Understanding Professional Wedding Photographers Costs

We got an email from a prospective Bride asking why Wedding Photo Services were so “costly”… I guess she was shopping around and found a variety of pricings from Professionals to Amateurs, not knowing how to difference them, and made her wondered on why such differences…

So, we came out with this list of Professional Photographers costs:

1 – Equipment: Professional DSLR Cameras, good quality and variety of lenses, batteries, memory cards, various flashes, Computers, Photoshop or similar software, external hard drives, CDs or DVDs, CDs or DVDs cases, etc. Remember, equipment needs annual maintenance, just like a car and that has additional costs as well.

2 – Websites costs and internet connection

3 – Advertising

4 – Car – gas and maintenance

5 – Insurance

6 – Office supplies (business cards, paper, envelops, printers, ink, etc.)

7 – Mailing costs

8 – Album, prints, proof books

9 – Cell phones

And the list goes on an on…

Also, the Photographer does not get paid XXXX for X hours of work. The Photographer got paid for X hours of shooting… and a lot more hours of “behind the scene’s” work such as backups, processing, meeting with the couples, traveling, putting up galleries, etc…

Finally, the “artistic” view of a Professional Photographer that requires talent, knowledge and experience which is Priceless…

Al Ojeda Photography

Contact info: ida@alojeda.com – 908 2403240