friend is doing our photos but what do we give him??

Yeah thats a nice idea, just send it him in the post with a thank you letter. I'd just give him the cash and then maybe a bottle of champagne or whisky or something? xxx

Give him break

£1000's of gear and a few images at a BBQ are totally different to being responsible for delvering your wedding photographs. It willbe a terribly hard and togh day for him

Get a pro in

I think thats rather rude! This photographer is pleased to be doing his friends wedding... Im quite amazed that you think your comment was ok to post, quite flabbergasted!

Was that necessary?

I would give him it after with a nice thank you card...

Here Here Laura!!!

Ok i should have added the reason he has bought the camera is because his business requires him to photograph all his work and produce portfolios for his website and potential customers...he has thousands of fantastic photos he has taken, i was using the bbq ones as an example.

he is under no obligation to do this for us and believe me if he wasnt keen he would tell it to us straight..

If you didnt want to give cash, you could always find out if there is something that he wants but doesnt want to pay for, or cant afford, which you could pay for or organise for him?

And yes i agree i think your comment was pretty out of order-i wasnt asking if Im doing the right thing i said what shall i get him!

KBS You took the words right out my mouth. Some people can be so rude!!

good idea, he is really into track days, extreme sports that kind of thing-maybe a red letter day type thing?

Hi Amethyst

Please dont feel that you have to give a reason my love. The post that wedding photographer put on here was totally out of order, its your wedding and as long as you and your photographer friend is happy then boo sucks to people like that! x.

Your reasons are your own love, dont explain them..

I am also not having a 'pro' (god forbid) and rather a very very talented girl whose photography style I love. We also have an informal arrangement but have gone about payment in a formal kind of way- with half now and half after the wedding.

However, if your contribution is a gift rather than a payment then I would give it after, maybe say it is for his camera so he can keep taking amazing photos x

Blimey how to win friends & influence people!?

The post that he wrote totally gob smacked me, I cant believe someone can be so rude and arrogant...

Im not having a professional either, its a girl who has gone through college and is wanting to build her portfolio up. we have had a look at her work so far and are very impressed, infact her work would put some professionals to shame and all she is taking from us is her travelling expenses so we have arranged to feed her and also going to give her some money in an envelope before she goes.

WEll actually....

Since reading your post I have rang our local University and asked if any post grad photography students would be interested in expanding their portfolio too... The Uni seemed genuinely pleased that I was offering a student some experience.

Sherrie you took the words right out of my mouth!!!

I'm sure he could've found a much politer way of getting his point across than this!!

This guy is probably pleased at the opportunity to expand his portfolio and do something extra special for his friends too.
I think a really lovely bottle of his favourite tipple and a very heart felt thank you card would make him more than happy, he probably sees this as his wedding gift to you xx

oh thats good! i guess the other poster forgets everyone has to start somewehere!!

(if they didnt charge such a huge amount for taking a few pictures for a couple of hours we would get the pro's in!!)

Exactly... the other poster/photogrpaher was probably born with a camera in his mouth... lol

Sorry, not feeling well today anyway and quite snappy and that other poster really made me mad!

We had spoken to quite a few established photographers and found some of them to be quite arrogant and telling us what style of photos we should be getting and not what style we wanted.

Im very relaxed about a student doing my pics and if the worst happens and they dont turn out too great well im sure there will be other guests at the wedding that we can pinch a few pics from.

Maybe have a quiet word with your friend and see if there is anything he's hankering after that you could get him.

Ignore the rude poster - some people have no manners! Your friend sounds like he's chuffed to bits to be asked.

We are having a pro but she's local and hasn't been going that long so the price is v v good. My best friend (and MOH) has offered to take some evening pics for us as she's an amateur photographer and I'm really flattered she offered. No pressure on her at all - in the unlikely event her photos aren't any good then there will be loads of other guests who will have taken pics x

If he is a keen photographer then why not find something that can enhance his standing already, gift voucher for a professional camera company. I love new equipment.

