How to Hire a Cheap Wedding Photographer

This post has been rattling around in my head for a while, and I think I’m ready to pull the trigger. Here’s what got me moving: An article on The Knot. It wasn’t so much the article that got me, as the comments, which seemed to quickly degenerate into a war between photographers and brides.

Here’s the deal. The brides are right. Money can be really tight. If you don’t have $6000 to spend for a wedding photographer, a fairy godmother is not going to appear and hand you a suitcase of money.

Also, the photographers are right. They are scared. Many great photographers have left professional photography simply because they couldn’t pay the bills. Some of us are a broken camera body or a crashed computer away from having to quit. (I’m not looking for sympathy here, just to help you understand why some photographers get so upset about all this.)

The more realistic of us know that you are not obligated to support us. We just love what we do and are scared we are going to have to stop doing it and go push paper somewhere just to pay the mortgage.

I’m also not going to criticize other, less expensive, photographers for what they choose to charge. Most of the time, if they are any good at what they do, they will get swamped with work, realize they are making pennies an hour, and raise their prices. Or, they will get swamped with work, realize they are making pennies an hour, and decide it’s not worth it to spend so much time away from their friends and families, and quit.

That really doesn’t matter to you, the bride, unless it’s your photographer who is quitting or getting in over her head. (Or both). But what if it is? How can you save money on wedding photography, and yet have at least a measure of security that you will receive your wedding photos and all the products you paid for, and be happy with them?

Am I really going to tell you this? I am.

Why? Because when brides honestly know the risks and the trade-offs, some of them will decide it’s not worth it and consider how to make a little more room in their budget.

Those who absolutely can’t make room deserve to have the best chance at good photos. All things considered, I’d rather your dollars went to help some up and coming photographer get better at what they do, than to have them pad the pockets of a scam artist.

So, realistically, can you hire a good photographer for a small amount of money?

Well, here’s a little story: When I started in wedding photography, it was partly at the prompting of a couple of ministers I know. They were frequently asked by brides for a low-cost option for wedding photography. Their previous photographers had all raised their prices as they gained more experience. Then they handed me a price sheet for what they thought looked liked a good deal for their brides. At the top of the sheet was the name of a very, very talented and respected photographer in my area. She had started out doing weddings for $600.

Why? Just my guess, but I’d say because she was just starting out. She didn’t have much experience. She probably needed to build her portfolio to have images to show future brides.

But how do you find someone like that? If they haven’t “made their name” yet, it’s going to be hard to hear of them through the wedding grapevine. They probably don’t have enough money to advertise a lot or do bridal shows. They probably have not worked for your friends who have gotten married (and it’s quite possible the photographers who worked cheap for your friends have already raised their prices, unless your friend got married very recently.)

So here we go. Four places to find them, three types of cheap photographers, and what to look out for.

Three Places to Find Cheap Photographers

1. Online. This is a tricky one. The advantage of the Internet is that you can find lots of different things at different prices. The disadvantage is that you have no way of knowing anything about them. Putting a website together is very easy these days. How easy? Nearly any photographer can put together a beautiful site using a Flash template between dinner and bedtime. The REALLY bad news: it doesn’t even have to be their photos. It’s not like anyone is checking.

What to watch out for: If some of their photos are really very good, and some not so great, it could be a sign that they are on a learning curve, but it could also be a sign that they “borrowed” some photos to create their site. Be cautious. Also watch out for photos that reflect noticeably different styles. In short, look for consistency.

What to do: First, do not hire anyone sight unseen, ever, no matter how easy they make it. Be sure to meet with them. Don’t be shy about asking questions about how long they have been in business, how many weddings they have photographed, what they feel their qualifications are. If they have wedding images on their site, ask if they can give you the names and numbers of some former clients you can call. If they don’t have any wedding clients, other clients will do. When you interview them, try to get a feel for whether they are giving you honest answers. There have been scam artists in wedding photography who took brides’ deposits and skipped town, so do your due diligence. And never hire any wedding vendor without a signed contract stipulating everything that you are supposed to receive from them.

2. Your local college or university. People have been doing this long before the Internet, and it’s not such a bad move. Beginning photographers and students are usually willing to work for less.

What to watch out for: They may not know much about photographing a wedding. Photography at colleges tends to be either art photography or photojournalism, not wedding photography. Also, maybe this seems too obvious to state, but there are different levels of students. You want a more advanced student who has a sound grasp of the technical aspects of photography.

What to do: If it’s at all possible, get a referral from the professor. He or she will have a good idea of who is up to the task. Years ago one of my fellow students was hired to shoot a wedding. He completely lost all the images, and had already spent the money. The couple never saw a single wedding photo, or a dollar of their money. The really sad part: if they had asked the professor, he would have steered the couple toward a more qualified student.

3. The newspaper. If you are looking for photojournalism, newspapers have plenty of photographers these days who are willing to pick up a few extra bucks. What with layoffs, furloughs (unpaid leave, in other words) and cutbacks on hours, earning $700 or so on a Saturday looks pretty good to many news photographers.

What to watch out for: As far as talent and ability go, this is definitely the safe choice. The real worry is that something big will happen. If the next Hurricane Katrina or 9/11 happens right before your wedding, they may have to back out due to their “real” job. Make sure there is a backup plan in case this happens.

What to do: Some photojournalists have done quite a few weddings. Still, before the wedding, be sure to sit down with your photographer and go over the photos you want. And don’t forget that backup plan in case of a journalistic emergency.

Side note: Some news photographers also have a legitimate side business as wedding photographers, and these people will usually be able to quickly tell you what their backup plan is. Believe me, they think about it a lot.

