Rant: High Prices for Bad Quality Photography

To all respondents: You're absolutely right, I have no right to do such verbal abuse and I am removing it now. I was in a very trite and annoyed state of mind when I came across their website, and it made it worse. I'm modifying my presented argument as follows:

People on this forum seem to think that $75/hour is fair value for my work quality:
My work: http://www.vegashender​sonphotography.com/por​tfolio.htm

There are other competing photographers out here who charge as much as $200/hour for the same services that I provide, but who actually put out what I consider to be inferior products, be it because the white balance is off, the pictures are plain or camera shake is present, or they look like snapshots.

Does this mean I should increase my rates to be more competitive with these individuals, or should I keep them where they are? There are also other local photographers who charge the same or less than me, though very few, if any, put out the same level of work that I do. Many of them don't even use fill flash in daylight pictures. I think that my work is better than that, and I am virtually starving at the rates I charge ($75/hour). If I raised my rates, I could afford better equipment, which would allow me to probably produce better images. I'd like a good portrait lens, a good telephoto lens, and some other things which would increase the variety of images I can capture, but at my current rates I can't really afford them.

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.
Thank you

I'd advise you not to post a competitor's website on a public forum with the intent of fostering indefensible criticism.

I agree with the statement above.

Anyone can buy a camera, anyone can set prices. Some will go for it, others wont.

I believe people get what they pay for. If they are satisfied with that persons results and are willing to pay for it, by all means they should.

I know Im good, I know my prices are more than fair, and at this point Id rather get a steady following than make more money.

Ive turned down a few people that were satisified with my work yet not willing to agree to prices. Gotta know youre value, but at the same time not price yourself out of business.

I agree with "TheHoff". I dont think it was a very smart move...

Joey,
In general, your competition can charge as much as they feel confident about, but the question is how much work do they get...

I'd recommend some re-arangement of your portfolio/website. Focus to your strong side of your photography and for now get rid of the rest. Too many things together: a bride cutting cake, press machine, macro shot of a flower, rock band on a concert, etc. There should be a primary focus, I think...

I don't see anything wrong with your pricing or his. It all boils down to quality of work and the service received from the photographer taking the shots. Although those shots in his gallery are supposed to be his portfolio, what if they are not his best. We can't assume that those shots posted are his best and representative of all of his work. To me, it looks as though the image quality was lost on the upload...the blown out shots are a different story.

Another thing, he is charging $200 for a 1 hour session and all images on CD....lets look at it a different way. Lets say he is charging $75 for the hour and $125 for the processing and other incidentals. You are charging $75 per hour but for event photography. Your portrait photography are different pricing structures all together, but still cheaper than his. I would suggest that if you feel you have a better image quality than his and "At least I know how to avoid camera shake blur, handle white balance, use wide apertures to reduce DOF, etc. etc. " you should use this as a marketing strategy. That combined with the prices you set will get you more repeat business where as his is very limited availability probably due to other obligations.

Another thing I wanted to point out and I don't know if you read the thread, don't get into bad business tactics. Here is a thread that I am referring to https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=503159

If he is not hurting your business, then there is no need to worry. On the flipside, if you feel that you want to charge more, then do so....that decision would be up to you anyhow.

Good luck to you.

3Turner wrote in post #5557844
I don't see anything wrong with your pricing or his. It all boils down to quality of work and the service received from the photographer taking the shots. Although those shots in his gallery are supposed to be his portfolio, what if they are not his best. We can't assume that those shots posted are his best and representative of all of his work. To me, it looks as though the image quality was lost on the upload...the blown out shots are a different story.

Another thing, he is charging $200 for a 1 hour session and all images on CD....lets look at it a different way. Lets say he is charging $75 for the hour and $125 for the processing and other incidentals. You are charging $75 per hour but for event photography. Your portrait photography are different pricing structures all together, but still cheaper than his. I would suggest that if you feel you have a better image quality than his and "At least I know how to avoid camera shake blur, handle white balance, use wide apertures to reduce DOF, etc. etc. " you should use this as a marketing strategy. That combined with the prices you set will get you more repeat business where as his is very limited availability probably due to other obligations.

Another thing I wanted to point out and I don't know if you read the thread, don't get into bad business tactics. Here is a thread that I am referring to https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=503159

If he is not hurting your business, then there is no need to worry. On the flipside, if you feel that you want to charge more, then do so....that decision would be up to you anyhow.

Good luck to you.

I think you sum it up pretty good.

form wrote in post #5557612
This is the offending business: http://www.pptphotogra​phy.com/

I want to know how he can charge $200 for what he does (1 hour session, all images on CD), when people on this forum seem to think that $75/hour is the value of my work. He has maybe one or two genuinely good pictures, a lot of okay ones, and some quite plainly BAD ones. Why should he get paid $200 for doing a worse job than I do at $75?

My work: http://www.vegashender​sonphotography.com/por​tfolio.htm

At least I know how to avoid camera shake blur, handle white balance, use wide apertures to reduce DOF, etc. etc.

Please advise. Should I increase my prices? That business is actually competing with me.

Well, hey, if you think you're that much better than this guy then just increase your prices to $300 for a 1 hour session. Why are you whining about this on this forum?

Hmm. Badmouthing the competition? That's mature. Maybe that [lack of] maturity translates to your would-be clients.

You can buy a lot of professionalism for $200 an hour in Nevada.

I could separate styles...family and business portraits, event shoots/coverage, others...

Who pays $100 or $200 per hour for photos? Is this aimed at models? We've got one of the local places calling offering a free 8x10 to come in and have a shoot. Never a sitting fee (that I know of) and you just pay for prints.

form wrote in post #5557975
I could separate styles...family and business portraits, event shoots/coverage, others...

$75 an hour is what I charge for my photoshop time. The problem with charging to little is no matter how good you are people don't take you serious and you get stuck in a price range and its VERY hard to move out of it.

Man you probably shouldn't have posted links of your competition you are bad rapping either. You should be very careful about those kind of things. It could come back to bite.

I see a lot of your posts asking for some reassurance that you are doing the right thing.
I think that if the local market supports higher prices then you should go for it.
I will say that I personally judge business, especially artistic ones, heavily based on their websites, and a little work on yours could go a long way. Your pricing page is nasty under my copy of firefox, and it gave me a headache trying to read your front page with the pictures rotating through behind the text.
I think you are very close to having a good business, you just need to take a little time to figure out where take it.

form wrote in post #5557975
I could separate styles...family and business portraits, event shoots/coverage, others...

Separate, focused websites on each of these would be more effective, and allow you to reposition your service and fee structures independently of each other.

Then you can focus on what is more profitable, and up the prices on the stuff that isn't.

I know it might sound a little trite, but the adage is true; the photography business is 80% business and 20% photography. Think business, not photography, and improve you marketing strategy. Fix that website, it's really letting you down.

'Click the buttons to the left you dummy; can't you see they're there! Dummy!'

Your website should be intuitive. You shouldn't have to write stuff like that

Hope this helps.