“Great wedding photography shot by a professional photographer isn’t expensive, it’s priceless!”
Yeah, this sounds like a cliché but it is TRUE !!
Think about it, after the wedding is over all you will have left to remember that once in a lifetime day are your wedding photographs. The decision to hire a competent seasoned professional or adept weekend- warrior- with -a cost-saving camera can be daunting considering the huge array of photographers out there who are willing to take on the huge responsibility of covering your wedding.
Weddings can be expensive undertakings here in the Raleigh NC area and it is important to incorporate a common sense approach when considering the constraints of your wedding photography budget. Not everyone can afford a professional photographer (or so they think ) so it might be tempting to cut corners on service or quality. Please consider the cost-saving options below and then scroll down to read a small bit common sense advice ending with a decree of exceptional wedding day photography service starting under $1500 offered to you by this professional wedding & event photographer, Sally A. Siko owner of Silvercord Event Photography.
1. “Why pay for an event photographer at all? I have a Cool Uncle Bob who takes great photos and he has offered to take some pics at my wedding.”
Thanks to today’s technology we all have at least an 8-megapixel camera with us at all times via our smart phone’s. Heck, there are even GREAT Ap’s for digital photo editing that you can do anywhere with one click on your iPhones screen. This sort of technology in everyone’s hands is a game changer for many who are considering counting on their friends and family to provide the wedding day photography. Plus it is a really nice thing for your well-meaning loved ones to do for you to help save you money.
Enter your Cool Uncle Bob, his iPhone 10 that he has in his front pocket or his sweet Powershot camera that is with him wherever he goes. He has a website filled with gorgeous photographs of all his trips around the world that shows he knows how to compose a beauty shot. With only his iPhone he can snap off a great image, edit the photo on the spot and text that pic straight to the bride and groom before the ceremony is over. Heck, I can do that (while carrying my multiple giant Canons around my neck ) and so can he. Here is the thing to ask yourself before you rely on friend or family member to cover your entire wedding day, is your Cool Uncle Bob a guest at your wedding or not?
If he ISN’T an invited guest then he is taking the all of the wedding photographs for free as a favor to you then that is AWESOME! Seriously, the economy sucks and if Uncle Bob charges you nothing, can follow you around all day knowing what you’re looking for, knows how to compose a shot properly, press a shutter on a smartphone or digital camera, then why not? It is a good way to save money and honestly if Cool Uncle Bob has your best interests in mind 100% of the time while taking pictures then this is the route I WOULD GO FOR MY OWN WEDDING ( and did actually !) and I do this for a living…
However…If Cool Uncle Bob IS an invited guest at your wedding then you should ask yourself if can you count on him to take ALL of the photos that are key moments throughout your ONCE IN A LIFETIME DAY while still having fun at your reception living up to his moniker of Cool Uncle Bob. Cool Uncle Bob did not get that rep. by hanging out around the edges of the party taking it all in from afar while sipping a hot chocolate. Heck no! He is right up on that dance floor doing the Cupid Shuffle, knocking back a cocktail or two while he tells the story to your Maid of Honor about “the one that got away”. Wait, what was he supposed to be doing? Oh yeah, photos!! Wait, where is the bride? Argh, I’ll track her down later for a ‘pic with her and her new husband, right after this song…
2. “Ok, so maybe I should just hire a photography student to cover my wedding.”
This is an attractive option for many people trying to save money on wedding expenses. After all these students are the process earning a degree in PHOTOGRAPHY so I bet that they will technically produce beautiful work including inspired imagery that shows off a level of aptitude beyond the usual. Bonus, they generally don’t charge very much because they are just starting to build their portfolios. Hey, everyone has to start their photography career somewhere, why not begin the journey with YOUR WEDDING DAY?
3. “All I want is a DVD burned with my pictures on it .”
