I couldn’t be happier with the response to the wedding sale… so I’ve decided to keep going just a bit longer.
The theme of my discussion with many clients doesn’t change. With that in mind, I wanted to cover my view of wedding photography in the current climate of cell phones, friends and some outfits that charge ASTRONOMICAL prices for a good week’s work. So I’ve compiled a list of the most common topics I’ve been discussing with my clients. Take a look.
6 HOURS OF SERVICE vs. 10 vs 12
Your hair appointment is 9 am, church at 1, wedding photos at an amazing location at 3, reception at six. You found a great price for photography services and you realize you are covered for 6 hours. It happens often. You’re roped in by a decent price only to realize it’s $200 for each additional hour!! Some charge $150 for each additional HALF HOUR!! In the blink of an eye you’re settling for a photographer that you’re not satisfied with, or doubling your cost to get coverage for the entire day.
BP offers a great price and provides 12 hours of coverage PERIOD! I would call it full day, but at the advice of my lawyers, should I be unable to complete a wedding (which has never happened) due to illness or disease, a replacement would be easier to find (I would do that) with a definitive start and stop time. I will be there for your entire day and the price we advertise is our everyday low price. This sale price makes it nuts!
UNCLE CLETUS CAN TAKE SOME PHOTOS
Yes, we get it, your phone shoots at 2,000 MP! Have you ever really checked the details? Try this… take an image with your phone and email it to yourself. You should be prompted to select the file size when emailing the image and I’d bet that the image is no greater than 2-3 MB. From a professional standpoint, the image is useless. Blow that puppy up to an 11×14 and you’ll be overwhelmed with noise and fuzziness!
BUT UNCLE CLETUS HAS A REAL GOOD CAMERA
Right, but Uncle Cletus wants to enjoy the wedding. Trust me, 12 hours of photography is a ton of work, and the 35 or more additional hours of editing and processing takes years to master.
WHY ARE THESE ALBUMS SO EXPENSIVE?
Professionally printed albums and the time and work it takes to complete this process are significant and takes plenty of skill. But we at BP have an opinion on this. As the medium has moved primarily to the digital platform, “packages” no longer exist as they had for years. You don’t pre-pay for so many prints and various sizes. You want your images to print as you wish. So a great way to make some extra cash is to triple or quadruple the price of a book or album after the fact. I DONT DO THAT!
You chose me and I appreciate that trust. I made a choice long ago to offer albums and books AT COST + $150. NOBODY DOES THIS. I use professional printers (Millers Lab, White House Custom Color, ProDPI) that only professional companies have access to. No Snapfish or Groupon deals, as those products simply do not compare.
I’ve been asked often “what’s the catch?” and “why are your products so much cheaper?” There is no other answer than the simple fact that I take your trust seriously and we want to be the most sought after outfit in Buffalo.
THE VENUE RECOMMENDED THIS PHOTOG
Many large, factory-like photo studios have financial relationships with venues in the region. Photographers will pay a fee to be recommended by a venue. This should not be anywhere close to the deciding factor in choosing a studio. You must research and review the style of the photographer you would like. I’ve been approached by several locations to “join forces” and I just can’t get myself to do it.
THE PORTFOLIO IS HUGE! AND BEAUTIFUL!
That’s great! But consider that your wedding photographer will likely be spending more time with you than your own mom! You have to “mesh” or “fit” with the photographer you choose. The industry is filled with folks who put photography on such a pedestal that your trip down the aisle is more about their process than your vows. Trust me on this. I emailed a large, local outfit a few years ago to simply ask what equipment they use. You would have thought I was asking for the codes for the nukes. It was crazy. Zero personality. MEET with your photographer and be sure to ask many questions and go over exactly what you are looking for. You would hate find out day of that you just don’t like the clown holding the camera. Full disclosure, I’m 15% clown. I completely button that up for each event.
HIRE A PROFESSIONAL
It takes years to master photography, particularly in low light settings such as the church or reception. Look at customer reviews and previous work to decide which studios to interview. There are many, many corners you can cut to save on your wedding costs– don’t let photography be one of those corners. Once the cake is eaten, the wedding dress is in storage, the cards are read and the kids are tossing spaghetti at each other… your wedding photos will be the only substantive product that will truly take you back to the day you got hitched.
WILL YOUR PHOTOG MEET PRIOR TO THE DATE?
Many large studios have many photographers under their roof. You may be assigned a photographer and meet him or her the day of the wedding. This is a big red flag. As stated, you need to get along with your photographer. Additionally, you should have spent time going over every detail of the day. It’s no fun trying to organize how you would like your photos, or who should be in them, as you’re trying to celebrate.
I feel the most important part of choosing a photographer is finding somebody who cares more about your wedding than they do about packages, albums or their own photography policies. You want somebody who will help your wedding run smoothly. Word of advice, if your photographer is more interested in discussing albums and prints rather than what you would like, or your wedding day in general… get out of dodge!
RESTRICTIONS
Find somebody who has very few restrictions. If your photographer is charging for a change in venues, breaking down the cost for an additional 30 minutes, you’re clearly not the top priority. Creativity doesn’t come from a pre-determined wedding album size or amount of images/pages. In my opinion, packages are not a good thing. The photographer knows what needs to be done to fill a book, and is likely to miss a shot that could have been an instant classic once the book is “filled” in their mind.
This sale will not last much longer. I have room for 2 or 3 additional weddings this year, and I have a handful booked for 2016!
Alright, that’s my soapbox.
I’m passionate about making your day perfect… through beautiful, artful images.
