After several weeks of walking around and scouting for the right photographer, I’ve finally put together my full review of everything I’ve observed—and believe me, I’ve seen quite a lot. I truly hope this proves useful to anyone else out there, and perhaps, by documenting it all like this, I can finally make sense of my own impressions too.
Getty Images I was looking at a photography and basic video bundle priced at $1,850, which honestly seems like a reasonable deal on paper. Mike seems like an absolute legend—his shots are stunning, and the video work he’s posted on Vimeo is nothing short of perfection. However, after hearing a mountain of horror stories from various sources, I’ve decided to pass on them entirely. From what I can gather, those videos uploaded to Vimeo are actually just the work of Matthew and some other guy who started their own studio called Pixar. The rumors floating around are pretty damning: people are reporting massive delays of five to nine months just to get their photos back, instances where names were misspelled on the actual DVDs, and technical issues where the discs skip constantly. To make matters worse, word is that the actual editing of the footage and photos is being handed off to college students who have absolutely no idea what they are doing. It's just too much of a risk.
Pixar I only saw some of their photos on Facebook, and they honestly look incredible. They sent over a full proposal to my inbox, and the starting price for their basic photo and video package is around $2,200. Unfortunately, they’re already booked for my specific date, so I don't have any more details to share beyond that.
Ivan It’s a flat fee of 1,600 Euros just for the photography. If that sounds like a bargain to you, then by all means, go right ahead!
Fruit of the Loom Studio The basic photo and video package is priced at $2,000. I actually took a look at two wedding galleries they sent over to my email via their online portal. To be perfectly honest, I don’t see what the big deal is; personally, I found them to be somewhat cliché. I also haven't been able to determine if posing direction is included in their services, as I didn't see any shots like that in the galleries, on their blog, or even on their official website. In my estimation, it is far too expensive for the value they are providing, even if the majority of people seem to love their work.
Bonacci Studios I just looked over a photo and video package priced at $1,500. The guy is genuinely personable, his work is technically solid, and I find the price point to be quite reasonable. However, for some reason, I just wasn't blown away by it—I can't quite put my finger on what's missing. That being said, it is definitely worth checking out; I am certain there is someone out there who will absolutely love his style.
Julia's Studio First of all, this guy refuses to even email you a quote; he insists that you show up in person just to talk business. He doesn't have any standardized packages or set pricing structures, which leads me to believe he just pulls numbers out of thin air on the spot. For instance, he told my friend and me that our "special friends price" would be $1,800. It makes me wonder what kind of ridiculous rates he’s quoting everyone else. To make matters more complicated, he brings his wife along to these meetings, so you end up dealing with two photographers and one videographer. He tries to convince us that having two photographers at a wedding is essential while insisting that a single camera is plenty for video. Other professionals say the exact opposite, and frankly, I can't tell who is lying and who is just delusional. We didn't even get to see an actual physical album—just some sample books, photo slideshows, and videos. While the photos themselves are decent, the videos are nothing special. The man was incredibly grating with his constant bragging; he kept acting like he had watched a specific video a hundred times already, only to suddenly get all emotional about it again, crying, "My God, this brought tears to my eyes!" Even though I’m usually a crier, I honestly didn't find anything remotely touching about it. I actually sat down and watched an entire DVD from one of his weddings, and if I were rating him, I’d give him a +2/-3. As for the parent albums? A total disaster. They are hands down the worst we've ever seen. He even claimed they don't even produce specialized albums for parents. When we asked if we could suggest the music for the trailer or certain segments of the wedding video, he told us we could make suggestions, but ultimately, his word is final. Apparently, he used to work at Getty Images.
Getty Images by Tony They offer several different packages consisting of photo albums, coffee table books, and video services. For my part, the most impressive combination—which bundles a high-end album with a full video package—is priced at $1,700. This setup includes one dedicated photographer and one videographer; if you need to add extra staff for larger groups, it’s an additional $250 per person. I have to say, the photography itself is among the absolute best we’ve ever seen. You won't find much of his work posted on Facebook, so I highly recommend scheduling an in-person meeting to see his portfolio. He operates out of a studio in San Francisco. During our consultation, he walked us through two beautiful books and some cinematic clips, though we haven't had the chance to inspect a physical album yet. The guy is incredibly personable and genuinely eager to collaborate. On top of that, he has professional experience working for Getty Images.
