Anyone ever heard of $400 wedding photography?

Im paying $595 incld everything all day at the wedding, eng pics.. I think $400 is believeable.. ask for references and work of course

We talked to a photographer I met up with at a bridal show that said he would do an engagement session, DVD with all the printing rights, a book, and 6 hours for $500. Believe me - it was a too good to be true situation. It was obvious he was too new in the business to know what he was getting into. After some research I found out he was "just a guy with an $800 camera" who had a "shoot and pray" method. It was no different than if I gave my mom my professional camera and said "have at it." Beware of these types of "photographers" because many of them have no idea what they are doing.

No. It's so cheap that it really does speak of someone who doesn't know what they're doing or how long it's going to take to edit what they shot.

I'd be weary. We got a fantastic deal - $1250 for 10 hours coverage (getting ready and to an hour after first dances) and that was because our photographers are re-establishing themselves after moving from Austrailia. Once they get their feet planted it will be double that. I'd expect (here) to pay no less than $1000 for 4 hours of photography.

Be careful most times you get what you pay for. For full day with two photographers we are paying 3000

You get what you pay for. Depending on where you are the prices will vary.

For example, I carry gear worth over $20,000 during every wedding I shoot. If I were to shoot every Saturday it would take me one year to pay off the cost of equipment alone. Add insurance, taxes, advertisement, and minimum wage salary to it and you're looking at at least $2000 package.

On the other hand if you're talking about a student photographer you could find one for $400 I guess. When you book yours remember - your photos will be the only reminder of your wedding day for the rest of your life. If photography is important to you, you should think about cutting costs somewhere else and invest into a good photographer.

I hope this helps and good luck!

It could be possible. The $895 price could be for a 6 or 8 hour day. All the photographers' site's I looked at only had quotes for 6 or more hours but we are planning to have a short cocktail party for our reception so I emailed a few of the photographers and let them know we only need them for 4 hours and two of them came back saying they could do it for $600 (which is cheaper than what they charge for 6 or 8 hours). Or they could know the girl personally or know someone who knows her. Best thing to do though would be to contact the photographer and ask.

If it was me, I'd speak to that photographer that did the brothers wedding.

see what they have to say, and take a look at the paperwork. I'd see about having something in there as to what would be done if you don't get your pictures back by a certain date considering all the posts I've seen about pictures taking a while.

it's like anything, if you think said person is worth it, then you got for it! if not, keep looking.

I'm getting 8 hrs, 1 photographer and her assistant (who also takes some photos for a variety), and 400-500 edited photos on a usb for $800. Its half off her normal price because she traveled for a year and is getting back into it. So I think his deal is possible

I paid $350.00 for mine. she was with me from 5-10. she would have been with me longer but I didnt need her any earlier. she has done a few weddings before mine and the pictures were amazing! yes she is new but everyone has to start somewhere. I am getting 50 edited prints and a cd with all the pictures (and rights to them). I dont have them yet since my wedding was yesterday!

Oh I forgot to mention that one of the photographers who would do it for $600 for 4 hours had a price of $800 for 8 hours on her site so that wasn't too much of a price cut for 4 hours. But the other one charges $1,250 for 6 hours. So that's pretty amazing she said $600 for only 2 hours less! We are having her do our engagement photos in 2 weeks.

I couldn't believe it when I found out her price is $1,250 for 6 hours! Her site actually doesn't have prices listed and any time I found a photographer that didn't have prices on their site I didn't even bother to contact them because I just assumed they would be too expensive. But my co-worker used her for her wedding a couple months ago and she was on a tight budget too so I went ahead and contacted the photographer and she said $600 for 4 hours. I never asked my co-worker how much she paid. I had no idea that she charges $1,250 and up normally until I saw her at a bridal show last weekend and she had flyers with prices on them. I was shocked!

I am paying $500 for a few hours. We are only doing pre-ceremony/ceremony pics. We will be going to a few different locations to take pics as well. For that price I will be receiving about 125 shots edited in colour and B&W on a disc that I have to print myself, which is fine. She has done a few wedding and engagement shoots, but has been in the business for years doing kids, scenery..etc. So it is definitely possible depending on what your looking for. Just look at their portfolio.

I think it's possible. The photographer that we went with was an awesome deal in my opinion - they are a married couple who shoot together. We sort of caught them on the upswing of their careers - they started as landscape photographers until one person was like, "Hey can you take pictures of me and my family?" And it kind of blossomed from there.

I found out about them through a friend - she paid 1000 for two photographers for entire wedding-day coverage, plus an album and prints and an engagement session. And the pictures were gorgeous! By the time we contacted them, this package was about 2000. We've been contracted with them for a while, and I know they charge even more for this package now! Their stuff is comparable to photographers who charge double what they do.

BUT, like others have mentioned, you could get the scenario above, or you could get someone who produces cheap-looking product.

Not to say someone won't do it for that....but no professional photographer who knows what they're doing, would. You really do get what you pay for. When you figure the expense of the gear, backup gear, education and skill, time spent consulting, shooting, post production, cost of insurance, etc. the mathematics don't add up....those without a business at all with one camera who dubiously shot a few good photos, not necessarily at weddings, may look at it as a way to get paid and be ok with it. Track record and portfolio are everything....also personality and accountability. The $400.00 photographer won't be equipped with all that.

It depends on where you live and who you know. I got a professional photographer to shoot my photo booth for $450 and a friend referred a photographer to me. I met with her and she does great work. She has no formal education and just does it because she loves it. She books up quick and her work is great. I got 2 photographers, wedding rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, and all day wedding and reception for $850. Normally for just the wedding she charges $1,000. In my area I found through research that photographers start out at $1800-$2000 for 6 hours of service. I got a deal thanks to a college friend. My cousin hired her photographer by advertising through craigslist. She hired a college photography student and her pictures were great.

It is possible. My friend had a photographer in Florida. She was just starting out. She gave her the entire day for $400 and the pictures were quite nice. I will see if I can find some to post.

You get what you pay for, so be careful. For all day coverage, 2 photographers, rights to prints, 2 albums, included engagement session, online photo website for one year, we are paying $3000

I'm only paying 800 for the whole day but that is just the photos nothing extra but it is the whole day as many locations as I want. So 400 for 4 hours is believable to me.

I paid $300 for amazing edited photos. I get the rest back Saturday. Had coverage from 11 am until after all of the first dances/garter toss etc. She's not a pro persay, but she's starting out and does a great job.

Have I heard of it? Yes. But my best friend who booked that had the company go under 6 weeks before her wedding, and had to scramble to find a replacement at over 6x the cost!

Ours is about $1400 including engagement session, videography, and two engraved photo books, which I thought was pretty reasonable. Then again, that might vary by region. We're in the Northeast which is generally more expensive.