Yup, in this day and age this is the way to go. The ability to have your entire wedding days memories contained on this one disc is awesome. Keep in mind that all DVDs are NOT created equal. Before you sign up to have that shoot and burn photographer cover your wedding be sure to ask them what size files will be delivered on those discs and if they will engage in any sort of post-production process of your wedding photos. Many photographers will give you a DVD for VIEWING ONLY or containing images that may be good for UP TO A 4X6 print. If thats cool with you, then by all means book that photographer on the spot since most photographers that offer this service are pretty reasonable in price. If you think that you should have a right to print your own images at a 5X7, an 8X11 or WAAAAY BIGGER ( like Fathead on the wall size) then keep reading.
4. ” My photographer said that he/ she will email me all of my digital wedding photos. I think that it’s awesome that I have anytime access to all my pics now stored on my computer and phone. It is so convenient.”
I bet that you LOVE the digital photographs that you’ve have taken over the years as much as I do. It is so freak’n sweet that with a click of a mouse or a swipe on a screen one can bring up and view EVERY one of those pics instantly ANYWHERE. There is one problem though. If there was a fire at your house and everything was destroyed, (including your computer) wouldn’t your wedding photographs (and all other digital images for that matter) be high on the list for what you would miss the most? What if your computer just randomly crashed and you lost every single digital image that you had stored on that hard drive? Also how many times have you updated/ upgraded or changed your cell phones service provider and have somehow, inexplicably, shockingly, lost your personal data during the transfer? This happens all the time and IT SUCKS so this is why I store all of my personal and client photos securely off-site ( more on that later).
Here is my perspective on all of these points from behind a professionals lens….
Point One. The Uncle Bob option.
Here is the deal. I really do believe that it is a good idea to try and save money wherever you can, especially when you are starting a new life with someone. If you honestly know that you can trust your friend or Cool Uncle Bob to take technically beautiful and relevant photographs that will truly capture your entire wedding day’s story from start to finish then please, be smart, take advantage of this wonderful gift.
Speaking from experience here though, my own wedding photographs were taken by a close friend (feels like a million years ago now, lol ) who was at the time a gifted novice photographer .
She approached me offering to cover my wedding for free in exchange for portfolio filling opportunities. I had seen a few examples of her work. Great landscapes, beautiful, family portrait sessions and pretty nature photos made me think that she would be just fine as my wedding photographer. Plus, SHE WAS NOT CHARGING ME ANYTHING!
What I did not know at the time I accepted her generous offer was that there is a HUGE difference between staging a portrait session or nature beauty shot under semi-controlled natural lighting conditions vs. covering an entire wedding day. Although the images delivered were more or less timeline relevant but they were taken with very sub-par equipment and consequently very, very grainy ( unacceptably high ISO speeds) and not well exposed because she did not own an external flash (in fairness my reception venue was a photography nightmare, natural wood walls, high ceilinged, candlelit and in the dark and she was used to taking all of her photos utilizing natural light sources).
There were also very few truly candid images taken at my reception because she was a guest at my wedding and she was busy.. having fun! Most of the photos taken at this time were of the “say cheese!” variety and not particularly creative perspective wise.
In the end, I do have a few photos and this is all that matters. Do I wish that I could still see my husbands face while he spoke his vows to me without looking at a blown out overexposed mess or have the ability to look back and see my Moms face as I walked down the isle clearly and in focus? Sure. But truthfully, I received more then what I what a paid for. Or at least the standard of image quality that I accepted so I can’t complain.
Having years of wedding day photography moments under my belt and the strong knowledge of the proper use of my photography equipment has taught me to anticipate the clients desired “key moments” and to be READY FOR ANYTHING that crosses my field of view in ANY lighting condition. I view my wedding day coverage somewhat like a photo ninja, never seen but always there when you least expect it. I do not pose or stage people for photographs ( except when requested to do so or during the Formal portrait time) because I believe a “fly on the wall” photojournalistic approach is best.
