Pricing for Wedding Photography

nathanlegiehn · Jan 3, 2010

Im interested if anyone can give me a general way that they price out wedding photography. This question is VERY broad I know, but any help would be appreciated.

Thanks a ton!

Nathan Legiehn

IgsEMT · Jan 4, 2010

is that to hire a photographer or to become a wedding photographer?

nathanlegiehn · Jan 4, 2010

to quote for hire.

SimpleFoto · Jan 4, 2010

I generally give a price which includes portraits and ceremony photos. The price is JUST for shooting and editing. Then they decide if they want to buy the digital negatives (which are jpg's of the images at full res) or order prints - both of which cost extra.

KmH · Jan 4, 2010

For pricing to be effective, it has to be based on the CODB and COGS (Cost-Of-Doing-Business and Cost-Of-Goods-Sold).

CODB is non-reimbursed business expenses plus salaries. COGS is self evident but needs to have an acceptable profit margin added to it.

Big Mike · Jan 4, 2010

You also need to consider your market...and where you fit into it.

For example, if you are in a small rural town, you might have a hard time if your prices are 4 times as much as the local competition. But if can offer something that the competition can't, then you might be able to pull off having much higher prices than them.

If you in a large city, then you probably have a lot more potential clients which means that your market might be a lot wider. You can choose to have lower prices, hoping to compete for the bargain shoppers, or you can price your self higher and compete for the clients who pay for what they want, rather than what is cheap.

Even in large cities, you should look around and at least have a look at what other photographers are doing. You don't have to fall in with the crowd but if they have been in business for a long time, they have probably figured out some things that work well in that area.
For example, the average price is probably lower in a hard hit area like Detroit, while prices are probably higher than average in Southern California.

Probably the most important thing to remember, don't price yourself too low. I took a course about how to start up as a wedding photographer and the whole course boiled down to that one statement.

bennielou · Jan 4, 2010

Agreed with Big Mike.
You need to sit down for a day and take an HONEST look at how you fit in with your local competition. Not where you want to be, but where you are right now.
Study their pricing. See if you have to offer something they don't, and market that.
It's ok to have a "leader", a smaller priced package, as long as you can sell "up".

It won't hurt to specialize....for instance, I specialize in extreme retouching, and have just closed out January through July for all new photography. You have to set yourself apart, price yourself realistically, and be a really really good salesperson.