We get asked this question too much, and there isn't much information out there about what happens before and after we show up to a wedding to photograph it. Read this to gain insight into the question, "Why Do Wedding Photographers Charge the Prices They Do?"
Nothing but photographs and films will remain long after the last guest has left the reception hall and everyone has returned to their regular routines following a wedding that lasts several days. After all the anticipation, the photographs finally arrive, and they're not what you were hoping for. Keep in mind that weddings don't offer second chances.
A portrait or engagement session retake is always an option. However, it's unlikely that everyone you care about will be able to attend the party honouring your marriage at the same time.
You and your offspring can still sit down thirty years from now and look at your wedding photos together as a way to share in the family's history. Is there anything else you anticipate keeping after 30 years? There aren't that many people's lives where having a photographer capture their wedding isn't a must.
But why is it so pricey, exactly?
Best things about being married is that it signifies the beginning of a new chapter in your life, one in which you and the person you love will spend the rest of eternity together. Given how quickly the big day will fly by, having professional photos taken is essential. We are professional wedding photographers, and our job is to record the events of the day in our own distinctive ways, based on how we interpret the narrative we witness unfolding before our lenses. The end product is stunning imagery depicting priceless memories that may be shared with a loved one again and again over the years to come.
The question then becomes, how much should you budget for a wedding photographer, and how much should they charge? There is no one, simple response that can be expressed as a single number, range, or percentage. You can estimate that the cost of your wedding photos will be around 20% of your total budget. In need of a Melbourne-based wedding photographer? Stop right there. The boutique events company has developed the definitive list of wedding photography services.
This question can be examined in further depth at this time. On your wedding trip, you will quickly learn that everything associated with the wedding will cost noticeably more than usual. Examine the arrangements, catering, etc. So why is that?
Curve of Learning
About four years of dedicated study and practise are required to reach the level of competence required to become a competent wedding photographer. To get to that level of expertise, we invest roughly $8000 AUD per photographer every year on workshops, online tutorials, and mentorships, or about five hours per week. There are hours spent on this, for which we receive no compensation.
Consider that most athletes only get paid for playing 60 to 90 minutes every game. You will have to put in a lot of unpaid time practising for years before you're even considered for a spot on the team.
Photographer Need Only Attend And Start Taking Pictures.
Our work as contracted photographers begins with the initial client meeting, where we learn about the wedding couple and their vision for the day. From there, we plan the engagement shoot, photograph the wedding itself, and spend countless hours editing and designing the album. Eighty to one hundred hours of labour either before or after the wedding are probably necessary to fulfil a 16-hour contract. There is also a significant amount of time and money spent on things like website maintenance, social media management, and marketing that is never accounted for.
Equipment and Environmental Costs
Though some photographers may be able to afford it, any professional worth their salt would use only the highest-quality gear for their clients' photos. Budget between AU$20,000 and AU$25,000 per wedding photographer, plus money for studio management software, a person to handle client relations, another person to edit the photos, and a graphic designer to create promotional materials.
Depending on the size of your team, the annual cost of a studio, salaries, and data storage in the cloud and on hard drives to ensure the security of your data might range from $30,000 to $50,000. It takes a team of atleast three photographers, and possibly a lighting assistant, to capture a wedding well. Investing time and money into training a second or associate photographer before the wedding, and then paying them an hourly rate of $150 to $300, is another significant expense.
To wrap things up, one of the most important aspects of being a wedding photographer is having a genuine enthusiasm for your subject. It takes dedication to sacrifice weekend activities with loved ones and work for up to 17 hours straight (with no breaks) to attend Indian weddings.
Comparison of Supply and Demand
While it's true that there's no shortage of wedding services providers, the reality is that most can host only one event on any one day. Because of this, demand for their services would skyrocket, and the vendor's supply would be severely limited for each exclusive date.
Obviously, your wedding budget will go a lot further if you don't care about things like the exact date you get married or who you hire to help you out. Wedding photography, for instance, you may pick and select from a wide variety of services that offer a wide range of prices without having to sacrifice quality, style, etc. But if you develop feelings for a specific workshop, say, a photographer's signature style, you will have effectively skewed the graph, increased demand while simultaneously decreasing supply by limiting enrolment to a single date. You want to be able to sign a contract with confidence, knowing that your wedding day provider is committed to you and no one else, without fearing that they might still take another customer if they feel like it.
Taking pictures at a wedding is more of a speciality than a service.
But what does this imply? A plumber or builder is hired and paid for based on the time spent on the job. Instead, when you pay for the services of an artist, a painter, a photographer, etc., you are investing in their ability to produce works of art that move you. The more invested you are emotionally, the higher the value you will place on the final product. Someone will spend $50,000 for a crumpled wad of office paper if they feel it's art, even though the same wad would cost 10 cents at Warehouse Stationery. Most of us who aren't art experts just see a crumpled piece of paper, like the kind you'd find in an office trash can. Many, however, applaud the artist for using his or her visual imagination to make something interesting out of the scrap of paper.
