Wedding Photography Services at $388

[CYRN]

I would love to shoot at a good price..... but is there a benchmark and wat the pricing should be like?

Very often, pricing is determined by the demand and supply in the market. If demand exceeds supply, pricing goes up. However, if supply is more than the demand, the price will fall into equilibrium.

I certainly take pride in everything I do.... afterall, if given a choice,I will charge a premium when I have earned a name in the industry. Meanwhile, I just concentrate wat I enjoy doing for an interest....

I once shoot for a friend who does not come from a rich family. Till today, he remains to b a good friend of mine for not charging him a high rate. he was very broke at that time cos of recession. I am doing tis for friendship and he appreciates it.

I always believe in Passion. Without passion, nothing will ever succeed. If everything is based on the value of money, I would not be happy.... Afterall, to be the richest person in the graveyard is not my dream.

dun need to have headach over this.

Charge what you are comfortable wif the worth of your products and services.

Frendship-price... priceless.

 

[initialE24]

.

Frendship-price... priceless.

well said....:thumbsup:

 

[ModelShooterz]

Because if MUA sucks, the bride looks UGLY and everyone can see and point here point there. Photographer lousy at the end of the day, not many pple may see the photographs.

I shot many weddings, but hardly encounter couple using free make up artist, one make up artist can serve up to 4~5 brides on wedding hot dates, can even ask brides to compromise their appointment time or else no make up artist. Why is that so? Why many couple want to give in to make up artist? And wouldn't consider use student or free make up artists? Think about it.

 

[yqt]

When you're shooting for someone you don't know, it is a business.
When you're shooting for a friend, it is a favour, a gift to a friend or even a helping hand. And I would be very disappointed with myself if all my friend can appericate me for is my shoot their wedding for free. I think I would have been a losuy friend if that's all I've done for him considering that he's close enough for me to shoot free for him.

Am I piss by those who charge low or even shoot for free? No, because they usually do not last in the market. If they're still in the market, very soon they'll be uping their price if they're good.

 

[jonnie84]

If you're keen, my advice won't be on how much to charge, but when you are ready to charge. Seriously, if you say there's no harm done for newbies to charge low prices, I disagree. KnightOng made the point very clearly. It's difficult to raise prices subsequently, because the referred couples would have told them your price. You will also realise that as you shoot, you will need to get more equipment. Unless you already have a very impressive setup. I found myself needing more CF cards, more batteries, another body, another flash etc etc. If I charge 388, my equipment acquisition simply cannot keep up.

On the notion that newbies come in, charge cheap because they have no portfolio. So charge cheap, build portfolio, raise price later, my concern is this:

We're talking about wedding photography here. There's no take two. At least we hope there won't be. For someone (not referring to threadstarter, but to whoever is taking an interest) who has insufficient experience to do solo, you cannot screw up. You screw up, the couple can't get married for you to shoot again.

For me, I won't charge if my works don't deserved to be paid for. I won't use anyone's wedding ground at the expense of me making a quick buck or getting experience, and yet charge at the same time. I have requests for assignments on subjects I had never tried, I either let them know I have no experience and refer them to someone else, or let them know the risk they're taking by letting me shoot. But that's just me.

thanks shinken! u really brought light into my mind. i've really forgot the point made by KnightOng. think i shd rephrase myself.. charging low prices for newbies hurts the newbies themselves!!

the thing i mention about couples using newbies at cheap prices, i mean that if the couple is willing to do so, they are taking a risk that they might have screwed up photos, which is a really big risk they are taking...yup i agree if have no experience shd let them know beforehand.

ok so now, rather than saying wat price to charge, i shd just start out as backup photographer until i have enough experience or a portfolio to start out on my own. right?

(do backups earn anything at all other than experience? if not where they get capital for equipment acquisition?)

 

[catchlights]

Because if MUA sucks, the bride looks UGLY and everyone can see and point here point there. Photographer lousy at the end of the day, not many pple may see the photographs.

Yes, you get the points, so pictures to them is not important, why would they want to waste money on that. (most of us don't think that way)

 

[shinken]

if not where they get capital for equipment acquisition?

From the money that shd have gone to bringing home more bread to put on the table. Sigh...

