Photographers offers for 2013

Hi Cornelia

If you are struggling to choose between some that you have already narrowed down because their work is similar then contact them to arrange to meet. You might find that you get on with one better than the other. This will also give you a chance to look through some albums too and see a wedding from start to finish laid out.

Sometimes it isn't possible to meet because Photographers travel all over now and they might live too far away. In this case have a chat on the phone or arrange a Skype chat. I have done this with some of my brides in the past.

They are going to be with you all day so it's important you get on with them as well as love their work.

Hope that helps x

This is one of the reasons I mainly stick to my home county and those directly near to it. I like to meet up and talk face to face and let couples see a real print of my work rather than an image on a badly adjusted pc screen.

In conditions like this weekend, travelling across half the country in time for a wedding would be a nightmare....one I prefer to avoid...... If I do travel for a wedding, I usually stay n the region the night before, although I know many togs do travel on the day....

Peter

One that was also broadcast everywhere too, so I'd hope any Photographer would have taken precautions and travelled there the night before to avoid problems on the day.

I'd pick one which you like the look of first, in terms of their work. Then see if their fee is within your budget. If they fit those two criterias, give them a call/email and try to arrange to meet them. It's pretty important that you see a fuller portfolio, preferably examples of work from several weddings and from different parts of the day to check they can cover all parts of the wedding in a way you like. It's not always necessary to pick the cheapest, and not always necessary to pick the priciest. A pre consultation also helps you to check if you get on with them and you can get an idea if you trust them and like their shooting style.

You would hope for that DW, although I hear its not always the case for "some" photographers, specifically if they have a wedding the day before too......

There was a case on here a couple of years back where the tog travelled from London to Birmingham for the wedding and got stuck in traffic. They arrived after the ceremony and at the point where the couple were about to sit down to eat.........Something like that would mortify me.......

Peter

Oof, that'd be awkward, turning up 6 hours late!!

If I have a distance wedding (outside of my home counties) I tend to book a room in the neighborhood so I am then local to the wedding, get a chance to recce the venues in the morning and not have any worries about arriving late.......

Peter

Do you always include a cover cost for that in your quote automatically then, or kind of negotiate it with the B+G? I have a few out of London jobs and you guys have got me thinking!

It depends...I simply want somewhere to sleep, so a Travelodge is fine. If booked early enough, you can get a room for £19. Its basic, although its somewhere better than a hundred or more miles of driving before a wedding.

Peter

So is better to book a local photographer? In this case I won't pay accommodation or transport

You might shave off a bit of money than going for someone further away. Having said that it depends where you live and what kind of photographer you're looking for. I have had requests from people far away simply because their local photographers either were too old fashioned, or even with my travel costs I was still cheaper than their local. If you live near a city or if you want a more traditional style, I don't think you'll have a problem finding a local tog! That doesn't mean to say you won't have a local tog in your style, you might find the perfect one nearby, I just mean because of population density you're more likely to find a wide range around the city regions.

Ok, thank you for your tips

i will have a look

thank you for your time

Not necessarily. It depends on what they charge.

Just go on the photos and whether you like their work at first.

What would you think it would be a fair price to pay for a full day coverage in October in London?

thank you!

My flat rate for a Saturday in London all day is £1400

Fridays and Sunday £1300

All other days £1200

You can find people either side of that price. I'm often in London shooting for couples because I'm cheaper than those who live and work in the city. (Being from Brighton).

For a decent experienced tog £1000-£1800 is average, togs within the M25 will usually be more at £1400-£2200.

The biggest thing affecting London prices are parking and travel. I had a wedding which started at Lancaster Place, then to the Kensington and Chelsea Registry, then the Phene in Chelsea and then the Cheyne Walk Brasserie. Cars were impractical so the total travel costs for the day came to £60.

But just two venues with nearby parking in each wouldn't attract much of a charge.

The time of year doesn't usually make much difference in price, I have 3 weddings booked for December this year but none in June. 7 in April but 4 in September. The Wedding season thing has gone whack due to the British weather being so unpredictable.

Thank you so much Chris

I'm a London togger but I'm not quite the same as Chris ? hehe

What do you mean??

I've just emailed you an explanation I'm a part timey newbie tog, swimming in a different pool from Chris is all I meant!

I did receive your offer, thank you!

I was looking on this website www.georgeandninaphotography.co.uk

They have a good offer this month for wedding photography and they are in London

i like their style and I think the price is quite alright

Their first package looks very reasonable for London! Make sure when you have a consultation with them that they can show you a full wedding. They say they guarantee you at least 1000 edited photos, that is a lot of post processing time for £410 per person, they're pretty much working at the same workload/payrate as me, which is surprising for a professional. You'd want to check their editing is consistent throughout the whole wedding. It's a pretty good bargain!

I'd be interested to know how many edited photos on average HIB togs produce?

Yes, exactly I think it is a good offer

but we will check some more till we'll have a decision

Cornelia, the trouble with an open forum is you'll never get honest responses over another togs work because anyone that says something negative will get a subsequent email from an angry tog. ?

Doesn't hurt to meet up then and see if you like them and a full wedding ?

My prices are very similar plus I also give a Hitched discount if you wanted to give me an email? My website link is in my signature xx

Ahh Chris did you get backlash from those togs who created the Russian photoshopped wedding pics? Hehe

No, but about a year ago I assisted another Hitched member, they had something like three togs they were stuck on, all similar budgets and there were some obvious things, like Photography 101 observations that I mentioned.

A few other HIB's piped up too and I got an email, they weren't very pleasant etc (reflected their work tbh - meow).

So now I don't comment, which is a shame as I was complimentary about them at the same time in other areas. No one tog is perfect and he was the best out of the three....didn't wash with him though. It was criticism, albeit constructive.

In all honesty, long view, I don't think we should publicly comment on another suppliers work outside of the profession. They can't defend themselves.

Downside is you'll never get an honest answer on the forum if someone asks.

Just had to butt in Chris and say I absolutely adore this shot of yours!

http://chrisgilesphotography.co.uk

That is awesome!

Pete

Thanks Pete, it was one of those 'you have to stay at the back of the church' weddings.

While that's a real pain on most occasions, I think you've made the best of it! I am however, a real sucker for great architecture!

I think you just go with the one that you love the most and then meet them to see if they have 3 heads or not / a drinking problem :-)

I think there is a sea of very similar photographers out there, but there are also some that put a lot of effort into each image they present you and the packages. There are some very bog standard ones too stuck in the 80's or part timers who don't really need the bookings or the business.

First thing I suppose is your maximum budget and then go from there.

Depending on how much you are willing to spend depends, really depends on what you are going to get. Full Day coverage at £600 is very cheap and the work will reflect that most times. You could find a photographer who is starting out, who is still pretty good and is offering this price to build a business initially, I started shooting for free to build my business and I was slated completely for it, but without a portfolio or assisting that is what I had to do.

The reson I say £600 is cheap is becuase it's damn hard work for that amount of money. Photography costs really seem very expensive, but a lot of work, pressure and time goes in to it. I think it is probably the only job where when you slap the word 'Wedding' in front of it the price is not marked up %200 :-)