How Important Is Wedding Photography To You?
Wedding photography is more than just taking good pictures for many brides, especially those who have hired us to document their special days. What really matters is the shared journey, the shared relationship, and the shared experience. They think highly of us and have entrusted us with an important task because they adore our work. During wedding preparations, they liked our approach and wanted to keep memories that way. You'll be far more selective about the types of photography and bodies of work that appeal to you if you share the belief that "photography is more than just an image."
However, for many other brides, the price is a major deciding factor, and for them, a picture is an image regardless. They would judge the photos taken by a $400 or $15000 wedding photographer equally. Your wedding photographer will probably be more cheaper if you are one of them (like the ones who see the example above as merely a piece of paper). In the end, the quality of the photographs and the overall experience will both reflect your satisfaction with the photographer you choose.
You're investing in the originality and quality of the service's execution.
We photographers have probably attended more weddings than the brides and attendees combined. We now have the knowledge and skills necessary to assist and cope with issues on the big day. We frequently assist the lads with wedding buttonholes, ties, suit etiquette, etc. It's not uncommon for us to assist brides with the last touches of their wedding day, including lacing up their gowns or arranging their veils. We assist the master of ceremonies (MC) during the ceremony, reception, and speeches to make sure everything runs smoothly and provide guidance when needed. We are usually in charge of coordinating the wedding day schedule and picking out the photo venue.
Our experience as wedding photographers, however, allows us to deliver something far more valuable: a sense of peace, a feeling that everything is going to be well. This is a common source of anxiety for the bride, and the event schedule is often a hot topic of conversation. It is necessary to us that our clients enjoy themselves with us on wedding days, because we enjoy ourselves immensely. For this reason, we frequently reassure our clients that everything will turn out just fine by emphasising the significance of the day, the joy, the love, the presence of the loved ones, and the fact that fun and happiness are everything.
At Boutique Events Group, we have compiled a list of the Best Photographers in Melbourne to help you choose who captures your magical day.
The Tools of the Trade
There is more to think about than just the number of megapixels, ISO range, and zoom length when discussing cameras for wedding photography. It all comes down to finding the equipment that best captures the photographer's personal style and vision. There is a high chance that the person who packs ten lenses and five cameras to a wedding doesn't have a clear vision for the photos they intend to take. That said, there's no doubt that the collection of toys within would be astounding and seriously awesome.
One must also have backup equipment, high-quality memory cards to reduce the likelihood of crashes, and a backup procedure to ensure that there is minimal risk of losing digital assets before the final result is handed to the bride and groom. The stunning wedding photos you see all over social media and online were created with the help of a lot of equipment that the general public never gets to see.
And Time
There is a lot more to wedding photography than what happens during the 10-11 hours that a normal wedding day lasts. Initial consultations, contract, invoice, and receipt paperwork, location scouting, equipment preparation, the big day of love and laughter, card duplication, file backup, file backup to the cloud, culling, editing, and more editing, final product packaging, social media sharing, website blog creation, backups, and whew! In terms of time, we're talking about multiple client sets and several days of effort. Contrary to popular belief, "Oh wow, you earn $3,000-$5,000 a day for a wedding?" is not a particularly glamorous salary. As you can see, this is clearly not the case. Indeed, we pray that this is the case.
Photographers don't charge $300 an hour, even if they charge $300 for a session that lasts an entire hour. Typically, professional photographers will spend at least three times as much on a shoot. The client may just spend an hour with the photographer, but there were probably a lot of other things going on:
It takes at least two hours to edit the photos, an additional hour to load them online, another hour to order and mail the prints, and over an hour to organise and go to the shoot, set up the equipment, and spend an hour at the node.
When was that one hour meeting? It's safe to assume that the photographer dedicated a whole workday's worth of time to. That $300 session translates to almost $300 an hour once expenditures are deducted. To get your hair done, how much do you usually pay? Mr. Tax? Mechanic? Being able to see the effort that went into the project makes it easier to rationalise the costs involved. Hiring a professional photographer, however, obscures much of the process that goes into creating the final product.
Equipment For Photographing Is Not Cheap.
Photographic gear is really pricey. Taking lifestyle portraiture as an example, which is one of the photography subgenres that requires the least amount of equipment, we can see how much money one may expect to spend on the average shoot. A primary lens without zoom for a camera will set you back at least $300. The D7200 can use the $320 50mm f/1.8 lens, which is a strong choice for portraiture. But it only lets you shoot from one angle, so you'll need either many prime lenses costing $300–$1000 or two zoom lenses spanning a range of viewpoints costing over $2000. While the more expensive lenses will hopefully outlast their respective camera bodies, the cheaper ones will need to be replaced more frequently.
