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01/18/2007 08:32:07 PM · #26 |
Since this is my first wedding and they are starving students, yes but not of all the images just the best of the best. I am doing the edits and this is as a one time thing.
In the future if I decided that I like shooting weddings, I will setup packages like you have and make the money on the prints. And if someone wants to buy the hi-res files I will triple the cost like others have stated.
But I believe it's amazing to be getting paid to gain first hand experience and like I said the location is just unreal and will provide networking opportunities I could not afford other wise. So the possible new business will more than make up for doing the first for only $450.
Message edited by author 2007-01-18 20:33:51. |
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01/18/2007 08:46:30 PM · #27 |
Can't wait to see the shots.
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01/18/2007 08:55:26 PM · #28 |
Well Leroy let me ask this:
You put in your pricing that minumum of 500 4X6 prints, 250 4x6 prints.
How can you guarantee this? Do you just give them a copy of every photo you took if that is all you take?
Not saying that is all you will take. Just wondering.
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01/18/2007 09:04:10 PM · #29 |
Originally posted by Shakalaka:
Can't wait to see the shots. |
Me too! :-P |
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01/18/2007 09:09:21 PM · #30 |
My first wedding? I charged $150 for the ceremony, reception, and an album of 24 8x10 prints, and made a handsome profit!
(...of course, that was back in 1975..)
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01/18/2007 09:31:26 PM · #31 |
Originally posted by lenkphotos:
My first wedding? I charged $150 for the ceremony, reception, and an album of 24 8x10 prints, and made a handsome profit!
(...of course, that was back in 1975..) |
I was going to say - profit? really?
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01/18/2007 09:46:59 PM · #32 |
Originally posted by rex:
Well Leroy let me ask this:
You put in your pricing that minumum of 500 4X6 prints, 250 4x6 prints.
How can you guarantee this? Do you just give them a copy of every photo you took if that is all you take?
Not saying that is all you will take. Just wondering. |
Just lowered those numbers, but I make sure at the wedding to get more than I promised. If you notice, I promise all day service for weddings. I shoot everything. If it cost money or took someone time to make I shoot it. If it involves any of the wedding party I shoot it. It's not uncommon for me to come home with 800-1000 or more photos. So basically I am guaranteeing about a 50% success rate of keepers :-)
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01/19/2007 09:20:07 AM · #33 |
| I find it hard to believe somebody charged $1500 for a wedding and still failed to gain a profit. Were the photo albums rimmed in 14k gold? |
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01/19/2007 09:23:08 AM · #34 |
Originally posted by dwterry:
Since I had no prior experience shooting weddings, my first couple were for family and friends and I shot those for free. I've gradually raised my prices over the years as my experience and skills have increased. But I'm still working my photography business as a side-venture (with no plans to make it "full time") and manage to keep my "overhead costs" very low (other than equipment), so even now my prices are still on the low end compared to full time photographers around here. |
I am the same way as I work for the Feds for my day job. This way, I make a little side cash and the client feels like they are getting a good deal. In the end, everybody wins! Glad I am not the only one who does it this way! :) |
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01/19/2007 09:37:34 AM · #35 |
Originally posted by crazedfost78:
I find it hard to believe somebody charged $1500 for a wedding and still failed to gain a profit. Were the photo albums rimmed in 14k gold? |
Have you ordered wedding albums lately?
Here is a breakdown of my costs to do that wedding:
Assistant worked for 7 hours - $350
200 proofs - $45
Proof album - $50
Bride's album (Bay photo) - $400
Mother's albums (2 of them) - $110
Shipping of various albums (out of town clients) - $70
PhotoFusion for album design (was my first major wedding) - $199
So for 7 hours of work on the wedding day plus ~30 hours in post processing and album designs I earned a whopping $275.... not NO profit, but certainly not what I feel my time is worth.
I still offer my clients all the extras, but now I charge appropriately.
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01/19/2007 09:49:30 AM · #36 |
Well, I've booked my first "real" wedding for August 11th 2007 (wish me luck).
Pricing as follows:
Wedding (all day): $500
Engagement Photos: $50
Bridal Portrait (on location): $50
Bridal Portrait (studio): Included
Bridal Portrait (candid with grooms drums): $50
Rehearsal: $250
They are also paying for accommodations for Friday and Saturday night at the beach (wedding location).
Total Charge: $900
Work involved:
1.) Day trip to the beach next weekend to scout location (Saturday) and shoot engagement photo (hopefully on Sunday). Expenses (not including time): Approximately $50 in gas. Payment: $50.
