Prices for wedding photos?

[garya505 2]

we had a friend who took our pictures for free, then had them developed at Wall Mart for less than $10. We had them back by the time we finished eating our dinner at Olive Garden.

we did that, everyone at the wedding had a disposable or digital camera

wedding photographer wanted $500 for one hour for about a dozen pics (no digital copies), and we paid less than $100 for disposable cameras, developing, regular prints and large prints, plus got about 80 good pics

With me working weddings, from time to time, I see people taking the disposable cameras into the bathroom. You may be wondering why? If you don't know, it's because they're taking pictures of their a$$es. Easy to spot whenever you see people exiting the bathroom laughing like maniacs!

Wow, sound like classy weddings...

That's why we only invited the witnesses!!!

Anyway, one of the witnesses (good friends) got a few good photos, so I can tell the scumbag photographer to piss off! And I can promise you that the photographer is going to get plenty of "negative advertising" from me.

[JohnK 0]

I think $5000 sounds excessive, but then again some photographers never give out their originals and copyright all the images they do give you so you can't have them duplicated legally. I'm assuming here that the photographer DID give you printed copies of the photos, and now you're wanting the digital originals for personal use?

[garya505 2]

I think $5000 sounds excessive, but then again some photographers never give out their originals and copyright all the images they do give you so you can't have them duplicated legally. I'm assuming here that the photographer DID give you printed copies of the photos, and now you're wanting the digital originals for personal use?

No, they haven't given me anything yet. They way it was explained to me by the events coordinator at the chapel, all photo purchases are arranged with the photographer after the wedding. The chapel package price only included the cost of having the photographer there to take the photos.

My wife just wants a few good ones to post for her friends to see (friendster, etc.) and I'd like a few for making prints in the future.

[Anna C. 4]

You can buy each print and then scan it and send it via email to her country, also you could simply print it with a good printer (they're not that expensive for photo quality anymore).

Our photographer was in that point annoying that he added his copyright by Mr. XYZ ON the prints. I though when I purchased them that this is probably normal in the USA, in Germany they'd get their behind kicked for that. Later it turned out that this is not right (hubbie didn't know either). So I must say whenever I should ever hire a photographer again, I will negotiate every little detail beforehand and make a contract where everything is written in case they change their minds....

Anyway with really good cameras nowadays you don't even need a photographer. I myself knew more about Photoshop than this guy and corrected everything afterwards.

[Fandango 1,439]

I'd check your paperwork, then try to reason a price with the photog. Yes, you were in the wrong for not checking beforehand, but $5k seems to me like extortion.

If you're not going to pay the $5k, then the photog doesn't get any money...so (s)he should be in a better mindframe to negotiate...

And many businesses fear negative press....bad news travels 10 times as fast...so I'd make that clear to the photog and the wedding coordinator. Maybe they'll be willing to come to an agreement.

Check your paperwork. If there's no agreement, I'd take the photog and the coordinator to small claims court. You might not win, but the filing fees for it cost about $170...so even if you lose, you've mucked up their day, and also have a public record being recorded that they both were sued. THAT fact alone might make them more amenable to settle this with you.

Congrats on the baby!

[JohnK 0]

I think $5000 sounds excessive, but then again some photographers never give out their originals and copyright all the images they do give you so you can't have them duplicated legally. I'm assuming here that the photographer DID give you printed copies of the photos, and now you're wanting the digital originals for personal use?

No, they haven't given me anything yet. They way it was explained to me by the events coordinator at the chapel, all photo purchases are arranged with the photographer after the wedding. The chapel package price only included the cost of having the photographer there to take the photos.

My wife just wants a few good ones to post for her friends to see (friendster, etc.) and I'd like a few for making prints in the future.

Sounds to me like you're getting screwed then. I hope you haven't paid the wedding coordinator yet. I'd not pay her, then wait until she sued me for the money so in court I could show the judge that she wasn't looking out for my best interests.

[garya505 2]

I think $5000 sounds excessive, but then again some photographers never give out their originals and copyright all the images they do give you so you can't have them duplicated legally. I'm assuming here that the photographer DID give you printed copies of the photos, and now you're wanting the digital originals for personal use?

No, they haven't given me anything yet. They way it was explained to me by the events coordinator at the chapel, all photo purchases are arranged with the photographer after the wedding. The chapel package price only included the cost of having the photographer there to take the photos.

