Is it mainly the cost of equipment and editing or are there other costs that I may not be thinking about? I want to invest in a quality photographer but I want to take everything into account when deciding on the packages.
Kylie H
Question Asked: 15/05/2017
Wedding Date: 10/03/2018
Answered by: 11 Experts
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Hi Kylie
I feel that I will be repeating a lot of what has already been stated but will give my opinion/feedback also.
You are paying for a lot more than someone standing around pushing a button. You are paying for Pre-wedding costs such as travel and scouting costs, insurance, gear, time for editing, time on the day, someone to capture your special day in an artistic and beautiful way.
The main reason I became a wedding photographer was the fact that my own personal wedding photos were not anywhere near what I expected from a reasonably experienced photographer. My wedding photographer did not scout the location or area pre wedding, didnt meet with us as a couple to discuss our expectations of them on the day or what we felt were our most important moments at the wedding would be, forgot their gear and had to use mine and as such provided a product and experience that was so heart breakingly underwhelming it scarred me for life.
I sincerely hope that your day was/will be full of beautiful moments and that your wedding photographs envoke some amazing memories of your special day
Cheers
Sam
HI Kylie
Thats a question people ask all the time. I cant give you anyone elses reasons for this, only mine. And of course you can always get your friends to take photos on their IPHONES, but hey, who is to know what you will get. I feel professional photography is well worth the dollars you are paying. Taking photos just so much more than just "clicking a button" . Each professional photographer has honed their skills over a long period of time, and often spent years (in my case over 40years) perfecting their skill to enable them to make a living doing what they are so passionate about. I feel most of us charge what we feel we are worth in the market at that time. We have normal business costs like most other businesses, advertising, expensive equipment, insurances, staff costs. etc....People tend to not think of us as "legitimate businesses" but we do spend a lot of time before and after your day, editing each and every photo so that it is perfect. A lot of professionals are constantly updating their professional skills and that also costs money. We are artists, we are valuable, and what we do with our photography is our passion. You will never get a more dedicated group of people. That reason alone, i feel is why you should spend money on a professional. So that you can be assured that your wedding photos will reflect that amazing day that you had oh so long ago. I hope that helps. I hope your wedidng day is wonderful and you find an amazing photographer that can capture it as you experience it. xxx
The question you have to ask yourself is 'what is the outcome I am looking for?'
If you just want photos out of routine and as evidence your wedding occurred, you can find photographers to shoot all day for the price of an XBOX.
If you want something memorable and photos that you and your family will enjoy and cherish for decades you need to consider that you are investing in a photographer's experience, quality and upkeep of equipment, eye for detail, artistic attributes, reliability and ability to facilitate the day so things go smoothly.
When you are considering a photographer, you can ask to look at the range of 100's/1000's of photos in any given wedding, rather than just the best photos in an album. Here you should see a consistency pattern in style, lighting and angles. The price is the last thing you should consider discussing.
Hi Kylie,
A great question which is commonly asked. Firstly you are paying for professional experience in the wedding industry, like I have - for over 12 years plus. We have qualifications and experience on how to capture all those special candid moments as they unfold. We professionals also have a strong knowledge of how a camera works and photograph all situations and subjects using the correct lighting. As well as what you mentioned the cost of equipment and time for post production work does add to the total photographic package. Also add insurance, public liability insurance which a photographer pays to cover you in an unexpected situation happens, studio/office overheads. An experienced photographer will be prepared for whatever situation or weather on your wedding day and will have many camera bodies and lenses which are expensive to ensure nothing is missed. Plus we are super organised as I like my brides/grooms to enjoy their day, have fun and let the suppliers and me the photographer do all the work. Most importantly Kylie, you will one day find the right photographer who you will feel comfortable with and can trust to capture you, and what makes you such a wonderful couple on your wedding day. If you want to find out more about me or my photographic style or about wedding photography costs, lets chat soon. All the best regards Dianna
Hi Kylie, As an experienced Fashion and Celebrity Photographer that has crossed over into shooting weddings i have always asked myself the same question?
Maybe before the 'digital age' back in the early 80's and 90's photographers could ask the high prices they did for photographing a wedding, as they had the large cost of processing film and prints for a wedding album. But now that has been eliminated you don't have to pay thousands of dollars any more! But sadly the prices really haven't come down since the 1990's.....But there are photographers around who have lower prices without any compromise on quality. Have a good look around and compare the quality of the work. Hope this helps. Barter Photography
(93) · South Australia State Wide - Located in the Barossa Valley
Posted: 22/05/2017
Hi Kylie
Not all wedding photographers are too expensive (check out my price list)
Woah. You have a lot of great responses already. I think they have just about summed it all up.
Equipment (lots of it, some you get to see and some in the office)
Software
Insurance
Time (there is double and a half the time spent on the wedding day that is spent after the wedding editing which in the old days was developing)
Travel
General business overheads
Most wedding suppliers work the day before, preparing, the day of the wedding, and the day after packing up or cleaning up.