2.) Studio shoot scheduled for beginning of March. I still have to make background for drum shoot. I plan on using a brick panel backdrop and concrete floor with colored gels to give a fun "club" look to the shoot. I will also shoot some black and white "posed" images. Shoot time including drum set-up may take 2-3 hours. Formal portrait will be done on the same day and will require complete tear-down and reset of lighting and backdrops. Total time invested (not including image processing) 6-8 hours. Expenses (not including time): Formal Backdrop - $250. Brick background - $50. Colored gels - $50. Payment: $50
3.) Location bridal portrait will require another day trip to the beach and will take approximately 4-6 hours (including round-trip travel time). Expenses: $50 in gas. Payment: $50.
4.) Rehearsal and big day: I'm taking the day of the rehearsal off from my "regular" job so that I can get to the beach early and prepare myself for the rehearsal. I'm shooting from 5:30 PM until 10:00 or 11:00 PM. The ceremony the following day is scheduled for 6:00 PM with reception to follow. I'll probably start shooting around 2:00 PM to do candids, formal shots, etc. and will shoot until approximately 10:00 that night. Expenses: $75 in gas. Payment: $750 + accommodations.
Overview:
My total out of pocket expenses: $525
Total time (not including image processing): 39 hours
Total Payment: $900
Net hourly wage: $9.61
I'm throwing in a free (unframed) bridal portrait print. Once you factor in that and processing time then I am barely making minimum wage (not to count lost time at work).
Experience: PRICELESS!!!!
I underestimated how much work was going to be involved, but the bride is also getting a lot of "extras". I'm also getting backgrounds/props that I'll be able to continue using down the road as well as a huge selection of shots I can add to my portfolio.
The next wedding will be at least DOUBLE what I'm charging for this one.
My $0.02 USD. |
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01/19/2007 10:26:55 AM · #37 |
Originally posted by Bosborne:
What did you charge to shoot your first wedding? |
$200
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01/19/2007 11:35:15 AM · #38 |
Originally posted by Palmetto_Pixels:
Well, I've booked my first "real" wedding for August 11th 2007 (wish me luck). |
good luck, lee!
i just have to say, though, that pricing things like that is what is destroying the whole wedding industry. why don't you throw in that you can make betty crocker cupcakes in leiu of a wedding cake ;-)
all kidding aside, you are definitely on the right track with how you're laying your foundation. i've always felt that if you are comfortable with the decisions you've made, it really doesn't matter what others think or do. in a lot of ways, i think you can go further, working things out for yourself, rather than simply following the industry's herd mentality. |
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01/19/2007 11:44:00 AM · #39 |
i charged $300 for my first wedding. used it to buy a flash and cf card so i could actually do the wedding. she was a coworker and was looking for an amateur to shoot a second wedding, so it was perfect for all of us.
my second was for friends, so i only charged $400.
my third i charged $700.
w/ more experience, price will continue to rise... in all three cases, there was no profit because i used the money to buy more and more equipment to make it easier to do a wedding.
as for what they get, i give them all the high res photos... yes... even the crappy ones. i figure they'd rather have that out of focus shot when the mother-in-law tripped, than not have it... even if they don't put it in an album.
i also give them 75 photos in high res that i've processed...
i don't make cupcakes, though...
Message edited by author 2007-01-19 11:48:08.
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01/19/2007 11:50:08 AM · #40 |
Thanks Skip!
Originally posted by skiprow:
i just have to say, though, that pricing things like that is what is destroying the whole wedding industry. why don't you throw in that you can make betty crocker cupcakes in leiu of a wedding cake ;-) |
Nahh, I just consider it a momentary lapse in the industry pricing standards... I assure you that I've seen the error of my pricing strategy and I'm going to be working my a$$ off for peanuts. Once I get this experience under my belt and the portfolio shots (btw... the bride and groom could BOTH be professional models)... I will be jacking my prices WAY up to better reflect the quality/amt of work that goes into these images!!!
They are taking a bit of a gamble by using a "new" wedding photographer and are getting a hell of a price for it... It won't happen again.
Unless, of course, the images suck monkey butt and I have to change my name and relocate to Iceland! Then I could become a landscape photographer!!!
;-) |
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01/19/2007 04:49:22 PM · #41 |
| Speaking of models, have any of you wedding shooters who also shoot stock ever getten model releases at a wedding so you could add the shots to your stock portfolio? Just curious... |
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01/19/2007 04:51:30 PM · #42 |
Originally posted by Pixl Mastr WannaB:
Speaking of models, have any of you wedding shooters who also shoot stock ever getten model releases at a wedding so you could add the shots to your stock portfolio? Just curious... |
Yes, at 2 different weddings I got model releases from the wedding party... they did so as a favor to me, a tip (gratuity) if you will.
