How to beat the pizza photographer?

[The_Traveler]

 

[BananaRepublic]

So I've been doing weddings in the 416 for a while, have a solid client base and good word of mouth referals. I use to only do weddings but had to diversify because I was getting undercut by the $300 wedding photographer person.

How do you charge $300 from 8am until 1am? How do you make money are people that desperate in Toronto to work this way. I had to start getting into portrait stuff and now mixing things in with video, selling my own products such as canvas, posters, aerial photography and more.

What do you guys do when responding to your client that says well i was quoted $300. Not to say that the $300 guys service was bad as his portfoliio was pretty good.

So I've been doing weddings in the 416 for a while, have a solid client base and good word of mouth referals. I use to only do weddings but had to diversify because I was getting undercut by the $300 wedding photographer person.

How do you charge $300 from 8am until 1am? How do you make money are people that desperate in Toronto to work this way. I had to start getting into portrait stuff and now mixing things in with video, selling my own products such as canvas, posters, aerial photography and more.

What do you guys do when responding to your client that says well i was quoted $300. Not to say that the $300 guys service was bad as his portfoliio was pretty good.

Beat him with a bat or long pipe.

 

[pixmedic]

This thread would have been better if it were "How to beat up the pizza photographer".
two little letters added and everything changes.
probably for the better.

 

[robbins.photo]

This thread would have been better if it were "How to beat up the pizza photographer".
two little letters added and everything changes.
probably for the better.

I'm in. Kind of a long drive though. Say, maybe we could charter a bus. You know, make a weekend out of it

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

 

[480sparky]

This thread would have been better if it were "How to beat up the pizza photographer".
two little letters added and everything changes.
probably for the better.

I'm in. Kind of a long drive though. Say, maybe we could charter a bus. You know, make a weekend out of it

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

Bring your elephant!

 

[robbins.photo]

Bring your elephant!

Ya, about that. He just up and vanished. Weirdest thing. Not the easiest thing getting an amber alert out for him either, they keep laughing and hanging up on me.

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

 

[astroNikon]

This thread would have been better if it were "How to beat up the pizza photographer".
two little letters added and everything changes.
probably for the better.

I'm in. Kind of a long drive though. Say, maybe we could charter a bus. You know, make a weekend out of it

but who's gonna bring the beer and pizza ?

 

[480sparky]

This thread would have been better if it were "How to beat up the pizza photographer".
two little letters added and everything changes.
probably for the better.

I'm in. Kind of a long drive though. Say, maybe we could charter a bus. You know, make a weekend out of it

but who's gonna bring the beer and pizza ?

The beer and pizza photographer. He charges $325.

 

[Gary A.]

If there will be violence, I'll bring pizza and beer.

 

[table1349]

Let's Get Ready to RRRRUUUUUMMMMMMMBBBLLEEEEEEEEEE!

 

[table1349]

Gary, I took care of the pizza and I've taken care of the Beer and the Ring girls as well. It's kind of a two for one deal.

You can pick up the tab.

 

[BananaRepublic]

This thread would have been better if it were "How to beat up the pizza photographer".
two little letters added and everything changes.
probably for the better.

I'm in. Kind of a long drive though. Say, maybe we could charter a bus. You know, make a weekend out of it

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

Id have to book a flight/flight.. First class Quaff Quaff

 

[ClickAddict]

This thread would have been better if it were "How to beat up the pizza photographer".
two little letters added and everything changes.
probably for the better.

I'm in. Kind of a long drive though. Say, maybe we could charter a bus. You know, make a weekend out of it

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

Id have to book a flight/flight.. First class Quaff Quaff

I know a guy who can fly you there for $50. (Do you have your own parachute?)

 

[smoke665]

That's just ridiculous. Why not charge half a million dollars then? Or for that matter five million, or fifty million? I mean, it's like you're saying "charge whatever you want and people will come, and as an added bonus, your work will improve by virtue of what you're charging for it".

It goes beyond "photography economics". It's magical thinking.

But clearly I'm the only one who thinks this way. So I guess I'll just have to excuse myself.

You just don't get it and still taking it literally.

The market value of any product or service is determined by the price a buyer capable of buying is willing to pay and the price at which a seller capable of providing is willing to sell. Until the transaction takes place the value is speculative. I've been to weddings that were on a shoestring to elaborate affairs up in the 6 figures. You've obviously developed a following of buyers "capable" and willing to purchase your services. Well done!! I think what some are missing is that the very buyers you attract "expect and associate" a certain price point with perceived quality. That's not to say that you don't provide a high quality product but rather if your price was to low, they would perceive your quality as lower. There is a vast difference in the buying mentality of those willing and capable of spending $15k on their child's wedding pictures, and those who need to get by on the cheap.

 

[unpopular]

This all is independent of "quality". Just because some rich people use over-priced photography products as a status symbol does not automatically make you a better photographer than someone who charges less.

"Marketing quality" makes it seem as though your price point sets the quality of your work. It doesn't. Maybe it determined the perceived quality, but that's hardly the same thing and it's hardly a matter of simply charging more and expecting people to be so gullible to say "oh yeah, this guy charges more so he must be better".

Like I said, you'll fool a few people. But if the value of your product does not reflect the quality perceived you will fail.