Advice from wedding photographers

[Stina]

I need some input from some of you wedding photographers. The photos I posted yesterday are from a wedding I photographed this past weekend. This is the second wedding I've photographed ever. The first like this one was for a couple I go to church with, we came to the agreement that they paid me for film and processing and just consider my time a wedding gift. I am happy to the same for this couple.

The help I need is to determine a price for the others weddings I have been asked to do later this year. The average price in our area seems to be about $1000, which includes engagement and bridal portraits, and 4 hours the day of the wedding and proofs in an album. I do not want to have to set up albums but would want to handle getting the proofs printed so I know they are taken to a good lab. What type of fee do you guys charge and do you handle reprints or just make your money up front, and give them the files or negatives to do themselves? Any advice you could give would be great.

Here a link to the photos I posted I this would help you help me. Thanks in advance.
Photos from Wedding w/Rebel XT

Stina

[drg]

Most of my wedding clients are clients from other photographic work, but over the years I've done many (100+ probably) ranging from huge to 6 people at a park. (Well there was the boat wedding . . .)

Anyway, the point is I'm not strictly a wedding photog but I charge thus:

Basic/minimum

This is for all digital photography (still do film too)

$600 for the day of the wedding. That's up to 12 hours if need be with reception and less than 25 miles of travel in warm weather. If cold add $150 because I'll stay in a hotel close by the night before in case of inclement weather.

What you get:
Me and appropriate gear. Softboxes, backdrops and so on. If too complex add one assistant at $200.
Proofs. Digital or prints. Digital can be CD, DVD, or VHS tape. Proofs are 4x6 or 5x5 as appropriate and you get to keep the proof book (I buy quantity leather books for about $9-15 and they'll hold 100 pics comfortably). Ordering is generally ala carte with minimums per order of $100. Prices run the gamut depending on size, quantity, matting framing and so on. I'll do canvas "painting" alternative Ink Jet material and so forth.

This is for one site, no set up and tear down (like a reception hall and there is some exception) for Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

I'll throw in an engagement portrait usually.

Separate bridal portraits I like to do on a different day if possible. Sometimes at the time of the final fitting of dresses, is a great time. Its fun, there's less stress nobody's crying yet and I can make sure that those cranberry dresses are really going to be cranberry when we print them. The goth wedding recently with purply black dresses and the death pixie makeup was pretty bad! I don't share those photos!

There is a minimum of $200 for the separate session. If we can do it day of event its included, but it almost always requires an assistant so it balances out I suppose.

There's also stuff like souvenir prints at the wedding via Dye Sub printing which is packaged extra on a case by case basis. I do offer it, but I think at having to charge $20 or more per its a little pricey. Costly because someone has to run the printer/laptop materials and proofs.

For strictly a journalistic type coverage its a little less unless your want it done with the Speed Graphic or other Medium or larger format . Then we'll need to talk.

Packages are alll custom. I'll show you sizes, qualities, materials and its pick and choose and price accordingly. I have two labs available (mine and another) and which ever is quicker is who I use. Mine is in-house and is set up for odd sizes and not volume but it can easily be used for that by changing some parts around. I do mostly large Ink Jet in house and RA and Endura type stuff I job out.

So, basically around a $1000 dollars isn't out of line to start with. You can do it for probably half that amount as a part time photographer if you shoot digitally and proof that way. Of course that won't include picture packages either!

Take two cameras! Take three cameras! When I use to shoot exclusively film I had three compatible if not identical bodies in 35mm format as I'd switch between two with different lenses and the third was the backup.

Good comfy shoes are a must. And Plan Plan Plan, particularly if you are going to try to get "standard" shots or certain inevitable events from recessional to bird seed tossing to the horse drawn carriage, etc.

If you want more details of how I break costing down, let me know! Good Luck!

