An Alternative to Disposal Cameras

A new alternative to buying disposable cameras is renting high quality digital cameras for guests to use.  I found several companies that offer such services, but Camera Renter is by far the best that I found.  This online store offers a photo package for weddings that includes the rental fee for the cameras, shipping fees to you and return shipping, damage insurance, a CD of your photos, unlimited photo downloading for you and your guests, photo hosting, and photo sharing.

Why Use Rented Digital Cameras
Your typical disposable wedding camera holds less than thirty photos, while cameras from Camera Renter hold an average of 450 photos and can take a 15 minute video.  A teen sitting at the table may take 10 photos of their date before they realize they just used half the role of a disposable camera.  With a digital camera, they can still take 440 more photos or they have the option to delete the photos they just took. You can even order the camera early so you can use them for the rehearsal dinner, too.

The online photo sharing is convenient as guests and family who couldn’t make the ceremony can view your photos and still share in your wedding experience.  You can send them an online invitation and they can even view the videos your guests took with the cameras.

For DIY Brides:  A Good Alternative to Hiring Professional Photographers
While renting a digital photo package may cost more than disposable, when you add up everything that’s included it’s actually a pretty great deal.  Disposable cameras run around $3-10 per camera, plus shipping and handling if purchased online.  You run a risk of the film not turning out and having to pay for processing photos you don’t really want.  A 10 camera photo package from Camera Renter is $495 and allows you and your guests to take many more photos, videos, and have better quality prints.  This is a good alternative for a DIY bride who does not want to spend thousands of dollars for a professional photographer.

Hand Rented Digital Cameras to Trusted Friends or Family
If a cheap disposable camera is lost or broken, it’s not a big deal.  If a camera from Camera Renter is damaged you’re covered under the 100% damage insurance included in the photo package.  On the other hand if one of the rented cameras goes missing there is a $100 replacement fee.  With disposable cameras you would be comfortable letting anyone use them, but with the rented digital cameras you might want to only hand them out to close family and friends who will keep track of them.

In Addition to Professional Photography
For those of you who plan or already have a professional photographer for your memorable event, let him/her handle the official pictures.  Give your trusted friends or family relatives these rented digital cameras to capture intimate moments in pictures or in video of your closest friends and family at your rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony or reception.  You will be happier with the number and quality of photos, and enjoy sharing them online with family and friends.

Photo Credits:  Camera Renter.  This article is written without monetary or other compensation from Camera Rental. It is a service for soon-to-be brides.

With the cost of weddings spiraling upwards of $27,000 (depending on where you plan to have your wedding), and the unstable economy, many engaged couples are looking for ways to save money on their wedding. We, at Completely Weddings, have listed 101 ways to cut your wedding cost and thereby saving you money to use somewhere else such as your honeyn or savings for your first home.

Photography/Videography

Saving Money on Photography

77. Hire a student photographer – Many people will urge you not to skimp on your photos. While this is true, hiring a student photographer or even a talented family or friend isn’t a bad idea if you look at samples of their work first and know that they are good at what they do. Students often do better work because they are anxious to build up an impressive portfolio and impress instructors and future employers.

78. Get pictures from your guests – Encourage your guests, especially close friends and family, to take lots of pictures and send you copies or burn them to a CD. Oftentimes, it’s these people who get the best candid shots. Look through their pictures before you purchase everything from the photographer.

79. Use disposable cameras – Don’t hire a photographer for the reception and instead set out disposable cameras on all of the tables. Your guests will have a great time capturing your special moments. You can also enlist one special friend or family member with a digital camera to catch specific moments that are important to you.

80. Purchase the negatives – Negotiate a deal with your photographer where you can purchase the negatives. This way you can make as many prints as you want in a variety of sizes.

81. Get a picture CD – Purchase a CD from your photographer with all of your pictures on it. You can edit the pictures on your own computer, or take the CD to a drug store and use their software. This way you can print the pictures at your convenience and get reprints at any time. Wait for your CVS or Walgreens to run a special and take advantage of their great deals.

82. Enlist friends and family – For video of the wedding and especially the reception, compiling several videos from guests can often be more fun and personal than paying someone else to do it.

Read All Previous Parts:
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding – Part 1: Planning

More to Come:
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding - Part 12: Wedding Decorations
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding - Part 13: Wedding Favors
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding - Part 14: Wedding Attendants
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding - Part 15: Wedding Ceremony
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding - Part 16: This and That

Will you be the photographer actually shooting our event?
Some larger studios have several photographers that they work with, and the one you are talking with might not necessarily be the one who will be at your wedding. If this is the case, (a) make sure that the portfolio you are looking at are works of the photographer who will show up at your wedding to take the pictures and (b) insist on meeting the person who will be and ask him/her the following questions.