If he is a keen photographer then why not find something that can enhance his standing already, gift voucher for a professional camera company. I love new equipment.

I was also going to suggest this.....

One cautionary note though....."some" venues will ask for proof of insurance from any service provider. This isn't common, although does happen. Best to check if there are any issues over this.

Peter

You could always buy him a new lense, new carry case, camera stand instead of giving him money ?

Wedding Photographer that was a pretty knobbish reply tbh. After a remark like that I would think twice about using your services. Not exactly the best advertisement for yourself is it ?

To me fair, my comment comes of the back of having seen a few people go through the process (that is guests/friends/family) doing the photography

It starts off fairly OK - in that it seems like a good idea, and the closer they get to the date, the more they start worrying. They defiatally wont be able to relax and enjoy your wedding, and no matter how much experience they have had before, even professional photographers who work in other diciplines get really stressed shooting a wedding for the first time

If you go over to a photography forum, and see the sorts of things that people in this position ask, and then the answers they get and then the subsequent follow up, you will see my point entirely

It wasnt supposed to be arrogant, more of a reality check. I really dont think people understand what it must be like for the person who is a friend/coleage/family member who ends up doing the job

Here is the first thread I found in a mater of secconds clicky

Hi

I think the point of the post was that she had already chosen her friend to do the photography and was wondering what she should get him as a thank you - not a general question if she should use a friend over a pro, I think you may have mis-communicated your point before and it came across abit blunt TBH you obv know about working as a pro wedding photographer but I think you might have missed the point of her post and from that mis-communicated your reply, I think thats why you might have have some of the replies you have..

I wouldn't get him anything photography related, he probably has his own ideas of what he would wants to add to his kit, (depends on the type of photography he likes to do, lenses aren't multipurpose) and pro gear is extrremely expensive, camera bags are a personal choice, (like handbags, there are so many different kinds), but maybe a gift voucher for somewhere like warehouseexpress.co.uk where he can put it toward something he lusts after. Alternatively, a nice night out with his wife/girlfriend/partner to a show and dinner might be appreciated.

Best of luck!

Teri

I think it is fab that your friend has offered his services, afterall, some wedding photographers are really "stiff" and toffee nosed, and the whole idea of a wedding photographer is to capture the essence of your wedding day, and for you to be at ease with them....

As for a present, a monitary offering disguised in a card envelope is a nice idea, as it is such a nice way of saying thank you, and it is not blatantly obvious what is contained inside ?

Can't wait to see the finished result x x x

had i asked him to be there on the day in place of a pro photographer yes i can see he may get worried, nervous etc BUT if you had read my op you would see that im not wanting loads of posed pictures just him taking natural ones as and when,(much like you would capturing kids enjoying themselves at a bbq!-how ironic that my wedding is indeed a bbq) in fact had i not asked him and he was there as 'just' a guest, he would have brought his camera anyway, snapped away all day and out of everyones pictures i would have no doubt asked him for copies of his anyway-the difference is I am wanting to give him something for his photos in return.....

You dont need to explain yourself to him - its your wedding so you can have what you want. I'm having my dad do my photo's on the day! He'll obviously need some help but we've got that sorted from within the family. My dad's a photographer and has done a couple of weddings so I couldnt imagine having anyone else do my photos.

Someone trying to 'push' themselves into a post that wasnt even asking for advice on whether or not to have your friend is obviously completely unprofessional. Ignore them.

Anyway! Back to the OP - I think cash is probably your best bet. If you got vouchers it may be for someone where he wouldnt have usually have shopped for camera equipment. You could put a note in a card saying you'd like him to get himself some photography equipment with it (obviously worded better than that!).

Or what about travel vouchers so they can have a weekend break or something on you and OH?

xxx

I can't believe I've just read this!! How rude!

We're not having a pro either, for 2 reasons:

1) we can't afford it

2) our friend is planning to become a pro one day but you need to start somewhere! You don't become pro overnight. We're giving him a chance, and paying him £400.

Mrsb2b great idea! they have just had a baby so will no doubt need a break next August! thank you