My wife just wants a few good ones to post for her friends to see (friendster, etc.) and I'd like a few for making prints in the future.

Sounds to me like you're getting screwed then. I hope you haven't paid the wedding coordinator yet. I'd not pay her, then wait until she sued me for the money so in court I could show the judge that she wasn't looking out for my best interests.

I've already paid the chapel.

The thing is, I specifically asked the chapel guy about the photo CD, "can I get them on CD?", and he just said "you have to ask the photographer about that". He didn't tell me who the photograher was, and I didn't ask. He had to know about the prices because he had used this photographer before, and he would know that the price for the CD was way too high, yet he said nothing. He certainly wasn't looking out for my best interests, but that isn't illegal really. In the very least, it's poor business practice, and of course if he's getting a percentage, that would be unethical wouldn't it?

BTW, the total cost for the chapel, minister, flowers, and organist was $1400. How could this guy think $5000 was OK for a photo CD???

[Dan J 277]

If your paying $5k you better have a really amazing photographer.

Photographers make money off of two things, the fee for taking pictures at the event, and selling prints. Unless your contract specifies it, the photographer owns the photos, and will likely charge a lot more if they are going to assign those rights to you since they wont be able to make any money on selling prints.

Fees will vary, the better the photographer, the more they will likely charge. Though some bad photographers charge more than they should. If your happy with amature photos, get a couple of cheap digital cameras (like a Canon Powershot A460) and give them to friends at the wedding. If you want professional photos, then do expect to pay at least a couple thousand depending where you live and how good the photographer is.

[garya505 2]

If your paying $5k you better have a really amazing photographer.

Photographers make money off of two things, the fee for taking pictures at the event, and selling prints. Unless your contract specifies it, the photographer owns the photos, and will likely charge a lot more if they are going to assign those rights to you since they wont be able to make any money on selling prints.

Fees will vary, the better the photographer, the more they will likely charge. Though some bad photographers charge more than they should. If your happy with amature photos, get a couple of cheap digital cameras (like a Canon Powershot A460) and give them to friends at the wedding. If you want professional photos, then do expect to pay at least a couple thousand depending where you live and how good the photographer is.

Maybe you didn't read the original post. The wedding is in the past. The photographer is now holding the photos for extortion.

I didn't have any kind of contact with the photographer, only with the chapel, and it doesn't say any details about the photographer.

[robacjd 1]

If your paying $5k you better have a really amazing photographer.

Photographers make money off of two things, the fee for taking pictures at the event, and selling prints. Unless your contract specifies it, the photographer owns the photos, and will likely charge a lot more if they are going to assign those rights to you since they wont be able to make any money on selling prints.

Fees will vary, the better the photographer, the more they will likely charge. Though some bad photographers charge more than they should. If your happy with amature photos, get a couple of cheap digital cameras (like a Canon Powershot A460) and give them to friends at the wedding. If you want professional photos, then do expect to pay at least a couple thousand depending where you live and how good the photographer is.

Maybe you didn't read the original post. The wedding is in the past. The photographer is now holding the photos for extortion.

I didn't have any kind of contact with the photographer, only with the chapel, and it doesn't say any details about the photographer.

Hi Gary & Florenda,

This is Alona, we met at the interview in Manila. Congratulations on your wedding . Sorry to hear you were taken advantage of concerning your wedding pictures. Donald and I were married at Las Vegas on May 16. We flew from our hometown to Las Vegas and back, and got married in a wedding chapel in Vegas, it only cost us $1,153.00 for airfare and hotel, and $135.00 for the wedding and 99 wedding pictures on a cd.

Congratulations on hearing of your upcoming baby. Please extend my regards to Florenda. (if she still remember me).Hahahaha.

[rob&ana 0]

Im so sorry to hear about the photographer…

When I came to the US, and we were planning the wedding, pictures were also important to me because most of my family wouldn’t be able to assist. And when I told my husband he said that a photographer was way too expensive (and like many of us here, we were on a budget for the wedding). However, I was set on having a photographer, and having good pictures. I remember I sat on the computer around 8:30 am and searched online for photographers in the area. The prices were astonishing; they charged ridiculous amounts of money for a couple of hours at the wedding and then another whole lot for copies of the pictures and/or digital files.

Until I found one that wasn’t unreasonable at all. She charged me $700 for 4 hours, came to my house to take pictures of me and my family, and then went to the wedding location, took pics of Rob and his family, during the ceremony and then some candid piccies during the reception. She was very professional. The CD was an extra 100, but well worth it we have around 180 pictures and all of them are awesome (no copyright ####### on them btw).

