“Why does a wedding photography cost so much?”
This is a question that we know is asked all the time by those planning a wedding, and we know that Mom and Dad wonder why the cost today is much different than what they paid when they were married.
In my opinion there are several factors.
First the business is drastically different. Digital vs. Film has changed much.
When you shot a wedding with film, you would usually shoot 200-300 pictures MAX. Also, because you could only take a limited amount of images you had to watch what you took, which means that there were a lot more posed images than candid as you couldn’t afford to waste film!
Today with digital we can take MANY more images. We often will shoot over 3,000 images at a wedding. Granted, not all of them will be used. But because of that we can deliver photojournalistic shots that capture the candid side of a wedding. Because you are shooting candid shots and not posed shots not every one will come out as one you will want to use because of facial expressions, movement, etc. – things you can’t control.
The cost of the tools of the trade are vast and expensive. There is sooo much more digital equipment as well as software these days! We have 4 shooters so we have to have alot of equipment. Don’t forget that there is also all the exterior lighting equipment to give you beautiful images without the “deer in the headlight” looking images that you see with on camera flash.
Bride and Grooms are expecting alot more today then they did when Mom and Dad got married. They are spending more on rings, dresses, cakes, catering, venues, flowers, decorations, gifts and they want them all documented. As well, they want the photojournalistic look and feel to their day, (which means more activity on the photographer’s part) as well as some portraits. They are expecting slideshows as well as engagement sessions and some are even wanting specific types of shots. So the more you are able to shoot many different types of photography, the better. You will want to be able to offer some fashion, glamour, portraiture, photojournalistic (candid), sport ( fast action catching those kiddos and the bouquet and garter toss!) sometimes landscape and art but all definitely wth an “eye” to get them beautiful shots.
Then there is the cost of keeping up with the cutting edge with conferences, seminars, classes and cost of memberships, insurance, and back up equipment as well as ongoing maintenance and/or replacement on our equipment. Weddings are hard on equipment. Its not like keeping things pristine like you can in a studio. Things get lost or damaged and in some cases stolen! We have not had this happen so far but have heard stories!
Secondly, the process AFTER the wedding is much different.
With film, after the wedding you bundled up your film and took it to someone else to develop. You got the negatives back, had proofs printed and delivered them to your client who made decisions on what prints to order and which ones to print and put into an album.
With digital we are not only the photographer but the lab as well. After a wedding we will typically spend anywhere between 40-60 hours on your images when you take into consideration all the time to:
- “Develop” the images (color correct them and add any necessary adjustments in Photoshop/Lightroom),
- Add artistic effects to some of those images
- Put the wedding slideshow together, which requires selecting, editing and adding a music track
- Prepare all the images for the online gallery, upload and notify client
- Respond to all print orders by uploading the images to the lab for printing
- Album design, once the images are chosen it can take a week to sort, organize and design the album then send a preview. The album is not just a slip in and we’re done. It is a big production that finalizes all the beauty of the wedding, all the hard work of the editing and post processing, as well telling a story of the bride and groom at their wedding.
- Once approved, upload all files to our lab for printing and binding of album. The Italian albums can take 6-8 weeks at their end and then we receive it, inspect it and make that call that everyone has been waiting for.
Brides and grooms are looking for an expect a look and feel to their images through digital post processing that just didn’t exist back in film or was very expensive.
In addition, there are a multitude of administrative positions we take care of. I recently found a list that another photographer put together, and I think it’s a pretty good description of what we do as studio owners:
Weddings CEO – makes decisions regarding the direction of wedding business. Oversees all work regarding weddings.
Studio Manager – oversees the studio’s day-to-day operations including shooting, editing & album design, order fulfillment and customer service. Also responsible for managing the studio’s employees and equipment.
Financial Director – oversees the financial aspects of the company including accounting, taxes, bank statements, income & expenses, cash flow and overall studio value.
Marketing Director – oversees the marketing, advertising, sales and branding of the studio. Also responsible for employees in charge of the website, graphic design and other name-recognition efforts.Lead Photographer – photographs portrait and/or wedding sessions. Also responsible for oversight of associate photographers, packing, cleaning & readying of gear, on-the-job customer service, delivery of images to studio.
Associate Photographer – photographs assigned portrait and/or wedding sessions. Also responsible for packing, cleaning & readying of gear, on-the-job customer service, delivery of images to studio.
Photo Editing Supervisor – responsible for the backup, editing, rebackup, upload and release of photos. Also responsible for the oversight of any other staff photo editors.
Photo Editor - responsible for the backup, editing, and re-backup of photos.
Album Supervisor - responsible for the organization, design, client proof, changes, backups, upload and order of all wedding and portrait albums. Also supervises any other staff album designers.Album Designer – responsible for the design and backup of assigned wedding & portrait albums.
Operations Manager - responsible for the day-to-day customer service and order fulfillment of the business. Oversees any customer service staff, processes, training and organization. Also oversees order placement, packaging, shipping and tracking.
Customer Service Representative – responsible for client comments & complaints, re-shipping, ordering & packaging of mistakes, client management, problem and issue minimization. Also responsible for finding “problems” before they become issues.
Order Filler - responsible for placing, checking, and managing orders including acquisition from suppliers and distribution to clients.
There are only 168 hours in a week, and out of that we not only have to take care of all this, we need to eat, sleep and find a way to have time with our families. We absolutely love what we do, but when I looked at this I realized why I’m so stinkin’ tired all the time!!
For us the process of writing this was to help brides understand why GOOD photography is something that is worth what you will pay for it. There are a lot of photographers out there, but long after your wedding day when the flowers are gone, and the food and cake are eaten your wedding day pictures will be the only way for you to go back and relive the day. They also are a little piece of history you have created to pass on to your children and family.
Feel good about investing in a good photographer*!!
Mark & Kerri
*the opinion of the writers in this post are totally biased and believe that a good photographer is worth it! To learn more about why we feel this way visit us at www.lydellphoto.com.
Recent Comments