fredmiranda.com
Login

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
FM Forum Rules
Wedding Resource List
  

FM Forums | Wedding Photographer | Join Upload & Sell
1      
2
       end
   

Archive 2009 · to members posting cheap c-list ads
  
 
Lucky_Dog
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #1 · to members posting cheap c-list ads


dave kadolph wrote:
The Op seems to have hit upon the real question.

"Is your work really worth what you charge or not?"

And from a non pro's point of view--and a skilled tradesman making a good living with a large investment in professional tools--probably not.

I make about $250 a day working on multimillion dollar equipment---is your time worth that much more than mine?

That 8 x 10 you charge $35.00 for costs less than 2 bucks--and the 11 x 14 @ $55.00 less than 4 bucks.

In this economy in particular--these are the questions many people are being forced to ask--IMHO

I'll bet that all but the top pros don't come near $250 a day when all things are factored in.
Jan 11, 2009 at 07:32 AM
prof_fate
Offline
• • • • •
[X]
p.2 #2 · to members posting cheap c-list ads


Photon wrote:
I hope so. Right now, the business for serious and experienced photographers in my area seems to have completely dried up.

You're not in Philly, are you? An associate there who's been a pro photog for 30 years shoot weddings (and other stuff) for studios there, like 45-50 a year. Lastyear that big multi-location outfit went under unexpectedly and saturated the market there with out of work, hungry, experienced photogs.

In 07 he made $24k from weddings, in '08 it was $8k. You can get a wedding shot for $250 - by someone with 10-15 years experience. Not good.

I've got a bridal show today - it's gonna be interesting to see how it goes. It's the first of the season for this area.
Jan 11, 2009 at 08:50 AM
prof_fate
Offline
• • • • •
[X]
p.2 #3 · to members posting cheap c-list ads


dave kadolph wrote:
The Op seems to have hit upon the real question.
"Is your work really worth what you charge or not?"
And from a non pro's point of view--and a skilled tradesman making a good living with a large investment in professional tools--probably not.
I make about $250 a day working on multimillion dollar equipment---is your time worth that much more than mine?
That 8 x 10 you charge $35.00 for costs less than 2 bucks--and the 11 x 14 @ $55.00 less than 4 bucks.
In this economy in particular--these are the questions many people are being forced to ask--IMHO

So you get $250 a day? Not bad (i've been paid a lot less). But when I get my car fixed I pay $75 an hour or more. The furnace guy here charged $95/hour. Math tells me they (the company) get a lot more for a day's work than you, the worker, gets. Same in the wedding business.


You see me working on the wedding day - 8 hours. To meet, prep, shoot, travel, DL, backup, edit, proof - that's more like 20-25 hours (or more). So now we're at $750. I know many photogs that bring an assistant or a second photog. So now were $1000 (3 days me, 1 for the second photog).
And thats for creation. Now you want product. And that's just the WORKERS wages, huh? What about the company? It needs some income to cover insurance, training, computers, postage, the phones, etc, etc.

A piece of blank photo paper costs $2. If you want my image on that paper there's more time involved - 20 minutes, maybe more, and perhaps shipping if I use a lab, etc.

Do you think a lexus that sells for $65,000 really costs six times as much to make as a Cobalt that goes for $10k? No. Similar engineerring, govt regs/approval, same testing, same delivery, both have warranty costs, both need factories, etc. Even if the Lexus is costing triple (which I doubt) why's it sell for SIX times the price? Cause they can get it.

Free market economy - you can charge what you can get.

I've run my numbers up and down, back and forth - i need $65/hour to cover costs. That 25 hours is now $1625. And since you only see me for a few hours on teh wedding day you assume I'm overpaid. Never ASSUME, right?
Jan 11, 2009 at 09:00 AM
coffee-black
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #4 · to members posting cheap c-list ads


prof_fate wrote:
A piece of blank photo paper costs $2. If you want my image on that paper there's more time involved - 20 minutes, maybe more, and perhaps shipping if I use a lab, etc.





Great post overall! I've used that "paper" analogy many times with my sports parents.

>rw
Jan 11, 2009 at 11:27 AM
warpedvinyl
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #5 · to members posting cheap c-list ads


This is an interesting subject to me as I am a hobbyist photographer and just went through the process of hiring a wedding photographer.

It seems to me that many of the photographers complaining here are great artists, but may be a bit lacking in the sales/marketing area. In the end photographers are presenting a value proposition to the customers. The photographer is giving the customer “x” for “$y” “x” can be a lot of thing a particular perspective, a style, status “Annie Leibovitz took my wedding pictures” or whatever…. Basically, it is up to the photographer to prove, to the customer, that he/she is worth the price.

Photographers really have to understand what value they are bringing to the customer and how it compares to the competition. The biggest thing is that they have to be able to communicate it to customers in a way where the customers value what they bring as highly as they do.

If a customer asks “what about the $300 guy?” The more expensive photographer has to be able to convince the customer that they are worth the extra $$$. If you can’t prove to the customer that you provide a better value than the $300 guy, then the problem isn’t the $300 guy.



Jan 11, 2009 at 02:17 PM
liza
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #6 · to members posting cheap c-list ads


Higher rates = greater perceived value. I raised my prices recently and am starting to book better customers with more expensive weddings in much nicer venues. It's a good feeling to have a consultation with a customer who values the art of wedding photography and doesn't blink when writing a check for the entire amount.

And I really don't care what the Craig Listers charge. I don't cater to that type of client anyhow.


Jan 11, 2009 at 02:30 PM
warpedvinyl
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off
p.2 #7 · to members posting cheap c-list ads


liza wrote:
Higher rates = greater perceived value. I raised my prices recently and am starting to book better customers with more expensive weddings in much nicer venues. It's a good feeling to have a consultation with a customer who values the art of wedding photography and doesn't blink when writing a check for the entire amount.

And I really don't care what the Craig Listers charge. I don't cater to that type of client anyhow.

Exactly what i'm saying.... its about value not necessarily price
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:10 PM
1      
2
       end
FM Forums | Wedding Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

1      
2
       end
    
 

Welcome back
Log in to your account
Reset passwordNo account? Register