Help me choose a photographer!

MissEm15 · October 2014

I can't decide btwn two photographers. I'm having trouble deciding btwn whats important and being budget conscience. With both I get digital rights to photos. Please keep in mind, I'm having twins. So the time for a newborn session does kind of matter. The baby pictures are what I care about most; I'm just doing maternity photos to document really, as this could be the only time I'm ever able to get pregnant.

cls78 · October 2014

I need websites or FB pages before I can vote!

michelle142 · October 2014

Both packages sound great. I like the number of NB photos you get with the first one, but if you like the NB photos from option 2 I would go with that one.

Also depends how important hospital photos are to you. If those are important - I would definitely choose option 2 since you technically get more bang for your buck with the hospital 3 hour session being part of the original price.

samanthajphoto · October 2014

Quality over quantity. If the second photographer is that much better I'd be willing to pay more and possibly add on a separate newborn session outside the fresh 48 If need be.

Cheap photography isn't good, and good photography isn't cheap.

mandamoochie · October 2014

I went with option A because to me personally, that's the clear winner. I'm definitely a fresh 48 type of person - no photography during labor/delivery. And there seems to be more bang for the buck there.

Now if option B is actually a more talented photographer to the point of it seems worth it to pay the extra money - I would consider paying more. But if they are close to the same level - I'd go with A.

MissEm15 · October 2014

cls78 said:

I need websites or FB pages before I can vote!

Good Idea!

1. www.alcwatkinsphotography.com / https://www.facebook.com/alcwatkinsphotography?ref=br_tf

2. www.amandablankphotography.com / https://www.facebook.com/alcwatkinsphotography?ref=br_tf#!/AmandaBlankPhotography

MissEm15 · October 2014

mandamoochie said:

I went with option A because to me personally, that's the clear winner. I'm definitely a fresh 48 type of person - no photography during labor/delivery. And there seems to be more bang for the buck there.

Now if option B is actually a more talented photographer to the point of it seems worth it to pay the extra money - I would consider paying more. But if they are close to the same level - I'd go with A.

@mandamoochie This is exactly my thinking. I just suck at making actual final decisions for myself.

michelle142 · October 2014

Have you checked on your hospitals photography policy during labor/delivery @MissEm15 ?

jennjilljo · October 2014

I think #2 is better quality and worth the price for maternity, newborn and hospital.

MissEm15 · October 2014

michelle142 said:

Have you checked on your hospitals photography policy during labor/delivery @MissEm15 ?

@michelle142 No, but I'm going to.. I figure she can come in after the birth tho regardless. I don't really want pictures of them coming out anyway ha. But you are right, I need to ask! I'll be delivering in the OR.

racheltherose · October 2014

This is coming from a professional photographer, choose the quality work. I can't stress this enough for important events, because they're hard to recreate if it's not what you want. Choose the person that has the style you want, because I think you'll be happy you invested in it in the long run.

MissEm15 · October 2014

They really are both great in my opinion. I just think Option 2 is a little better w/ lighting.

racheltherose · October 2014

I just glanced quickly at their FB pages, my opinion: Number 2 is better.

michelle142 · October 2014

Based soley off the quality of the photos (especially the newborn photos) - I would go with option 2

Sahara6971 · October 2014

Hmmmm, #1 seems to be more of a Lifestyle photographer, no? I do like that. Especially for birth photography. If you aren't crazy about the "posed" baby look, I would go with #1. I think they both seem like decent photographers. There are some awkward poses/editing styles I am seeing with both on their FB pages.

MissEm15 · October 2014

MissEm15 said:

michelle142 said:

Have you checked on your hospitals photography policy during labor/delivery @MissEm15 ?

@michelle142 No, but I'm going to.. I figure she can come in after the birth tho regardless. I don't really want pictures of them coming out anyway ha. But you are right, I need to ask! I'll be delivering in the OR.

Oh and if the hospital says she can't be in there at all... she said I can do a fresh 48 instead!

cls78 · October 2014

Agree with @racheltherose‌. You can't go back on your babies first 14 days, so pick one you love not based on price. With that said I am leaning towards Amanda Blank, but they both look like similar styles.

Honestly, they are better then I thought they would be. In NJ you can't touch decent photography in a package priced like what you got. Birth Photography alone up here started at $1,000 and that is why I opted for fresh 48 instead.

mirigirl · October 2014

I chose A because I am not the kind of person who wants pictures taken right when he is born. I will want the cutsey posed ones. I also think you get more bang for your buck with the first. While quality is important, if they are fairly close I would go with the less expensive route.

MissEm15 · October 2014

@cls78 I was waiting for you to respond lol I remembered you're a photographer! Do you think number 2 is that much better than number 1 tho? Like you said, they do have similar styles.

I'm leaning toward number 1. I completely understand that you get what you pay for & great photography isn't cheap & this is once in a lifetime. IRL w/ having twins, I do have to budget. I just didn't want my cheapness to blind me if number 2 was the clear winner by a longshot lol.

cls78 · October 2014

AprilRose1 said:
You should ask both photographers if you can get a digital copy of the proofs. Many of "edits" are simply cropping and minor light adjustments you can do yourself. I would only choose a photographer that gave me digital proofs.

My proofs are watermarked and saved as a smaller web size file for viewing only. I never ever show or give raw files to clients and they never have my permission to alter the files either. With that said most of my edits are not something a person with no experience in photoshop can go and do on their own.

michelle142 · October 2014

MissEm15 said:

@cls78 I was waiting for you to respond lol I remembered you're a photographer! Do you think number 2 is that much better than number 1 tho? Like you said, they do have similar styles.
I'm leaning toward number 1. I completely understand that you get what you pay for & great photography isn't cheap & this is once in a lifetime. IRL w/ having twins, I do have to budget. I just didn't want my cheapness to blind me if number 2 was the clear winner by a longshot lol.

What swayed me towards option 2 is the quality and lighting in the NB shots. Option 1 had a twin album and the quality looked.. not at all that great - maybe it's an older album and she didn't have much twin experience at the time, but that pushed me towards option2 for sure. Option 2 had beautiful twin images, so that was a big part of my choice.

racheltherose · October 2014

cls78 said:

You should ask both photographers if you can get a digital copy of the proofs. Many of "edits" are simply cropping and minor light adjustments you can do yourself. I would only choose a photographer that gave me digital proofs.
My proofs are watermarked and saved as a smaller web size file for viewing only. I never ever show or give raw files to clients and they never have my permission to alter the files either. With that said most of my edits are not something a person with no experience in photoshop can go and do on their own.

I'm so glad someone else said this. I would NEVER give out raw files with permission to edit.

michelle142 · October 2014

AprilRose1 said:

You should ask both photographers if you can get a digital copy of the proofs. Many of "edits" are simply cropping and minor light adjustments you can do yourself. I would only choose a photographer that gave me digital proofs.

Please don't ever do this! A pro photographer will never give out raw, unedited images. Just, no.

cls78 · October 2014

The second one does better post processing too. I agree with everything the other 2 photogs said on this thread! Option 2!

samanthajphoto · October 2014

Never would I ever give a client raw, unedited images. Nor would I give permission to edit my images. It is also completely rude to ask one to do so.

Nothing burns me up like seeing an image I spent time perfecting in camera or manipulating in Photoshop being run through an instagram filter, or picasa, or some other junk editing software before being posted to social media.

MissEm15 · October 2014

THANK YOU EVERYONE! I think you completely swayed me to number 2.. which I wanted but was talking myself out of. I really appreciate your comments!!

EDit to add: Especially thank you to all the photographers who commented.. I knew there were a couple, but I couldn't remember exactly who.

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