Wedding Pricing Query?

[Dylan & Marianne]

no offence taken ! we're small fry and we know it -I just wanted to get an idea for small fry fees especially from those in the buisness

[DAdeGroot]

I think, based on what people are banding around here, that I'm undercharging, but not by too much, so that's ok, it *is* Brisbane after all.

Similar service to what I offer Dylan, two photographers, 4 - 6 hours coverage, 350-600 images on CD, PP, etc. Cheapest I've done (mate's rates) was $990, most quotes come in just shy of $2k (i.e. $1990ish).

What would you charge to shoot my wedding next year here in Bris? We will give you both a feed at the reception

Why fly someone in, when I'm much more local :P

[kiwi]

I think, based on what people are banding around here, that I'm undercharging, but not by too much, so that's ok, it *is* Brisbane after all.

Similar service to what I offer Dylan, two photographers, 4 - 6 hours coverage, 350-600 images on CD, PP, etc. Cheapest I've done (mate's rates) was $990, most quotes come in just shy of $2k (i.e. $1990ish).



Why fly someone in, when I'm much more local :P

I'm more local than you even, lol

I have three weddings booked this year, so, it's a good discussion for me too


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[Erin]

And 95% of the wedding photographers I know would give birth to a litter of puppies if you dared mention "providing CD of images". HUGE no-no in some circles or it's a yes that comes at a massive cost. Me, personally, my opinion of that matter was formed when I was planning my wedding. I wanted the CD of images and had to search accordingly. AND... price was also considered and asked. I hate that "if they want my service they'll pay anything" attitude, nothing shits me more. I fired an egomaniac photographer and the guys I hired after him made our day so much fun.

Anyway, for what you're offering, I would definitely start charging $2K upwards. Don't discount based on food, it's unprofessional. Do basic PP but do special edits (the requested stuff) at cost.

[JM Tran]

And 95% of the wedding photographers I know would give birth to a litter of puppies if you dared mention "providing CD of images". HUGE no-no in some circles or it's a yes that comes at a massive cost. Me, personally, my opinion of that matter was formed when I was planning my wedding. I wanted the CD of images and had to search accordingly. AND... price was also considered and asked. I hate that "if they want my service they'll pay anything" attitude, nothing shits me more. I fired an egomaniac photographer and the guys I hired after him made our day so much fun.

Anyway, for what you're offering, I would definitely start charging $2K upwards. Don't discount based on food, it's unprofessional. Do basic PP but do special edits (the requested stuff) at cost.

I provide a DVD of all images processed and edited from the day, except for duplicates and bad shots which I dont consider making the cut. I do not believe in giving only a selection or sell per photo - in the film days you had to as digital archiving did not exist so cheaply. I dont believe in trying to squeeze more in after-wedding sales and I dont need to. Once I am done with your wedding I dont want u coming back to me 3 or 6 or 12 months later to order more prints. Its not fair for you.

I hate that "if they want my service they'll pay anything" attitude, nothing shits me more. I fired an egomaniac photographer and the guys I hired after him made our day so much fun.

Well I am not egotistical. Sometimes arrogant, cocky yes definitely. Because I know I am good and can deliver the end product better than the client will expect, and always maintain a good rapport with clients and becoming friends with many afterwards, weird at first but it shows how a relationship can be established.

But is it wrong for me to say that if they want my services, they will pay for it and not worry about price? I dont cater for the low to mid range market, clients know that just from looking at my work, otherwise they wouldnt arrange a meeting with me in the first place. My work looks polished and expensive, because it is expensive. This is not ego coming out, its the brutal honest truth.

[ScottM]

Good points above: the post-processing, or at minimum, the time to prepare and burn the respectable ones to a CD is a consideration. I only considered part of that cost in my estimates.

Wish I could find the quote for my wedding - which didn't go ahead. Five years ago, and with a basic album, I think it was about $1700. Given digital speeds things up a bit, they're not much into post-processing or follow-on work, value-adding with an album etc, I'd think $2500 is a reasonable starting point to cover costs and make a bit of money.

That also seems to be in the order of what others are suggesting.

Make sure you include the costs of getting the job. That often adds up to a few hours work. Isn't that why you're here?

Good luck!

[ScottM]

Oops, meant to mention...

As Erin said, copyright is an issue.

Most photographers generally maintain copyright of the images, including when contracted for weddings. Professionally, I've found more the opposite way - ie when contracted for a job, the contractee owns the copyright of anything developed within the terms of the copyright.

I'm not sure this is a significant issue with you as you're handing over digital images that the couple may or may not adjust or have printed as they want, but the ownership should be specified in the written agreement you reach with them. Whether you include such an budget allowance depends on whether you think you might be able to re-sell the images. Can't comment on that, as it's dependent on the couple and your skill

[JM Tran]

Oops, meant to mention...

As Erin said, copyright is an issue.

Most photographers generally maintain copyright of the images, including when contracted for weddings. Professionally, I've found more the opposite way - ie when contracted for a job, the contractee owns the copyright of anything developed within the terms of the copyright.

I'm not sure this is a significant issue with you as you're handing over digital images that the couple may or may not adjust or have printed as they want, but the ownership should be specified in the written agreement you reach with them. Whether you include such an budget allowance depends on whether you think you might be able to re-sell the images. Can't comment on that, as it's dependent on the couple and your skill

thats a good point Scott, even if a photographer states in the contract that the rights belong to him or her, technically and by Australian laws the images and rights and ownership belong to the client. Hence I dont want them coming back to me, and this is one of those reasons - as I dont really have the right to keep their photos from them and charge more after.