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01/19/2007 07:42:04 PM · #43 |
Originally posted by idnic:
Originally posted by crazedfost78:
I find it hard to believe somebody charged $1500 for a wedding and still failed to gain a profit. Were the photo albums rimmed in 14k gold? |
Have you ordered wedding albums lately?
Here is a breakdown of my costs to do that wedding:
Assistant worked for 7 hours - $350
200 proofs - $45
Proof album - $50
Bride's album (Bay photo) - $400
Mother's albums (2 of them) - $110
Shipping of various albums (out of town clients) - $70
PhotoFusion for album design (was my first major wedding) - $199
So for 7 hours of work on the wedding day plus ~30 hours in post processing and album designs I earned a whopping $275.... not NO profit, but certainly not what I feel my time is worth.
I still offer my clients all the extras, but now I charge appropriately. |
Glad you do my brotha but make them pay for ALL shipping and add teh photo books on top of your service charges. You know all this and your work is good so I am wasting energy huh? Have a good weekend and good luck on your biz! |
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01/19/2007 07:44:53 PM · #44 |
Originally posted by Palmetto_Pixels:
Well, I've booked my first "real" wedding for August 11th 2007 (wish me luck).
Pricing as follows:
Wedding (all day): $500
Engagement Photos: $50
Bridal Portrait (on location): $50
Bridal Portrait (studio): Included
Bridal Portrait (candid with grooms drums): $50
Rehearsal: $250
They are also paying for accommodations for Friday and Saturday night at the beach (wedding location).
Total Charge: $900
Work involved:
1.) Day trip to the beach next weekend to scout location (Saturday) and shoot engagement photo (hopefully on Sunday). Expenses (not including time): Approximately $50 in gas. Payment: $50.
2.) Studio shoot scheduled for beginning of March. I still have to make background for drum shoot. I plan on using a brick panel backdrop and concrete floor with colored gels to give a fun "club" look to the shoot. I will also shoot some black and white "posed" images. Shoot time including drum set-up may take 2-3 hours. Formal portrait will be done on the same day and will require complete tear-down and reset of lighting and backdrops. Total time invested (not including image processing) 6-8 hours. Expenses (not including time): Formal Backdrop - $250. Brick background - $50. Colored gels - $50. Payment: $50
3.) Location bridal portrait will require another day trip to the beach and will take approximately 4-6 hours (including round-trip travel time). Expenses: $50 in gas. Payment: $50.
4.) Rehearsal and big day: I'm taking the day of the rehearsal off from my "regular" job so that I can get to the beach early and prepare myself for the rehearsal. I'm shooting from 5:30 PM until 10:00 or 11:00 PM. The ceremony the following day is scheduled for 6:00 PM with reception to follow. I'll probably start shooting around 2:00 PM to do candids, formal shots, etc. and will shoot until approximately 10:00 that night. Expenses: $75 in gas. Payment: $750 + accommodations.
Overview:
My total out of pocket expenses: $525
Total time (not including image processing): 39 hours
Total Payment: $900
Net hourly wage: $9.61
I'm throwing in a free (unframed) bridal portrait print. Once you factor in that and processing time then I am barely making minimum wage (not to count lost time at work).
Experience: PRICELESS!!!!
I underestimated how much work was going to be involved, but the bride is also getting a lot of "extras". I'm also getting backgrounds/props that I'll be able to continue using down the road as well as a huge selection of shots I can add to my portfolio.
The next wedding will be at least DOUBLE what I'm charging for this one.
My $0.02 USD. |
You could have gotten twice that for you are offering them...Hope they are good friends. The experince will come anyway, GET PAID those black boxes called SLR's are never cheap nor is the glass. Never settle you are way better than you are charging trust me, you are a damn good artist! |
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01/19/2007 08:05:48 PM · #45 |
Originally posted by crazedfost78:
Glad you do my brotha but make them pay for ALL shipping and add teh photo books on top of your service charges. You know all this and your work is good so I am wasting energy huh? Have a good weekend and good luck on your biz! |
Thanks, I've made the adjustments to my pricing! Oh and, I'm no brotha... :)
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01/20/2007 08:34:11 PM · #46 |
Nice postings, people. Thanks for all of the input!
