$200? You'll probably get a person random person with an iPhone.

🤣😂😂

Where in New Jersey are you looking to propose?

You get what you pay for.

Wife decided this year she wanted a photographer for our holiday card. I said that sounds like a waste of money. She found a groupon or the like, for 250 bucks.

The pictures were absolutely terrible and we didn't use them.

As a photographer that’s a terrible low budget. Post on Craigslist and ask to see their work if you get any hits. For $200 you might get 5 images and 30 mins of work. It’s really low for 90% of photographers but you might get lucky with an person starting out. If not get a good video light, a couple friends and shoot it on their phones. You could prob do better than most photographers with these newer phones. The biggest work is the editing and no photographer is going to put in time for $200 to edit them well.

For real.

Good luck with that. You’ll either get terrible pictures, service, or someone that will just ruined the proposal by not showing up. You get what you pay for. Also wait until you want to book a wedding photographer 🤣

@taylormaidmedia does affordable photography in north Jersey

The pros was like 300

Shore area with beach view.

Where can I find an up and coming photographers in the area who are willing to work with that budget?

Do people really need a professional photographer to shoot an engagement? Really?

The entire wedding industry is so out of control... and the average person buys into their bullshit lock, stock, and barrel.

And it's a fucking proposal. That should be more than sufficient.

People really think their entire fucking lives need to be documented for some reason. Hint: no one is going to be looking at these photos except OP and OP's fiance.

To be fair these photos would be used at the wedding and for an album

I do agree with you. It’s insane how much the wedding industry charges for everything these days. But things like photography matter a lot especially for me as I like to have a high quality record of my favorite memories. It sucks that people take advantage of that mentality and charge insane prices. Capitalism I guess.

Even so, it's a proposal. A friend with a phone would be sufficient IMO.

Anything professional is probably going to look staged.

(And, if she already knows it's happening and the whole thing is going to be staged... well, that's a super-dumb idea IMO.)

A lot of the professional proposal pics you see tend to be staged AFTER the initial proposal. Typically the surprise happens and the photographer would capture candids. Then afterwards they re run the proposal and do staged pics.

Having no photos of my engagement is one of my biggest regrets. One of the most special moments of my life, it would have been nice to have it documented. Unfortunately my husband doesn’t share my love of photography.

Check out snappr

just ask a friend or co-worker

Craigslist, or even call local photographers and ask once they say they can’t do it for that price if they know anyone. Sometimes they have assistants trying get into it and are willing to do it cheap. Not sure where your located but also go to your local photography store if there is a local one and ask around or check their push pin boards. Go on the Nextdoor app, check Groupon (the wedding photographer I worked for did this when she started and now does 50+ weddings a year at like 10k a wedding).

Maybe try your local community college to see if any photography students are looking for practice?

You can probably get a great photographer for 300$ IF they use this as a deposit for your wedding.

Take a very small hit of their time upfront to lock your date.

I doubt the proposal will be a surprise that it’s happening, more of when it’s happening. I’d talk with your partner and do some research on photos you like and then the photographer rates, not the other way around.

You understand that people have bills to pay, right? You’re not just paying for the time of the shoot but the hours of work that goes on after it too. Even more so with weddings.

Funny you say that photography is important to you yet you don’t respect what professionals need to earn a living. Nobody is being taken advantage of.

Probably not! You spend a ton of money and then get every cliché tired posed photo that makes your photo album look like every other wedding photo album on earth. At your wedding, put disposable cameras on every table. Those were by far the best photos of my wedding

A whole $200? Why would an experienced person do that? How much was the ring?

No need to spend hundreds on a professional, though.

The entire wedding industry has everyone fucking brainwashed. It's a real thing.

Which is even more fucking nonsensical. SMFH...

I think that’s a great idea!!

dude editing is way time consuming and wedding clients are animals. those most amazing shots are created with experience.

adjust either your budget or expectations. I can't stand when folks want polished professionalism then devalue work they don't understand.

find an art kid with a camera or get your mom to do it

That's insultingly for a professional. Just get a friend to help.

NJ has like 130 miles of shore

A few of my friends had a friend or family member discreetly take pictures of their proposals with their phones. They look SO much better than the staged photos because you can see their genuine reactions

Bingo.

Then spend the money for a good photographer. It’s worth every penny

There’s nothing wrong with maintaining a budget or not wanting to spend the money on something you think is overpriced. But if you know that’s not the going rate, don’t expect to find it.

For the record: your budget of $200 is barely even a friend/family rate. “I’m operating on a budget” is a great way to have photographers avoid working with you.

Wedding photography is expensive, yes. That has been true for a long time. It’s fulfilling, but exhausting work. But most reasonable wedding photographers will credit an engagement session towards the wedding booking.

My advice: don’t spend money on photographing the proposal. Ask a friend / family member to do it. Keep it low key. Then talk with your future fiancé/SO and hire a wedding photographer (together) for a proper engagement session that both of you can prepare for together. I’m sure your partner will appreciate being involved instead of having a surprise photoshoot sprung on them.

Good luck!

Hi, I’m a photographer that does my work on the side of my full time job. I’m in the Hunterdon County area but I’d be happy to travel. Your budget is fine, and I can show you my work if you’re interested.

I try to make professional photography accessible to everyone by being affordable and giving great work. I’ve been in this business for 16+ years.

Let me know :)

Have you tried offering these up and coming photographers eXpOsUrE?

Hi can you dm me your portfolio?