Most professional photographers will have many camera flashes, each costing at least $300 (like the Nikon SB-700). Sometimes it's the small things that build up to the most. Add another few hundred dollars at the very least for accessories like memory cards ($25–$50), filters (anything from $30 for a Hoya Polarizer picture to $320 for a Lee Filters package), and a camera case (about $200).
Pricey software is required for photo editing. Professional photographers need a high-end display that accurately represents the final printed image, including accurate skin tones. As with cameras, most photographers' computer equipment (including external hard drives to back up those photographs) costs around $2000. Also, don't forget to include in Photoshop's monthly fee of $10.
Certainly, that's a lot of cash, but $4,000 to $6,000 is also a somewhat low estimate. Professional sports photographers may need the quickness of a camera like the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, which retails for over $6,000, but a lifestyle portrait photographer has no use for such a high price tag.
It's natural to assume that a wedding photographer will charge more just because it's a wedding photographer (and additional time commitments).
Can you imagine the photographer cancelling because they didn't have the proper lighting equipment to shoot in a dimly lit church? This is why many wedding photographers choose to invest in additional equipment. Zoom lenses that can work in the dim settings of churches and reception halls cost at least $2,000. To guarantee they get every important shot at a wedding, many professionals employ the services of an assistant and a second photographer.
Photographers who don't shoot on location incur an additional, sizable cost: the cost of a studio. Studio space might cost several hundred to several thousand dollars per month, depending on the neighbourhood. That doesn't account for the backdrop stand, the many backdrop alternatives ($50-$200 apiece), the backdrop flooring ($100), or the props.
Half of a professional photographer's income is often spent on studio costs and maintaining equipment, and on-location photographers spend around a quarter, reducing their hourly rate from $30 (based on a $250 session) to $15-$20.
Business is busy in the photography industry.
Other than the obvious cost of cameras and lenses, professional photographers also have to cover overhead costs like rent, utilities, insurance, and taxes. There are additional costs associated with being self-employed, such as taxes and health insurance, liability and gear insurance (typically over $450 per year), utilities (including a faster-than-average internet speed for uploading huge image files online), and marketing.
And just as with your accountant, there are typically "seasons" for photography. Photographers specialising in weddings tend to be in high demand from May through September, and then again from November through February. Photographers are similarly constrained by inclement weather while taking portraits outside.
In conclusion? After paying for their equipment, the photographer you hired to take your wedding photos typically makes $20 an hour, not $300. To make ends meet, a lot of photographers have to take on side gigs or specialise in different types of photography, and the ones that don't have to do either typically charge more than $300 for an hour of their time.
There Is More to Photography Than Pressing a Button.
Sure, you can acquire images for less than $300 if you stroll into a chain studio, many of which are housed within large department stores. But here's the thing: I've seen want advertisements for these sorts of firms, and they specifically state that prior experience with photography is not required. Why did they fill out such detailed application forms? Proven track record in business development.
These $60 studios don't hire photographers but rather salespeople, so if you go in for the special, you can wind up spending $300 on prints and accessories.
You're getting the services of a true creative when you employ a photographer. In all likelihood, they have devoted a great deal of time to honing their skills. They spent a lot of money on photography classes to improve their skills. They won't rush you through your session and then spend twice as much time trying to sell you on the studio's extras; instead, they'll put their full attention on making you feel comfortable and happy when you visit their studio.
Conclusion
An exclusive directory of wedding photography services has been compiled by a Melbourne-based event planning boutique. How much money should you set aside for a wedding photographer, and what should you expect to pay for their services? If you're curious in "Why Do Wedding Photographers Charge the Prices They Do?" then keep reading. In order to become a professional wedding photographer, you need to put in at least four years of study and practise. Consider allocating between AU$20,000 and AU$25,000 per photographer, total.
Costs for offsite data storage, both on servers and in hard drives, might be as high as $30,000. Many future Mrs.' place a higher value on having professionally taken photos of their wedding than on simply having nice pictures taken. When you support an artist financially, you're betting on their capacity to make work that moves you. You will appreciate the outcome more highly if you have a greater personal investment in it. It requires commitment to forego leisure activities on the weekend and labour nonstop for 17 hours.
Some brides don't care whether the photographer cost $400 or $15,000 to take their pictures; they'll still evaluate the shots critically. If you fall into that category, chances are your wedding photographer will be less expensive. Your happiness with the photographer you hire will show in the final photos and the whole experience. The top photographers in Melbourne have been selected by Boutique Events Group. A wedding day typically lasts between 10 and 11 hours, but there is a lot more to photographing a wedding than just that.
The average cost of a photo shoot with a professional photographer is at least three times as much. Costing at least $300, a camera's primary lens lacks zoom capabilities. The 50mm f/1.8, which can be used with the D7200 and costs around $320, is an excellent option for portrait photography. In addition to paying their own salaries, professional photographers must also pay rent, insurance, and taxes. Being self-employed carries with it extra expenses like taxes and medical coverage.