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01/20/2007 10:14:15 PM · #47 |
First 3 were free. Needed to know if i liked it, if i could do it, and needed some portfolio materials. If i got any shots or not did not matter, as I was not 'the' photographer. The first one I shot alone they weren't going to have a photog at all (second wedding). Of the first two, I was told my shots and albums were better than the 'hired guns', so to speak. Encouraging.
The first paying one was $500, shoot and burn, a 3 hour monday morning wedding. Mom bought another $400 in illuma albums and I got 'real' experience.
This year is my first hard core year shooting weddings. I went full time into photography last May. I have the sales presentation down pat (booked 8 of the lasts 8 brides i met with, and some met with other photographers). I have the workflow under control - about 8 to 10 hours in PP, including album design.
I just need to get the prices up there...that's really next year's goal. As it is I have more booked jobs for 2007 than i've shot to date, and the average is up 50% over last year. If I can get that up another 50% for next year I'll be happy.
My first bridal show is next Sunday, the 28th. Stressing getting ready! I hope to book 10 more weddings this year, and my goal is 6 from this next show, to book within the next month.
Why 6? Cause I have one more show to do and I don't want to be fully booked by then! LOL.
The show average 225 brides. I am the photography sponsor - my photo is on the cover of the newspaper insert in full color - to all 160,000 subscribers and all the brides at the show. I also have an ad in there and an article about me/my business. I also get the special location at the show, a bigger booth too, and an insert/coupon for a free engagement session in every bride's packet. If they come for an engagement session I figure to book them!
To make us standout at the show I've managed to find a way to shoot wirelessly - i'll be roaming and taking a few pics and telling the brides to be to visit our booth and see their come up in real time! Technologically speaking we got the competition beat (last year none of the 4 photogs even had a slideshow running). Also got a 24x36 print, a 24x60 photo banner and framed prints as well as albums.
For my efforts a at a wedding (usually 8 hours shooting) -
1 hour meeting, time on the phone, preview church and hall (hour or so), get ready the day before (charge batts, check gear, etc) 1/2 hr. Drive, shoot, drive home, 9 hours. Add in an assistant on the wedding day too.
Copy files, CC and raw convert, 3 hours
proofs on web, send, receive and package printed proofs - 1/2 hour.
meet with bride again to finalize album color and selection (plan to upsell album, sell a slideshow, framed items) My packages include an album and a small credit toward prints or upgrades. - 60 to 90 minutes.
edit any images for prints, do the album, upload the album proof to web - 4 to 5 hours
another conversation, order album, receive it (some need assembly, some don't) 1 hour, maybe less, including delivery.
adds to 21 hours total, give or take. After album, assistant, CD, etc I get on average $1200 for that 21 hours, or just under $60/hour. I want it to be $75-80. Upselling and the plan I have to get sales from the wedding guests should do it. I also raised prices a bit for '07, and added a top package as I've found most folks won't buy the top top package, but will be the next one down. So you want to sell $1900 packages you need a $2500 package to show them.
My biggest holdup on upselling is not having sample albums - I have the average and lower ones. The 10x15 monstor is impressive as all hell, but I don't have one - my materials cost alone for a sample is about $400. But it should be a $1000 upgrade! It's my next sample purchase.
Message edited by author 2007-01-20 22:15:06.
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01/22/2007 07:11:06 PM · #48 |
My first wedding was a little country wedding out in the middle of nowwhere, TX. Second marriage for both of them... No bridal party, no reception, no rehearsal - the minister wore a leather jacket. I had no experience and charged tem $450 and then picked up another $500 in print sales. Turned out to be a good deal and a great learning experience.
No I'm charging $275 for just a regular session... that couple ever looks me up they'll have a stroke at what I'm asking now! |
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01/24/2007 02:10:11 PM · #49 |
Just wanted to make a comment in terms of the fees charged for a wedding or any event...
If the clients are friends, you can charge them at your own discretion. For someone you don't know, you should charge them the way professionals would charge them (e.g. packages your offering and other details). I don't think $400-$600 is enough to pay anyone (even for beginners with some good set of skills).. especially if you have to sit at your computer to post process the photos. I think it's a very time consuming process overall. Unless you can work quickly and still obtain good results, then that's all right. Either way, I think you should get compensated for your time and skills :-). Blah blah... just my two cents. |
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01/24/2007 02:44:55 PM · #50 |
Who wants to add a link or two for wedding albums, examples and places of purchase?
I am shooting my first wedding in two weeks and really have everything else covered in my mind except that. Thanks.
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