Why Wedding Photographers Prices are Wack!

[bitsnpieces]

http://petapixel.com/2012/01/26/why-wedding-photographers-prices-are-wack/

This could be old and already been on here before, I don't know - doesn't look like it is though

Complaint from a bride who's looking for a photographer:

WHY is finding an amazing wedding photographer so difficult? :/

I am a Bride who is getting married this summer and have yet to find a decently priced, exceptional, amazingly talented, fun photographer.

WHY because the word "WEDDING" is involved photographers think they can charge you $ 3,000.00 for wedding photos? Oh, because no bride is going to go without so they are going to pay it, because they HAVE to. They are ripping people off for all they have! Why when you want to get married it costs you AT LEAST 15 grand after all is said-and-done? Its such CRAP!! I love all you $ 3,000.00 photographers out there but i think your prices are WACK. All your doing is hanging out at a wedding taking tons of photos and editing them.. and thats owrth 3 GRAND!!! You're making so much money its crazy. I just wish people would be more realistic. I mean the "average" persons salary for 1 freaking month is somewhere around 3 grand. (Thats making 19$ an hour) So you're going to take someones WHOLE MONTH paycheck for one flipping day of photos? Just because you CAN!!?????? So that maybe they will not be able to feed themselves or pay any other bills they have, right? It makes me SICK!

I know im speaking for more than just myself right now. A lot of brides out there think the same thing. & I bet all you fancy photographers wont even read this.
oh-well.
Maybe there are cheaper photographers that will read this and LOVE to take my photos :)

Response can be viewed in the link.

Anyways, thought it was an interesting read. :)

[Mark L]

Photographs of her wedding must be important.
I'll do her wedding for $555 and she'll bitch about how bad the photos are ("mate you missed and /or got the important moments out of focus." "Sorry, didn't know that was an important moment and that was the best auto focus my lens can do!"..
You pay for quality in everything.
Depends how important that quality is for you.;)
We had a good photographer take our wedding photos and I can remember the last time we looked at them.

[MasterOfRoc]

I'll do it for $50... She'll get $50 quality photos too... Cheap!

[JJM]

Clearly doesn't know how much time goes into the editing process, nor how hard the photographer and assistants have to work on the day taking the photos. lol

"All your doing is hanging out at a wedding taking tons of photos and editing them.." Love this comment, I imagine she thinks the photographers have time to hang out at the bar enjoying a few coldies between taking a few casual photo's.....

[bcys1961]

She should just get one of her invited guest to do it , given they will just be "hanging out at the wedding" anyway. And they will bring her a gift as well!

[bitsnpieces]

She should just get one of her invited guest to do it , given they will just be "hanging out at the wedding" anyway. And they will bring her a gift as well!

That's what I'm thinking of doing for my wedding... I have a couple of cousins who enjoy photography as a hobby, and some friends who'd probably be interested to just take photos for memories - after all done, just collect them, edit them, then walah, wedding photos XD

[pixy]

We should have a laugh at this as far as price is concerned, take any worker Blue or white collar worker,doctor or lawyer, they charge to make a profit and to fund there life style,not to be concerned about the ability of any one to pay until there is no more work,there is a base price that is considered as the minium to make a business viable from this point the skill of the business will set the price.

The whole point of a business is not to charge the lowest price any one can afford,I can speak from experience,charging the lowest price people can afford but had a lot of fun doing it :lol:

Jack.

[bcys1961]

That's what I'm thinking of doing for my wedding... I have a couple of cousins who enjoy photography as a hobby, and some friends who'd probably be interested to just take photos for memories - after all done, just collect them, edit them, then walah, wedding photos XD

Sounds good in theory , but have you discussed it with your fiancée? You may as well know now , your unlikely to have much say in the wedding plans! :D

In all seriousness , by the time you factor in a day to shoot, a day to edit , meetings with the wedding couple before and after , amortisation of equipment costs , fuel ( possibly rent if the photographer had a studio or premises of some sort ) PL Insurance , workers comp Etc Etc..... $3000 is no doubt reasonable . Try getting plumber to your house for two days and see how much is left from$3000.

[Kym]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hpJ1iPD5RQ

[Kym]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uQXJ9agxJQ

[bcys1961]

LOL :lol: ( But you might want to put a language warning on that second one for anyone easily offended by strong language !)

Certainly puts me off ever wanting to be a wedding photographer.

