Good Photographers for less than $1000?

Not everyone have unlimited budgets, do your research and pick the best one that suits your budget and photography style that would work for you.

Please brides, do not take offense at this! One of the big frustrations we pro photographers have is trying to communicate to you how different wedding photography is from any other type. It is technically very challenging because lighting sucks, you can't use a flash, you can't get close to the action, and you can't do re-takes. All of this means that you need very good gear and a lot of experience to guarantee a quality result.

Next, think about the human aspect. It is easy to shoot a couple of people, but it is much harder to work with a large crown and generate the energy needed for great results. This is even more difficult when there is a lot of stress or family drama (both of which happen at weddings). This is a skill I spent a LONG time developing and it is one area that new photographers so often fail.

So, if you want to find a budget photographer make sure not only that they have done good work in the past, but that they will be able to perform well in your venue.

Wedding photography is a field where there are lots of pros and amateurs who offer different prices. If you can afford missing some important moments, then by all means work with some starters to save money. There are many starters/amateurs who might take several good photos but without much experiences. If you want consistent high quality photos that can document your whole wedding day beautifully, then you have to work with experienced pros. It will cost money.

With that said, it is still wise to shop around and work with the photographer that you like the most.

Hopefully it helps.

I was a bride on here not to long ago and (don't think any less of me fellow vendors) I went the less expensive route and got a new/ametuer photog for a steal via CL ( I am cringing as type this). My budget wasn't huge so I did what I could, but I so regret it. I mean it - her photos were nice, but just nice and she missed so many key moments that I will never get back - Like me walking down the aisle with my dad, the kiss, our entrance, just so much stuff. I am saying this with the utmost sincerity and not because I am a vendor, but if I had it to do over again, I would have cut expenses elsewhere and put the money into my photog budget. Those stupid favors are gone with nothing to show for/half my guests didn't even take them! Those butterflies didn't fly when they were supposed to! My guests definitely did not need that extra hour of open bar! Just some of my regrets

Great post Chic Sugars; I totally agree! The most common wedding regret that I hear is regarding photography. Price totally aside. Take a good look at the photographer's portfolio and possible reviews, if you love what you see then go for it. If the photographer is new and doesn't have much in the ways of a portfolio, just be prepared for whatever quality of pics you get. I see a lot of different wedding photos from all over North America. There are so many styles and levels of photography. Some blown me away and others make me wonder if the bride's uncle took them. The reality is that you often get what you pay for. Anything is possible, you may luck out and find an amazing amateur, but your wedding day only happens once, just be careful.

Speaking as a bride who's wedding is over - dress is hanging in the closet, food is eaten, music is over, flowers are dead...the photographs and the video are all we have left from that special day. They were super important to us and we spent a good chunk of our budget on them. If there is anyway you can re-work your budget, I seriously suggest you do (I'm not a vendor, just a bride). Our photos are amazing - worth every single penny we spent. Make sure you love the quality and style of the photographs first and foremost. Try to not make a photog work because he is within a set amount you have in your head. Good luck!!!

I'm also in the NY area (live in Queens), but my wedding will be upstate. Photographers around here are not cheap, and I agree with most posts here in that you often get what you pay for with most amateurs. Yes, as with any group, you could luck out and find a talented amateur, but talent does NOT equate to experience. It takes a lot of practice to know how to manipulate equipment for lighting conditions and other situations.

My original photography budget was $2500, but after looking at photographers' work in that range I have shifted funds from other areas to up it. My mom's wedding pics (and many other brides'), was ruined by a so-called skilled amateur... she still regrets not getting a pro to this day!

I'm not saying you have to spend $4000, but if at all possible, please try to shift funds from other areas. Just think of how you would feel if your pictures did not turn out great- that's $1000 down the drain and memories forever lost.

Good luck!

Just a thought.. You could consider getting just a basic package and ordering more prints later from wedding gift funds. Just make sure the photographer puts those prices in writing beforehand!

Or ask if instead of 5-6 hours or unlimited coverage he would consider shooting 4hours. You'll miss out on a lot of pictures, but at least have the ceremony, portraits/poised pictures, and a little of the reception.

I had a budget photographer when I got married some years ago, and I with, to this very day (and I'm divorced!) that I'd spent more on photography and less on just about anything else. My photos were horrible. You only have one time to do this, and the photos (well, and the license) are all you're going to have to remember the day.

