Calling all full-time photographer- Care to comment abt this?
- Thread starter delong72
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repeat customers have discount izit?
Its network marketing. You now have 2 leads. Anyway... soon there could be divorse photography with free SDU photos.
Why would I want to fault my clients who scrimp? They went through 99 presentation which emphasised on prices. When they sat down with me, and I try to convince them on the importance of choosing the "right photographer", why is it their fault that they had already been conditioned by the other 99 to place more emphasis on price?
I don't fault the photographer B as well. He has his business values, I have mine. At the end of a presentation, they are couples who eventually decide I'm not the photographer for them. Instead of undercutting, I would find out what's the type of photographer they want, and in fact, make recommendations of other photographers to them. They are some who prefer photogs who are more experienced, and I will share on how the experienced photogs I've work with have very good understanding on customs and stuff. There are some who prefer portraits, and I'll try to find someone who can shoot portraits because I suck at posing. Because I know, if I go the undercutting route, I'm killing the industry the feeds me. Not immediately, but slowly, in the bigger scheme of things. Most importantly, the couple gets to find the right photographer. I want to help them find the right photographer. Not necessarily an expensive one, not necessarily a cheap one. But the right one.
And sorry, I totally can't get your analogy on TVs. They are way beyond me. I can manage to get one word out of the paragraph, 'afford'. I'm not addressing your analogy coz I can't understand it, but I personally think "afford" is an over-rated word. My latest booking came from a couple who couldn't 'afford' me, but wanted to meet up to chat anyway. They ended up spending another couple of hundreds worth of products than my base price. On their own. Are they rich? No. They managed to see and sort out their priorities. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any couple who places less priority on photography. But I am pretty disagreeable with pseudo-photogs who undermine the art they are selling by treating them as mere commodities. That in itself is sad, because I really, really feel, Singapore photogs, wedding photogs, are exhibiting immense potential to grow artisitically given the space and opportunities, after seeing so many budding talents bloom these few years. Price wars and viscious volumes are not going to give space for Singapore to become one of the powerhouses in the world, or in the region for that matter, where the art of wedding photography is concerned.
I don't fault the photographer B as well. He has his business values, I have mine. At the end of a presentation, they are couples who eventually decide I'm not the photographer for them. Instead of undercutting, I would find out what's the type of photographer they want, and in fact, make recommendations of other photographers to them. They are some who prefer photogs who are more experienced, and I will share on how the experienced photogs I've work with have very good understanding on customs and stuff. There are some who prefer portraits, and I'll try to find someone who can shoot portraits because I suck at posing. Because I know, if I go the undercutting route, I'm killing the industry the feeds me. Not immediately, but slowly, in the bigger scheme of things. Most importantly, the couple gets to find the right photographer. I want to help them find the right photographer. Not necessarily an expensive one, not necessarily a cheap one. But the right one.
And sorry, I totally can't get your analogy on TVs. They are way beyond me. I can manage to get one word out of the paragraph, 'afford'. I'm not addressing your analogy coz I can't understand it, but I personally think "afford" is an over-rated word. My latest booking came from a couple who couldn't 'afford' me, but wanted to meet up to chat anyway. They ended up spending another couple of hundreds worth of products than my base price. On their own. Are they rich? No. They managed to see and sort out their priorities. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any couple who places less priority on photography. But I am pretty disagreeable with pseudo-photogs who undermine the art they are selling by treating them as mere commodities. That in itself is sad, because I really, really feel, Singapore photogs, wedding photogs, are exhibiting immense potential to grow artisitically given the space and opportunities, after seeing so many budding talents bloom these few years. Price wars and viscious volumes are not going to give space for Singapore to become one of the powerhouses in the world, or in the region for that matter, where the art of wedding photography is concerned.
My view is very simple: time will tell. One of these days, they (or just he/she?) will know that their time is so cheap! :bsmilie:
I wish them all the best.
I wish them all the best.
Actually, i dun find the photos too bad for the price they are offering.
So what is wrong? To be frank, i've seen photographers who charge more, and offer less.
Low price doesn't mean they are any less professional, it doesn't mean they are going to come and tell u that " oh, my camera spoiled, so cannot shoot".
Low price is due to a lower quality of work. Some couples dun really insist on the need to have fantastic pictures , or they are satisfied with the quality offered. So why go out and blast people who offered budget services?
MUST EVERYONE PAY 1.5K just to have a record of his weddding? OR EVEN 6K for that matter?
I think we have too many self-righteous photographers who think they are trying to defend their craft.
I think these photographers are just afraid they will lose their livlihood.
I think, IF YOU ARE GOOD, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF.
So what is wrong? To be frank, i've seen photographers who charge more, and offer less.
Low price doesn't mean they are any less professional, it doesn't mean they are going to come and tell u that " oh, my camera spoiled, so cannot shoot".
