How many images should be given for a wedding client?

[joehani]

I just charge for my time to come and get myself out of bed which is $50-70. This is purely to cover the ROI on expensive equipments and other variable costs such as petrol ERP, parking, batteries. Not including the intangible cost of spending time with my family or going for drinks with buddies.

Other else is chargeable based on the man-hour spent which is usually takes less than 2-5 mins a picture to touch up- I just let the print shops tan chiak.

Despite knowing how to use PS and design, I remind myself that I am a shooter not a designer thus allowing designer to also tan chiak. Clients are broad range thus we leave it to client to choose what they want for instance shooters for the wedding event itself, DI on prints, large framed prints. Anyways the clients all know that the print shop averagely charges 40 cents for 4R and if they are regulars they can even get down to 25 cents a piece.

Analogy
Similar to a Professional Security Consultant charge-out rate is $250 to $500 per day and this does not include the physical security or techinal security i.e. the CCTV, Intrusion systems and all. ( That is covered in the Design and System Installation recommended by the Security Consultant's Final Report).

Therefore I stick to the rule of thumb where client is paying for my man-hour and skills rather than prints. Ofcourse I give whatever DI I can. (nice ones la, delete or edit the not too good ones). I dont know any shooters who have a 100% rate of perfect shoots.

 

[m3lv1nh0]

the few ADs that i've shot as 2nd photog may not put me in the best position to comment here, but yea.. i base my approach on goodwill. Process up to 300 shots. the rest of the photos i will put in an Others folder, of cos this is less the bad shots (blurred, cut limbs etc)

My reason is that these are the 300 that i feel best represent the wedding. The others, are for the couple to see see look look on their own.

Hey JK,

Nice to see you here... I'm the guy who shot RaRa's ROM with you.

 

[Winsonapm]

It’s about time to do a summary of the poll to date. 68 polled, unsure how many are practitioners or for fun. I could recognise from this opened poll that most of you are wedding photogs, some professionals, most part-time.

1) Contrary to what most of the Photogs or wedding couples out there would think, that the market practice is “return all images shot for the day”. Only 36.76% or about 1/3 of Photogs would do so. Therefore, it’s not true that “everybody” is returning “everything”.

2) 38 out of 68, or 55.88% would return 300 or less, about an even split with hourly units and round figure of 300. There’s hope for the business and intellectual value, don’t spoil it.

3) Others, were not elaborated. We’ll just have to imagine……

A market practice or a norm must have a majority. With enough support from the community, respect for your art or craft, sell or educate your clients (including yourself) on quality versus quantity.

There would be a day that it's uncool for a wedding couple to have "everything" from your Photog, it's unwise for Photog to return "everything" too.

 

[xziredmp]

we all know. photography is about art.

wedding photography can be seen as a business or can be seen as passion.

but when everything. i mean EVERYTHING is about business. whats the whole point of it. wheres the passion and all when everything is boiled down to dollars and cents ?

really.... photographers i've met in europe.... so different from what i've seen here. i have recovered from my culture shock.

and definately. i still do not understand why everything here has to be about "business" "dollars" and "cents"

 

[blurrblurr]

we all know. photography is about art.

wedding photography can be seen as a business or can be seen as passion.

but when everything. i mean EVERYTHING is about business. whats the whole point of it. wheres the passion and all when everything is boiled down to dollars and cents ?

really.... photographers i've met in europe.... so different from what i've seen here. i have recovered from my culture shock.

and definately. i still do not understand why everything here has to be about "business" "dollars" and "cents"

Simple most asian still not in the mind in appreciating arts.

 

[gundugundu]

Simple most asian still not in the mind in appreciating arts.

Yes we do....

we appreciate money art ;p

 

[Junye]

As an end consumer, i feel the photographer should state clearly whether he will return all photos taken on that day.
Before the customer commits to the deal, they should be informed how many 'touched-up' or unprocessed images they will be getting.

