Related Articles
DO YOU HAVE A GOOD PHOTOGRAPHER?
Do You Know What To Ask Your Photographer Before You Hire Them? Part Two
Quality Photography Vs. Price Factor
Being A Ninja At Weddings
Weddings And Quinces
Follow 
The Value Of Choosing The Right Photographer
Written by: jamesburger | June 8, 2009 3:40 PM in Photographers | 1 comments | 139 views | Tags: Wedding Photographers / Photography , Marketing Photographer , Freelance Photographer , Digital Photographers , Event Photographer , Commercial Photographers , Photojournalism
Whether you need photos of your wedding or of products you're selling, chances are the photographer you'll hire will specialize in serving your particular needs and will offer valuable expertise in creating imagery just for you. Understanding a bit about your photographs needs will help your photo shoot result in the best images he or she can create.
Working with a photographer is an often misunderstood concept. The vast developments and price reductions in digital photography equipment have made the craft seem more accessible than ever to the general public.
Today, many people can now pick up a very good camera inexpensively and become proficient through their own research and practice. But learning to take consistently great photos as a profession requires much effort, which shouldn't be underestimated.
Still, for the average photography consumer, the costs of hiring a photographer often seem excessively high.
It is not uncommon for an emerging wedding photographer to charge $2500 or more for a basic "package." His or her client might experience a few brief meetings, a day of shooting, and then the resulting albums. But, a lot of unseen hard work goes into capturing the best moments in their best light and delivering them to you with perfection
When a small business owner needs photography, let's say product shots on a white background, it might seem that the photographer simply turns on the light and snaps photos. In fact, hours of studio set up, lighting adjustments, prop styling, problem solving, and post-production may be required to make the images good enough to attract customers.
The following information offers an idea of just some costs that every photographer must consider in producing beautiful imagery just for you.
Being creative and professional takes time and effort
For every day of shooting, two more days might be spent on the job. Sometimes much more time than that is required. Your photographer might need to find the perfect location for you and secure permission to use it. Maybe they need to find a model or build a set. And what about editing and retouching? Printing well takes time too, and time literally is money to every business person. When you hire a photographer, you're buying more than just images.
Photography is not usually a 9-5 job
Many photographers don't work often or consistently. Some may only be able to find work a few days per month. During the frequent and sometimes prolonged periods not shooting for clients, photographers constantly need to market themselves and maintain their business. They need to practice shooting too. If a full time employee makes $20 an hour, that's $2400 per month. If a photographer charges the same rate but only works three days in a month, that's $480, which probably won't even meet his or her costs of living, not to mention growing a business.
Equipment costs
Equipment doesn't "make" the photographer, but a professional generally needs a lot of it. It comprises one of the highest capital costs of the business. In order to afford that capital - and the overhead costs of maintaining it - the photographer must offset those costs with revenue.
Treat your photographer fairly
Even if you're reading this article and saying, "I understand, but I still only have $250 to pay a photographer for my project," please consider this:
- Your photographer faces great challenges in succeeding. If you like your photographer you should want him or her to succeed.
- Anything you can do to help your photographer, even just answering their questions thoroughly, will help them do better work for you, and possibly at less cost to you both.
- Give your photographer credit if you like the work he or she has done for you. Often a printed credit line can benefit any creative entrepreneur and serve as partial payment.
Photography budgets may seem hard to understand by the average consumer, but the axiom holds true that, "You get what you pay for." By supporting and appreciating your photographer's efforts to create images for you, you may even get better results than expected.
May 5, 2009 (Rev.)
Share this Post
Comments
