Onboard photographers - examples?

[81Dropbear]

I'm on the fence about whether to book the photo package for our very first cruise, mainly because I'm not really sure what styles/backgrounds the photographers tend to use. If anyone has examples from their own cruises and didn't mind posting, I'd love to see them. :)

[cruzrbachoua]

They change by ship. Some have the standard Titanic staircase, an all white backdrop, a pic of your ship behind you all lit up, one on their main staircase. Then I have seen some special ones on one ship but not others. One time the backdrop looked like a cobblestone European street. Another it was black and white checkerboard floor with a chandelier coming down...those are usually for formal and for the casual ones they have the all white and occasionally have seen one with the ship behind or the ship railing for you to lean on with a scene behind you. There are some in my link to my photos...you will be able to tell the professional photos from my own.

 

We don't care for the staircase pics...as no matter how they rope it off we seem to get an off person walking behind or something. In port they also take your pic with a couple of staff dressed up like something to represent the port or the type of cruise you are on, pirates, bears, lobsters etc. Those can be fun and I use those as part of my memory book.

[keithm]

I'm on the fence about whether to book the photo package for our very first cruise, mainly because I'm not really sure what styles/backgrounds the photographers tend to use. If anyone has examples from their own cruises and didn't mind posting, I'd love to see them. :)

The back drops are ok. You can also ask them to just do standard pics, such as on the Piazza. They do a more formal seating in a special studio(Royal class) we found the pics to be ok, but ridiculously expensive.

[Thrak]

We are always annoyed by the crew in pirate attire and such who try to get us to pose as we leave the dining room. GAH! We duck around them while they are posing with other passengers. We likewise decline the boarding photo and the crew in costume at shore stops. No thanks. We don't really want to have someone taking our photo while sitting at dinner either.

[GUT2407]

The backdrops are pretty much the standard mottled backdrops many photographers use in studio settings.

 

You will probably get a local photographer at home who will give you a better deal, and a more natural shot with a natural backdrop.

 

I spent years in studios, but was never a fan, I'd much rather take the subject out to a rural area, or the beach or something that connected to them.

 

The photography staff are OK, but not great.

[floridalover5623]

We are always annoyed by the crew in pirate attire and such who try to get us to pose as we leave the dining room. GAH! We duck around them while they are posing with other passengers. We likewise decline the boarding photo and the crew in costume at shore stops. No thanks. We don't really want to have someone taking our photo while sitting at dinner either.

 

They don't do that in AT dining. I suppose they would have to stand there all night to catch everyone.

[GUT2407]

They don't do that in AT dining. I suppose they would have to stand there all night to catch everyone.

 

I've had them doing it at ATD.

 

Mrs Gut has a condition closely related to Epilepsy and a flash can trigger it, we just politely decline, on the odd Occassion they press I say something like "If you want to see her on the floor twitching away, go ahead" they drop off at that point.

[floridalover5623]

I've had them doing it at ATD.

 

Mrs Gut has a condition closely related to Epilepsy and a flash can trigger it, we just politely decline, on the odd Occassion they press I say something like "If you want to see her on the floor twitching away, go ahead" they drop off at that point.

 

They take one look at me & can see by my expression I don't want their photo's. At that point I go ahead & let my wife pose for a picture while I shoot it with my camera at the same time.

[joybook]

As it will be your first cruise I feel you would wish to have a few of the 'official' photos. I would suggest you let them take them, including the formal photos and then pick out the ones you want to keep - there is no obligation to buy. I would not go to the expense of buying the photo package. Just buy the ones you really want to keep.

[rnff2]

If the photo package for your sailing is on sale for $99 it might actually be worth the money to purchase it. If I remember correctly an 8x10 photo is aprox $25 so if you were to purchase 4 or more pictures you would end up saving a lot of money. With the package you get all the printed photos and all of the photos are also put on a USB drive.

 

Some backgrounds I have seen are a black, gray, blue, titanic, white pillars, a cruise ship, sunset, beach, and a plain white background. I have seen some beach chairs, balloons and roses used as props for the photos too. Also they use the main atrium stairs and sometimes other places on the ship. They have backgrounds set up every evening but on formal night they have even more set up and the lines are usually longer.

 

Happy Cruising!

[Redwing55]

If the photo package for your sailing is on sale for $99 it might actually be worth the money to purchase it. If I remember correctly an 8x10 photo is aprox $25 so if you were to purchase 4 or more pictures you would end up saving a lot of money. With the package you get all the printed photos and all of the photos are also put on a USB drive.

 

Some backgrounds I have seen are a black, gray, blue, titanic, white pillars, a cruise ship, sunset, beach, and a plain white background. I have seen some beach chairs, balloons and roses used as props for the photos too. Also they use the main atrium stairs and sometimes other places on the ship. They have backgrounds set up every evening but on formal night they have even more set up and the lines are usually longer.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Well, IMO, it's an OK deal, but I don't think any 8 X 10's come with the $99 package. I know I'm still on the fence, but they are pulling me over. Figured I may spring for it just once.:o

[The Wilkies]

We alternate between formal (portrait) and casual (landscape). Casual is either sitting or lying on the floor with a plain white background. Had some beautiful photos done, soft focus so very flattering. And we are "no oil painting "!!!

 

Avoid all other photos like the plague.

[Thrak]

As it will be your first cruise I feel you would wish to have a few of the 'official' photos. I would suggest you let them take them, including the formal photos and then pick out the ones you want to keep - there is no obligation to buy. I would not go to the expense of buying the photo package. Just buy the ones you really want to keep.