Eventually it comes down to the $$$. Keeping those digital images doesnt make the photographer feel richer anyway. just maybe add to his everygrowing harddisk.

but since times are bad, everybody will try to give more to get business.
only 300 photos? lol just find another photographer that gives back all the images.

 

[canturn]

As an end consumer, i feel the photographer should state clearly whether he will return all photos taken on that day.
Before the customer commits to the deal, they should be informed how many 'touched-up' or unprocessed images they will be getting.

Eventually it comes down to the $$$. Keeping those digital images doesnt make the photographer feel richer anyway. just maybe add to his everygrowing harddisk.

but since times are bad, everybody will try to give more to get business.
only 300 photos? lol just find another photographer that gives back all the images.

Putting down on paper the deliverables is certainly a good practice because it prevents further dispute later on.

Also, depends on which market the photographer is targeting. I don't think anyone walking into a fine dining restaurant would expect the kind of quantity of a buffet, nor should anyone expect fine dining quality in a buffet restaurant.

Beyond pricing, once you've established a certain clientele base, you'll noticed quantity is not something they would sweat over, but rather, their concern is whether their series is going to look as good or even better than what you show them in your portfolio.

 

[Priscilia]

I think quantity should not matter more than the Quality. You can have the photographer return everything but if the shots are lousy or repeated, what use is that?

My brother requested ALL his wedding pictures be returned. But he has good reason.

When his wedding photographer initially returned him the supposedly set of processed images, my bro almost fainted. Full of underexposed shots, bad color balance, etc etc and not to mention lots of blurry pics, even for the important shots. For eg, there could be 4 identical shots, and all are blurred! Trigger happy without knowing how to shoot??

Believe it or not, now my brother has to painstakingly adjust all the images himself!

Being an avid photographer myself, I saw the images and was very surprised at the photographer's shots. He seemed to have no concept of exposure or how to effectively use flash. You might have seen some of his shots in the Wedding Portfolio section.

Turns out that this photographer who charges $2500 (!!!) is a videographer turned photographer. According to my brother, he claimed to have 7 years of experience but it could very well be mainly videography experience and only recently did he pick up photography. What a liar!

Piangz.... these days it seems like anyone can be a wedding photographer, never mind good or bad??!

For those couples choosing a good photographer, remember portfolio isn't everything. Read the blogs and listen to other couples if possible to find out more about his experience.

Seems like OT here but the point I'm drving across is:

It's not the quantity of images received, but Quality that matters.

 

[vince123123]

You should:

1. Consider Small Claims for breach of contract.
2. Consider publicising this fella's name.

S$2,500 is quite a substnatial sum for AD photogrpahy so this guy shdn't be allowed to perpetuate his ills on another unsuspecting couple.

I think quantity should not matter more than the Quality. You can have the photographer return everything but if the shots are lousy or repeated, what use is that?

My brother requested ALL his wedding pictures be returned. But he has good reason.

When his wedding photographer initially returned him the supposedly set of processed images, my bro almost fainted. Full of underexposed shots, bad color balance, etc etc and not to mention lots of blurry pics, even for the important shots. For eg, there could be 4 identical shots, and all are blurred! Trigger happy without knowing how to shoot??

Believe it or not, now my brother has to painstakingly adjust all the images himself!

Being an avid photographer myself, I saw the images and was very surprised at the photographer's shots. He seemed to have no concept of exposure or how to effectively use flash. You might have seen some of his shots in the Wedding Portfolio section.

Turns out that this photographer who charges $2500 (!!!) is a videographer turned photographer. According to my brother, he claimed to have 7 years of experience but it could very well be mainly videography experience and only recently did he pick up photography. What a liar!

Piangz.... these days it seems like anyone can be a wedding photographer, never mind good or bad??!

For those couples choosing a good photographer, remember portfolio isn't everything. Read the blogs and listen to other couples if possible to find out more about his experience.

Seems like OT here but the point I'm drving across is:

It's not the quantity of images received, but Quality that matters.

