Wedding photography - post production do it your self?

Jewelleryfan

Hi everyone

I'm still on the hunt for a wedding photographer that's in our budget.

A friend suggested using a student to take the photos and we do the post production ourselves.
My fiancee has a friend of a friend who takes brilliant photos but has little experience only having done one wedding and a few proms etc. He suggested hiring this guy for the day/evening and getting all the images on disk then we upload and make our own photo book online. Ive used photobox a lot before and love their photo books for presents. Does this seem do-able? Does anyone have any experience of this?

Thanks!:)

Miss_Bolan

This is what I am doing!

My photographer is a semi professional, but does wedding photography as more of a hobby than anything full time. He is not a friend or anything, I found him through intense googling but I trust that he is going to be thorough and professional, his communication has been brilliant!

Because he is so reasonably priced (£250 for the whole day) he is going to provide all of our images on a disk for us (he will do the photo editing part though) and then we can do as we please with the images. I figure after the wedding I willl have more money and I will worry about printing photo's then

Jewelleryfan

Thanks I'm glad it's not a mad idea or anything! What did you type to find this person, I only seem to find companies and not individuals. My only worry is as he is a beginner we will end up directing him and telling him what we are looking for and that might not be what we want to do on the day etc. Although were not getting married until 2013 so he still has time to gain experience.
Does that price include the bridal prep in the morning up until the last dance etc?

Miss_Bolan

I actually end up finding him because he had advertised a discounted rate through a local press advert online. After much googling 'cheap photographer' etc I found his advert and was really pleased to find his website etc. I don't have much advice really except perseverance when googling! I had nearly given up on finding someone when I found him, maybe you could do the reverse and put an ad in your local press for a reasonable photographer and see if someone finds you?

Where are you based? (if you are in the same area as me I could always send you his web details!).

He is taking photographs from the arrival at the ceremony right through to cake cutting/first dance (my ceremony and reception are at different locations but he is travelling between them). He isn't doing the bridal prep, but that is my choice (I've got this wierd thing about having a stranger faffing around me while I am getting ready!) my cousin is in charge of photographing that bit

Jewelleryfan

Thanks! I'm in herts/Essex so any of the local villages and surrounding areas would be ideal to find someone. I'll have to set aside a good few hours at the weekend to intense searching lol

fly_dragon_fly

just because a photographer isn't full time doesn't mean they aren't amazing! It costs a lot of money to go from part time to full time but the effort they put in doesn't change when the go from part to full time!

A lot of photographers offer disk only because it is cheaper to the client but before it comes to the client they have probably spent hours editing every photo, i know i do when i take photo's.

I think the only thing that is annoying is when clients get photo's printed by tesco's kodak etc and the quality is poor and doesn't reflect the photographer work. there are companies that cost a photographer a few pence per print have a google for professional labs and you'll find load that are actually cheaper than tesco's photobox etc.

Rant over haha xx

MaggieBaking

We had a fully fledged photographer who's mainly a sports photographer but does weddings. He photographed my friend's wedding for £250 and did an amazing job so a year later, I made sure he was free on the day I wanted to get married and he photographed our wedding for an equally awesome price. He's very experienced, had photographs on the sports pages of all the tabloids and gave us our pictures on a disk already edited.

I haven't made our wedding album yet, but I made some photo books using Bob Books for our bridesmaids' memories http://www.bobbooks.co.uk/, £25 for a 30 page hard backed book (photograph on the hard cover, and words on the spine etc) it's such a professional looking album - amazing quality. I've seen a cheaper book and didn't much like it.

And in case anyone was wondering our photographer was North West based, but I wont say his name because I know how much of an advert it sounds. I just wanted people to know that not all experienced photographers necessarily charge expensive amounts. (And before a photographer shouts at me, I don't think more expensive amounts are unreasonable.)

Jewelleryfan

fly_dragon_fly wrote: »

just because a photographer isn't full time doesn't mean they aren't amazing! It costs a lot of money to go from part time to full time but the effort they put in doesn't change when the go from part to full time!

I think the only thing that is annoying is when clients get photo's printed by tesco's kodak etc and the quality is poor and doesn't reflect the photographer work. there are companies that cost a photographer a few pence per print have a google for professional labs and you'll find load that are actually cheaper than tesco's photobox etc.

Rant over haha xx

I didn't say his photos wouldn't be any good just because he is part time, in my first post o said his photos were brilliant but as he is a young lad and only covered one wedding I worried about needing to coach him too much. I also said we have nearly 2 years before the wedding and in this time he would gain experience so that's fine. We also realise there is alot of work in editing the final photos before we get this on disc and we would pay in accordingly for his time and effort but it would still be cheaper than other people I have seen.

neilcrook

I had some concerns regarding our photographer as he had never done a wedding when we booked him. His other work is really good though so took the plunge on mates rates (£250). He has since done a wedding and they are good. If you have a bossy usher, he can help move people. Provide him with a list of must have photos too so that he knows what formal shots are required.

Photobook wise, there are some lovely sites out there and as long as you research them well you will get a decent book. If you put the time and effort in to make sure it is what you want then it will be fine. And the photographer will no doubt have heard of some decent sites and will recommend.

I've found that if they are relatively new they take more care in ensuring your photos are right.

Murtle

You should create a list of photos you want taken anyway so you will need to guide any photographer. The ushers / bridesmaids etc can help get people in the right places etc. Talk to him before hand so he is really clear on what you want!

Miss_Bolan

fly_dragon_fly wrote: »

I think the only thing that is annoying is when clients get photo's printed by tesco's kodak etc and the quality is poor and doesn't reflect the photographer work. there are companies that cost a photographer a few pence per print have a google for professional labs and you'll find load that are actually cheaper than tesco's photobox etc.

Rant over haha xx

Thanks for this advice fly dragon fly. To be honest I hadn't given much thought to where I would get the photo's printed yet but I will certainly make sure I look into it in a bit more detail when I come to it!