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Why Is It So Difficult to Compare Prices
Among Wedding Photographers
Burger King and Taco Bell may be in the same business, but they don't have the same items on the menu. An even better comparision may be between McDonalds and your favorite steak house. While they both sell beef as their main product, the differences are rather obvious. Unfortunately, the differences in photography may not be quite as obvious. Thus, while each enterprise sells food - their pricing structures and quality are different and can not be directly compared. Similar differences will be encountered when shopping for a wedding photographer. You will find many that metaphorically sell fast food hamburgers and a few that sell prime rib.
With many photographers now moving into digital photography, the choices, pricing and especially quality issues are going to become even more confusing. The quality differences in digital photography can change dramatically from photographer to photographer depending on how good their cameras are. Digital cameras run the entire gamut from a few hundred dollars for consumer grade models to $10,000 for top pro brands.
In wedding photography, like any other business, the cost of human labor is one of the most costly components of the total expense. All of the following items take time and may or may not be provided by your wedding photographer:
1. Engagement photo session, in the studio or at some scenic, outdoor location. A cosmetic makeover and/or hairstyling may or may not be included as well as one or more clothing changes allowed.
2. Pre-bridal photo session, in the studio or at some scenic, outdoor location. Pre-bridals are highly stylized, glamorous portraits intended to accentuate the beauty of the bride and her wedding gown. A cosmetic makeover and/or hairstyling may or may not be included.
3. The photographer's preparation time for your wedding day photography is variable. The more sophisticated his/her equipment and techniques, the more time it takes to plan and prepare. This includes testing and assembling equipment sets, recharging batteries, loading and unloading vehicles, etc. You do want your photographer to thoroughly test each piece of his gear before your wedding don't you? Some don't.
4. The time spent taking pictures on your wedding day is variable as is the total number of images taken. Some photographers charge by the hour and offer a set limit on the number of photos or locations. Others essentially devote their entire day (and evening) to photographing your wedding events with no limit on what they will or will not photograph. It's just as important to know what they don't photograph as what they do. Which photo memories are you willing to do without?
5. Some wedding studios have an assistant working with them throughout the wedding day, while others work alone. Some work with an assistant that only functions as a 'go-fer' while others offer two fulltime photographers to more completely document your day. It's difficult from one photographer to be in more than one place at the same time or to see everything that occurs.
6. Some wedding photographers spend hours editing and assembling your proof album, while others simply present the bride with rolls of film or a handful of pictures. Some offer addtional proofing services such as a private on-line web site for your distant friends and relatives while others don't.
7. Some photographers spend hours at a light table, carefully attaching each negative to a specialized cropping mask prior to submission to a profesional wedding lab for reprints and enlargements. Others bypass this procedure and just order full-frame prints from a consumer photo lab without any cropping or special instructions to improve the layout or composition.
8. Some studios mail out your film to distant discount labs for processing and printing while others only use local professional wedding specialists for their lab work. Especially in this day and age, there is always a risk associated with mailing priceless wedding film or negatives cross country. Post Office Xray machines can damage unprocessed film.
9. Some photographers spend hours in the layout and assembly of your photo album(s). Others leave this task up to you to be done by yourself with little or no assistance.
10. The owners of some studios insist on working with you personally while others delegate the responsiblity to hourly staff members or even outside freelance photographers.
All of these steps require time and extra effort spent by your photographer and/or staff. To do a total wedding photography package properly requires an average of 40 or more hours devoted to each and every wedding client.
While all of the foregoing items explain the variables of time and effort spent by the photographer, they do not address the issue of talent, skill, technique or experience level. The time and labor of an expert full time photographer is more valuable on a per-hour basis than that of a raw beginner or weekend only hobbiest photographer. These important points will reflect in both the asthetic and technical quality of your wedding images and need to be carefully considered.
The second most influential factor in the cost of wedding photography is the type of equipment the photographer uses. Simple techniques require only simple, low-cost equipment. But sophisticated photo techniques require elaborate equipment - and more of it. A photographer who uses a $3,000 camera will likely charge more than one who uses a $300 consumer grade camera.
Some photographers use multiple flash units firing in synchronization to give the resulting photos the illusion of depth and dimension. This extra step alone makes a tremendous difference in the visual appeal of photographic images. Specialized lighting techniques require advanced levels of skill, and multiply the photographer's equipment costs. Bringing more equipment to the wedding generally necessitates using an assistant to help load, unload, setup and use the additional equipment. An assistant or second photographer will help make your photo sessions move much more smoothly and pain free.
All experienced professionals have at least one back-up for each critical piece of equipment he/she brings to a wedding. If they use a $3,000 camera, they surely have 1 or more spares available in case of equipment failure. (pro digital cameras can run as much as $10,000) However, a less experienced photographer using less sophisticated equipment may have no back-up at all. The more expensive cameras not only take far better quality photos, they are also far more reliable. (doubly so for digital) Professional photographers that rely on their equipment for once in lifetime photos should have their cameras professionally serviced and adjusted annually. Not all are willing to invest in the added cost of sending them back to the factory every year or carry multiple very expensive backups.
