Wedding Photography - How much do you charge? Part II

[canturn]

After taking into consideration your effort on post processing, printing, sorting, album preparation and delivery, the net hourly charge will be lower. Right?

Which is why, I present to the client a package price after I've done all my calculations.

They can opt for different price plans for different extent of work. Some couple require postprocessing only for the images they select for their album. And all my packages are simply service with or without album. From there, they can choose a package that fits their budget, no trading of items and all.

You don't have to break down the detailed pricing like a hospital bill for the client, because end of the day, you just have to deliver the package stipulated in the contract. Like a set dinner menu, you need not break down how much each item cost because it gets very confusing after a while.

 

[xziredmp]

i see that many have been discussing how much you should charge, or even educate the clients.

but i feel that one should place themselves against their skills and pricing. if you arent really skilled or even experienced, you shouldnt be pricing yourself like those who are charging at rates which they have been doing it for months or even years as full time.

i also see that many of those who replied here are those who are full times and are charging way much from those who are just starting out. there are ups and downs in every career path that you take. but if you can make those things that makes it "down" and into experiences and life lessons you take. i guess you would grow fast in any industry you are in.

does how much you charge really mean how good you are ? how about how much pride you put in your work will decide how much you can or want to charge in the very near future.

we see that people talk alot about how to run a business. how you should do this do that.
but no one seems to be able to step up and say hey. lets help each other out by teaching and learning from one another.

i hope those who are getting good pay from this industry isnt picking on those who are charging cheap services to these couples too.

to my humble opinion, how much you charge really isnt of an issue. or should even be discussed. why would you want to know the statistics for ? would it help those who are charging lower be more aware and so they should charge higher no matter how good or bad they are ?

no offence to anyone really. but i feel that we shouldnt be discussing about money here. but more of skill sets and techniques and how one should upsell themselves should be the key discussion thou.

 

[sebastiansong]

heck... my frens think me charging them a mere $200 for the entire day is expensive.

then don shoot for ur friends...

for friends its simple.. either its FOC (ang bao only) or they pay full rate
don expect friends to be your main revenue and neither should you let them take advantage of you. If you don feel comfortable shooting their wedding just don.

 

[ckuang]

to my humble opinion, how much you charge really isnt of an issue. or should even be discussed. why would you want to know the statistics for ? would it help those who are charging lower be more aware and so they should charge higher no matter how good or bad they are ?

These stats are useful for myself and I emphasize myself because it helps me strategize my price increases for next year. It also helps me determine the price point at which I should price my associate photographers etc. IE, based on these stats, i know pricing my associate at the $1-2k a day range would make it very very difficult to sell their work.

IMO, any information in a business environment always provide a competitive advantage, so why wouldn't anyone want that?

 

[jOhO]

one way for me to determine price is really back to the basics of economics.

if i wanna shoot less, supply goes down, price has to come up (to earn the same or more).

if demand goes up, supply stays the same, price will definitely go up.

so far, i've been lucky, demand hasn't gone down, so i'll deal with it if it happens.

 

[randytay]

For wedding jobs in USA or Australia, $10k is really nothing, considering that service alone would have cost that much.

You'll be surprised how much our local couples are willing to pay to fly a sg photographer with them to europe to do a shoot for them.

That is correct. My rate for wedding (which covers the ceremony, event, candids, details and family shots) starts at USD4000. And no, they get an album (that will be an extra $1000). Only a large poster print and DVD.

 

[shinken]

That is correct. My rate for wedding (which covers the ceremony, event, candids, details and family shots) starts at USD4000. And no, they get an album (that will be an extra $1000). Only a large poster print and DVD.

Thanks for sharing Randy. That's what I gathered from other photographers based in the states too.

 

[snowspeeder]

It's all a state of mind of the clients. Folks in other countries a willing allocate more budget to pay more. Here in SG is the opposite end.

 

[canturn]

It's all a state of mind of the clients. Folks in other countries a willing allocate more budget to pay more. Here in SG is the opposite end.

Budget wise, an average couple here spends as much, if not more on weddings than USA folks. Most of the weddings overseas doesn't have lavish banquets that amounts to $80k; I've met people that are spending SGD$1.2 million for wedding celebrations that last 10 days, but want me to sponsor their wedding photography because there are many in line who are willing to do it for free for an exotic portfolio.

