I think two smaller coffee table albums.

The prices above sound very expensive if they are excluding albums too.

If anyone wants her name drop me a PM. She is based in Westmeath but is travelling to Dublin then Wicklow for us so she is fairly mobile.

Faith

We're paying €1900 for two photographers from morning until the meal, excluding albums. So it sounds like you're getting quotes from top of the line photographers alright (particularly reportage style, because that's quite a bit more complex).

I think a few top reportage-style photographers would be friends alright. We really wanted David McClelland, but he wasn't available. All of his recommendations fell into the same price bracket as him.

It depends what you're looking for also. We decided that the food, the band and the photographer were our priorities, so we spent the most on those. You could definitely get someone for €1500 or less if you wanted to.

lainey316

I have quotes from between 1050 and 2900 (LOL) for reportage style for 10 hours. The 2900 is for two photographers tho. No albums included. The top guys seem to start at 1950 for up to dinner only. We can see from portfolios there is a clear difference but we haven't the budget, so will go midrange - hope to book in next week.

adocholiday

Thanks all. Yep definitely looks like we're in the higher tier of photographers. David McClelland was one of the suggestions as mentioned above and he was unavailable on our day. Will start downgrading my expectations to something a bit more mid-range. As lovely as great photographs are, I don't think they'll ever be worth the price of a good honeymoon.

traprunner

We got so many recommendations. The key thing is to find someone you click with and wi take the style you want. As I said earlier we paid €150 per hour. Have a look at http://www.horsfallphotography.com

Pistachios & cream

I agree with the above you need to be comfortable with your photographer. Remember they are going to be with you for a long time and can have a huge impact on your day.

Take a look at kevin murphy. I'm the youngest of 7 kids all my brothers and sisters are married and he was the photographer for my last sisters wedding. Of them all He was the only photographer I would have, not that the others Erie bad but he was brilliant. http://kevinmurphyphotography.com/my-favourites/

stickybookmark

Mine was 2200 for 10 hours. I wanted them there for the first dance (they're a duo) so I told them to arrive late enough to the bridal prep as I wasn't too pushed about that. In their contract it said they charge 200 per hour for every hour over the contract that they stay (!!) but I met them for coffee 2 weeks before the wedding - 2 gas lads they were - and I told them it was important for me to get the 1st dance and they said they'd stay til the 1st dance regardless which they did - even though it ran behind schedule coz of the speeches (and the Champions league final being on the night of the wedding - who knew!!) I think by the time 1st dance came on they were ready to bolt straight after which was a pity, I was kinda hoping for a few general dancing shots but in fairness they did what they said they would do, and no more.

banie01

I've been looking around for a photographer for next year too and prices for Irish based photographers are averaging out @1500 in the Midwest area.
Was at a wedding in the UK recently and got speaking to the photographer there and got offered a package of 2 photographers for full day and reception with candid guest photos and props for £500 stg!!!
Package includes all shots in RAW and an edited/photoshopped package of @450 shots.
Even taking into account current poor euro exchange rate and adding in covering their travel and accommodation it still beats anything else I've been offered locally.

fits

We are paying 1000 for four hours. He is a great photographer but we didn't want getting ready or dancing photos so boooked him for shorter time.

mslady

I paid about 1300 for 2 photographers from getting ready to dancing (8hrs with an hour break while we were having dinner)! No albums included but I had all of my photographs on USB keys waiting for me when I got back from honeymoon (3 weeks after the wedding). I couldn't be happier with the photographs, and the two photographers were so easy to have around on the day itself. They're based in Dublin but will travel - if anyone wants names, drop me a PM!

Third_Echelon

Our Wedding is in a few weeks, but we have found Peter to be very good to deal with and very good prices... Good recommendations as well:

http://www.fleetingmoments.ie/

lainey316

A family member used Peter (fleetingmoments.ie) and was very happy with him - we're going for a slightly different style but he was high on our list. Prices are very good.

streetcar

I know a photographer with a price that is more in line with your budget.
He did ours and a few friends events too. Only viewed a few photos so far but I am happy.

PM me if you want more details