Is he worth it ???

[Sab_KR]

Hi out there,

I am not a photographer but would like to have some advice about a photographer I am considering to hire for my wedding next year. I like his pictures, but I’m not sure if he is worth what he wants as a payment. He says he is no professional and not very experienced, but still wants to have 600 Euros for an 8 hours wedding shoot containing coverage of preparations, ceremony, portrait shoot and party documentation. I lack the sense to distinguish between professional and amateur, so maybe you can tell me. I want my photos to be of best quality. He also doesn’t offer prints, only all the pictures on DVD and an edited “best of” he calls it. Take a look at his pictures. Should i go for it? http://mirkoraatz.blogspot.de/search/label/hochzeit

Thx, Sab

[cameraclicker]

Keeping in mind I don’t have a clue how much 600 Euros represents, to you, I don’t see a problem.  The photos at the link look good.  A lot of work goes into a wedding.  The night before you get all your gear organized.  The day of, you get to the various venues on time, with your gear, and have to be alert and focused for (in this case) 8 hours, then you take your gear back home and have hours/days of selecting and editing.

Part of wedding photography is the chemistry between the photographer and the couple, part is technical expertise, part is the good luck to get a nice day and beautiful location.  If you like the photos and no one else is offering you a portfolio you like for 400 Euros, why not?

I have said this before, professional means you get paid, amateur means you do it because you love it, neither word is tied to quality of results and I can point out amateurs with portfolios that are the equal of the best professionals.  On the pages here, there are lots of photos that are purported to have been taken by professionals.  Some make me laugh, some give pause, and some break my heart when I see wedding photos that are beyond recovery.

[IHF]

The price seems about right for what you are getting.  It’s a shame he doesn’t offer an album or prints al a carte, as I’m sure he has a pro lab and products he likes that he trusts and is calibrated with.

This is my only worry really.  Leaving you to print seems simple enough, but it’s actually not so cut and dry to accomplish good prints as you might think.  In your shoes I would ask him about prints/album even if they aren’t part of the package, and be happy to pay him for it and all the work involved.

Be confident that 600 euros is a very fair and reasonable price for digitals and a full day of coverage.  If you still are iffy, then ask him to see an entire wedding he has shot.  It will give you a better idea of what you will receive, unlike the gallery of the best of the best from each wedding that you have already seen.

[ebi]

agreed with IHF. Get a look at a full wedding. If you like what you see, then go with it. If you find other work that you like that are offering comparable rates, post them here. We don’t have any problem giving opinions here.

BTW, the site you linked is pretty good work and the price seems low for the quality you’d be getting.

[Author]

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