Can you make a living off of this?

[sstricklandphoto]

(This was a part of an email I received from a bride about my pricing and packages *this is not me, but another photog*)

Here is an example of a photographer I met with. He has been doing weddings for over 12 years and is usually always booked.
Wedding Package A $1995
2 Photographers no limited time
It includes Engagement sitting in studio and outside
12 4x6 prints
Bridal Portrait sitting in Studio and outdoor
16 X 20 Portrait and Wing Folio
Min of 350 color and BW 4x6 prints of the wedding and reception in an album
DVD Slideshow of wedding highlights
Package Photo CD for email and web use
Engagement, Bridal & wedding images posted on the website




His other package is $1595
It includes everything from above except for the Bridal portrait and engagement pics

(So I'm new at this in the wedding industry but I'm thinking to myself....how can this work? I know money is tight right now with most people.
Any feedback from some wedding photographers would be great- thanks! )

[FlyingPhotog]

The other photographer has a day job... (?)

[sstricklandphoto]

maybe so? what do you charge?

[sstricklandphoto]

your work is amazing Jay! My dad is out in Tuscon now, hot as hell!

[FlyingPhotog]

your work is amazing Jay! My dad is out in Tuscon now, hot as hell!

Thanks...

Tucson is one of my favorite places. My folks lived there from 1986 until a few years ago when my Dad passed. It was great to be able to get away to Tucson to get away from winter back East.

Now, I'm a desert dweller myself but up in the Phoenix area.

(Oh, more germain to the original discussion: I don't do weddings at this point...I was offering a WAG on how the other shooter could work so cheap.)

[johnaengus]

Sounds like he is giving away a lot of stuff. Weddings are a lot of work and these days with digital, the post processing, I'm sure, takes up a lot of time. When I did weddings about 8 years ago I charged $1,100 to shoot the wedding and that included an album with 20-30 prints. He must really be relying on people ordering reprints for family and friends.

I would never do all that for such a low price! Maybe shoot the wedding with one photographer (me) and the 350 prints in a $5 album.

[sstricklandphoto]

Well I just can't compete with this pricing. Yes I can go lower but I'm not willing to offer all of the other stuff. Too much editing, too much headache...I think I'll pass on this one.

[tim]

Here is an example of a photographer I met with. He has been doing weddings for over 12 years and is usually always booked.
Wedding Package A $1995
2 Photographers no limited time
It includes Engagement sitting in studio and outside
12 4x6 prints
Bridal Portrait sitting in Studio and outdoor
16 X 20 Portrait and Wing Folio
Min of 350 color and BW 4x6 prints of the wedding and reception in an album
DVD Slideshow of wedding highlights
Package Photo CD for email and web use
Engagement, Bridal & wedding images posted on the website

I'd charge about NZ$3500 for this with one photographer and assistant, give or take, which is about US$2000-2500. Add $750 for a 2nd photographer. I bet he has another job, and his wife's the 2nd shooter.

[sstricklandphoto]

So I'm not crazy then ?!

[sstricklandphoto]

hah, thanks Tim. Well my first job is Starbucks, then photography. I wish coffee was not involved with my paycheck, but I guess I can't complain too much. :-)

[tim]

They seem cheap. Are they any good?

[sstricklandphoto]

I have no idea, she didn't tell me who the photographer was.

[Karl Johnston]

And I thought I was selling myself short...wow I wonder what his revenue is after all that stuff is printed.
"Minimum of 350 color/bw in an album"
16x20" folio book
"2 photographers unlimited time"
Er...? Maybe he's a drug dealer on the side :lol: or just has a regular day job...

[jongobongo]

The other photographer has a day job... (?)

+1

When you start factoring in pp time, a cost of a 2nd shooter, then taxes... it's not as much as you think.

[sstricklandphoto]

No wonder he stays booked. I simply told her politely that I can't match his wedding packages...and that if I can refer her to any other photographers let me know.

I have no desire to work for someone who doesn't understand the pricing system. And she works in Charlotte, NC....I thought there was pretty much a standard there.

[cdifoto]

The biggest cost in wedding photography is labor. The items themselves aren't that expensive. Some photographers pay themselves more than they're really worth. Some pay themselves less than they're really worth, and others have no idea what they're really worth.

Just because you shoot an entire day doesn't mean you deserve Yervant's fee.

[sstricklandphoto]

+1

When you start factoring in pp time, a cost of a 2nd shooter, then taxes... it's not as much as you think.

love your stuff Caroline...yeah, I wanna know who he pays to edit this stuff- and how much?

[Andrushka]

have you seen the guy's portfolio? is it any good? maybe the answer lies there... if he does minimal or batch post processing, than it isn't such a big time killer... and the quality and or "wow" factor would suffer for it no doubt...

If this bride hasnt told you who this is... she could be quoting someone in another country for all it matters and just BSing you into lowering your price... hmm... stay strong! you dont want to deal with people like that anyway...

[figmented]

knowledge of industry and craft also dictates what direction you charge.