Reasonable wedding photographer cost?

I have a friend who is getting married in August and she asked me to photograph her wedding. I am a firm believer that for a wedding you should hire a true professional and skimp on cost somewhere else! So I managed to convince her that while she likes a lot of the photos I take a wedding is not the place for an amatuer like myself. At my own wedding 10 years ago we skimped on the photographer and had a friend of the family who had a good camera take the pictures - what a mistake. When we got the pictures back from him my wife almost cried they were so bad. We were getting pictures from the disposable cameras that we left at the tables that were better!

So I promised my friend I would find out what an average cost for a decent photographer would be in the San Francisco Bay Area. I figured the best place to get a unbiased opinion would be here.

I will probably go with her when she is trying to pick somebody out to ask the more technical questions and check out their portfolios. But I really have no idea what a reasonable price range is.

Thanks!

Doug
http://www.pbase.com/deddleman

Doug Eddleman said:

But I really have no idea what a reasonable price range is.
Doug
http://www.pbase.com/deddleman

Click to expand...

No one in the photographic world does, only the client can answer that question, for what may seem unreasonable to one person may be totally acceptable to another. If I told you the fee that I have been paid for some jobs, a)you wouldn't believe me and b) you would soil yourself. The type of clients that I attract tell me what they want, I do it, I send them a bill, they pay it. As the old saying goes, if you have to ask, you can't afford it.

I understand that in the consumer world people are always looking for the "best deal". A new Sony 36" TV is $1299 at merchant "A" and $999 at merchant "B" for the same exact model. Apples to Apples. Two different photographers = two diff. styles/skill levels, etc. Apples to Oranges. Getting a price over the phone won't reveal that.

Just "guessing" at what your client is after, I'd say in the SF area $3500-$7000 would get a satisfactory job done. A photographer who says that they'll do it for $800 should send up red flags. You'll really just have to look around. I always recommend that people first look at the photographers work and personality before basing decisions on price.
--
Mark Currier

Between $1,000 and $10,000. I'm not try to be a "smart aleck", but it is a bit like asking what a reasonable boat costs. We don't know if you are looking for a dingy or a yacht! There are a lot of websites for wedding shooters, visit s few (google will find them). If you want to help your friend out, you will need a bit more info. Date (and day of the week). Service and/or reception coverage. Do you want prints, albums, proofs?

Doug Eddleman said:

I have a friend who is getting married in August and she asked me
to photograph her wedding. I am a firm believer that for a wedding
you should hire a true professional and skimp on cost somewhere
else! So I managed to convince her that while she likes a lot of
the photos I take a wedding is not the place for an amatuer like
myself. At my own wedding 10 years ago we skimped on the
photographer and had a friend of the family who had a good camera
take the pictures - what a mistake. When we got the pictures back
from him my wife almost cried they were so bad. We were getting
pictures from the disposable cameras that we left at the tables
that were better!

So I promised my friend I would find out what an average cost for a
decent photographer would be in the San Francisco Bay Area. I
figured the best place to get a unbiased opinion would be here.

I will probably go with her when she is trying to pick somebody out
to ask the more technical questions and check out their portfolios.
But I really have no idea what a reasonable price range is.

Thanks!

Doug
http://www.pbase.com/deddleman

Click to expand...

--
Tom Ferguson
http://www.ferguson-photo-design.com

Tom Ferguson said:

Doug Eddleman said:

I have a friend who is getting married in August and she asked me
to photograph her wedding. I am a firm believer that for a wedding
you should hire a true professional and skimp on cost somewhere
else! So I managed to convince her that while she likes a lot of
the photos I take a wedding is not the place for an amatuer like
myself. At my own wedding 10 years ago we skimped on the
photographer and had a friend of the family who had a good camera
take the pictures - what a mistake. When we got the pictures back
from him my wife almost cried they were so bad. We were getting
pictures from the disposable cameras that we left at the tables
that were better!

So I promised my friend I would find out what an average cost for a
decent photographer would be in the San Francisco Bay Area. I
figured the best place to get a unbiased opinion would be here.

I will probably go with her when she is trying to pick somebody out
to ask the more technical questions and check out their portfolios.
But I really have no idea what a reasonable price range is.

Thanks!

Doug
http://www.pbase.com/deddleman

Click to expand...

--
Tom Ferguson
http://www.ferguson-photo-design.com

Click to expand...

I'll try to be more specific...in Indiana, the average wedding photographer charges $1100 for their most popular (not cheapest..most popular) package. I've seen prices from good pros ranging from $1000 for a pretty basic setup from a portrait studio up to $4000 for photojournalistic style coverage from a prominant artist who specialises in that style. In California, it's probably going to be quite a lot more expensive since cost of living in general is outrageous there.
--
Chris Crawford

http://www.crawfordandkline.com

Hi,
You need to think about

1) How many photos & style etc.
2) 1, 2 or more photgraphers
3) The are going for a well known or not so well known photographer.
4) Large agency or one man band!
4) Some studio shot maybe
5) Cost of the prints included extra
6) ....
A few ideas for you.