Point Two. The Photography student option
Every wedding day has a certain flow to it and being able to see a shot before it happens is a talent that only can be honed via real-world experience not taught in any classroom. Just knowing what lens to use for any situation ( fast-moving subjects, dark rooms, backlight etc.) is worth it’s weight in gold ( or student loans!) but the ability to rapidly adjust and adapt ones creative approach towards an ever-changing emotionally charged subject is a skill that is only sharpened with time spent in the real world of wedding day jitters, highs & lows.
As your wedding day photographer I know that it is my job to cover your day in the most visually appealing and professional manner possible too. It is totally unacceptable to miss out on several shots because of “faulty equipment.” Yes of course when you’re dealing with any electronics things can go wrong, this is why I ALWAYS CARRY BACK UPS for each piece of camera gear I own. This is an expensive proposition for anyone looking to start out in the wedding and event industry and it is highly unlikely that a photography student of limited means will carry more then one set of HIGH END cameras, lenses and flashes in their bag. If your willing to trade a lower price in service for the possibility of missed photos due to camera/ equipment failure then go ahead and help fill that photographers portfolio. Odds are, you’ll be fine, just don’t bitch or complain IF things go wrong . In addition, ALWAYS ask if your photographer has a backup plan if they somehow cannot shoot your wedding. ( FYI : I have 2 reputable professional photographers on hand, ready to go, if I can’t make it to a wedding for any reason, and YES that is in my service contract)
I do offer the delivery of digital images to my clients as a matter of keeping up with the trends of my customers needs and wants. I also make it clear in contractual form that my clients have the right to print their images wherever they want so long as the images are not used to sell for a profit. Each image I deliver on the DVD is of the HIGHEST RESOLUTION POSSIBLE jpeg quality. This means that you can expect large file sizes in glorious high resolution. You could literally make a Fathead to stick up on your wall of your favorite wedding day photo if you wanted. Lol!
Each DVD delivery consists of both edited and unedited images. That way if someone does not care for the enhanced image version they will always have the “not- touched” original version available for future use. Speaking of editing, do you know that on average most FULL-TIME professional photographers spend an average of 20 – 60 hours in the post-production process with every wedding package? That seems about right for me personally as well. What is post-production? That is the term used when I crop, realign, color correct, blemish fix, desaturate ( make a black and white copy) or otherwise add that special artistic “touch” to a number of great images to enhance the quality and “pop” of many photos. This is a time consuming but a VERY enjoyable creative process that just can’t be duplicated by a “one touch Ap” on a smartphone so that is why it can take up to 60 days from the wedding for your photo files to become available.
Each wedding is a creative challenge to me. I know that my clients wedding photography deserves the respect and time put into making each image as close to perfectly beautiful without destroying the integrity of the scene as possible. ( By the way, no Russian Photoshop here, LOL! Google that term and have a chuckle!)
No one is obligated to buy a single print from me since all digital images are delivered with printing rights included, however, in addition to offering digital files, I also include a “print on demand and then mail to your front door” option STANDARD with every package. I have partnered up with a company called MPIX who is OUTSTANDING in the arena of customer service and consistently delivers stellar print quality for all of my clients. From matte, gloss and metallic prints to HUGE canvases and flush wall mounted framed & frameless images my print supplier has it all. I am also able to offer really cool alternative printing options to my clients including, calendars, cards, glasses, apparel and even skateboard decks.
Each one of my clients can order their prints straight off of their ONLINE GALLERY and have it delivered to their home, an option that I also INCLUDE WITH EVERY PACKAGE which brings me to my next point below….
Point. Four The “They will email me my wedding photos” wedding photographer option.
Again, isn’t it great that we live in a time where you can get what you want so quickly and easily? Nothing beats being able to text my clients with a preview image or a sneak peek of their wedding gallery while I am working. I also love the ease in which I can access all of my clients and my own personal family photographs via my photography website.
