A "Fair" Price for Your Photographer | Hampton Roads Business Owner

Hi!

The other day an old friend (he'll be upset I called him "old" but I really just mean someone I've know for a while now- so settle down, Jon!) asked me "what is a fair price for wedding photography."

Ok. This is a HUGE question and one I need a LOT more information to go on before I even begin to formulate an actual answer. And I told him so, too.

But it got me thinking: From experience I have gained the knowledge to better understand the little (and BIG) pieces that go in to developing package prices for photographers- but others (aka the non-togs) don't have that luxury. As you know I do not shoot weddings but this topic goes well beyond wedding photography; so I thought I might write a little somethin-somethin about it.

 

 

Things to consider when choosing the photographer for you:

 

1. First things first: did you notice I said "choosing the photographer for YOU?"

 

I can't express how important {I believe} it is to choose a photographer that speaks to you. Is it someone you've been following for a long time? Or someone you just recently happened to stumble upon in your search for your wedding photographer? No matter how long you've followed this person it's SUPER important they have a style that you like. Sure, price is a factor for almost everyone (and I'll get to that later), but believe it or not you actually have a preferred STYLE that you are drawn to (you just may not know it)- bright colors, high contrast, a matte look, film versus digital, black and white only, photojournalistic, etc.

There are tons of styles out there and photographers don't always know what their own personal style is for a while- but as consumers we have it a little easier: we either enjoy looking at an individual's work or we don't.

Take time to really find someone you LIKE and enjoy viewing their work. FORGET ABOUT PRICE WHEN YOU LOOK. Seriously! If you don't immediately know "this is the photographer I HAVE to work with" then come up with a list of 3 or 4 you like before EVER looking at price. It is far more important to be excited about and thrilled with your images than to invest in someone only to be unhappy with the results.

 

You need to be happy with your pictures- and choosing any ol' person to capture your memories will, in the long run, not make you happy- trust me.

 

 

2. Investment and End Goals

 

That's exactly what portraits are, right? An investment. We are investing our time, our money, and entrusting our memories with someone else and their skills behind the camera. Having portraits taken is an investment on so many levels so make sure you choose someone who can offer what you're looking for. Just like having a "style" preference we all have "end goal" preferences.

 

Is your end goal to have a big canvas above your fire place? Do you want to be able to send a 4x6 of your favorite image to all your relatives? Maybe you're really interested in a personalized wood keepsake box. Perhaps all you really want is access to the digital files with a print release so eventually you can decide how you want to decorate your new living room once it's finished being remodeled.

Every photographer offers something different- so decide (again, before looking at PRICE)- what your end goal is for pictures.


3. Price

 

Ok, yes, now you can go ahead and look at price- but be prepared to take the following in to consideration when deciding if it is something you can afford:

i. Are you looking at the photographer from step 1 who you MUST WORK WITH?! (in that case ignore anything else and book them! Lots of photographers offer payment plan options so don't be afraid to ask. If it's your dream photographer don't let price get in the way. Book far in advance and save save save!)

ii. Shoot time: this is time the photographer invests in working with you and ultimately time away from his/her family to work- just like you may go to work 9-5 your photographer leaves their family to come work with you.

iii. Edit time: all those hours spent with you shooting? More or less triple that for amount of edit time they will spend after leaving you to perfect your images to match that style you're so drawn to about them ;) This is also more time spent on the business and working and not with family (a choice we small business owners make, yes, but just showing you how much time goes in to each session.)

iv. Prep: Don't forget you're hiring a professional so they have spent time prepping for your session. This could include researching locations, finding poses that fit you and your vision, brainstorming unique ideas to give you a personalized experience, prepping gear, location scouting, oh! and don't forget they've probably been chatting with you a whole bunch to  answer your questions and make sure they know you well enough to give you the perfect experience!

 

v. Education and Gear: A professional is constantly looking for ways to better themselves and perfect their skills. I can tell you that I personally budget for classes and mentoring sessions every year in my annual "what it will cost me to run my business" budget.

The same goes for gear: most folks budget for better gear each year to give their clients the best possible images. From camera gear to editing software to new and fun ways to deliver your images- all of this costs money for your photographer.

vi. Insurance: Yep, it's true- photographers and business owners have to have insurance just like your job. In lots of cases certain locations require proof of insurance up to $1,000,000 (yes that says 1 million) in order to shoot there- this is something that has to be maintained and therefore a cost your photographer is paying.

 

There are lots of things that go in to a business model and in to the price of your package; and there is no right way to do it- each photographer has spent time calculating what their cost of business is and also done market research to determine what their clients want most: digitals vs. products vs. hair and makeup vs. amount of shoot time etc.

 

So in short, when figuring out what a "fair price" for your photographer is the answer is simple: if you've first done steps 1 and 2 and determined that the 2 or 3 or 4 photographers on your list are the ones you'd be thrilled to work with, then just book your top one- you'll be happy with your choice, I promise :) And if you're not sure about it because of their price: remind yourself of step 1 and 2 and then take in to consideration step 3.

You're choosing YOUR photographer, not "A photographer."

Best,
Sarah