-CDP

[katt]

It so depends on the area you are in.
You don't want to overcharge, but then again, you don't want to get paid too little.

my minimum starts at 1000$, and yes I am willing to knock it down, especially when I'm getting established in the area.
That includes: 7 hours of time, unlimited locations, unlimited images (as much as I can/want/need to shoot), mostly Digital, some film, on-line proofing and ordering.

Everything else they can add in at ala-carte or I can throw in as a freebee.

Engagment photos, a lot of time, end up being complementary, but if I charge is it about 100-200$, couple hours, can change clothes if they want etc....

I don't have any big equipment, I have 35 mm cameras, flashes, tripod, reflectors, and a METZ as a second light for night time situations.

If you have any questions, please ask, i'm sure that you'll get more answers here anyway.

[Stina]

Thanks for the info this is just what I am looking for. Did you guys look at my photo by any chance? Do you think $400-600 with digital proofs would be a fair price for my work. I know thats just a few photos to look at but I am stumped as to what to ask. Right now I just have to say I will work up a price and I am going to have to get back to a few people this week about prices. That price range would keep me well under the $1000 local average and still make it well worth my time. I already have set price for portraits because I do senior portraits in my spare time. Thank you both for taking time to help me out.

Stina

[another view]

First off, I moved this over to the Help Forum.

Your market will have a lot to do with what you can charge, as will your expenses. Full time studios will offer more services and charge more than freelance photographers. Some are of course better than others, but price doesn't always determine how good the pictures will be.

A little about me first - I'm not trying to go full time. I do this to help pay for personal projects which is why I photograph. The equipment and lab bills are expensive, so it's nice to get some income from it. If I didn't love photographing lots of different subjects, then I'd get a second job at Home Depot or something - weddings are a ton of work! I do enjoy shooting them and for some reason the stress doesn't bother me too much (yet). I try to pick and choose what I find, and am not trying to do any more than 8-10 in a year.

I have some booked thru June this year, and after that I'll rebuild my portfolio. At that point I'll charge $925 for all day including proofs in a nice book and all negatives. I keep it simple - I don't do reprints or albums. Sure it's limiting to some clients, but I find enough jobs. I shoot film only for weddings but that's a whole 'nuther discussion...

If I changed over to digital then I might change how I did things because it's easier to get prints and albums made without making trips to the lab, etc. I wouldn't charge any less (maybe more) because of the time involved with PS afterwards - you become the lab. And the expensive DSLR's go obselete faster than film bodies. Oh yeah, that's plural - I wouldn't do it without two bodies and two flashes.

[Stina]

If i shoot mainly digital I can save on my cost. I do have a film rebel Ti that would be my back up camera. I think the local market would handel the $400-600 range but my concern is if my work can demand that price. I guess I just have not built up confidence in my work I tend to nit pick all the thing wrong with my photos instead of enjoying the fact that others like them.

[another view]

Nit picking your work isn't a bad thing. I'm my toughest critic (well, sometimes ). I use an expensive lab so I understand the attraction of digital from that standpoint. Your time should be worth something though - you're either paying a lab or you're paying yourself to be the lab. Of course, there's more to it than that...

[drg]

Did you guys look at my photo by any chance? Do you think $400-600 with digital proofs would be a fair price for my work. ... I already have set price for portraits because I do senior portraits in my spare time.
Stina

Yes, I looked at your photos. Just watch your backgrounds and focus on the bride's eyes.

It's the bride's day, to state the obvious, and her mom, sisters, and aunts are the one's who will ultimately purchase the most photos.

As "another view" state, don't short yourself on what you earn, because there's a lot of work after the wedding!

Some markets find that wedding photos can be charged at a much higher rate than others because of the "special-ness" of the day. Senior Portraits I usually charge considerably less for the initial work. Often though I'm doing two or more at the same time. And it's a limited market (except in large families or University/College grad) for the end photos. I know several people with wedding photos displayed, but the Senior Portrait usually winds up in an album in a relatively short time.

Don't be disappointed if the orders don't just roll in right away. I regularly have orders from portrait/event/wedding shoots that come in 1-2 years after the original occasion.

Best wishes - CDP dr g