That being said, a word about the storage of digital images on the net and on your home computer. I personally use Carbonite as a backup peace of mind just in case something terrible happens to my computer during the post-production of my client’s photographs. It’s also a huge asset to have if I accidentally delete an image that I did not mean too during the editing of the images because I can download the original image via my Carbonite Cloud from anywhere including my Mac and my iPhone. I always recommend this service to my clients because I think that this peace of mind is pretty awesome for just $50 a year. Not being paid for that Carbonite plug, I am just a huge fan of backing up my backups because in my business there are NO EXCUSES for not delivering what my clients paid me for,l ol!
I know that having easy ( and secure) digital access to wedding day images is something that my customers want so each one of my clients are provided a password protected ONLINE DIGITAL GALLERY STANDARD with every package. Yes, I can send my clients the images via email but additionally, I currently offer password protected share galleries ( no downloading, just a great way to share the wedding day with family and friends) and password protected downloadable access galleries.
The downloadable access galleries are double password protected and are only accessible by certain individuals via my clients wishes. Its a great option for my clients who have friends and family who could not attend the wedding but still want to feel like they were there, plus they can download the images straight onto their computers and have the images printed wherever they wish. It also cuts down the hassle of having to email a bunch of photos to people who attended the wedding because they can just visit the online gallery instead.
My clients may access their personal gallery from anywhere in the world using any device. My web server Zenfolio even has an Ap where my clients can view their photographs. Nothing makes my day better than from hearing from a soldier overseas who is able to securely view photos of his family via his smartphone using my website. I mean, how sweet is that?
I am also totally fine with NOT creating a publicly searchable online gallery for a client if they wish. All I would require in that case is a handful of choice images for my portfolio in which my clients remain completely anonymous. My portfolio galleries are the place where people may review my work ( kinda crucial for me) however all images contained therein are NOT DOWNLOADABLE and NOT AVAILABLE FOR PRINT PURCHASE by ANYONE online EVER. I will say that portfolio images may be chosen for news stories, editorials etc. from time to time, however again all people pictured will remain anonymous with only my name attached to each image.
THE BOTTOM LINE. $1500 photography
I truly love my job and never want to do anything else so, in order to ensure that this photography business remains a “full time” occupation, I must stay competitive and fluid in regards to my pricing and structure for photography packages, consequently keeping my rates low at times and raising them at peak seasons. I am keenly aware that my particular industry is very competitive both in talent and price range. Now, here is the deal…. Yes, you have many choices out there when it comes to choosing the right person to cover your wedding day with a camera. It seems to me that you should ultimately make your decision based on 3 factors. Style, Price, and Service.
I have recently restructured my photography prices to adjust to my customer’s needs in “the new normal economy” and now offer wedding photography service starting less for than $1500. This will typically include coverage of the wedding ceremony, formal portraits and a few hours of the reception. Digital files are, of course, included along with my creative post-production editing of the images. I also include that standard online gallery in this package so my clients can quickly share the wedding day in the easiest manner possible.
In closing all I want at the end of the day is to be a happy wedding photographer for the rest of my life. Like seriously, I LOVE my job! This can only happen if I offer 1000% of my best efforts to each and every client because word of mouth travels faster then ever. As I type this post today I have a service record of 100% customer satisfaction and absolutely no regrets about any photograph I have ever taken or delivered to a client.
I understand that times are tough and are always willing to work with my clients to find the most financially sound solution to accommodate their wedding day budget. I just want to find the ways that will serve my customers needs best because after all, a happy and relaxed set of clients always makes for better wedding photographs and at the end of the day that is all that matters, right?
To view my entire price list please click here
http://sallysiko.zenfolio.com/raleigh-wedding-photography-price-and-service-information
To view my portfolio please visit
http://sallysiko.zenfolio.com/raleigh/wedding/photography/moments
To contact me with questions in regards to date availability for any location in the United States and locally served areas including Raleigh – Durham – Fayetteville please email me HERE
(919) 449-7331
-Photographer Sally A. Siko
The Raleigh Wedding & Event Photographer 