Cowboy Caleb the liberal arts, grown-up stuff & random mischief

Choosing a Wedding Photo Studio

It’s 2.43am, are you awake?

I am. I pray that Barcelona beats Malaga tonight. It’s not hard. All they have to do is make sure that politics do not get involved. I’m already down hard thanks to Racing Satender whipping Deportivo an embaressing 1 - 4.

While I pray, Coldplay’s latest single ‘Speed of Sound’ plays in the background. I hate Coldplay. All their songs sound the same. The singer has no balls that’s why he can hit those high notes with a tinge of glee.

My gf was treating me rotten all week long. When I got back on Saturday evening, I was prepared for yet another round of bad medicine. But to my surprise, she had prepared dinner and was waiting for me. She never cooks. She hates housework. I ate two helpings and thanked the lord for this strange miracle.

“Didn’t you promise to go hunting for a good bridal studio this weekend” she asks

The correct response to the question above is “Yes, sure thing” not “It slipped my mind” or “When did I say that?”.

My memory has been terrible lately. I write stuff down on post-it notes all the time. My entire workplace is plastered with notes. Sometimes I write notes about notes. I call them meta-meta-notes. Information about information on information. The fact that I’m now clearing 0.5 bottles of Black Label (that’s whiskey, kids) every other week night may have something to do with this.

But I had made a promise, and now I would have to make good on it. So that explains the nice dinner. So on Saturday morning, we went off hunting for a good bridal studio. Parking near the bridal studio areas are fiendishly difficult. Everybody wants to park there as well. When we finally got a spot and slotted the car in, the next question was which bridal studio? There were about a dozen shops.

We walked around and noticed that every other shop was crowded with couples like us looking to get photos of themselves taken. Of course, I have absolutely no idea what to look out for. So we enter as many shops as possible. And then I ask as many questions as possible no matter how silly they sound. Whenever the person who is attending to us looks at me as if I’ve asked her something stupid, I respond with “Oh excuse me, it’s my first time getting married and I’m not sure how to go about doing it” coupled with a silly grin on my face.

So it all boils down to this when choosing a wedding photoshoot package

1. How many shots you get for your money
2. The size of your photos
3. Digital or film?
4. Number of costume changes
5. Wedding dress is new or old?
6. Location - scenic locations cost a lot more
7. Skill of photographer

To me, points 6 & 7 are the most important. No point choosing the most exepensive package if the photog is a hack and you don’t go anywhere nice. From visiting so many shops, the average cost of a reasonable photoshoot is around RM2800 - 3400 (SGD1400 - 1700).

Anybody got any suggestions on scenic locations in Singapore that are ideal for a wedding photoshoot? I can only think of Chjimes, Sentosa, Labrador Park etc.

I liked two shops.

The first had a very creative photog with good gear. He was willing to do an underwater shot of both me and my gf decked out in full wedding gear submerged in the sea on the condition that I supplied him with towels and a hot drink later.

The second had a marvelous chap who had a magic touch with lighting conditions and shadows. His studio shots were eerily like scenes from the movie In The Mood For Love. I almost signed on the dotted line, but the salesgirl pissed my gf off with a careless remark.

So we havent chosen a studio yet. I’ve been banned from drinking anymore alcohol for the next 6 months because I have to get into shape. “Later people say I beauty and you beast then how?” says my gf. So looks like it’s back to morning swims, visits to the gym at night and running every other evening.

Haha. Beauty and the Beast.

Roarrrr

we know how it turned out for beauty and the beast.

though i guess you’d do just as well looking like gaston in 6 ; )
good luck!

God, i didn’t know there were so many things to figure out when one gets married.

Someone I know flew his fiancee and the photographers to Sydney to have their wedding pics taken but i don’t suppose that’s on your agenda.

rud > heh nabeh.

FF > Not so rich. If I could afford it, I would like to have the photos taken in Rome near Vatican City instead.

Ahhhh, the Search for the Studio.

Let me point you to one of my classics:

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/1998/02/why_getting_mar.html

Hahaha. Learn from a Jedi Master of Marriage, Padawan. Don’t go to another studio to look see after you have settled on one already… hahahahaha!

mb > that’s a fantasticly good post!! 1998 some more - blast from the past~ I’m forwarding it to my gf.

The noose is tightening.

you went malaysia to hunt? price sounds good. in singapore, average cost is like $3k. i got friend got lobang in indonesia and then can go bali and take the pics lei. abt $4k all-in-all. btw, if you thinking of sentosa how to take underwater pics with murky water?

wedding bells WHEE WHEE…. :) am i invited? please?

Jean > eh, the plot thickens lah. what noose?

Linda > bali? The malaysian studios will bring you to Tioman Island for additional RM600. Underwater shoot will be done in the swimming pool probably.

minishorts > Eh but we’re never supposed to meet what. :)

Hey man,

I didn’t go to a studio. Used an independent instead. My advice - draw out a budget -first- then find a studio.

