SniperD said:
OT abit here:
I personally feel that it's our job also, beside being professional and responsible enough for the photos we take, that we should "educate" couples on the current pricing and not allow such price wars and undercutting to rage on.
The fact that NOT all couples are ignorant of the market pricing for such event coverage; just that they choose to be more thrifty with their spending. Esp, ROM.
It depends on how you want to package yourself to your clients.
the bottomline is you dun have to charge so low to get business.
Hi SniperD,
Unfortunately this
IS Singapore. When it comes to money, everybody's rushing for it. And Singaporeans' aren't stupid too, they always check the market when it comes to such things and compare prices too. I guess to some of the pros, earning $120 is better than earning nothing at all. Market is bad, unless you're a photographer yourself, you probably won't understand the pains and effort needed, also the reason for charging what the market recommends. That's why many Singaporeans just look for any cheapo photographer or try to slash prices of pros ridiculously to get what they want, after all if you don't do it, there's others. Some even request friends to use DCs to shoot for them!!
Personally, I don't like to educate clients because it wastes my time trying to 'argue' and get the facts and points right that what I'm charging is reasonable, if you think it is, you won't argue. If you think it's not, means you can't appreciate my works and think you can get better and cheaper elsewhere. And if I have to lower my charges just because the client wants it cheaper, I find that's very substandard and degrading to myself as well.
Maybe this is the set price high high, then discount to achieve customer or make both sides happy, just like what they do at FIM. Set 20% higher, then 'give' 20% discount make customer feel they got a good deal and buy? And even if you offered that 20% already, clients will still ask for more. How to win-win?
Not everybody understands photography and not everybody wants to pay that much for what they think are
just pictures, this is the mentality of most Singaporeans. Which sadly has caused many pros to lower their rates, it's really very shocking to see $120 for a 2-3 hour ROM with prints and processing. The amount isn't even worth the effort.
Also, clients don't like to be 'taught' and educated on the prices, they'll just feel that you're trying to get business cause you're desperate and that'll just leave them the impression that they can get cheaper elsewhere. If so leave them be and let them go. Like what you said, don't undercut ourselves for business and justify ourselves instead.
I remember somebody mentioning "I'm glad there are such photographers around, because they keep the rubbish clients away from my doorstep and wasting my time showing them my works." in one of the older threads before.
I do agree
). 
