Really interesting article about the Price of Photography

This is a brilliant article and so, so true. Particularly since the move to digital a lot of the work that used to previously be done by labs in terms of colour balancing, etc is done by the photographer including additional editing that wasn't even an option before. In addition to this the more photojournalistic style of wedding photograph nowadays means there are more photographs to process in the first place (gone are the days when the photographer just took 1-2 rolls of film, purely posed groups shots, that were just sent straight to the lab and that was it).

I appreciate that not everyone has got a huge budget for photography and not everyone can afford the sort of prices we charge (£1000-£3000 depending on the package) but I think this article hopefully goes some way to showing what is involved. We have had our own wedding photography business for 4 years now and have quickly realised that even though it is our passion, unless we price seriously high end we are never going to make the sort of money from it that both my husband and I were making in averagely paid, managerial level office jobs. We choose to continue to build our photography business because it is our passion and we enjoy it but I hope this article gives people a better understanding of what is involved and helps people to see that we are not rip off merchants.

Can i just point out in defence of people like myself that i would love to have a photographer and i totally understand the prices some charge,i know a few great photographers round my way and would def pay what ask.

The only problem is i phsysically cant pay the price they charge!!!!None seem to offer easy payment options like so much a month and i know if i tried to save the money up something would go wrong in the house and would have to be allocated to that.

Im having a tiny wedding,budget everything and paying as i go.Avoiding credit cards as much as poss.No possibilty of getting a loan as mortgage is high enough already.

So if i had the choice yes i would pay the price for a good photographer and i would appreciate the work that goes into it but sadly no hope.

Kezzybe I have sent you an email,I hope it helps

Kezzybabe, I do understand that it isn't an option for everyone. I guess this article just helps to point out the other side for those of us that need to make a living out of photography full time and explains what the costs are.

In terms of payment plans, if this is something that would help brides on here I would encourage any of you to ask your suppliers about this. We would be more than happy to offer couples a monthly payment plan if it helped to spread the cost.

Kezzybabe, I totally agree that everyone has a budget - and you need to work within that budget. This wasn't a dig at those that can't afford the top whack prices that some photographers can charge.

It's more aimed at those who will think nothing of spending £2000/£3000 on a dress, but baulk at spending more than £600 on a photographer. It's those people that I was thinking of when I posted.

Can I tell this story (similar to my own) to further illustrate my point?

Perspective is a funny thing.

6+ years ago I was married on a Fijian beach, barefoot. Our photographer was a local villager who we paid a small amount of money to ( we also donated time and materials to his village church). We look back on it now, grateful we still have our memories. The pictures are pretty bad. The video even worse.

We put honeymoon, vows and lifetime experience first. Everything else was secondary to us. We could care less about heirloom quality images. I didn't even own a SLR then. I didn't value what I didn't know.

It's also why I ask couples to consider their story and to honor it and future generations with an album that reflects not only their day, but their personal story. My own story and regrets are probably why I'm so passionate about doing my job as a wedding photographer as well as I am able.

This person isn't me, but I was that person, except that I got married in the UK and my budget stretched to a free bar, to a piano player for the drinks reception before the meal and to a 4 course meal. On reflection, I wish it had stretched to better wedding photography, at the expense of some of these other things.

Oh, and when I'm a fantastic, top 10 in the world wedding photographer, charging upwards of £5000 per wedding (?) I'm going to be shooting one wedding a year for £150 - for the right couple who will value their photos (like the fabulous couple I met tonight) - maybe I'll advertise on hitched to find that couple!

For those still looking for a wedding photographer - please remember that Hitched are running a competiiton to win £1250 worth of Wedding Photography from Pixcellence. The competition is free to enter and entries for the draw must be in by the end of this month.

https://www.hitched.co.uk/Competitions/

Clwyd - Wedding phtographer for Pixcellence http://www.pixcellence.co.uk

Whilst I don't quite offer monthly payment options. I do offer several ways to split payments. I've always offered this and find that a lot of couples really like the idea.

