Monday, August 1, 2011

Why Wedding Photographers "Overcharge"

I cringe at the days when I thought my camera that I purchased from Walmart was amazing. It took nice pictures and the price was great.

I couldn’t understand why so many photographers charged so much for weddings. Surely they were making a killing and only out to drain brides dry of their money simply because the word “wedding” was being used.

For months, I toyed with my new camera while simultaneously browsing other photographers’ portfolios online. My pictures didn’t seem so nice anymore. In fact, I was horrified at the comparisons. Determined to produce quality images and eventually enter the professional world, I began my research:

I was completely floored as I started going over numbers:

Camera - $3,000
Lens - $1200…each?!
Insurance - $800
Advertising - $1000
Taxes - 30% (seriously?!)

As I compiled my list, it didn’t take long for the total to reach the ten thousand mark and I quickly realized that it wasn’t that professional photographers were vultures - it was just impossible to survive when charging only $1000 for a wedding.

Under $500-$1000 seems like a really good deal, but in the end it will likely produce $500-$1000 worth of images with a camera purchased from Target or Walmart. Those pictures of your grandparents and parents will likely be your most cherished possessions when they pass. A “cheap” photographer could likely provide you with blurry photos that will quickly fade away. When you think about it, spending so little may actually cost you more.

And you can’t put monetary value on memories.