Is ours the only wedding you’re shooting that day?
You want to make sure that your photographer will not be in a hurry to leave for his next wedding photography appointment or come late because the earlier appointment lasted longer than he anticipated. You want her to devote all her full attention to your wedding.

Do you bring assistants along?
You want to make sure how many photographers will be in your wedding and if their fees are included in the price.

How do you charge for your time? Will you be able to shoot the bride and groom in their prewedding preparation areas?
Find out if the photographer charges flat fee for the entire event or by the hour. If hourly, ask what additional fee will be charged for additional hours before or after the event if needed.

Would you describe your style as traditional, photo journalistic or both?
You want to make sure that he has the style you want for your wedding pictures. Look at his portfolio if he is truthful about his photographic style .

Do you shoot digitally or with film? What type of camera do you use?
This will give you a feeling of his experience and skill. We talked about the types of cameras in our previous post. If you miss “Finding the Right Wedding Photographer”, read it here .

Will you have backup cameras on hand? What happens if the photographer gets sick?
You want to make sure that your photographer is ready for unforeseen events and that you are assured someone will be covering for him in case he will not be able to make it due to illness. Make sure you found out about the backup photographer. You should also feel comfortable working with the backup photographer.

Do you charge extra for color correction and touch-up services?
Some photographer do not charge extra for these services, but some do.

Will you charge extra for travel expenses or is it listed in your package price?
You want to make sure that there are no “hidden” costs in the package price.

Have you worked at this (your) event locations before?
A photographer who is familiar with the location will know what lighting issues or restrictions he/she needs to work with. A professional and seasoned photographer who is not familiar with the location will check out the location beforehand.

Can we give you a list of people and specific photos to be taken?
Make sure the photographer is willing to accept a list of your must haves. link

Do you have package deals available? Are you willing to create a custom package base on our budget and preferences?
This is usually the less expensive way to go.

What attire will you and your assistant (if they have one) wear?
You want to make sure they will look professional!

How long after the event will the proofs be ready? Will our photos be available online?
This could vary from as short as 2 weeks to as long as over 6 months after the event.

Can we make our owns prints, or do we have to order through you? Will our photos be available online?
By law, photographers have the rights to their photographs and may not want to give up the negatives or digital full resolution files or they may charge extra for giving up their rights.

Photo courtesy of Richard Wood Photo of Napa, CA

Finding the right wedding photographer

It is a given, but it is worth repeating — taking some time to research which wedding photographer is right for you will save you from disappointment later on.  Choose someone with a personality that fits with yours, someone who loves her job and committed to helping you realize your wedding vision.

Photographer’s Personality
Of all the wedding vendors who you will work with, your photographer has to be someone you are totally comfortable with.  Remember that this person will be following you around everywhere, from your bedroom while you are getting ready to the time you and your hubby leaves the reception.  If tension builds between you and your photographer, it will affect the quality of her photographs.

When you interview the photographers, explain your vision and your style.  Carefully observe how she reacts. Is she enthusiastic about it or does she interrupts and injects her own stories about her previous work or contests won?  You want someone who listens attentively and becomes excited about your day.  This emotion will show through in the pictures, too.  Therefore, first make sure that you are comfortable with this photographer before even looking at her work.
(Photo courtesy of Bella Pictures)

Photographer’s Portfolio
Whether you are meeting a wedding photographer at a tradeshow, checking their website or visiting their studio, take a good look at their “book” , a porfolio of what they consider their best work.  If the portfolio does not impress or excite you, move on.  Ask to see a finished album of a recent wedding.  Does it tell a clear story?  Is there a strong balance of formal portraits as well as spontaneous and fun photo journalistic shots? If the portfolio is overloaded in one style, then your wedding photos will be, too.  If you can, ask a proof sheet of the album you are looking at.  The proofs are collection of small thumbnails that the couple choose their photos from.  A proof sheet tells a lot about a photographer, since this is their work in its raw, uneditted form.

Photographer’s Gear
Every professional photographer should carry an extra camera or two as backup if one camera malfunctions or if it needs to be reloaded with film.  If the photographer is shooting with film, the possible camera type that he will be using are known as small format and/or medium format.  Small format camera uses a 35mm film, while a medium format uses a larger film, 2 1/4″ x 2 1/4″ negative.  Without going into technicalities of the differences, it is best to opt for a photographer who uses a medium format camera for the portrait shots at least because once these pictures are enlarged, they will give you the highest resolution quality.  There will be photographers that will try to convince you that the 35mm camera and medium format cameras are of comparable quality.  Don’t believe them, especially if they are pushing for the 35mm camera.  They probably do not own the better, more expensive, medium format camera.