Maybe consider less hours with a great photographer; the getting ready, portraits, ceremony, some reception shots, and then fake the cake cutting and let them go.

I'm in the NY/NJ area, I've witnessed at least 300 weddings, and a cheap photographer is usually cheap for a reason. You can't rely on a not so good photographer to 'get' the shots; who wants to take that chance?

There is a reason that they say "you get what you pay for". Can you find someone that is good for $1000? -Yes. Should you ever go with someone who boasts that their highest package is $350? -NEVER!! If your budget is $1000 (mine was $1500) you CAN find a professional that knows what they are doing, you may just need to scale down on what you want. Probably not going to find someone to be there all day, but a smaller amount of time may just get you the photographer of your dreams! I learned that you need to educate yourself about what you are buying... what kind of equipment is PRO (Canon 50D) and what is NOT PRO (REBEL XS). Be careful and good luck!

To Michelle's note though, I'm NOT a pro and I shoot with a Canon 50D. I just like the feel of it, the quality, the available accessories, etc. Equipment does not make a professional. Be sure to see pictures that they have taken, and references that you can call to find out how the bride felt after their event (were they heartbroken that the photog missed their first kiss? did they love the fact that the photographer caught every moment they could have wanted?).

Patricia P. made an excellent point, regardless of your budget, you are still paying someone $1000. If the photos are poor, then you have waisted $1000! If you think that you have found a potential photographer, post their website and ask for honest opinions. You WILL find someone that is perfect for you, it just may take time and patience.

Danielle is right, I didn't mean to imply that professional gear makes them a pro, but you don't want your hired "pro" out there with their beginners DSLR REBEL XS cameras. Make sure that they have quality gear, backup gear, and that they know what in the goodness they are doing. When you see their websites here are some tips on how to spot someone with little experience: they opperate a free website (url is something like "newphotographer.webs.com"), they have little to no wedding photos in their "wedding gallery", of the photos in the gallery they are of just a few weddings (same brides- over and over). Sure there are some folks out there who are new and know what they are doing, just BE SURE you have found one!

@Krystal: I haven't posted there yet, Thanks for the tip!

@Felisha: You mention she has a business, does she have a website? Is she in the tri-state area?

@ Future Mrs.: Thanks! That sounds awesome.

@Ty W.: I'm planning on making the album myself, since I'm a graphic designer.

Thank so much to everyone. I guess I will up it a bit. Does anyone know of a good photographer in the tri-state for $1500?

I'm getting my photographer for $500. We didn't want to spend the extra money for engagement photos or TTD or the like. We weren't doing the bridal portraits. We just wanted someone who had a good portfolio that would photograph the wedding/reception and then give us the prints on disc. We aren't really "photo album on the coffee table" kind of people. We use our photos in digital picture frames and as computer screensavers and desktop wallpapers. So just getting the full rights to a disc of our edited photos was all we really wanted. We have the permission to make copies, so we'll make a few copies to give to family and then we can all just print out what we want later.

Krissy, I'm actually in Ohio and I don't know if she'd travel that far.

I consider the 50D to be a serious amateur camera. It simply doesn't handle low-light well enough to do a professional job on weddings. Look for a pro that has a Canon 5D Mark 2, a Nikon D3 or D700.

I came across this photographer http://vladbarryphoto.com

I found him on Craigslist with his prices being from $650-1000 (much lower than what his site says. He said its a promotion price for people that find him on CL. His pictures are nice, and it says on this site that he got 2009 and 2010 brides choice awards. But what makes me weary is that he only received 4 reviews and all the reviewers only reviewed his. Any thoughts? Weddingwire says they get them from surveying, so not only getting four 5pt reviews?

Let me know your thoughts, or even if you know of him. And thank you all for your great advice.

Just a thought...I am fairly new to wedding/engagement photography (I've shot nature/landscapes for 30 years) and I know me...and I know that any serious new photog that wants to build a successful business is going to work their tail off to make sure you are happy (future business depends on it)! It might do you well to look at someone new to the business who is going to work very hard to please you, rather than an old pro that shows up bored to just "shoot another job." Check photographer's portfolios and make sure you like what you see! Like others, I've seen great work by less experienced photogs and I've seen terrible work by others who charge way too much for what they do! Take your time, do some research, and I think it will pay off for you!

Maybe I'm just picky (or blind...LOL) but his pictures don't seem sharp to me. All the GREAT photographers that I've seen have shots that just "jump" out at you. So he's really not my cup of tea.