 

We have some photos purchased on our first cruise. (My avatar in the corner of this post for instance.) However, it was pretty much a "first cruise thing" and I can totally understand anybody who does this. The first cruise is AMAZING. Nothing had prepared me for it. I'm always just a little bit jealous when I hear someone say it's their first cruise. You only get that experience once. :)

 

It took my wife a very long time to get me on a ship as I absolutely "knew" I would dislike everything about it. D'OH! It's amazing how wrong one can be. I don't regret purchasing photos from that cruise at all but I don't really need any more of that type.

[reedprincess]

Well, IMO, it's an OK deal, but I don't think any 8 X 10's come with the $99 package. I know I'm still on the fence, but they are pulling me over. Figured I may spring for it just once.:o

 

Yes, actually, the 8x10 hard copy printed photos cone with the photo package along with the digital on a USB drive (cute little ship one). You will physically have to go searching for all your hard copy photos and collect them together, then the photo desk scans them to upload to the USB and gives you a folder for the hard copies. I would suggest going every day or two to collect up your photos..

It can be a good deal if you take lots of photos, as one 8x10, standard size BTW, is $19.99, without the digital copy. Especially for your first cruise, it can be a great way to capture lots of memories.

[Zozizar]

On our first cruise, I was really excited and posed for everything. Then I saw that the picture in my head did not match reality. Perhaps it was the photographers but it was like they couldn't take a flattering photo (in-laws took way better). We ended up getting family photos done in the Platinum studio (very nice but $$$$$- warning).

 

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Forums mobile app

[jennybenny]

On our first cruise, I was really excited and posed for everything. Then I saw that the picture in my head did not match reality. Perhaps it was the photographers but it was like they couldn't take a flattering photo (in-laws took way better). We ended up getting family photos done in the Platinum studio (very nice but $$$$$- warning).

 

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Forums mobile app

 

 

 

Photographers make all the difference in the world!! A couple of years ago on the Grand, Hector did an amazing job. I used to joke with my husband about how wonderful he made me look. Other photographers just don't do as good a job of posing you, moving your face or hair if necessary, or rearranging people. I was happy to find Hector again on the Ruby this year and he won't be on my next cruise either but it wasn't you, it was the photographers [emoji6]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[caribill]

The back drops are ok. You can also ask them to just do standard pics, such as on the Piazza. They do a more formal seating in a special studio(Royal class) we found the pics to be ok, but ridiculously expensive.

 

The Platinum Studio is on most, if not all, Princess ships. Those pictures are not included in the $199 (pre-cruise $99) photo package.

[OzKiwiJJ]

The only photo we have from a cruise is the one that came included with the Ultimate Balcony Dinner. I wasn't impressed with any of the shots really, they seemed a bit amateur, but we found one that was just OK. Not sure where it is though, probably tossed in a drawer somewhere. We would not have paid extra for that photo if it hadn't been included in the dinner deal.

[81Dropbear]

Thanks folks, lots of really informative responses that I'm enjoying reading.

 

We have some photos purchased on our first cruise. (My avatar in the corner of this post for instance.) However, it was pretty much a "first cruise thing" and I can totally understand anybody who does this. The first cruise is AMAZING. Nothing had prepared me for it. I'm always just a little bit jealous when I hear someone say it's their first cruise. You only get that experience once. :)

 

Awww, how lovely are you! Thank you - I am SUPER excited. And your avatar photo is gorgeous.

[kc320]

I was on the Grand last Sept. and thought the photographers on there did a great job! I'm not one for having pictures taken...but they made it really fun...and they turned out really good...

[Redwing55]

Yes, actually, the 8x10 hard copy printed photos cone with the photo package along with the digital on a USB drive (cute little ship one). You will physically have to go searching for all your hard copy photos and collect them together, then the photo desk scans them to upload to the USB and gives you a folder for the hard copies. I would suggest going every day or two to collect up your photos..

It can be a good deal if you take lots of photos, as one 8x10, standard size BTW, is $19.99, without the digital copy. Especially for your first cruise, it can be a great way to capture lots of memories.

 

Cool! Not our first cruise, but I'm ready to pull the $99 trigger. Thanks.

[Clownfish Cruiser]

We were on the Caribbean Princess last week and the photo packages on the ship were $149 (for 10, I believe) or $199 for all pictures.

 

I didn't realize there was a pre-cruise purchase package for $99 including all pictures. That sounds like a good deal for a first cruise because you will want them all!

[alwalaska]

Someone asked to see a sampling of the photos from a recent cruise. Well, you can find the good, the bad, and the truly ugly here. These are all of the photos that were taken on our 15 day cruise. Like I said in my thread about my cruise, I have never had so few photographers trying to take pictures of me as on this cruise.

[tsg]

We normally only buy maybe 1 or 2 pictures on a cruise. Our cruise earlier this month was the first time we've cruised with my husband's family and my mother-in-law wanted to make sure we did some group pictures since we aren't all together often. So, we decided to do the $99 pre-cruise deal. We ended up with 31 photographs. I'd say only 5-7 of those are decent enough that I'd put them on FB and only maybe 2 that I would print and frame. The deal was tied to our room so my husband and I took advantage of every photo opportunity. They do have you do a bunch of cheesy poses. If I did it again, I'd just tell them the poses we wanted and not let them pose us.

[PrincessNancy]

Some of the best pictures are on the non-formal nights! One of my favorites is with my husband laying on the floor, and our son and I hugging and posing with him. We were laughing and having a great time and the photographer captured it beautifully! Have fun when you are posing (so you don't look like you are posing;p!

 

We have purchased the $99 pre-cruise special for our upcoming cruise. I think it is a fantastic deal. This is especially true to capture all the fun and great memories of your first cruise.