Fotoman

Fotoman is a photo studio in the center of Basel, run by Fotoman KLG, with a wedding team led by photographer Laurence Müller. It covers weddings with photos, video or both, and rents out a photo booth that it discounts when a couple books a wedding package. For a couple planning from abroad, two things stand out at once: the site has an English version, and the wedding prices are published.

The wedding offer

The wedding page opens with a statement from Laurence Müller: "Honest, authentic and fully involved - that's what I stand for as a wedding photographer." The team presents itself as a full-service provider, so one booking can cover photos, a film and the booth, and the page lists what it sees as its strengths: a friendly, uncomplicated and well-rehearsed team, years of experience in wedding photography, high customer satisfaction and good value for money. The footer cites a Google rating of 5.0 from 384 reviews for Fotoman KLG Basel.

Both the photo and the video pages list the same parts of the day: the preparations in the morning, the ceremony, the couple shoot, the speeches, the wedding dance and the party. For film, the team works with several cameras and takes drone shots, and says it tries to be as inconspicuous as possible. Every booking starts with a preliminary talk in Basel or via Zoom, where the team tries to learn as much as it can about the couple, the guests and the day. On the day itself they arrive early to prepare, and depending on the package they come alone or as a whole team.

Published prices

The photo packages each include a briefing, post-processing of the photos, and a set travel distance:

• XS, CHF 800: 2 hours of photo reportage, 10 km of travel included.
• S, CHF 1400: 4 hours, 20 km included, 20% off the photo booth.
• M, CHF 1750: 6 hours, 30 km included, 30% off the photo booth.
• L, CHF 2100: 8 hours, 50 km included, 40% off the photo booth.

The video packages follow the same structure:

• XS, CHF 1000: 2 hours of filming, a wedding film of about 5 to 10 minutes, 10 km included, a 1-minute trailer optional.
• S, CHF 1500: 4 hours, a film of about 10 minutes, 20 km included, 20% off the booth.
• M, CHF 2000: 6 hours, a film of about 10 to 15 minutes, 30 km included, 30% off the booth.
• L, CHF 2500: 8 hours, a 10 to 15 minute film with the trailer included, 50 km included, 40% off the booth.

The FAQ says couples can count on 50 to 80 edited photos per hour. Photos arrive no later than four weeks after the wedding, in high resolution, through a private password-protected online gallery that can be shared with guests, or on a USB stick on request. Only the selected and edited photos are handed over, as JPG files; the rejects are not. Films are also delivered within four weeks, and the couple can first watch a raw version and give feedback. A photo album can take longer because it depends on outside partners.

The photo booth

The booth page lists three packages, all with setup, dismantling, a buzzer, on-site online publication and a download link valid for 30 days, plus travel costs. The Basic version has no printer, Classic adds a printer with 200 prints, and Pro, at CHF 680, adds a printer with 700 prints, the creative set of props, a backdrop, a photo album with glue and writing materials, and a personal template. Extras include a backdrop for CHF 30, a personal template for CHF 20, a creative set for CHF 50 and extra prints in blocks of 100 to 400.

The booth records photos, video, GIFs and boomerangs; the 10x15 cm printer works with the photo function only. It needs a socket close by, WLAN if recordings are to be shown live, a floor area of at least 4 m by 2.5 m and a room height of at least 2.4 m. It is built of wood and cannot be used outdoors unless protected from the weather. The tenant is liable for damage and loss, Fotoman KLG may ask for a cash deposit of CHF 200, and each missing prop can cost CHF 10 to 30.

Travel, timing and practical points

The FAQ says the team is flexible about location, naming Basel, Ticino, Sardinia and Portugal, with extra costs for travel, accommodation and meals depending on the destination. For weddings abroad it asks for an early inquiry, since these usually mean trips of several days. Popular summer dates are often booked many months ahead, while short-notice dates are more often possible on weekdays or between October and April.

Other answers are practical. For couple portraits the team often splits the shoot in two, a main session before the ceremony and a few minutes in the evening light before sunset. They carry spare batteries, memory cards and lenses and usually shoot with several cameras. They dress to blend in with the wedding party and will match the dress code if told.

The studio is at Steinenbachgässlein 25, 3rd floor, 4051 Basel, between the SBB station and the city center. The studio page gives the SBB station at 300 m, the Elisabethen and Steinen multi-story car parks at 100 m and the Heuwaage tram stop at 150 m. Payment on site is by cash, Twint, Mastercard, Maestro, Visa, V-Pay, Google Pay or Apple Pay, and not Postfinance. The same studio takes application, passport and business portraits and can be rented by the hour. Contact is Laurence Müller on +41 76 504 30 61 or info@fotoman.ch.

What the site leaves open

The pages do not name the other team members, give no founding year, and do not describe what happens in a larger team booking beyond "alone or with a whole team." The travel charge beyond the included kilometers is not priced. The site is available in English, but the wedding pages do not state which languages the team works in on the day, so a couple should confirm that the ceremony and speeches can be followed in their language.

Who it suits

Fotoman fits a couple marrying in or near Basel who want published prices, fast delivery and the option of photos, film and a booth from one supplier, with the discounts that combination brings. The caveats are that the included travel is short, so a wedding farther away adds costs, and that the named photographer is the only team member the pages introduce.