Problem with our society here is that the majority here tends to measure everything by the dollar. But some things, especially Aesthetics, just simply can't be measured, or shopped around like pasar malam.

 

[sammedia]

heck... my frens think me charging them a mere $200 for the entire day is expensive.

Yup, $200 is indeed too ex.$$$. Perhaps you should ask your friend to come to CS here to look for FOC. I am sure he will be able to find many.:bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[Virgo]

That is correct. My rate for wedding (which covers the ceremony, event, candids, details and family shots) starts at USD4000. And no, they get an album (that will be an extra $1000). Only a large poster print and DVD.

How I wish I am in New York now. I would be very happy if I can fetch half as much as you charge per event.

 

[lim1974]

Yup, $200 is indeed too ex.$$$. Perhaps you should ask your friend to come to CS here to look for FOC. I am sure he will be able to find many.:bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:

Actually in Singapore, a lot of people like to spoil market by offering very low price and some even shoot free just to build their portfolio.And some couple want quantity over quality. As long as pictures not blur and price cheap cheap, they very happy.

Two things i dun want to spoil; one is market and another is other people wedding.

 

[Belle&Sebastain]

Actually in Singapore, a lot of people like to spoil market by offering very low price and some even shoot free just to build their portfolio.And some couple want quantity over quality. As long as pictures not blur and price cheap cheap, they very happy.

Two things i dun want to spoil; one is market and another is other people wedding.

Crap, two things i dun offer all singaporeans, cheap and giving lots of photos:cry:

 

[bigdaystudio]

Not sure if this is make sense or probably this has been mentioned before....

If there is a recognised body/organisation that will control price and rates and quality of service (not refering to quality of images as this may be subjective). the market will control the quality of images.

That means in order to join this Body, one of the criteria is to charge a minimum rates. So when customers are looking for photographers, they will first look from this place because this is a recognised body.

That been said, anyone may join this organisation but if their work is not up on par customers naturally will not be willing to pay even the min. rates and naturally be filtered from the body. In this way photographers will need to improve their skills and thereby keeping healthy rates.

There can be different levels of membership with different rates they are charging. The higher they charge the more recognise they are as their photo quality is so good that they are still doing very well with what they are charging

Not sure if this make sense but just a thought.

 

[ckuang]

Not sure if this is make sense or probably this has been mentioned before....

If there is a recognised body/organisation that will control price and rates and quality of service (not refering to quality of images as this may be subjective). the market will control the quality of images.

That means in order to join this Body, one of the criteria is to charge a minimum rates. So when customers are looking for photographers, they will first look from this place because this is a recognised body.

That been said, anyone may join this organisation but if their work is not up on par customers naturally will not be willing to pay even the min. rates and naturally be filtered from the body. In this way photographers will need to improve their skills and thereby keeping healthy rates.

There can be different levels of membership with different rates they are charging. The higher they charge the more recognise they are as their photo quality is so good that they are still doing very well with what they are charging

Not sure if this make sense but just a thought.

Check out www.wpn.sg, this might be what you are talking about.

 

[Yatlapball]

I believe fotoudavid along with others is already spearheading such an initiative. You can check out their thread in this sub-forum.

 

[bigdaystudio]

hi ckuang,
Saw the wpn but it seems abit exclusive and seems out of reach for many of the photographers... nevertheless very good effort..

Check out www.wpn.sg, this might be what you are talking about.

 

[lim1974]

even with union or WPN, still can't stop people for offering FOC services or very low prices. It a demand and supply issue.:bsmilie:

 

[bigdaystudio]

But i do believe with this union, customers/photographers will be better educated and customers would at least have a "safer" place to look for photographers & videographers. And of course anyone could look elsewhere for cheaper service but then their risk will be greater.
And i am sure with this, potographers' skill/quality and even service attitude will improve togather with healthier rates. And soon photographers will healthily compete with each other in terms of skills and services and not by under-cutting rates.

 

[ckuang]

even with union or WPN, still can't stop people for offering FOC services or very low prices. It a demand and supply issue.:bsmilie:

From the US/European experience, we know that we will never stop people from offering cheap or free services. Even in the Sates where some photographers are commanding $25k a day or more, there are also people offering $300 or FOC services.

What we've learned from the Jose Villa workshop is that there is never anything we can do about the low end. Instead, he advised us to work together at the high end and set the benchmarks and I wholeheartedly agree.