For digital cameras, look for a photographer that has the a professional digital SLR cameras with at least 10 megapixels or more.  The megapixel is a measure of resolution – how sharp the pictures or image will show.  The higher the megapixels, the better the resolution.  If you choose to go with digital instead of film, make sure to ask your wedding photographer to shoot in full quality mode and nothing less.  Some photographers will try to save memory on their cards by shooting at a lower resolution to fit more images per card.  Remember, the lower the resolution, the poorer the image quality.

Photographer’s Fees
This is one area where you do not want to skimp on the cost.  You only have one shot at your wedding photography; you do not get any second chances, therefore you will need someone who can deliver these lasting photos for both of you to keep and enjoy in the days to come.  This, however, does not mean to say that you need to hire the most expensive wedding photographer that you can find.  Be prepared when it is time to negotiate about the price, which is usually after you’ve explained your wedding vision to the photographer.  It would help the photographer to know what pictures you would like taken. Download a pdf file of our photographer checklist, to serve as guide for pictures you want taken by your photographer. You can also use this checklist for your videographer, just photocopy the list.

When comparing wedding photographers’ prices, get a clear understanding of:

• how much each photographer’s time will cost; will they charge by the hour or as a flat fee for the entire event
• will they charge for travel expenses or other costs such as meals or transportation
• how much will your prints and albums cost
• will they charge for retouching your photos; or for digital photos, for putting graphics design or layout work into your album
• will they charge for your bridal portrait or engagement shoot
• how much will enlargement cost

If they charge by the hour, multiply the number of hours you’ll want the photographer to be with you and find out if there are additional charges for extra hours.  Be sure to add your getting ready time; you will want those moments captured, too.

To determine how much this photographer charges for prints and albums, ask how many pictures she generally takes, and if she can give you a cost-per-print estimate.  Use a hundred prints as the comparison number to get the estimates from the other photographers.

In the end, armed with your research and figures, you would be able to negotiate the price.

Next Wedding Tip: Questions to Ask your Photographer

Your wedding photographs are tangible records of your wedding and will serve as reminders of the moment you both promised to love, honor and cherish one another. This is the reason why choosing the right person or persons to take your wedding photographs is so important. Your wedding photographer must be a person that you are comfortable and will enjoy working with. During your wedding day you, your family and guests will be interacting with this person all day. Therefore, your decision to hire a photographer should be based on their style and personality, not just on price alone.

With the usual budget for wedding photography estimated to be between 5% to 10% of your total wedding budget, you and your future husband need to consider several questions before hiring a photographer. These series of articles are intended to help you make the right decision in hiring the person who will take lasting memories of your wedding day.

Know your Style

Before you start looking for a photographer, spend some time on thinking what photographic style you prefer, and then seek out those photographers whose work reflects your style. There are basically two styles that wedding photographers fall into – photo journalistic or formal. The majority of all photographers will claim that they have the ability to do both, in reality they will almost always lean to more to one style than the other.

Photojournalist considers it their job to record events, not stage them. The images are more candid and documentary-like. These do not mean that they will not be taking formal, portrait-style, pictures. They will take these pictures at your desired time and with the specific people you want to be in the formal pictures.

Traditional photographer treats every image as a posed portrait, even those you think are candid. They look to capture perfect moments employing artistry such as soft focus technique and ideal lighting to make you look flawless. While your formal photographer will ensure that your family, attendants and guests to assemble and pose in locations she or he has chosen, there will be a few candid shots, as well, but not as much as what a photojournalist will take.

Color, Black-and-White or Sepia

Color photographs captures all the details — the flowers, shades of your bridesmaids gowns, the decoration and wedding favors — that you worked so hard to put together.

Black-and-white is classic and timeless. There is a decided trend toward black-and-white wedding photography among couples who prefer a more candid photo journalistic approach. Although black-and-white film is less expensive, it is more expensive to process and print than color. If you want this type of pictures, make sure your chosen photographer is skilled in this area and does the developing in his or her own studio.

Sepia tone is an effect added to black-and-white photographs that alters them from the normal shades of grey to shades of brown. This is usually used to prolong the life of the picture. Most old or historical pictures are produced in a sepia tone. If you like this “vintage” look, ask your photographer to add the tint to your black-and-white wedding photographs.

In the end, it would probably make everyone happy to mix your album up with some of both. You might choose to have majority of your shots in color and a few in black-and-white or maybe in sepia or vise versa. If such a mix is what you want, look for a photographer who has the ability to deliver these.

More tips on how to find the right photographer.