Low price is due to a lower quality of work. Some couples dun really insist on the need to have fantastic pictures , or they are satisfied with the quality offered. So why go out and blast people who offered budget services?
MUST EVERYONE PAY 1.5K just to have a record of his weddding? OR EVEN 6K for that matter?
I think we have too many self-righteous photographers who think they are trying to defend their craft.
I think these photographers are just afraid they will lose their livlihood.
I think, IF YOU ARE GOOD, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF.
what i would really like to hear from is for someone who recently got married
and run through with us ,,,,,,,,,what were the things they considered
and what went through their minds after viewing several photog's work
Anyone here recently got married ???
and run through with us ,,,,,,,,,what were the things they considered
and what went through their minds after viewing several photog's work
Anyone here recently got married ???
Are you married? My personal advice to those who still dun hav experience... If your wife-to-be says this to you... .... better dun believe. :sweat:
:bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:
Guys..don't get easily conned by couples who said they're on budget but still need a photographer to cover their wedding coz i've one experience when a couple(someone i know) asked me to cover their wedding. Guess what?? They asked me to get a videographer also after i quoted a rate(lower than what i usually quote) No offence to videographer as i was one before but nowadays,i quote what i have to quote..
haha, care to detail that explaination? Coz, from a cursory glance, frankly i think that they are rather acceptable.
I meant that if she says she dun mind, at the end of the day, if the photos are not what she expects, you'll "suffer"...hahaha
If you dun believe...go browse Sgbrides.
I'd agree with the ideology of NOT going with price, though it is a MAJOR FACTOR for deciding.
Although I have a floating working cost, I know I can aim at a niche higher than most others do. And yes, you don't pay me more for my backup equipment - cos that had been already factored in...
Food for thought - "OK WHAT! My skill very good ok! $500 for whole day, got this got that, got dvd notebook presentation etc etc.... you mean, still not worth it? eh, they're my COST price ok...."
That's regarding the $500-per-day photographer. He's probably selling frills than photos. He should become a sales guy for floundering HDB stores instead.
Although I have a floating working cost, I know I can aim at a niche higher than most others do. And yes, you don't pay me more for my backup equipment - cos that had been already factored in...
Food for thought - "OK WHAT! My skill very good ok! $500 for whole day, got this got that, got dvd notebook presentation etc etc.... you mean, still not worth it? eh, they're my COST price ok...."
That's regarding the $500-per-day photographer. He's probably selling frills than photos. He should become a sales guy for floundering HDB stores instead.
after going through several discussions about this issue, I dont think I have seen anyone put himself on a new-serious-photographer's shoes.
A photographer can only charge high if he is well-known. Yes, if he has already shot a lot of famous ppl's wedding or when a couple's looking for a photographer for their wedding, everyone knows about him and refers him. In this case, yes, if the couple really want high quality product, the photographer can charge higher.
But how about a not-so-famous photographer, or even a just-step-out photographer, who has been assissting another photographer for a period of time and has gained quite an experience? I believe these photographer are good also and they want to do well so that they can charge as high as the famous ones. But how can they charge that high when they just step out? Of course, they have to lower the price so that they can attract customers to at least build up their own portfolio. Clients have their own perception: well-known = high price; not well-know = lower price. Quality sometimes cannot beat this perception.
I particular have a friend, who has just got his first wedding job. It was his first job doing wedding and the client also didnt want to go for super professional quality. So, of course he couldnt charge several k right? However, he could capture the nice moments, keep the nice memories and his shots were nice and the client satisfied.
Of course I'm against those are not responsible (by this i mean when they get the job, either free, low price or high price, they should work their best). But dont associate low price and low quality too much. There are ppl who can do really well but just couldnt charge high.
A photographer can only charge high if he is well-known. Yes, if he has already shot a lot of famous ppl's wedding or when a couple's looking for a photographer for their wedding, everyone knows about him and refers him. In this case, yes, if the couple really want high quality product, the photographer can charge higher.
But how about a not-so-famous photographer, or even a just-step-out photographer, who has been assissting another photographer for a period of time and has gained quite an experience? I believe these photographer are good also and they want to do well so that they can charge as high as the famous ones. But how can they charge that high when they just step out? Of course, they have to lower the price so that they can attract customers to at least build up their own portfolio. Clients have their own perception: well-known = high price; not well-know = lower price. Quality sometimes cannot beat this perception.
I particular have a friend, who has just got his first wedding job. It was his first job doing wedding and the client also didnt want to go for super professional quality. So, of course he couldnt charge several k right? However, he could capture the nice moments, keep the nice memories and his shots were nice and the client satisfied.
Of course I'm against those are not responsible (by this i mean when they get the job, either free, low price or high price, they should work their best). But dont associate low price and low quality too much. There are ppl who can do really well but just couldnt charge high.
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