4. Referrals. You’ve probably already realized this from the story above. If you are planning a budget wedding, it’s possible your other vendors know of some people who can help. This particular couple of ministers was always looking around for talented photographers they could recommend to their brides.

What to watch out for: This can be a pretty safe route. Your other vendors usually won’t recommend someone they don’t trust, because they know it will come back to them! The problem is, as illustrated above, the list of inexpensive photographers can change pretty fast. Don’t be surprised if you find prices have gone up.

What to do: Get two or three recommendations just in case some don’t work out. Expect a “bare bones” wedding package without all the albums and products. Don’t be surprised if the photographer is fairly inexperienced with weddings.

Three Types of Cheap Photographers

Photographers can be cheap for any number of reasons, but here are three of the main ones: they are new, they have a “day job,” or they aren’t really offering you very much. Of course, any particular photographer could be any combination of the three.

They are new. This photographer may not only be lost photographing a wedding, they may not even know much about weddings. They also may not know much about photography. One good thing to know: is your photographer new to photography, or simply new to weddings? Sometimes photographers who are looking to build their wedding business book the first few weddings at a lower price.

If you hire this photographer, you might want to be prepared to do some hand-holding.

They have a “day job.” Lauren, one of my clients in 2011 learned about this after her engagement photo session. It took such a long time to get the photos back, that she decided to fire her photographer. Having a day job means the photographer can charge less, but it also means that you have to share them with the job that’s paying the bills. And the job that’s paying the bills is going to take first priority.

If you hire this photographer, be prepared to wait, and don’t expect phone calls or emails to be returned immediately.

They aren’t really offering you much. Some photographers only offer a few hours of photography (sometimes as little as two or three) and a disc. You can usually get this for a pretty good price. The choice that has to be made here is, what are you willing to give up? Having too few hours of photography can mean that you are always feeling rushed on your wedding day, or that you have to give up some of those beautiful photos you have seen in magazines, like the romantic photos of the two of you, the getting ready shots, or the fun party photos. Another thing to think about: many times the disc is not edited at all, meaning you could have hundreds of photos to go through only to find a few good ones. Since professional quality digital cameras (for reasons that are too technical to get into here) do not produce files that are ready for printing, the photos will have to be tweaked. If the photographer isn’t doing it, who is? Are you?

If you hire this photographer, be prepared to do some work yourself. With all the other things that will be on your plate after the wedding, this can seem like an insurmountable task.

Other Things to Look Out For

I’ve covered a good many things to look out for here, but there are a few more things to think about when hiring a cheap photographer.

1. They may not be legal. A good many cheap photographers do not have a business license, and do not pay local, state, or federal taxes. How comfortable are you with doing business “under the table?” And what happens if they should get caught?

2. They may not have professional quality cameras. There’s a very fine line these days, since many of the camera manufacturers are promoting “pro-sumer” gear that is somewhere between professional quality and the camera your mom uses on vacation. Just because it says “Nikon” and looks like a pro camera, doesn’t mean it’s a great camera for wedding photography. Many of the cheaper models don’t handle tricky lighting situations as well as the pro level cameras.

3. They may not have professional quality lighting. Here’s the biggest one to look out for: if your photographer doesn’t have a shoe mount flash (or doesn’t know what one is) and you are having an indoor wedding, run away.

4. They may not know how to use lighting. At one wedding, I watched a friend of the groom with a very expensive camera — one that I still only dream of! — ruin every photo he took by the way he used his very expensive flash. Look through their portfolio for photos that were taken in the same lighting situation as your wedding. Even if you are having an outdoor wedding, remember: there’s a pretty way to use natural light, and an ugly way. The ugly way frequently makes you look awful.

5. They may not have backup equipment. It takes a lot of money to buy good camera gear, and a good many of the cheaper photographers I have known were trying to get by with only one camera body. If this camera body stops working at your wedding … well, you can guess.

6. They may not be insured. Most photographers carry both camera insurance and liability insurance. If their best (or only) camera breaks before your wedding, that could be a problem. If their camera swings around at a wedding venue and breaks something valuable, the venue could hold you responsible for the damage.

7. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. It’s an old adage that definitely applies here. If someone is offering eight hours of photography, and an album, and a disc, and a framed print, and, and, and … for a price you haven’t seen anywhere else, there’s probably a good reason for that. The other photographers offering all that “stuff” for a higher price are covering costs, and the cheap photographer likely is not. If she can’t pay for it, you won’t get it. Saving money on photography usually involves going without all the “stuff” — the albums and prints and proof boxes and print credits.

One Last Thing

If you’ve read this whole article, and you want beautiful, professional photos, but still no fairy godmother has appeared with a suitcase of cash, consider one of these options:

1. Talk with your photographer about what might be possible. If you are getting married in the off-season, or you are not getting married on Saturday, they might be willing to work with you. It can’t hurt to ask (if it does hurt, trust me, you didn’t want to work with that person anyway.) I also know some photographers that give deals when it’s closer to the wedding date, if they are not booked. If you can stand the uncertainty, this might be an option. If you go this last route, keep an open mind and have several people you are willing to work with.

2. Consider scheduling a portrait session with your favorite photographer on a day other than your wedding. It won’t be lovely candid photos of your wedding guests, grandma seeing you for the first time, or the emotion of your wedding day. However, you will be able to get beautiful photos of yourselves looking your best to share with the grandchildren. If I could go back in time to my wedding, I’d be sure to schedule at least an engagement session with one of my talented photographer friends!

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