Marriage is an awfully romantic thing, it always makes me want to cry. Good going, Caleb!

I hate those photo studios that make u take shots in kimono, saris, baju kurung, tribal wear, dunnowhat.

Ew! Roleplay do in the bedroom!

How about more nature places like botanical gardens, sungei buloh, chek jawa (eh no kidding!)

anthony > how does that work? Got a lot of things like photo albums and framed pictures. Can independants handle it?

onelittletwit > eh photo session only… not going for ROM yet

juicy > I want to dress up in those traditional chinese gear

la idler > where is chek jawa?

I still think it’s all a waste of hard-earned money. Yes, once in a lifetime and everything, but you seriously don’t have to pay thousands of dollars for a few good photos. These studios are like popping up everywhere in KL. And why? Because of silly gonna-be-newly-weds who think having superstar quality photos is must to a successful wedding (marriage?).

I engaged a professional photographer to take mine onsite, during the wedding day since I had a garden wedding. Paid all of RM1200 for TWO photographers, 30 rolls included, half a day from 4pm to after the dinner. Photos turned out really well as well and he gave us back everything.

And yes, I’m a woman!

Thing is, u wont even look at those photos a month after the wedding. Pretty soon, that 3k is gone, perhaps to spend eternity under your bed or in the storeroom.

Painful wei!

Caleb - depends on what you want. The -good- thing about packages are the price and the lack of decisions you have to make. The bad thing is…the lack of decisions you had to make.

I had the fortune of engaging a very good independent. She supplies victorian style gowns but she has MANY contacts. I got an indonesian photographer through her - I like her precisely because her pictures are NOT so done up, but very natural and spontaneous. No studio so -all- shots have to be done outdoors. Affordable too.

However, if you take up independents, be warned - the gowns, photos, flowers for the day etc, all have to be through independents. :D

hey dude, im doing a series on the TNP Wedding Planner. wait for that. for photog skills and scenic locations (budget but look fantastic),try mr and miss wedding club from tanjong pagar.

Just thought that you might want to check out this website:

http://www.covershots.com.my

Ouch, so much money for a couple of photos? Sounds like wedding is a) a gigantic pain in the ass and b) a gigantic expense.
Never ever would I go with this “common” way of having a wedding. I pity you :)

Hey congrats! Glad that you’ve found a place for your heart!

Jenn > well your husband is very lucky then. My gf wants her special day to be perfect in every way. I would rather save the 3k and go shopping during the honeymoon instead.

anthony > the lack of gowns and stuff really bothers me.

jac > eh send me your draft lahhhhh so i can read it!!!

emily > wow, that’s a really good site. I’ve forwarded it to my gf.

aneki > chinese weddings are an exepensive pain in the arse

anna > thanks :)

I like the sound of the underwater shot! But then again, to have In the Mood for Love kind of shots, also very good. Glad I’m not making the decision! hehehe

When my good friend got married, she decided to do away with the whole wedding studio package, and instead got a good photographer to follow them around during the day itself. The photos turned out beautifully.

chek jawa is some part of ubin la.

-laughs- Better keep your wife-to-be away from my independent then. Good luck on the wedding, I know what a pain it can be.

i suddenly feel ill in my stomach :(
seeing you get married gives me the pre-marrying phobia. =O

if u really want economical way to get your photos taken overseas, engage a photographer from overseas (that way u wun haf to pay for his airfare!), then do your honeymoon before your wedding.

so it will be like honeymoon cum wedding phototaking overseas.

recommended if u haf a fren in that country of choice ;)

it all boils down to budget caleb, budget budget budget, and for the photographer it would be location location location.
Im starting out in the photography business too, my photos aint world class but I think I’d match a few of the wedding boutiques. there are a few good studios around but they cost!a bomb!
heh, wont mind helping u with ur photos though if u 2 are willing to take a gamble.

try pentaserve photography. my friends shots came out beyootifully.

I guess to each his/her own. Just that I’m usually disgusted every time this subj comes up and the naked display of avarice the studios put up to take away every single cent one can afford. they KNOW u will spend the money because c’mon Mr Tan, it’s your weddinnggggg lahhh. Once in a lifetime u knowwww.

As if they REALLY care about forever sealing your special day in memory. Worse thing is they take like 100 pics and let you keep only the 10 because that’s what 3k is gonna cover in the end. What do they do with the remainder 90? Nobody knows.

They try to make u pay more by ordering more after the photos are taken and they actually put it all in a nice album to seduce you, so don’t fall into the trap! stick to what you bought!

A friend of mine actually took the 100 back (they let u take it back for one day) and scanned the whole damn pile. She stuck to her 3k package to their utter dismay.

[…] like to thank all the nice people who left coments and emailed me after I wrote about my quest for a wedding photo studio. Suggestions for pho […]