You can see my work here - www.photographybyriddell.co.uk

Please get in touch, if you'd like to know more.

Wow this confused me! You've quoted Kezzybabe, but attributed it to me.

Thanks for posting this article, its really interesting. It's so easy when planning your wedding to assume everyone is going to rip you off as soon as you mention the "w" word!

I had several discusssions with H2B about photographers as he originally only wanted to pay about £600, which - and some of you may remember my thread ? - I know was ridiculous and I finally persuaded him that photography would provide memories not only for us but our children and grandchildren (i love my grandparents wedding photos!)

So he finally gave in and we paid more than we expected but I am very happy with our photographer and her style - and she's been doing it for about 7 years.

SG

Thanks sean i have sent you an email xx

Its good to see a photography thread where we aren't being accused of being expensive and overpaid....

although the night is still young!!!

?

Although i do think any kind of photography is expensive and as it should be really as the effort and care that goes into it i wouldnt say especially a wedding photographer is overpaid!!!!

At my cousins wedding the photographer was there from mornng right through to the eveing.A mighty long day and and he earned his fee imo.

My main worry is the photography,as id love to have some officail pics of the day but as i said before i just cant afford the hundreds i need to pay for a good photogrpaher.and this is dissapointing indeed although i wish more photographers in my area would offer more packages at variable prices.Understandably the ones that do offer budget packages are already booked.

Sign of the times??

Kezzybabe, I have emailed you x

I've looked at that myself. It's fine if couples are spreading the payments up to their wedding date, but on no circumstance should you allow it to go past their date, otherwise it becomes a credit agreement and then you get into FSA regulation and a whole bunch of headaches, not least what happens if they default on payments.

There was an interesting article in the SWPP about that lately, about how the average cost of a wedding has spiraled but photography is often a very small percentage of the overall costs. I had an enquiry a few weeks ago from a couple who were getting married at Tlyney hall where an average 80 guest wedding comes to around £11,500 in venue hire and food hire, not to mention everything else like stag do's, hen nights, dress, flowers, drink, etc etc. They asked if I could do it any cheaper because I was 'outside of their budget' which isn't strictly true, I fit entirely in their budget, (probably at least a dozen times!) it just isn't a priority to them.

Each to their own as far as I'm concerned, some want it, some don't, some sadly want but can't afford. Have to admit I'd rather work for clients who are going to appreciate what I do for them rather than those who don't. It's not just a job, it's a whole chunk of my soul that goes into every single one.

When i first joined Hitched I asked about the cost of photographers, thinking that £1500 was a ridiculous price but you Peter and many other photographers informed me that this was normal. I also asked for recommendations and was redirected by someone here to the tog we have now booked. All I can say is, before that sounded a lot of money, however now it appears to be very reasonable for what we are asking. Thank you for your advice.

Nic

I love that you said that!!!!And i bet it shows in your photos.

If money wasnt an object id still shop around for the best photogrpaher as i beleive it doesnt matter how much you charge its how much you put into it.

Beleive me im not paying any amount of money for my venue.The place im using is free to hire,jst a deposit to garuntee the date and a £250 charge if i default which is fair enough.they seem to make the money on drinks and food packages.Its only in a pub but im not bothered and have explained to close friends why this is.My dress was from ebay so no £1000s there?

As to the other poster regarding payments,yes it should be paid before the wedding,along the lines of when you book a holiday in advance you can pay as much as you can afford that month.And if the final payment not made before a certain time before the wedding then no service.

Maybe thats why no-one seems to offer it as it would be too much hassle.

Kezzybabe, did you receive my hitched mail? I know how unreliable it can be...

Hi no i wondered if you sent it through hitched or my normal email but i havent got anything yet☹️

I love that article - my hubby is a professional photographer and it pisses me off when people say about prices and time etc... if only they seen the time and effort that is put into their wedding proofs, dvd slide shows, editing, and then the finished product - it would easy work out about min wage !!!