Studio Smile The base photo and video package starts at $1,700 (which includes one photographer and one videographer). We actually sat down for a consultation with Ranko Pupić, who runs the studio. Honestly, the meeting was incredibly awkward because he spent the entire time belittling all his competitors while constantly bragging about himself. We sat there for nearly two hours, and the man did nothing but talk about his own work and his past footage. Now, I will be perfectly clear: the guy produces flawless videos. He utilizes every high-end tool imaginable—steady cams, cranes, even helicopters. However, there is a massive catch with the pricing. If you want a "love story" highlight reel, that’s an extra $275. If you want to use the helicopter, add another $165. And if you have more than 150 guests, he recommends bringing in a second videographer, which will cost you an additional $500. You can find examples of his work on Facebook. It is abundantly obvious that he lives and breathes video production, whereas photography seems like an afterthought to him. While we were flipping through the sample albums, he was busy chatting on his cell phone. I was absolutely appalled when I saw how they handled the presentation—they had a single photograph taped directly onto the inside cover page! It looked incredibly unprofessional. Furthermore, there wasn't a single black-and-white shot in the entire album. To put it bluntly: the photos are mediocre, the videos are top-tier, and the man is exhausting to deal with. Ultimately, everything revolves around his specific way of doing things. Vedran Vidak is an option if you want to hire him as a standalone photographer; he charges between $850 and $1,100 depending on which parent or wedding party albums you select. Basically, if you book Studio Smile, Vedran Vidak will likely be the one behind the lens, but you have the flexibility to hire him separately and find someone else to handle the video.
Ante Gašpar offers a photo and video package for $1,300, which includes an additional follow-up session the next day for $333. He is a very down-to-earth, modest family man who previously worked for the local studio in San Francisco. We had a look at his albums and books, and I must say, the photography is among the best we've seen. He has quite a large portfolio on Facebook, and the shots are truly stunning. My only gripe was that some of his pages felt a bit cluttered because there were too many photos packed in (the album has about 300 shots), and just like with the previous guy, a photo was taped to the back cover next to the binding. It feels like he’s incredibly accommodating—he'll do whatever you ask. He works alongside Miljenko Marin for video. From what I observed, they only use a single camera without a tripod, so the video quality is just mediocre. Even the DVD cover looked honestly pathetic, and the main menu on the disc actually says "best off" (yes, with two 'f's). So, the bottom line: the photos are amazing, the video isn't great, but the price is unbeatable.
Photo Studio Zumba offers a wide variety of packages; a solid combination would likely run you between $1,500 and $1,750. For a change of pace, this studio is run by a woman named Dražena. She is very personable and open to collaborating and implementing ideas from her clients. Looking through their albums, we saw a mix of absolutely perfect shots and total disasters. However, I did catch a video of theirs on Vimeo, and it was genuinely impressive.
Photo Marino—I’m not certain on the exact pricing, but I believe it’s around $1,300. If you book them, Gašpar can coordinate with them to handle a follow-up session the following day. We took a look at an album and a DVD from one of their weddings, and frankly, those were the worst photos and videos we have ever encountered, so we decided to cancel our meeting with them.
Studio Forever seems to be a photographer who is just starting out on his own. He mentioned working somewhere else previously, though he didn't specify where. His all-inclusive live package is priced at a very reasonable $1,100. He showed us a "best of" album featuring various wedding shots, mostly posed portraits. There were some truly beautiful images, and I believe he has real potential, but since we haven't seen a full wedding coverage, I can't say for sure how his documentary-style candid shots turn out. We also watched his video work, and it seemed quite good.
There is also Studio Bora—I checked out their website, and I really like their style. I can't recall the exact pricing, though, as I can't find their quote online. Studio Megagraf also offers a million different packages, with prices ranging from $1,100 to over $2,200. I don't have any specific details or impressions regarding these last two because I haven't seen their work in person.
I hope this breakdown proves useful to someone! Personally, I am currently torn between Tony and Ante, so any suggestions, advice, or extra info would be greatly appreciated.
