Good photographer who delivers RAW and will do NDA

Celia, sorry for the mistype. I don't understand it but that's your prerogative. I guess we're getting a bit separated from the original question. I understand some people don't like this business model, and I'm not asking anyone to endorse it. I'd just like to know if anyone can recommend a quality photographer who does this even if they don't make it publicly known.

@ogjaci, thanks for the advice! Being honest, this whole wedding world is a bit frustrating to me. I'm used to the corporate vendors being willing to negotiate just about anything for my business. The wedding industry seems to be so inflexible and "take it or leave it". I'm used to just getting stuff done, signing a contract and moving on. I'm sorry if I've been a bit short in my replies. I'll definitely try getting it going again during normal work hours.

You're looking for HIRES not RAW. RAW files are usually slightly color distorted.

I know a photographer that will release the unedited photos to you but you'd have to discuss the NDA with them. Let me know if you want their info.

I was flown to Indianapolis recently to shoot a private wedding, this is the first wedding I've shot in maybe 5-6 years that was to remain private. They paid for it, and I honor their wish. They wanted my specific approach, which at first was a little surprising because most couples don't know styles of photographers until it's presented to them and they see how different we all are. Unlike most others, they searched for it and kept finding me.

With that said, getting RAWS, that's a rather rude and unrealistic request. Something about this would seem suspicious to me since you have the right budget, but aren't planning on doing anything with the photos. WHY pay that kind of money to have RAW / digital files that you aren't going to do anything with? Would you transfer media as each format becomes obsolete? Why would placing the RAW files in your hands be more qualified than in my own? A lot would have to be answered. That request would only be granted by someone who is green and doesn't know better, or it will never happen.....or come with a hefty price. I actually am starting to like shooting Large JPG and adjust highlights and shadows in the menu prior, less post work and enough latitude.

I'd give you hi res JPG's or TIFFS as I give my clients, but you're not finishing them. Why not hire someone whose work you love and trust, and pay any applicable NDA fees and be done with it? For that budget you should find someone whose work you are passionate about that you trust. You hire us to tell a story. Finishing it is the author's job, unless it's a closely knit retoucher who knows their work. I still say it seems suspicious.

I hope you always travel with an external hard drive for your laptop because RAW files take up a ton of room.....

This is an extremely odd request. I agree with everything @Jay said. Any photographer worth their salt is going to charge you more than 1K for every single RAW file they shot from your wedding AND many do like he does by shooting the most high quality JPEG it takes up less space and you can still do the edits needed to make it a great photo....if you need to shoot RAW because you plan on doing a ton of edits then it's not a good photo to begin with (but this might just be my opinion as someone with a photojournalism background vs an art photographer background)

True. I can understand why many wedding photographers shoot in RAW, to get 5 stops of exposure latitude......but if you've done a bunch of them and need that, how bad are you? lol. Even images from print are JPG or TIFF, but that's usually overkill. RAWS are not meant for casual viewing unless you have Lightroom open.

My photographer gives you full rights to all your photos. One of the reasons we actually went with her. Her packages start at 3k. She is located on Long Island, NY and travels into NYC for weddings. We plan on making our own photo books, instead of paying the hundreds that photographers charge for them.

http://www.imphotostudio.com

Jennifer, shared usage right, sure, you bet! That's what most of us do. You don't have sole ownership (that you don't need anyhow) and aren't getting RAWS. Unless they just don't know any better. That's a horse of a different color from what Jane was looking for. Personally I can't see hiring a storyteller and not letting them finish it, most couples who say they will do their own album never do. Plus consumers don't have access to the same labs.

@mrsfg I'd definitely take the name of that photographer.

That's exactly the attitude that's driving me to say F-it, I'm hiring someone who shoots for my marketing team and having one of the posting companies run them.

It is absolutely possible to like an artist but also like what we can do with the images. We'd pay big money for photos because we like what the artist does and we'd like to look at them later. We'd not print them because we hang art that has auction value. We have literally no photos on the wall, and even if we did we're not home enough to really see it but that's really none of my photographers business. Frankly, I'm paying the photographer and if they wont provide the service I want I'll find someone who will. I'm also not concerned if someone im hiring thinks my request is rude. Yes we want total control, but frankly I put on events much bigger than this wedding on a frequent basis and if we can script those, I'll make it happen with this too. If a photographer doesn't want my 10k they don't have to take it but someone will. I'm just looking for suggestions on who that might be.

Courtney, of course I don't travel with all the raw files. They are home on drives in the fire safe, but I do edit them and keep some folders with me so I can look at them while I'm sitting in a hotel or airport.

No, it's YOUR attitude that is strange and still suspicious. None of that explains why you need RAWS or need to be the one doing the post work. As it is, it looks like you're trying to pull one over on the photographer. Alot can be worked out, but not with a "I can do what I want when I want, I'm paying you, just shut up" attitude.

So is a NDA that you sign meaningful to you? Because I sign one, and I violated it, I'd expect to get sued. I'd hope you feel as bound to it as I do. If I say I want to edit for my own viewing that's what I want. This attitude is suspicious to you because brides get so beat down by being told what they want by the typical wedding vendor that when one wants something and isn't willing to compromise you don't know how to handle it. I've found there are some vendors who are willing to do whatever for a price because they know their business is to serve their client.

Jane: you do know that raw files aren't correct colors other than when they're in specific programs and can actually be worse? The client is right to a point

I'm quite familiar with RAW as it's the only thing I shoot in. I then post process all my landscape and travel photos. That's part of my issue with just accepting what a photographer gives me. I know a single click of a button can be turned into several different types of images, and it is possible that I'd like to have multiple iterations of the same "picture". As an example, my photographer likes a softer sometimes desaturated look to landscapes. I like a high dynamic range super vivid and saturated landscape. We can take the same base raw file and the it into two very different but very beautiful images. Without the raw files you're only getting what your photographer thinks that file should become. Sometimes that's how you'd do it, sometimes not.

If you have 10k for a photo budget you might be on the wrong site. Not to be rude but I think you are asking for something that none of us even the professionals can understand. You say you know some photographers that have accepted your terms so go with one of those.

A NDA shouldn't be too hard. My photography budget is less than 3k and I was able to get one for free.

My photographer won't be releasing any of my pictures on their website, blog, or any other media.

Jane, I'm not sure what type of photography you're used to dealing with, but the different types have different "rules," or guidelines when it comes to what you can and cannot get. I'm a retired model, so my personal knowledge is about photographers who work with people, rather than architecture or landscapes. And I honestly cannot name a single good photographer other than my own FFIL who would be willing to hand me RAW files after a shoot. It's just not done. I know plenty of people who take photographs who would hand them over without a second thought, but they're more hobby photographers, and are generally pretty bad.

For wedding photography, what you're asking for is a-list diva celebrity level control.

You'll get a ton of pushback if you ask standard wedding photographers for what amounts to handing over their memory cards at the end of the night.

If you hire someone who is an excellent photographer but isn't familiar with shooting weddings....well, let's just say that I know many architectural and nature photographers who can't take a decent photo of a person to save their life. Wedding photographers get paid to do what they do, because that is their main focus, and they do it well. Please respect that.

No one has seen the private wedding I just did, no one will. So, yes. The last analogy, there's no need to bother going further with that one. How about next time you buy a car, ask for the blueprints on how to build it and just because you're paying, you should be entitled to it? That doesn't seem to be working for you. Your attitude is entitled and condescending, as well as micro managing. If you found the caliber of wedding photographer you are looking for who would comply with your demand, you wouldn't be posting this.