Photographers work days before scouting spots at your locations for best backgrounds, days before preparing a timeline to ensure all the shots are going to be taken without taking up your whole day figuring out where and who on the day. After the wedding shoot more time is spent 1-3 days editing and processing photos transferring them to different locations, backing them up and most importantly getting them to you.
There is a lot involved! I'm sure you understand that now though. Most wedding photographers do this because they love it and so they put in all they can to provide you with the best results. Me in particular I LOVE weddings I know it was the best day of my life when I got married I had so much fun but all that is left is the stories to tell and the photos to look back on.
Before you go thinking every photographer is really expensive... please don't think you can get married without one you will be in tears when Uncle Chris or Aunty Pam took photos for free but cut off peoples heads or didn't get a full dress shot or missed the kiss or their memory card filled up before the reception etc..... or maybe they did get a great shot you love but guess what?... the resolution is so bad you can't even print it for the wall in the lounge room.
You will find a photographer you love and for a price you can afford. Just keep looking and enjoy the search.
Happy wedding planning.
Sincere regards
Rebekah Bianca Photogrpahy
Hi there Kylie and others interested in what contributes to the cost of wedding photography. You mentioned equipment costs and editing time as part of what makes up the price of the photography. As well as these costs, there are many unseen costs such as office and studio overheads, insurance, travel, time and of course training that went into building their skills.
Time spent working on the wedding is a large factor in the cost as a good photographer will meet with you at least twice before your wedding. Initially they will meet you to show you some more of their work and for both of you to discuss some details of your wedding. This is also an important time to see how well you connect with the photograpaher and their style and quality of work. And secondly a good photographer will offer to take some informal photos of you both leading up to your wedding. A great bonus to the package and good way to get more comfortable with your having your photo taken.
Photographers also take time to visit the location of your wedding and reception so that they are ready with ideas for great photos before your day.
And as you also mentioned, editing takes time and designing the right album for you and can take as much as 40 hours. The costs of the actual albums are suprisingly high because a good photographer works with quality album providers who build albums to last. Oh and not to mention that the photographer may be paying an assistant to help on the day which all leads towards getting the best photos from your day.
Prices vary between photographers due to their different business costs and also which end of the market they are aiming at. Middle range is a good place to start looking and get a few different quotes for quality at a price you cann afford
Best of luck on your wedding journey. There are many good people out there and don't be shy to shop around :) Tara - Cherish Photography
Hi Kylie,
I can't speak for others but I do know you will find a very large variety of pricing between photographers. For starters you can consider the time on the actual day of your wedding. Unlike most other photo sessions there is a lot of pre-work done. For myself I will do a lot of research on the different venues so I have a good idea of what I will be able to offer. I try and come up with different shots I have not done before so each wedding I do has different moments. I prepare usually a couple of days in advance all my equipment. I have 3 main cameras and can use up to 5 different lenses. I format and ensure that all my SD cards are ready and clear. Check all my bag, batteries, cleaning items, as well as a lot of other equipment. So if you consider just that, you are starting at a rate of an hourly fee for the photographer being there on the day, their travel (which most don't charge for but it is still to be considered as well as fuel) Then if you have a 2nd photographer that also adds to the cost. For a full day wedding I would roughly put in a good full week of editing.
You are covering the cost of the editing time which is the most expensive part of the process. Other factors are... cost of cameras.. literally thousands and they don't last so every couple of years you replace a $3000-5000 camera. Lenses that are professional can be anywhere from $1500 +++. Editing software, insurance, on going learning and training, advertising as well as all the time at expos or different avenues to promote your business, you are also basically paying for your photographers hopefully many years of experience that someone with a nice camera simply cannot offer.
Unfortunately photography is an incredibly expensive business to be in. If you want to invest in your memories, then you do need to pay for the confidence that who you do choose will be able to capture your day perfectly. As others say, it is only get the one take. You take the chance on someone who has not go the experience, or someone who seems to be too good to be true, the chances are they are... Do your own research and find a photographer who's work you love.
Remember, you will only consider the price of your photographer once, you will treasure the value forever.
Have a wonderful wedding day and who every you choose to capture your day, that you will love each and every memory.
Regards
Naomi Tascon
Tascon Photography
Hey Kylie
There's an awful lot of photographers out there charging a variety of different prices, some include all day coverage and some charge out at an hourly rate.
Either way you can rest assured that however long your photographer spends with you on your wedding day he or she will spend 3 times longer in post processing, basically taking a great image and making it freaking awesome !
Making it the best it can be, and lets be honest, it's your wedding day, you want to look your best right ?
If you're looking at albums then you can most likely add an extra couple of days to the post processing time as there is the design and layout of your gorgeous album.
We also have things like new cameras & lenses, software , back up systems, all of these things are expenses that we carry every year. This is just the cost of running a business and it's not cheap but you can rest easy knowing that your precious images are well taken care of and you won't see me on your TV Sunday night getting chased by a camera crew and a bunch of angry brides demanding their images.
My albums are all Australian made (handcrafted) and I make sure that they are the best quality available, it does cost more to have Australian made .
All the best for your wedding !
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Because they charge what they think thsy deserve, for the amount of time spent editing photo's and making
The Album.