[Gypsy]

My wedding photographer last year (who is an award winning quality photographer) last year started his packages from $1790 which included just the ceremony & location work, colour/B&W/any digital effect, proof images (digital or paper) plus a designer Mark 4 30x40 album with 12 sides (including the prints).

The packages went up from there. The high res images were available for an additional cost ($490, and got cheaper with the more expensive packages).

I spoke with him recently, and he says he now include the digital images with all of his packages. He's upped the cost of his packages a bit as well as the individual print price to compensate. He said that unfortunately that's what he has HAD to do (include the high res). People these days expect it, and if you dont offer it, people will often look elsewhere, even if the cost of buying it ontoop of the package worked out cheaper than elsewhere anyway. People just like to see that high res are included.

I personally think he is way too inexpensive for what he does. The quality of the prints and the album is very high, and the work he does is nothing short of highly professional. (He's done alot of photojournalism and photographed many celebs too). He changed half of what others in our local area are charging. I personally ended up paying an extra $500 for our album as the 16 sides (I got a different package) I had was not enough for the photos I wanted in the album! LOL And I was ruthless when going through them too.

[ScottM]

I think everyone's mentioned really good points JM, in terms of your costs, copyright, ownership.

I think you're definitely approaching things the right way. You really do need to cover your costs, consider future opportunities, add a reasonablue cost for your equipment and time.

My experience is mostly in IT, but developing systems for clients. They've ALMOST ALWAYS maintained ownership of the copyright. In some cases I've been able to 'open source' generic components, but it's usually where the client has agreed, and the results are 'generic'. In ownership of 'IP' - intellectual property - photography and software development are surprisingly similar when the reasons, output and outcomes have the same _objectives_.

Seriously, don't sell yourself short. Do consider the long-term implications - ie sometimes to get the job knowing there are long term advantages, giving prices close to your actual costs is beneficial. But really consider _objectively_ if they are long term advantages rather than just the one client. And possibly 'value-adding'. In this case, if they'd pay for some of your time to post-process the images yourself and have you manage creating the album.

Make sure your quote does include covering your costs, allow more to pay your personal obligations (eg mortgage etc), add a bit more, and try to sell a bit more again.

If your quote is reasonable, ie competive, they like samples you've provided, and you offer a service more than just the actual event, you stand in good stead.

Most important is to cover your costs, professionally and personally. It will help doing this as a couple.

I'm not on the mainland, am pretty isolated, and personally non-competitive, but $2500 would appear a reasonable starting point.

And hope you don't blame me Covering costs with nothing further only gets you so far....

[TEITZY]

For 1 photographer, full coverage and images on DVD, I reckon $1500 minimum to cover your cost and time. If this was your sole source of income you'd have to charge $2500+.

Cheers
Leigh

[Dylan & Marianne]

wow, great stuff everyone - I'm afraid I can't add much more to the discussion except that I reckon people do go to photographers with a budget in mind and if they're not willing to spend big bux, they probably wouldn't even be approaching those who offer high end type packages. (opposite for the other way round)
Marianne booked our photogapher 18 months in advance because she really liked his style
He started at 8am, shot the whole day until the mock set ups at the reception until about 630pm
Gave us about 400 proofs and low res images, 2 8X10 and one canvas print and an good quality 36 page 12"X12" album,
Total cost was 2900 - which, looking at pricing nowadays, seems a pretty reasonable deal. We were very pleased with the result and the whole process (even though it took us 3 years to get the album done !)
He is definitely professional and confident and is shouting us a dinner in June some time lol (ended up talking to him for hours about photography and the buisness of it while doing our album)

[kiwi]

Just on the copyright issue, my understanding is that if you have a contract resuming copyright then that's the end of the matter.




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[Dan Cripps]

we're lucky in that we're not really in it for the profit as such - but by the same token we don't really want to be seen as cheapskates lol

Pricing certainly takes on a much more serious angle when it's your mortgage payments, food on the table and the kid's school fees riding on the decision.

[Dylan & Marianne]

Pricing certainly takes on a much more serious angle when it's your mortgage payments, food on the table and the kid's school fees riding on the decision.

Agreed - which is why we're not going to be giving up our day jobs in a hurry

[Dan Cripps]

Agreed - which is why we're not going to be giving up our day jobs in a hurry

Perhaps when you're formulating your pricing you can lend some consideration to those of us who already have!?

[kiwi]

Zeke

I doubt whether that's a consideration for most weekend warriors. I'm not even certain it should be ?



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[Dan Cripps]

Zeke

I doubt whether that's a consideration for most weekend warriors. I'm not even certain it should be ?

No, it doesn't have to be - but it's a nice thought.

[kiwi]

$0 - pity
$500 - delusional about ability
$1500 - cheap but good
$ 3000 - experienced weekender
$5000+ - wedding pro
$10000+ delusional about ability

???




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[kazdez]

As an exercise I searched out a lot of togs in the Brissie area, and checked on their wedding packages, what they included and what they charged. And I was really surprised how many of them undervalue what they do for the time, on the day and the post production time.
I saw somewhere that a tog set his value at between 200 and 250 hour, and costed according to the hours that he would be involved for the wedding, pre, at and post. So if he spent 8 hours for the wedding and 3 hours for the post production, he should be charging about $2200.00 and if he had a 2nd tog, an hourly assistant rate should also be charged. I think that this is fair. I know some are starting out and don't want to feel like the are overcharging, but you do not want to undervalue yourself.