 

[Ashleyy]

I shot many weddings, but hardly encounter couple using free make up artist, one make up artist can serve up to 4~5 brides on wedding hot dates, can even ask brides to compromise their appointment time or else no make up artist. Why is that so? Why many couple want to give in to make up artist? And wouldn't consider use student or free make up artists? Think about it.


If you want to help wedding couples in “budget” problems, your intension is good, but you are not doing it the right way.


Firstly, to many of them this is not a essential parts, so never put a budget on this, so just let it be.


Secondly, there have many people around them have cameras, the couple think that will be good enough, why should pay someone to do it for them, even it is lower then market rates.


Thirdly you will let some couples taking advantage on you, you will never know this until the day you shoot their wedding.


Lastly, if the wedding couple value good photography truly and have a genuine budget issue, that would be their problems, not photographers' problem, and they have many avenues to solve this, like let their love ones sponsor the wedding photography.


For you info, in the market, many volume shooters charge $350 to $500 for providing photography service plus supply “original” images (means no post production, just download, burn and handover to customers) for whole day wedding, your price mention here is not that “attractive” compare to them, especially these people are far more experience and can shoot faster than you, maybe they are shooting their third weddings of the week and you still post processing the image and put into the slide show.


You want to shoot wedding with a passion? Sure you can, Shoot it with a Good Price, Shoot it with Your Pride and Don't Shoot in Volume.

Well said!! :thumbsup:

 

[yqt]

Photographer lousy at the end of the day, not many pple may see the photographs.

I have to politely disagreed with you. A lousy or even a good but inexperence wedding photographer can make or break the wedding day.
He's the guy the couple can turn to if any last min problem crops up
he's the guy who tells them if their plan for the day is OK or not
he's the guy who tells them whatto do at what stage
he's the guy who can help them control the day
he's the guy who makes sure that all the table shots are done fast
he's the guy who makes sure the couple and their family have something to remember the day with

Sure, there are others around who can do all these things ie: friends, family members, aunties, etc.... But who amounst them have been through so many weddings that they can even plan a wedding in their sleep. Only 2 choice, either the photographer of the videographer.

 

[catchlights]

I would love to shoot at a good price..... but is there a benchmark and wat the pricing should be like?

Very often, pricing is determined by the demand and supply in the market. If demand exceeds supply, pricing goes up. However, if supply is more than the demand, the price will fall into equilibrium.

I certainly take pride in everything I do.... afterall, if given a choice,I will charge a premium when I have earned a name in the industry. Meanwhile, I just concentrate wat I enjoy doing for an interest....

I once shoot for a friend who does not come from a rich family. Till today, he remains to b a good friend of mine for not charging him a high rate. he was very broke at that time cos of recession. I am doing tis for friendship and he appreciates it.

I always believe in Passion. Without passion, nothing will ever succeed. If everything is based on the value of money, I would not be happy.... Afterall, to be the richest person in the graveyard is not my dream.

You know your friend long before his wedding, so you knew his finance situation, you decide to offer your service to him, that should not mean any is a business dealing.

You want to put across a message that you do this as “an interest to do wedding photography and not make a living out of it”. I understand this and I believe that you can do it. But I would like to let you know that “Most” wedding couple don't really bother what are you shooting for.

As long you charge a fee for your service, in “Most” customer's eyes, there is not much different between a working professional and a freelance or a part-timer. And again, “Most” customer will look at the price tag first.

I believe that you didn't get my points:

Shoot it with a Good Price, so you don't feel you are too cheap.
Shoot it with Your Pride, so you will take pride on every click.
Don't Shoot in Volume, so you will not become a cookie cutter.

 

[Ashleyy]

I would love to shoot at a good price..... but is there a benchmark and wat the pricing should be like?

Very often, pricing is determined by the demand and supply in the market. If demand exceeds supply, pricing goes up. However, if supply is more than the demand, the price will fall into equilibrium.

I certainly take pride in everything I do.... afterall, if given a choice,I will charge a premium when I have earned a name in the industry. Meanwhile, I just concentrate wat I enjoy doing for an interest....

I once shoot for a friend who does not come from a rich family. Till today, he remains to b a good friend of mine for not charging him a high rate. he was very broke at that time cos of recession. I am doing tis for friendship and he appreciates it.

I always believe in Passion. Without passion, nothing will ever succeed. If everything is based on the value of money, I would not be happy.... Afterall, to be the richest person in the graveyard is not my dream.

