It's good to see a group about this topic, it's not as well covered as it should be. People don't realize how expensive professional photography can be! That's why people who need/want great photos need to push the issue. I mean, I know why photographers charge as much as they do, or at least why they charge a lot anyway; business costs and all that. Sometimes though it's just a plain rip off.
I've got a blog about my experiences with alternatives for getting photos professionally and I hope that by reading it, others will gain some appreciation for those alternatives. Check it out at http://amazingphotographs.blogspot.com/
Looking great isn't everything but having photographs where you do look good and haven't spent a fortune doing it is great.