After human labor and equipment costs, other variables arise in the areas of business overhead and costs of materials. Some spend a lot on advertising, others don't. Some pay dues to a professional trade association, others don't. Some routinely attend training seminars or otherwise endure training costs to keep their skills current; others don't. Some carry errors and omissions insurance to protect your wedding investment, while others don't.
Some photographers may shoot 500-900 or more exposures on your wedding day - others may shoot 100 or less. Some use contantly refrigerated professional grade film and have it processed and printed by a custom lab that specializes in weddings. Other photographers use whatever consumer grade film is currently on sale and have it processed at a consumer discount store for much less. There is not only an attendant difference in overall quality but also the important lifetime guarantee against fading or discolorization that ONLY comes with professional film and processing.
Wedding albums range in price from about $25.00 up to $400.00 or more. Some albums have plastic hinges that the pages clip into while others are library bound with the pages actually sewn in. Cost depends on the quality of materials and how it is assembled. As usual, you should get what you pay for.
In Summary: while all professional wedding photographers are in the business of taking pictures of your wedding - the similarities end there. There is a wide range in levels of personalized service and in the quality and quanity of your treasured photographs. Asking a wedding photographer on the telephone "how much do you charge" is not unlike calling a clothing store to ask "how much are your dresses?" In the end, if you don't like the dress or it doesn't fit - it doesn't really matter how much it costs.
We understand how confusing and frustrating it can be in choosing just the right photographer for such an important role. We suggest following the three steps listed below in choosing your wedding photographer or studio.
3 Steps in Choosing a Wedding Photographer
1. Look for a photographer that you truly like their particular style of photography. There are a wide range of styles available for you to choose from. The two most popular styles are currently 'Traditional' and 'Photojournal' / 'Contemporary'. Traditional is all about doing perfectly staged poses with very few or no candids. Photojournal or Contemporary is more about capturing undirected, spontaneous emotion and expression to tell the story as it happens with little or no direct photographer involvement. A note to look for: Just because someone says their style is photojournalistic doesn't necessarily make it so. There IS a difference between candid snapshots and true photojournalistic images. Just because a photographer takes a few images in black and white doesn't automatically make them a photojournalist. Look for someone that specializes in and has extensive experience in your favorite style. A few studios, like The Perfect Image, offer a proportionate blend of both. Look for a photographer that evokes an emotional response from you with their images. If they can do that with the photos from a strangers wedding, just think what they can do for yours! View sample photos with your heart as well as with your eyes.
2. Look for a photographer that you really "click" with personality wise. Other than your bride or groom, there is nobody you spend more time with on your wedding day than the photographer. Make sure it's someone you can have fun with and truly enjoy working with throughout your special day. It should go without saying that you actually need to MEET with this person so don't contract with a studio until you know exactly who you will be spending your day with. Contrary to what many photographers may think, photography should NOT be the most important part of your day. However, having a great time and experiencing all the love and emotion of that day IS. Don't spend it with someone you really don't care for just because they are cheap!
3. Last but not least, of those that meet the above two requirements, then and only then shop for price and package options. Set an approximate budget for how much you want to invest in your wedding photography but don't be afraid to go slightly over or under if you find the perfect photographer for your specific tastes.
Planning your wedding and choosing all the best vendors can be both challenging and exciting. A unique situation for most couples. Hopefully this has helped shed some light for you on the field of wedding photography and will help you sort out the range of prices available.
Selecting the best photographer based upon your particular tastes will have the longest lasting impact on your wedding memories of any other pre-wedding decision you will make. We hope these suggestions will help you in making that difficult choice.
© The Perfect Image
Cleveland, Ohio
216-738-0024
866-738-0024
So, I want a professional to photograph my wedding.
What do I do next?
Visit several photographers. Look at their sample albums. Pay
attention to your emotional response to the
photography and to the communication skills of the photographer. Look
for high technical quality too. Once you have decided on a photographer
whose work has meaning to you, discuss prices, deposits, packages,
quantity of pictures and so on.
Conclusion:
- Fine wedding photography should stand the passage of time, providing years of memories and joy. Now that you've planned a beautiful day, let The Perfect image Wedding Photographers capture the images for you. We will professionally and artistically photograph your wedding, blending a touch of our style and technique with a lot of your own personality and taste. After all, every wedding is different, and yours is the most important one of all!
By now you may have already set your photography budget and found a few studios with superb craftsmanship. With so many possibilities, how do you know you are choosing the right one?
Simple---talk to them! Discuss your plans and expectations and ask for advice and feedback. In the end, hire the person with whom you feel the most comfortable. All else being equal, the personality of the photographer will determine if the picture-taking is exciting and fun or merely a chore. Weddings can be hectic, but the right photographer can help make your day run more smoothly.
At The Perfect Image, we understand that you want a friendly, caring, unobtrusive photographer who will contribute to the overall success of your day. Our job is to provide the best possible pictures...your job is to enjoy the wedding!
Long after your wedding day is over your wedding photos will serve as a reminder of the love, magic and excitement of the day. Insure that your wedding images are of the highest quality by choosing a full time professional wedding photographer you can trust & have fun with.
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