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Archive 2013 · Colorado Wedding Photography market

  
 
jamesmorophoto
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


colorado wedding pro's, what kind of prices are you booking clients at overall?

I moved here from southern california recently, and am trying to figure this market out.

Seems like my 'average' rates in socal ($2760 for 8hrs + an e-session) are considered 'expensive' here (boulder/denver area).

I had 5 inquiries last week, and I sent them my price list w/ a %20 off promo. not a single one of them has followed up with their initial inquiry.

Pretty much the only clients i've booked out here are cheap-o craigslist clients.

I'm currently marketing in a local magazine (boulder lifestyle mag), as well as wedding sites & services magazine (currently online only, will be in their 2014 print).

just curious what people consider middle and high-end prices to be here?



Nov 02, 2013 at 03:42 PM
Robin Usagani
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


James, I am not a full timer but my average is $3500. But I only shoot like maybe 5-7 a year.

I do not understand why you bother with craigslist. I mean how do you justify your price to your $3000+ clients if you entertain craigslist couples?



Nov 02, 2013 at 03:53 PM
jamesmorophoto
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


I was just doing CL to make ends meet when I first moved out here. I'm getting monthly leads from wedding sites & services mag, but i'm wondering if they're really low budget clients.


Nov 02, 2013 at 04:17 PM
ARDENT
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


We cover Colorado and WY and our pricing runs from $2700-$7000. Average booking is around $3700... I think the market can handle it but you have to show well. Lots of competition and there will always be someone cheaper. Gotta give them some other reason to love you SO much they have to have YOU there on their big day...


Nov 02, 2013 at 06:28 PM
jamesmorophoto
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


good to know... guess i'm not reaching the right crowd.


Nov 02, 2013 at 06:50 PM
jneilosu
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


There's a very reasonable possibility that you're actually too cheap.


Nov 02, 2013 at 11:44 PM
ARDENT
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


I agree with jneilosu, depending on what kind of client you are going after you may want to RAISE your prices...



Nov 03, 2013 at 02:42 PM
jamesmorophoto
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


didn't think of it like that. so you think my prices ($250/hr), albums starting at $1200, are too cheap?
the promo I was offering to brides that signed up for the mailing list I'm using is %20 off those prices.

i was thinking any sane bride would jump on that in a heartbeat.

so you're saying my prices are possibly causing brides to think there's a catch since 'things seem to good to be true' ?



Nov 03, 2013 at 07:34 PM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


jneilosu wrote:
There's a very reasonable possibility that you're actually too cheap.


How would that go against you?



Nov 04, 2013 at 12:19 AM
jamesmorophoto
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


i've heard the whole 'raise your prices' argument for several years now. anyone i've ever known that has raised their prices has lost their entire clientele and was only able to return to their previous income level by shooting fewer, higher paying weddings (if they were lucky).


Nov 04, 2013 at 12:30 AM
Robin Usagani
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


IMO, i think you lied about your price. There is no way you booked a wedding at CL with $250/hr $1200 album. If you really did, great. I may have to check out CL again.


Nov 04, 2013 at 08:34 AM
ARDENT
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


We have a great friend who specializes in mountain weddings. She found herself going up against photographers who were much higher in price than she was. The couples she was targeting didn't really have a budget concern. In the end it was working AGAINST her that she was like a thousand dollars cheaper. They wondered why. Since raising her prices about $1000.00 to be more in line with the 'budget' Breckenridge and Keystone weddings would have she is now thriving in that market. Luxury cars aren't always heaps and bounds better but they do have a show off appeal because they are expensive...


Nov 04, 2013 at 11:46 AM
ARDENT
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


We raise our prices almost every year. We upgrade our equipment, attend workshops, hone our craft and creativity. We started at around $1800.00 and now our base package is $2700.00. Most times we book at $3700.00. Although the NUMBER of weddings we are booking has gone down the amount per weddings has gone way up. Which means we are being paid more for our time, while also freeing up time to spend with family and on our photography ministry (http://www.thelordslens.com). Its such a difficult balance. I don't think we will ever GET RID of our affordable package though. It has always been important to us that a regular budget college couple could still afford to have beautiful images from their weddings without going into debt.


Nov 04, 2013 at 11:48 AM
ARDENT
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


jamesmorophoto wrote:
didn't think of it like that. so you think my prices ($250/hr), albums starting at $1200, are too cheap?
the promo I was offering to brides that signed up for the mailing list I'm using is %20 off those prices.

i was thinking any sane bride would jump on that in a heartbeat.

so you're saying my prices are possibly causing brides to think there's a catch since 'things seem to good to be true' ?


Could be... could also be the a la carte pricing. The album price sounds spot on to me but the hourly might be leaving some on the table or people wondering if it is too good to be true. I think the market here tends to lean more toward presenting pricing in a package fashion with ability add additional hours if needed.



Nov 04, 2013 at 11:50 AM
jamesmorophoto
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


no no. not off CL. i'm talking about the prices i'm sending to the clients via my mailing list.


Nov 04, 2013 at 05:03 PM
hardlyboring
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Colorado Wedding Photography market


My wife and I just moved to Dillon CO. We average over 5000 in Cleveland Ohio and travel for most weddings.
In CO I see no problem getting WAY WAY more than what we are getting in Ohio.
If you think the market is calling for 2750 or whatever you may need to think again or look at who you are targeting.

The main reason we moved is because the people we want to shoot are in places like CO. The normal budget for a wedding in Ohio is about 2000-2500 or so for the upper middle... with us starting at 3500 we could no longer sustain ourselves in the midwest and needed to get out to where the money was.

IMO to reach the upper market you are going to need to get in front of the big time wedding planners who can set you up with the perfect couples. In Ohio we had a great ranking on Google and were able to filter down to the perfect couple via our website etc. In CO we are going to need to take a different approach. Google will help eventually but we will need to rely more on contacts we have at venues, with planners, and with other people who can get the word out to people that we want to be shooting.

FWIW our biggest package to date came from a couple in Boulder who did their engagement session there and then had the wedding in St. Paul Minnesota. People have money in CO...a LOT of money. You just need to find them.



Nov 04, 2013 at 05:10 PM





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