IMHO, almost everyone seems to have money problem.. even some couples can try to look for lesser than $500 AD photographer when the salary of the couple combined is more than $8K a mth.... :bsmilie:

If this is a wedding for a friend whom you really know that they are having financial difficulties, but all means help them in whichever way you like. Since you are doing them a favor.

For couples whom you do not know, then consider it as strictly business and charge accordingly. If they do not appreciate photography, by all means let them get their weddings shot by friends with some P&S - DSLR cameras. At the end of the day, what they get is what they manage to find.

Lastly, for AD photography, what we are selling is more than just a piece of factory manufactured goods. We are selling our skills, time, creativity, effort, wear & tear of equipment, etc!! :lovegrin:

 

[catchlights]

Hey Guys,

This person shoot his first paid wedding at the age of 14, so don't play play..:bsmilie:

I have to politely disagreed with you. A lousy or even a good but inexperence wedding photographer can make or break the wedding day. ...................

Hey yqt,

We know lots of things, but customer don't know, also don't think it is important, and not willing to pay money, so let it be.

 

[jonnie84]

From the money that shd have gone to bringing home more bread to put on the table. Sigh...

ohh... from own pockets = bad for me. my pockets are empty, and i dun bring bread home... i'm the one eating from what is brought home... still a student in uni... gotta save up for years then...:sweat:

 

[yqt]

What was not mention here is that the job of a wedding photographer is not just to shoot. A good and experience wedding photographer have to be a wedding planner, coordinator, time keeper, problem solver and a point of reference for wedding traditions. This, in the words of my mentor, is what is required of a wedding photographer.

 

[catchlights]

I would love to shoot at a good price..... but is there a benchmark and wat the pricing should be like?

Service only I have mention in my earlier post.

$800 for AD wedding, 300 prints and album
$400 for ROM on weekend, 120 prints and album

Plus or minus around there, you can command higher rate if you are good in cutomer service and your works, remember, if you are chagring super cheap, there always will be someone charge $10 cheaper than you.

 

[yqt]

Hey Guys,

This person shoot his first paid wedding at the age of 14, so don't play play..:bsmilie:

Oi!!! don't say that lar, pai sai lar. I still remember the bride call up my mentor ( who sent me for thr job ) and express her worry about sending a small boy to shoot her wedding :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

Hey yqt,

We know lots of things, but customer don't know, also don't think it is important, and not willing to pay money, so let it be.

yeah lor, but you're doing OK what. Now just close to end of March and you got double digit confirmed wedding shoots for this year already.

 

[rafiano]

wow...clubsnap is really a cool community...so many words of wisdom for our friend...my advice to him is to listen with an open mind to all the contributions from our members who have such a wealth of experience in doing wedding photography. its easier to learn from the experience of others, than to encounter a really bad experience.

again...just my two cents worth..

 

[jonnie84]

Hey Guys,

This person shoot his first paid wedding at the age of 14, so don't play play..:bsmilie:



Hey yqt,

We know lots of things, but customer don't know, also don't think it is important, and not willing to pay money, so let it be.

:bigeyes:

14 years old shoot first paid wedding!?!? wow!!! think at 14 years old i only just learn aperture and shutter speed... haha... and i wasnt even serious about photography then...:sweat:

 

[jonnie84]

wow...clubsnap is really a cool community...so many words of wisdom for our friend...my advice to him is to listen with an open mind to all the contributions from our members who have such a wealth of experience in doing wedding photography. its easier to learn from the experience of others, than to encounter a really bad experience.

again...just my two cents worth..

yeah.. so happy to be part of clubsnap. i should've joined CS earlier... so much time wasted having bad/no experience experiences..

no la rafiano, your inputs worth much more than 2 cents...mebbe worth... $388?? haha... joking la... not funny ah?

 

[yqt]

:bigeyes:

14 years old shoot first paid wedding!?!? wow!!! think at 14 years old i only just learn aperture and shutter speed... haha... and i wasnt even serious about photography then...:sweat:

First paid wedding shoot after about 1 year learning from my mentor and about 4 wedding shoots shooting as backup to my mentor. No choice lar, got to find some money to keep up the hobby as flim, prints and darkroom work cost money :sweat: :sweat: