Almost every day I find myself trying to explain why my prices are "so unbelievably high" to friends, family, prospective clients, and even other photographers (the uninsured, cash-in-hand types, mostly) and then I read discussions on Facebook, forums, and here on 365 where I see comments about photographers charging too much for prints etc, and find myself wanting to repeat everything I've said almost every day, all over again.
Well, someone said it better than me. So here you go - if you want to know why pro photographers and pro wedding photographers charge so much, you really should take a look at this blog post:
I too get flack for my prices, especially when it comes to automotive stuff. I will not touch a car photo shoot without payment nowadays, and people think I'm retarded for that. Why? I honestly don't need to build my portfolio anymore, especially with what they have to offer up. With gas prices, equipment prices, and just lack of personal time nowadays, my time = money.
I had a girl in my class that wants a photographer for her wedding for under $200. Made me chuckle. Hope she enjoys the photos she ends up with... definitely not offering myself up for that job!
I own a mental health/AODA business and it is the same for me. We charge a fee for each service and sometimes our clients think we are making too much. they do not see all of the overhead - rent, employee salaries, insurances, retirement funds, equipment, etc.
Even I who knows very little about phtography understands how much time it takes to make a good photo - even a medicre photo.
we need a like button here lol .... great post thanks jinx, is a shame that you have to answer to this as much as you do. everyone knows that you get what you pay for and that rarely varies, ever. i reckon it'd be so funny to print their photos UNedited lol, then they might appreciate what you pros actually DO and how well you do it :)
and the other thing that isn't mentioned, and particularly applies to people like yourself, that time that you spend at other peoples' weddings, is actually time away from your own life, and duh its usually on a weekend right, so i reckon that is a pretty big sacrifice ... ie you must really love the work :)
nice to see you're still alive btw ;) you've been more quiet than ME ... if that's possible haha
This is a great post Jinx. People too often forget about the hard work they can't see and the pricelessness of a fantastic shot that will last well...forever. It's not just photographers either. Teachers (who have my undying respect) spring to mind. Yes they get the school holidays but the amount of time and effort they put into preparing classes and making sure that our kids enjoy their education is incredible. Thanks for sharing this and hope to see some more of your photos on 365 soon
@jinximages Wonderful post, Jinx! Most people don't realize how much work goes behind the perfect shot. I've come across a similar article, explaining why good photographers charge so much. Here is the link, to shed some more light: http://paintthemoon.net/site/#/how-much,!/how-much,!/
Thanks for posting this- very informative! I must say I just spent over an hour browsing their blog- so INSPIRING!! Great stuff- some great ideas for an engagment shoot I'm doing for my brother as soon a the lovely spring weather arrives :D
great article, thanks for sharing. sadly i think digital cameras and walmart mentality are going to be the death of photography. i have even seen 8 sheets of poster board taped together and against a wall, and a person called it their studio, advertising in the local yellow pages. *shaking head....
@jinximages We of all people ought to know what goes into taking any photo without all the thought, long experience gained, costs of equipment, keeping up with the technology and techniques and complexities of the day itself that you have to manage etc etc etc. I have skimmed what looks a good article for later, fuller digetion (when I've got ready for my B&B guests who are arriving any time!!
Great post. As another photographer said - you're willing to pay over $1,000 for a cake but you want me for cheap?
I don't do wedding photography but I will do portraits which I spend a long time on getting just right - every little detail. I know you all do too. These are a lifetime of memories for people and they should value those memories.
Good article and thanks for posting.
I truly do believe your photography is worth it's weight in gold. I've seen enough here to appreciate the work you do.
However, I can't wrap my brain around the thought of ever paying some of those upper amounts for wedding photos (granted, if I ever get married, I'll elope so there won't be 8+ hours of services needed). On that note, I know of people spending upwards of 20K or more on a wedding, which I really do think is insane, but to each their own. :) I'm a teacher and live pretty simply. It's just not in my budget; I could never expect my retired parents to pay that, and though my boyfriend would if I wanted it, I probably still couldn't agree to it (even adjusting for my low cost of living locale). If I'm ever faced with that reality, maybe I'll think differently. It's not a matter of not valuing photographs or photographers, it's purely fiscal. I realize you do get what you pay for, but I also realize I can't pay for the best.
@jinximages With a VERY heavy heart I want to apologize to you and all others that I have offended with the comment that I made. I did not realize the different ways it could be taken. Even though I don't know you personally, I have a great deal of respect for you and your work. In no way did I mean that anyone that loves photography is a (fool) that would include me as well. The statement that I used was totally out of context to the issue. If the person that has the money to spend and desires to have the best they should have it. I guess I am thinking about the ones that hardly have enough to get along on, throw practicality to the wind, and go for the high dollar product. That is what I meant by being foolish.
As far as cost, I guess it depends on who the photographer is. I can take a fantastic photo and maybe get $150.00. If you took the very same photo with everything being equal, you would, without question, get a great deal more. Not that the photo was any better,being everything equal, but because you took it. With having developed a name for yourself, this would be understandable.
I truly hope I haven't (burnt any bridges) with the great people on this site.
