Rates

[Jahled]

My work colleague is getting married this weekend, and when I was discussing my 'favor' to a mate last weekend, was shocked to hear despite the thousand pounds they are spending on the 'official wedding photographer,' all his images will come as proofs with copyright all over them, they will basically have to spend more money obtaining.

For a day's work, and a bit of editing, that simply stinks of greed to be honest.

Is this the norm? I have no idea of what wedding photography rates are, but I was genuinely taken back when she admitted that, is Ruth being ripped off?

[tim]

A thousand pounds for just shooting fees is probably midrange, neither cheap not expensive. This is really something they should've worked out before they booked him, and it should be in their contract.

btw it's not 1K for taking a few photos and a bit of editing. The main thing you're paying for is the time talent and experience a professional has gained over many years, and the piece of mind they'll show up and do a good job. You're also paying for equipment usage (usually a lot of expensive equipment), travel, maybe assistants, preparation and meeting times, and for every photography hour often 2-3 hours behind the scenes. To make good prints or albums take more time again.

[Jahled]

It's was the bit about everything he takes subsequently costing further more if they actually want it which stunned me, after a grand

[tim]

I don't offer a package like that, but many do. They chose the photography, they booked the package, I don't see what the problem is, other than you not knowing the market value of wedding photography.

Remember it's a business, not a hobby, so take away equipment costs, repairs and maintenance costs, office costs, sample image and album costs, accounting costs, phone and utilities, sales tax, income tax, from 1K you're left with very little. Or you can hire a weekend warrior who may or may not turn up, may or may not take good photos, and does it for a few dollars on the side. You get what you pay for.

[shaggymatt]

And one more expense that I'm shopping now. Having moved from doing this as a hobby into forming a LLC, and really expanding my clientele, INSURANCE. Not the least bit cheap.

[PeaceFire]

And one more expense that I'm shopping now. Having moved from doing this as a hobby into forming a LLC, and really expanding my clientele, INSURANCE. Not the least bit cheap.

You should try getting insurance with the same people you get your homeowners/renters and car insurance from. I pay $20/month for my business insurance and with that came a discount on my other two insurance policies I have with the company- for a savings of $30/month which if I did my math right is actually $10 in savings for me every month! Not too shabby if you ask me.

[picturecrazy]

$20 a month for your business insurance? Sounds like you don't have adequate coverage to me.

1000 quid isn't an outrageous fee.

[razyl]

Sounds perfectly reasonable - why do people get so up in arms about what photographers charge? I mean, all we do is turn up for a few hours and press a button right?

[shaggymatt]

You should try getting insurance with the same people you get your homeowners/renters and car insurance from. I pay $20/month for my business insurance and with that came a discount on my other two insurance policies I have with the company- for a savings of $30/month which if I did my math right is actually $10 in savings for me every month! Not too shabby if you ask me.

That sounds about right for a liability only policy, perhaps a bit low. I'm sure that doesn't have errors and omissions and equipment coverage. My homeowner's company quoted me $500/yr. for a business policy, still awaiting clarification as to what they include.

That price point is closing in on Hill & Usher, I'd rather have a separate company as I've heard stories of having your other coverages dropped if you make a business claim when you're under one umbrella.

[Peacefield]

My business insurance is also through the same company/agency I use for my cars and home; State Farm. For $2 mil liability plus equipment and medical, only $182/year. What I want which they do not offer is E&O insurance.

[PeaceFire]

My business insurance is also through the same company/agency I use for my cars and home; State Farm. For $2 mil liability plus equipment and medical, only $182/year. What I want which they do not offer is E&O insurance.

My is $261/year (so I'm actually paying $21.75/mo) through State Farm, too, and it covers E&O insurance, libaility, and equipment and medical. Sounds very similar to yours but with E&O. My insurance person actually has part of my coverage through another company that does the E&O and also covers earthquake, volcano, and flood damage. Which I'm paying $65/year for (so comparable to what you're paying) but it's rolled up in my State Farm coverage so I only need to deal with one company, but it's really through two. But being able to do that probably varies by state laws and whatnot.

[form]

$1k plus prints is definitely not a very great amount.

[jonwhite]

$20 a month for your business insurance? Sounds like you don't have adequate coverage to me.

1000 quid isn't an outrageous fee.

From my experience it depends a lot on how much gear you have and what portion of it your asking the insurance company to cover..... peacefires gear list is a fraction of what yours is Lloyd so you may well have the exact same level of coverage but its just the cost of your gear thats pushing yours up compared to peacefires.
Regards the OP's original question, £1000 is cheap, I used to think that wedding photographers were taking the pee with their fee's ....... but once you start doing it yourself you realise why the charges are what they are ... theres a lot more involved than just turning up and taking a few pictures and the guys that are out there charging a few hundred quid for a full days coverage are probably doing it as a hobby or on the side to another job rather than as a full time profession.

[guntoter]

My business insurance is also through the same company/agency I use for my cars and home; State Farm. For $2 mil liability plus equipment and medical, only $182/year. What I want which they do not offer is E&O insurance.


Please excuse the dumb question, but does "E&O" mean "Errors & Omissions"?

The acronums used on this site are A-OK after you learn what they mean.

[shaggymatt]

Please excuse the dumb question, but does "E&O" mean "Errors & Omissions"?

The acronums used on this site are A-OK after you learn what they mean.

Yes. E&O = Errors and Omissions.

[cbh76]

$20 a month for your business insurance? Sounds like you don't have adequate coverage to me.

Kind of hard for you to say without knowing what gear is covered.

I pay around $26 US monthly for everything in my sig plus all my Lowepro bags, memory cards, filters, and batteries. I also got a discount on my other insurance for doing so.

[Karl Johnston]

My work colleague is getting married this weekend, and when I was discussing my 'favor' to a mate last weekend, was shocked to hear despite the thousand pounds they are spending on the 'official wedding photographer,' all his images will come as proofs with copyright all over them, they will basically have to spend more money obtaining.

For a day's work, and a bit of editing, that simply stinks of greed to be honest.

Is this the norm? I have no idea of what wedding photography rates are, but I was genuinely taken back when she admitted that, is Ruth being ripped off?

Proofs as in a disk of proofs with copyright symbols on them? And then you buy prints from the selection of images? Yes, that's "normal", and pretty low rate too.

Though, many people do things differently based on their market area. There is no low, no high and no midrange before there is market potential and feasibility test of that market (what the average/norm is)

All I can say is, if you don't like the package then hire someone else..cause honestly why is Ruth paying for a 1000 quid product that she doesn't want? Find someone else. There's millions of wedding photographers all around the world who could probably do a better job and package than that guy. Myself included *wink wink*.