 

[Lumiere]

You should:

1. Consider Small Claims for breach of contract.
2. Consider publicising this fella's name.

S$2,500 is quite a substnatial sum for AD photogrpahy so this guy shdn't be allowed to perpetuate his ills on another unsuspecting couple.

care to explain the breach of contract part?

 

[vince123123]

If someone delivers something clearly not up to the mark, isnt' that a breach of contract? Its as if you went to a store, bought a product, which doesn't work or only half works.

 

[Hommie]

If someone delivers something clearly not up to the mark, isnt' that a breach of contract? Its as if you went to a store, bought a product, which doesn't work or only half works.

Can the Small Claim be the judge of good or poor photography works?

 

[Hommie]

I think quantity should not matter more than the Quality. You can have the photographer return everything but if the shots are lousy or repeated, what use is that?

My brother requested ALL his wedding pictures be returned. But he has good reason.

When his wedding photographer initially returned him the supposedly set of processed images, my bro almost fainted. Full of underexposed shots, bad color balance, etc etc and not to mention lots of blurry pics, even for the important shots. For eg, there could be 4 identical shots, and all are blurred! Trigger happy without knowing how to shoot??

Believe it or not, now my brother has to painstakingly adjust all the images himself!

Being an avid photographer myself, I saw the images and was very surprised at the photographer's shots. He seemed to have no concept of exposure or how to effectively use flash. You might have seen some of his shots in the Wedding Portfolio section.

Turns out that this photographer who charges $2500 (!!!) is a videographer turned photographer. According to my brother, he claimed to have 7 years of experience but it could very well be mainly videography experience and only recently did he pick up photography. What a liar!

Piangz.... these days it seems like anyone can be a wedding photographer, never mind good or bad??!

For those couples choosing a good photographer, remember portfolio isn't everything. Read the blogs and listen to other couples if possible to find out more about his experience.

Seems like OT here but the point I'm drving across is:

It's not the quantity of images received, but Quality that matters.

Perhap you could reveal to us the percentage of shots that was not up to expectation? Have your brother talk to the photographer about the shots that weren't too great? Couple sometimes don't understand the environment affects the way photographer shoot. Like if there is a reflective surface or mirror behind the couple that is not suitable to use flash, thus photos came out sightly blurred due the the location being too dark etc, etc......

On whether the photographer have 7 years of video or photography skill is seemingly based on your judgement, can you provide evidence that he lied?

 

[soeypixels]

If someone delivers something clearly not up to the mark, isnt' that a breach of contract? Its as if you went to a store, bought a product, which doesn't work or only half works.

product = service?

 

[vince123123]

If it is as clearcut as "blur pics" "underexposed pics"; I think that should be good enough. Of course we on'y heard one side of the story so it can be hard to tell.

The point is, if it is clear that the pics are bad, then the case is stronger.

Can the Small Claim be the judge of good or poor photography works?

 

[vince123123]

Yup same. Imagine you hire a cleaner who left the place more dirty then when he arrived? That's hire for services and a breach of contract nonetheless.

product = service?

 

[Hommie]

If it is as clearcut as "blur pics" "underexposed pics"; I think that should be good enough. Of course we on'y heard one side of the story so it can be hard to tell.

The point is, if it is clear that the pics are bad, then the case is stronger.

The problem is, does the photographer say that he is not compensating? Have they approach him yet?

 

[Hommie]

Yup same. Imagine you hire a cleaner who left the place more dirty then when he arrived? That's hire for services and a breach of contract nonetheless.

In this case, are photos not taken? Or not given? Small Claim can do no payment but can they be the judge of good or bad work? That sounds more like civil suit case.

 

[vince123123]

If someone does a shoddy renovation job, such as bad paintwork, bad carpentry, they can go to Small Claims to lodge a case. In the same way, for bad photos, they can do the same.

Non-payment is only one manner of breach of contract.

And yes, Small Claims is a civil suit. I'm not sure why you thought otherwise.

In this case, are photos not taken? Or not given? Small Claim can do no payment but can they be the judge of good or bad work? That sounds more like civil suit case.