Photobooths can range from renting out actual old-school photo booths (the kind that you posed in with your girlfriend in high school at a metro in Montreal) which nowadays can be quite expensive, to a camera on tripod with a simple backdrop and one flash unit that can be set up almost anywhere no matter how small your event space. While you can do it yourself (using the self timer function on the camera or a remote control for your camera) it is much easier to ask the professional photographer you’re hiring to include the photo booth option as part of the quote.

As a professional event photographer, I am increasingly incorporating a photo booth into my work with great results. At weddings you can be guaranteed to get a portrait of all your guests for your wedding books and if you are hosting a theme oriented party (see onsite print posts from a James Bond themed event here) you can really add to the guests enjoyment and engagement throughout the event.

The advantages of including a photo booth for your event:

• More fun!
• Highly engaging for guests
• Images can be seen and shared with all guests instantly
• Moderately more expensive than simply asking for event photos – but hugely more entertaining and instant value generated for event organizer and guests

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It happens with everything from the flower arrangements to the venue rental fee, and photography is no exception. Call a photographer and ask for an event fee and you will be quoted a price, either by the hour or an all-in fixed price. These rates can vary but they can also be negotiated to ensure they meet your needs as a client, fit within your real budget and leave enough profit for the photographer to make it worth his or her while. Call the same photographer a day later and ask for a quote for the same event, only this time, say it is a wedding and see what happens. 99% of the time, you’ll be quoted a higher price – for the exact same service. Why?

I understand the thinking – a wedding is a big day, very important, requires special attention, etc. etc. But isn’t that what you pay a professional for on any job you hire them for? Does a professional give a lower grade service to a corporate client running an event? That shouldn’t happen. Your wedding is important and does deserve top quality service – just like any other event a professional photographer is working and you shouldn’t have to pay through the nose to get it.

Here are a few tricks to use when looking for a wedding photographer:

• Be realistic about your intentions for the photos: Most couples want a small collection of edited, top photos (25-30 images), a key shot they will use for the thank you card, and a few real winners to frame and put up in the new home. When shopping for a wedding photographer, if you know in the end you will only want a reasonably sized set of images, than say so. It cuts down on the amount of work the photographer has to do and should therefore reduce the price you are asked to pay.
• Be fair: no one can afford to do work that pays no profit. Maintaining professional equipment, software, computers, and skills training as well as managing a small business takes time and effort. These are all factors that go into a photographer’s price. You can always find a budget-friendly photographer. Everyone has a camera these days that can take very good photos. If you want to save as much money as possible on your wedding, don’t hire a photographer at all – just ask your guests to send you their picks. It will of course be hit and miss, but it won’t cost you anything. If, however, you want a dedicated, professional photographer with experience and  who will deliver on the shots you want to get – then hire a pro and expect to pay a fair price.
• Think of your wedding as a special event: while it really is a big day for you, for most professionals working events, a wedding is really just another event that requires all the same level of organization and professionalism as say, an association banquet dinner or a gala fundraiser. This does not mean you get lower service, on the contrary, you should be getting the same high level of service a real professional provides regardless of the job.
• Be honest about your budget: if your budget really is $500, say so. But if you are comfortable spending upwards of that ($1500 – $2500) than don’t be afraid to say so as well. It can save a lot of time and hassle simply stating up front what you have to pay then turn your focus on what you want to get for the money you will be spending. For $500 you can expect someone to cover your ceremony, the immediate before and after and deliver a dvd of the images. For higher value service, longer coverage, more elaborate shooting setups including things like photo booths, multiple locations and additional shooters, you can expect to pay upwards of $1200.
• Be timely: booking your photographer well in advance of the date is always going to get you a better price. Professional photographers live and die by contract work which comes and goes. Everyone likes to know that there is a predictable amount of money to be earned at a fixed date in the future – and if you can offer this and are willing to commit with a down payment, you can ask for a better price. It may not always work but it is worth a try.

In the end, you can spend $20,000 or $200 on wedding photography. It is up to you. In my opinion, the whole wedding industry is structured to suck as much money as possible out of two (usually young) people who would be better off keeping more of their dollars in their pockets so they can make a downpayment on a house or add an extra layer of luxury to their honeymoon.

Be realistic, be fair, think of your wedding as an event, be honest about your budget and be timely in your booking and you will save hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars on your wedding photography.

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Pros:

• Makes event more memorable for your guests
• Branding opportunity – the photo can have your logo as well as the date and place of the event helping keep your organization in mind long after the event is done.
• Happier guests – most people get dressed up for events (especially gala functions or fundraisers) and enjoy seeing themselves in a photo looking their best
• Adds excitement – posing for the photos and have a real (albeit improvised) studio set up as part of your event adds a little pizazz and excitement. After a drink or two, almost everyone loves to get in front of the camera for a shot.

Cons:

• Raises cost of event to cover additional cost of prints
• Requires a little extra space in venue
• Best achieved with two photographers on site rather than just one which is often otherwise sufficient

In short, if you are running an event on a tight budget and only want the minimal coverage to have a few photos to distribute after the event in newsletters or on a website, then you probably don’t need to add onsite prints to your event. If, however, you are looking to make an impression (no pun intended) with your event and want an additional way to keep your organization top-of-mind for your guests, giving them a small print of themselves to take home with them is a value-adding activity that has a big impact for a marginal increase in costs.

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Special Valentine’s Day Promo: Call or email today with the subject line “Valentines” and book a $99 portrait session for two, including a champagne toast and 1, gorgeously edited 8×10 print.

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The concert was a success, raising close to $500k in donations!

Here are a few more images from the event:

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Half day shoot today at Produlith on Montreal’s south shore. The scent of ink in the air, machines shushing everywhere. Portraits of staff and president, as well as shots of the operations for new website launch. Going to be a fun day.

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I’d love to hear back from people who hire event photographers on how you handle the post-event photo delivery and what you expect to see. Please feel free to email me or respond in the comment form below.

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Happy Holidays from Julian Haber Photography

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New portfolio site showing off some of my event and portrait work in Montreal

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