[bitsnpieces]

Sounds good in theory , but have you discussed it with your fiancée? You may as well know now , your unlikely to have much say in the wedding plans! :D

In all seriousness , by the time you factor in a day to shoot, a day to edit , meetings with the wedding couple before and after , amortisation of equipment costs , fuel ( possibly rent if the photographer had a studio or premises of some sort ) PL Insurance , workers comp Etc Etc..... $3000 is no doubt reasonable . Try getting plumber to your house for two days and see how much is left from$3000.

That is true, I will need to discuss it with my future fiancée, and I already plan on doing so. Thing is... if my plans go well... there's 2 weddings involved... one in each country so I'm sure she'll be willing to go easy on the second one... XD

lol Thanks for the videos - and thanks for the Sony reference in the first one. :P

[Mark L]

Were do you find the time Kym?:)

[ricktas]

"exceptional, amazingly talented, fun photographer" and she wants to pay budget (cheap) prices for an exceptional service.

I reckon those who quoted her saw the Bridezilla a mile off and thought 'charge her lots and make it worth my while, or charge her lots and she won't want to use me'..Win Win.

[arthurking83]

But I bet she'll still pay $1000 an hour to have the flashiest cars .. Rolls/Ferrari/whatever .. and not go budget and hire a Lada or Trabant or something similarly budget oriented instead! :rolleyes:

These people are best ignored(or as already said .. overcharged!) :D

[CandidTown]

If a bride spends 300$ an hour for a limo, but has only a budget of 500$ for 10 hour photography, she is NOT your customer.
People are getting cheaper and cheaper.
I saw an ad on gumtree, where a bride was looking for a talented budding photographer to shoot her wedding TFP..
The candidate had to have his own website so she could see his work, before she let him photograph her wedding for free. :)

[RJD]

That's what I'm thinking of doing for my wedding... I have a couple of cousins who enjoy photography as a hobby, and some friends who'd probably be interested to just take photos for memories - after all done, just collect them, edit them, then walah, wedding photos XD

We did this, mind you it was pretty low key and casual for immediate family only. Followed a week later by a party for about 160 (we didn't want to go broke getting married... and that was with the usual number who weren't able to make it). It worked for us, but there were a few shots we didn't get that we would have liked. With this in mind, if you do something similar photography-wise, make sure you have a list of any specific shots you want well ahead of time to make sure you get them. I love looking back at what we ended up with - sure, they aren't professional, but they are a great memory of the day through our families' eyes and are really personal. We're a bit older too, that probably changes our perspective on what we wanted lol.

Having said that... if I wanted a professional, I would never have expected (or chosen) a cheap photographer. It's like writing a special invitation for disappointment.

[bitsnpieces]

Thank you for your support RJD :)

I'm still evaluating the plan nonetheless as I definitely want to keep costs down, but want it to be fun, enjoyable for everyone, and as you mentioned, and hopefully get certain key shots.

I was rethinking the first video Kym put up and just remembered that one of my best friends was in that situation.
They had a simple wedding due to financial reasons. Well, the father wanted to have his friend, who was a photographer, to do the pictures. She wanted someone else, but thought okay, support father and friend - awful photographer...
So that's one point about cheap photographers - it wasn't just awful photos (there were some nice ones here and there), but the service was awful too.
It's like what they say right? Can't mix business with family and friends...

Also, her brother's girlfriend had purchased a Canon 5DIII I think it was, it was something expensive and up there, 80% or more of her photos were unfocused, poor exposure, and not even straight.
So second point with regards to 'just because you buy an expensive camera, doesn't mean you'll get good photos'.

I think they're wanting to do a mock 'engagement/reception/wedding' photos again or something - I have to ask her again lol Then again, they've probably given up - just too much time and effort. Least they have their memories and know it happened - and had an enjoyable time, for the most part.

[snappysi]

So lets see..... you spend say 3 hrs before the wedding discussing ideas / set images bride and groom want and get to know them a little. You spend an hour at the venue to check location site for possible shots etc. Lets say 10 hrs at the wedding itself. If you think you are going to edit an entire wedding of shots in less than 3 days your dreaming...So thats 3 days at 8hrs a day, plus the beforementioned and your at 38 hrs. On top of that you may have printing costs if you are including an album. Thats $75 dollars an hour or there abouts.... and that has to cover printing costs, all running costs, insurance, tax etc.....
It really isnt that much.....but in terms of time its a hell of a lot more than " just hanging around at a wedding for the day ".......

Simon