As a photographer, one of the most common phrases I hear is “Wedding photographers are expensive,” or “Why can’t I find any photographers in my budget?”
This is a total myth.
I will help you understand what goes into doing photography, and break down why wedding photographers charge what they charge.
I promise you, it’s not expensive.
Photography Takes Hours
As most of you know, wedding photographers cost anywhere from $1,500-$5,000.
I used to think that spending that much money on photos was crazy.
But since I’ve become a full-time photographer, I now understand why.
Let’s take a photographer who has a $3,000 package for 8 hours of wedding coverage and a complimentary engagement session:
$900 – goes towards taxes. Us photographers have to put 20% away for self-employment taxes, and up to 10% for goods and service taxes.
The remaining $2,100 goes toward:
- Your engagement session
- Travel time to your wedding
- 8 hours of coverage
- Going through 2,000+ photos to delete the blurry ones, and editing each individual photo after that. This can take 40+ hours or more!
So if you think about it, every cent we charge you is used for a purpose.
Now, this isn’t exactly how EVERY photographer works. But I hope it helps give you a general understanding of what the money goes towards.
I’m sure a lot of photographers can relate to this but I’ve had people ask me, “Can you offer me a cheaper price?” or “What kind of discount can you give me?”
But if you think about it, every discount I give cuts into what I make as a living.
It’s not just a hobby, it’s my source of income and the way I support myself.
Photography Goes Up In Price
I am self-employed.
I have to dictate when I want to give myself a pay raise, and value my photos properly.
What I’ve done recently is time myself. I figure out how long it takes me to shoot, and edit photos.
That determines how much I charge.
But I also account for taxes, expenses like gas mileage, new equipment, and everything else that goes into running a business.
If you notice, photography goes up in price every year.
Photographers raise their prices for many reasons. Maybe it’s cost of living, maybe they bought a lot of really good and new equipment that will make the photos worth so much more, or they realized it’s taking them twice as long to finish the photos and deliver the best product to you, as clients.
Even though it’s the way I make money, I LOVE doing photography so much. It doesn’t feel like a job, it’s my passion. That’s why I learn more and more each year, to create the best photos possible for you!
Photography is Valued
I value myself as a photographer, especially from where I first started.
I’ve changed my prices around a lot.
And keep in mind, photography is A LOT of work.
I have to travel to tons of different locations, move around constantly, and know lots of different ways to pose my clients and frame them in the best way for every shot.
Then I comb through hundreds of photos at home and use Lightroom and Photoshop to smoothen skin, and use the right levels of contrast, exposure, shadows, highlights, and colors for each photo.
It’s not easy work, but it’s incredibly rewarding.
Plus, photos last forever! They create memories and moments that capture everything that you treasure most!
Frame Your Perspective
I hope this post changes your perspective on photographers, and why we do what we do.
We value each and every one of our clients, but we also have to value our worth as photographers.
Everything we charge, we charge for a reason! 🙂