The other pet hate of mine is those photographers who set up and are going only a few yrs, no qualifications, no awards etc... and they are charging the same price as photogrpahers like my hubby who has won loads of awards and is also a Fellow!!! And because he has won loads of awards brides assume he is so expensive before they have even priced him - and then end up booking someone who is maybe £100 cheaper and no where nearly as good.

Any of u photogrpahers going to Newcastle this weekend for the Awards??

Sorry rant over:-)

Bx

Oh I have to say, I don't agree with you about qualifications/awards etc. I know a few (US based, mainly) photographers who have been going only 2 yrs or so, and are amazingly talented. One trained as a laywer, but was always passionate about photography, for example, and started shooting friends' weddings, got referrals and went from there.

I think most of the qualifications aren't worth the paper they're printed on (sorry) and awards are only as good as the awarding body. I know far too many professional photographers who pay a lot of money to have letters after their names and love to say they're "award-winning" but have only won local competitions for example.

I do wish there was some regulation of the industry, though. It's scary that anyone can set up, and immediately claim to be a professional with no clue of the work involved. I've started assisting and 2nd shooting, and I'm happy that I'm serving my 'apprenticeship' in the best way I can.

Of the three main bodies that cover photography, to get a "qualified" status, you need to submit panels of prints. This ostensibly is a national qualification, albeit for simplicity, the judging does happen in regions. Only those that have gained this "qualification", which is Licentiate, Associate or Fellowship, can use this statuts on their website or promotional side. Those without qualification, can become associate members although are not allowed to use their links to the professional bodies(although many do flout this). The purpose of associates is to try to develop photographers to build their skills through guidance and mentoring.

Not forgetting that any qualification gained has to be paid for annually to keep it.

That all said, many photographers are not interested in the workings of these professional bodies. They want to simply go about their business and get on with it. Many are very good, others do the industry no favours whatsover.

Sorry have to disagree with u but I guess everyone is entitled to thier own opinions.

Is that to my comment or Crantocks Glitzy????

I feel the need to chip in here as well. Qualifications etc are good for PR, and yes, they do demonstrate a high degree of competence with a camera and shooting images - I went through the BIPP panel earlier this year and qualified as a Licentiate and now I am working toward my Associate. However, they (and awards) are not the be all and end all of what to look for in a photographer.. A photographer who has been shooting for 30 years and still be useless and stuck in the 80s if they havent adapted their style to what the more modern bride is looking for.

A good example is a guy called Joey Lawrence, he started out taking photos at school and was massively talented at it,his ideas etc were superb.. Now he travels the world, has an agent, shoot bands, models and movie stars all over the planet.. However, the one thing that surprises everyone when he turns up to a shoot is his age.. he is still only 19, he has no awards, no qualificiations. He is sought after on the lecture circuit for his views on photography.. Now he charges upwards of £3000 per day for his services and people are more than happy to accept this because what they are paying for is the final product.. and thats the same with wedding photography, Joe Public doesnt care (generally) if the photographer is a LBIPP, FBIPP, LMPA or whatever - ultimately what they look at is the final product and examples of his work and if they like it, if the photos are artsy and pretty enough, they will book him (if the price is right as well).. So to say someone coming into the trade only 2 years ago has the cheek to charge the same as A.N.Other photographer who has ben shooting for 30 years is non-sensical - if they offer the same product, at a better price, then it is obvious who they will favour.

Also, just because someone has won awards based on the opinion of a panel of photographers doesnt mean they are great photos.. Take a look at some of the artworks in Tate Modern sometime - some of these pieces are hailed as amazing works of art, whereas the non-artistic crowd just see a pile of junk or a crack in the floor... Thats not saying your husbands shots are not good (in facct they are very good), but at the end of the day the customer is the judge of what they percieve to be good.. and will choose they photographer on those criteria.

also, personality goes a long way, if 2 year photographer `clicks` better with a potential bride and groom, they are obviously the favourites in the running..

Mark Simms LBIPP

www.eyecandyphotographic.co.uk