WHATS THE GOING RATE?

[whit~foto]

I have a few questions. If anyone has helpful imformation on these questions it would be much appreciated. THANKS!

What is the going rate to outsource your wedding images to be post-processed?

What's the going rate for second shooters?

What's the going rate for non-shooting assistants?


Thanks!

[TPF Sponsor]

[PhotoXopher]

I'm going to be a second shooter for a couple weddings this summer, one I'm doing for free and the other they've offered to pay.

I look at it as an opportunity to learn and didn't expect much for compensation. Both of these are an hour or slightly more for me to drive as well.

I think the pay would depend on the experience of the second shooter, in my case I have no experience shooting weddings and the photographer is someone I met selling some equipment.

[Big Mike]

I don't think there is much of a 'going rate' for those services. Each situation is different.

[whit~foto]

How about post-processing?

[whit~foto]

Is .22cents per image to cheap for oursourcing editing? This is my second year in wedding photography.

[Big Mike]

It really depends on how much processing you are talking about. Is it everything, from RAW processing right to finished images? Are we talking about simple color & tone adjustment or full out editing like skin treatments and some nip & tuck? What about album design, special effects, textures etc?

I was at a seminar last year and it came up that typical post processing is worth about $15 to $25 dollars per hour.
The point of the discussion was that is was a good idea to out source stuff like that, because if you are doing it, you are only making/paying yourself $25 per hour...and to run a successful business, your time needs to be worth a lot more than that.
Obviously, you make more money when you are behind the camera or out selling/promoting.
Although, given the nature of wedding photography, you aren't likely to be shooting a wedding every day, so many wedding photographers do do their own processing.

On that note, I know a photographers who got so busy that he fell hopelessly behind on his processing and finally had to restructure his business and hire someone to process his images.

[PhotoXopher]

On that note, I know a photographers who got so busy that he fell hopelessly behind on his processing and finally had to restructure his business and hire someone to process his images.

Sounds like a good problem to have

[Big Mike]

Certainly a good problem to have, better than the alternative anyway.
It's not always an easy problem to deal with though. It forces you to take a hard look at where you are going with your photography business. Do you grow bigger or do you back off to a point where you can handle it yourself?