Alos if you look you will see that I deleted (foolish) post that I made. I hope that possibly you could do the same for your rebuttle. I do indeed place the same value on the art of photography and the importance and preservation of it, and don't want anyone to think differently Respectfully..RRT
@rrt Thank you Richard. I can't help but agree, in that people spend too much on their weddings and not enough on their marriages. Photographs are indeed a luxury item (though people like me desire them to the point of needing them), and it is a silly thing for people to go into financial stress to obtain professional photography. I will say though, that no matter the circumstances, I would always regret not having lovely photographs of my wedding. I actually do regret not finding more money in our budget to get who we really wanted, rather than the student photographer we did hire (for our second wedding - we had one each at opposite ends of the continent), because those photographs are memories for a lifetime, and they could have been a lot better. It doesn't bother me if someone decides they cannot afford professional photography. It does bother me when they say that, but then spend a couple of thousand dollars on a cake that is gone in minutes, decorations that will never be used again, hiring cars for (again) thousands of dollars (they won't even have a nice photo of them) etc, but that is only because I prioritise differently and prefer to have something I can keep, over something that makes the guests say, "Wow, that's so amazing and expensive-looking!"
No harm done - I was just quite taken-aback at the time. No need to mention it again. ;)
@jjsooner The marriage comes first (before the wedding considerations) - always! I had been in my job a few years when Koshi and I got married, but she was just out of university and had not yet started work (as a teacher). We didn't have a lot of cash, and we hired a student photographer for our wedding in Melbourne (family wedding) which turned out beautifully. He was fantastic. Then we did the same for the wedding with our friends in North Queensland, and the photos turned out quite terrible. We wished we'd found the money to hire someone else, but at the time we just couldn't. Trying to buy our own home and set ourselves up (on one wage) was no easy task. Knowing what I know now, I probably could have found someone better, or contracted a pro for less hours or something like that, but at the time I didn't know what I know now, and got what we got. And we did get our house, and we're still married over ten years later, so we did something right. :)
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I too get flack for my prices, especially when it comes to automotive stuff. I will not touch a car photo shoot without payment nowadays, and people think I'm retarded for that. Why? I honestly don't need to build my portfolio anymore, especially with what they have to offer up. With gas prices, equipment prices, and just lack of personal time nowadays, my time = money.
I had a girl in my class that wants a photographer for her wedding for under $200. Made me chuckle. Hope she enjoys the photos she ends up with... definitely not offering myself up for that job!
Even I who knows very little about phtography understands how much time it takes to make a good photo - even a medicre photo.
Glad you shared this.
we need a like button here lol .... great post thanks jinx, is a shame that you have to answer to this as much as you do. everyone knows that you get what you pay for and that rarely varies, ever. i reckon it'd be so funny to print their photos UNedited lol, then they might appreciate what you pros actually DO and how well you do it :)
and the other thing that isn't mentioned, and particularly applies to people like yourself, that time that you spend at other peoples' weddings, is actually time away from your own life, and duh its usually on a weekend right, so i reckon that is a pretty big sacrifice ... ie you must really love the work :)
nice to see you're still alive btw ;) you've been more quiet than ME ... if that's possible haha
I don't do wedding photography but I will do portraits which I spend a long time on getting just right - every little detail. I know you all do too. These are a lifetime of memories for people and they should value those memories.
I truly do believe your photography is worth it's weight in gold. I've seen enough here to appreciate the work you do.
However, I can't wrap my brain around the thought of ever paying some of those upper amounts for wedding photos (granted, if I ever get married, I'll elope so there won't be 8+ hours of services needed). On that note, I know of people spending upwards of 20K or more on a wedding, which I really do think is insane, but to each their own. :) I'm a teacher and live pretty simply. It's just not in my budget; I could never expect my retired parents to pay that, and though my boyfriend would if I wanted it, I probably still couldn't agree to it (even adjusting for my low cost of living locale). If I'm ever faced with that reality, maybe I'll think differently. It's not a matter of not valuing photographs or photographers, it's purely fiscal. I realize you do get what you pay for, but I also realize I can't pay for the best.
As far as cost, I guess it depends on who the photographer is. I can take a fantastic photo and maybe get $150.00. If you took the very same photo with everything being equal, you would, without question, get a great deal more. Not that the photo was any better,being everything equal, but because you took it. With having developed a name for yourself, this would be understandable.
I truly hope I haven't (burnt any bridges) with the great people on this site.
Alos if you look you will see that I deleted (foolish) post that I made. I hope that possibly you could do the same for your rebuttle. I do indeed place the same value on the art of photography and the importance and preservation of it, and don't want anyone to think differently Respectfully..RRT
No harm done - I was just quite taken-aback at the time. No need to mention it again. ;)
@jjsooner The marriage comes first (before the wedding considerations) - always! I had been in my job a few years when Koshi and I got married, but she was just out of university and had not yet started work (as a teacher). We didn't have a lot of cash, and we hired a student photographer for our wedding in Melbourne (family wedding) which turned out beautifully. He was fantastic. Then we did the same for the wedding with our friends in North Queensland, and the photos turned out quite terrible. We wished we'd found the money to hire someone else, but at the time we just couldn't. Trying to buy our own home and set ourselves up (on one wage) was no easy task. Knowing what I know now, I probably could have found someone better, or contracted a pro for less hours or something like that, but at the time I didn't know what I know now, and got what we got. And we did get our house, and we're still married over ten years later, so we did something right. :)