I know that it is too late for the OP, and frankly I think that what they are asking for it’s not only outrageous but insulting. To people that are planning weddings, do your homework, search online, get appointments and look at their portfolios, they should have different plans and pick the one that adapts more to your taste and budget.

[garya505 2]

If your paying $5k you better have a really amazing photographer.

Photographers make money off of two things, the fee for taking pictures at the event, and selling prints. Unless your contract specifies it, the photographer owns the photos, and will likely charge a lot more if they are going to assign those rights to you since they wont be able to make any money on selling prints.

Fees will vary, the better the photographer, the more they will likely charge. Though some bad photographers charge more than they should. If your happy with amature photos, get a couple of cheap digital cameras (like a Canon Powershot A460) and give them to friends at the wedding. If you want professional photos, then do expect to pay at least a couple thousand depending where you live and how good the photographer is.

Maybe you didn't read the original post. The wedding is in the past. The photographer is now holding the photos for extortion.

I didn't have any kind of contact with the photographer, only with the chapel, and it doesn't say any details about the photographer.

Hi Gary & Florenda,

This is Alona, we met at the interview in Manila. Congratulations on your wedding . Sorry to hear you were taken advantage of concerning your wedding pictures. Donald and I were married at Las Vegas on May 16. We flew from our hometown to Las Vegas and back, and got married in a wedding chapel in Vegas, it only cost us $1,153.00 for airfare and hotel, and $135.00 for the wedding and 99 wedding pictures on a cd.

Congratulations on hearing of your upcoming baby. Please extend my regards to Florenda. (if she still remember me).Hahahaha.

Yes of course we remeber you. We enjoyed your company in the Embassy.

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

$5000 is disgusting!!!

Only thing I wonder about, I'm a semi-professional photographer and I would only sell a photo CD of prints the couple had already purchased. I price my photos by the amount of prints, I can sometimes take upwards of 600 photos per wedding, but the couple would usually take about half of those.

If they were to take all 600 plus want high resolution photos on a photo CD, that would push the price up. Of course NOWHERE in the region of $5000!

How many photos did the photographer take?

Did you want photos on the CD that you weren't buying???

[garya505 2]

$5000 is disgusting!!!

Only thing I wonder about, I'm a semi-professional photographer and I would only sell a photo CD of prints the couple had already purchased. I price my photos by the amount of prints, I can sometimes take upwards of 600 photos per wedding, but the couple would usually take about half of those.

If they were to take all 600 plus want high resolution photos on a photo CD, that would push the price up. Of course NOWHERE in the region of $5000!

How many photos did the photographer take?

Did you want photos on the CD that you weren't buying???

The photographer was selected by the chapel staff (I told them I wanted a CD of the images but I guess they "forgot") and they did not give me the prices and policies of the photographer. I'll estimate that the photographer took ~200 shots. The photographer has given me 100 proofs (72 dpi with watermark) and about half were duplicate poses so there are maybe 50 usable images. The work was just average. I haven't bought any prints yet.

They will only give me the CD if I buy $5000 in prints. I offered to buy a portion of the digital images and they refused. I'd be happy to buy about $1000 worth of prints (out of the 50 usable shots they gave me) if they would include the the CD with it. They won't do that, so I'll just buy $500 or so in prints and they will lose the extra revenue.

Bascially I'm screwed here. I didn't get anything in writing. If I push them and complain too much they can cut me off and refuse to sell me anything. I can't afford to do that because these photos are very important to my wife and me. So, all I can do is get the photos we want, then take our complaints where appropriate. Unfortunately the prints will take 6-8 weeks, so I can't complain too loudly until then.

[garya505 2]

The bottom line here is that I was paying the chapel so I expected them to act in my best interest in selecting a photographer. The chapel package included the photographer at the wedding only. I told the chapel manager that I wanted a CD of the photos. Per the chapel contract, purchase of photos was to be arranged directly with the photographer. The chapel manager didn't give me any pricing or policies of the photographer and now claims he knows nothing about their prices, though he had a very nice photo album from them in his office.

BTW, when I contacted the chapel manager about the $5000 requirement for the CD, he said it was "unreasonable for me to expect the photographer to do all the work and just give away the images on CD". Huh? I didn't ask for them to give it to me, just sell it to me for a reasonble price.