Your wedding photographer probably charges you closer to $20 than $300 per hour. Most photographers can't make ends meet without also working a second job or developing an area of expertise within their chosen field. Those who are exempt from both responsibilities usually demand $300 or more per hour for their services.
Content Summary
- There isn't a lot of information out there about what happens before and after we arrive to photograph a wedding, but we hear this question a lot.
- The cost of wedding photography often accounts for between 15% and 20% of the entire expenditure.
- Everything you buy for the wedding will be far more expensive than usual on your honeymoon.
- Curve of Learning About four years of serious study and practise are required to attain the level of expertise required to become a proficient wedding photographer.
- Put in many hours of unpaid practise over many years if you want to be considered for a seat on the squad.
- At least three photographers are needed to adequately document a wedding, and a lighting assistance may be useful as well.
- Investing time and money into training a second or associate photographer before the wedding, and then paying them an hourly rate of $150 to $300, is another substantial investment.
- Supply and Demand Analyses There may be many of venues offering wedding services, but in practise, most can only accommodate a single event per day.
- This would lead to skyrocketing demand for the vendor's services and highly constrained supply for each exclusive date.
- If you are flexible with the wedding's schedule and the people you engage to help, you can stretch your budget a lot further.
- Wedding photography is more of a craft than a typical service.
- When hiring a plumber or a function Object() { [native code] }, the money and compensation are determined by how long the project takes.
- Instead, the journey, the relationship, and the experience that you enjoy with the artist, painter, photographer, etc. that you pay for are what count most.
- If you believe "photography is more than just an image," you will be far more picky about the kinds of photographs and collections that you enjoy.
- Your happiness with the photographer you hire will show in the calibre of the images and the entire session.
- What you're paying for is the service's uniqueness and professionalism.
- However, as professional wedding photographers, we are able to provide our clients with something of immeasurable value: a sense of calm, a belief that everything will turn out fine.
- For your convenience, Boutique Events Group has gathered a selection of Melbourne's finest photographers.
- The Gear Necessary for the Job When evaluating cameras for wedding photography, there is more to consider than just the number of megapixels, ISO range, and zoom length.
- The key is to zero in on the tools that allow the photographer to realise their unique vision.
- You can thank a lot of tools that the average person will never get to see for the beautiful wedding images that are all over the internet and social media.
- And Time A wedding day typically lasts between 10 and 11 hours, but there is a lot more to photographing a wedding than just that.
- It takes at least two hours to edit the images, another hour to upload them to the server, yet another hour to order and ship the prints, and more than an hour to plan the shoot, go to the location, set up the equipment, and spend an hour at the node.
- Hiring a professional photographer, however, obscures much of the effort that goes into developing the final image.
- Photographic gear can be quite pricey.
- The cost of photography equipment is quite high.
- To get a sense of how much a typical picture shoot would cost, we'll use the example of lifestyle portraiture, one of the photography genres that requires the fewest props and gizmos.
- To edit photographs, you need to invest in costly software.
- It's reasonable to anticipate that a wedding photographer will demand a higher rate simply due to the nature of their service (and additional time commitments).
- It's hard to believe the photographer would bail on the job because they didn't bring enough light to work in the chapel.
- This is why many photographers who specialise in weddings choose to purchase extra tools.
- Church and reception hall zoom lenses that perform in low light cost at least $2,000.
- Many professional wedding photographers will hire an assistant and a second photographer to make sure they capture every memorable moment.
- Photographers who work in a studio rather than on site have a significant added expense.
- Studio expenditures and equipment maintenance can eat up to half of a professional photographer's income, while on-location expenses might eat up to a quarter, dropping an hourly rate from $30 (based on a $250 session) to $15 to $20.
- There is a lot of action in the photographic market right now.
- Rent, utilities, insurance, and taxes are just some of the hidden expenses that accompany being a professional photographer.
- Additionally, photography has "seasons," much like accounting does.
- When capturing photographs outside, photographers have the same challenges as anyone else due to the weather.
- Usually, wedding photographers make around $20 an hour, not $300, after deducting the cost of their equipment.
- Many photographers have to take on additional work or focus on a certain area of photography to make ends meet, and those who don't usually charge more than $300 per hour.
- Pictures can be had for less than $300 if you go to a chain studio, many of which can be found inside of malls or huge department shops.
- However, here's the catch: I've seen job postings for similar companies that mention explicitly that photography experience is not necessary.
- In these $60 studios, the salespeople are paid more than the photographers, so if you go in for the offer, you may end up spending $300 on prints and accessories.
- When you hire a photographer, you're getting the work of a genuine artist.
- They invested heavily in photography lessons in order to advance their abilities.