Christopher Crawford said:

Tom Ferguson said:

Doug Eddleman said:

I have a friend who is getting married in August and she asked me
to photograph her wedding. I am a firm believer that for a wedding
you should hire a true professional and skimp on cost somewhere
else! So I managed to convince her that while she likes a lot of
the photos I take a wedding is not the place for an amatuer like
myself. At my own wedding 10 years ago we skimped on the
photographer and had a friend of the family who had a good camera
take the pictures - what a mistake. When we got the pictures back
from him my wife almost cried they were so bad. We were getting
pictures from the disposable cameras that we left at the tables
that were better!

So I promised my friend I would find out what an average cost for a
decent photographer would be in the San Francisco Bay Area. I
figured the best place to get a unbiased opinion would be here.

I will probably go with her when she is trying to pick somebody out
to ask the more technical questions and check out their portfolios.
But I really have no idea what a reasonable price range is.

Thanks!

Doug
http://www.pbase.com/deddleman

Click to expand...

--
Tom Ferguson
http://www.ferguson-photo-design.com

Click to expand...

I'll try to be more specific...in Indiana, the average wedding
photographer charges $1100 for their most popular (not
cheapest..most popular) package. I've seen prices from good pros
ranging from $1000 for a pretty basic setup from a portrait studio
up to $4000 for photojournalistic style coverage from a prominant
artist who specialises in that style. In California, it's
probably going to be quite a lot more expensive since cost of
living in general is outrageous there.
--
Chris Crawford

http://www.crawfordandkline.com

Click to expand...

--
Alex
LWS photographic (UK)

http://www.lizaheider.com

--
http://www.johnmaclean.com

I always recommend that

mark currier said:

people first look at the photographers work and personality before
basing decisions on price.
--
Mark Currier

Click to expand...

Assuming that the photographer's work is acceptable, his/her personality can make a tremendous difference on the wedding day. You will need to use your sixth sense on this aspect of choosing your photographer, but don't underestimate its importance.

Kind regards, Calvin Wilson

Hi Doug,

We're not average, because we don't have a studio storefront, but $2500 will get you a full day's coverage, engagement session, thank you cards, and three albums. (1 bride and 2 parent) Basic coverage is less. Sorry that isn't unbiased, but it is a data point.

Regards.

http://www.memobug.com
memoBug Studio
408.356.0246
Los Gatos, CA

Doug Eddleman said:

I have a friend who is getting married in August and she asked me
to photograph her wedding. I am a firm believer that for a wedding
you should hire a true professional and skimp on cost somewhere
else! So I managed to convince her that while she likes a lot of
the photos I take a wedding is not the place for an amatuer like
myself. At my own wedding 10 years ago we skimped on the
photographer and had a friend of the family who had a good camera
take the pictures - what a mistake. When we got the pictures back
from him my wife almost cried they were so bad. We were getting
pictures from the disposable cameras that we left at the tables
that were better!

So I promised my friend I would find out what an average cost for a
decent photographer would be in the San Francisco Bay Area. I
figured the best place to get a unbiased opinion would be here.

I will probably go with her when she is trying to pick somebody out
to ask the more technical questions and check out their portfolios.
But I really have no idea what a reasonable price range is.

Thanks!

Doug
http://www.pbase.com/deddleman

Click to expand...

--
Matt

look on the knot or other wedding guides for a list of local photographers in your area. they should have lists that also show websites. look at the photographers website, get an idea for their style and what they offer, and narrow it down to 5-10 to call and meet with.

i live near and most wedding photographers range from 2,000-10,000. but remember you get what you pay for, unless you get someone maybe just starting out, like me.

Matt Chroust said:

We're not average, because we don't have a studio storefront, but
$2500 will get you a full day's coverage, engagement session, thank
you cards, and three albums. (1 bride and 2 parent) Basic coverage
is less. Sorry that isn't unbiased, but it is a data point.

Regards.

http://www.memobug.com
memoBug Studio
408.356.0246
Los Gatos, CA

Doug Eddleman said:

I have a friend who is getting married in August and she asked me
to photograph her wedding. I am a firm believer that for a wedding
you should hire a true professional and skimp on cost somewhere
else! So I managed to convince her that while she likes a lot of
the photos I take a wedding is not the place for an amatuer like
myself. At my own wedding 10 years ago we skimped on the
photographer and had a friend of the family who had a good camera
take the pictures - what a mistake. When we got the pictures back
from him my wife almost cried they were so bad. We were getting
pictures from the disposable cameras that we left at the tables
that were better!

So I promised my friend I would find out what an average cost for a
decent photographer would be in the San Francisco Bay Area. I
figured the best place to get a unbiased opinion would be here.

I will probably go with her when she is trying to pick somebody out
to ask the more technical questions and check out their portfolios.
But I really have no idea what a reasonable price range is.

Thanks!

Doug
http://www.pbase.com/deddleman

Click to expand...

--
Matt

Click to expand...

--
The best success is the one in which you risk the most in order to succeed.

I'd like to thank everyone for the excellent tips! I knew that there would be a large price range depending on who and what kind of package but I wanted to have a general idea before starting the actual search.

Thanks again,
Doug