Too Expensive? Why People Shouldn’t Complain about the Cost of Photography Services
When people are planning an event, they organize their budget according to their needs and interests. From the venue, to food-catering services, to drinks, to music, to guest list, everything takes time and money—lots of it. Thrown in the mix, we find photography and videography services.
No photographer who has even done commercial photography is a stranger to the trend of some potential clients to either offer little money for the services or complain about the price. In some cases, phrases like: “You are only pushing a button,” or “Anyone can do it with a phone,” are spoken loosely, showing not only arrogance and ignorance, but also zero appreciation for the work of a lens professional.
Why is that?
I can come up with a list of reasons. One of them being that many people organize their events and plan their budget without thinking of the photographer. Then, when the time comes and they realize they will need graphic evidence for their occasion, money is tight, and it is harder for them to be willing to pay.
That shows the lack of regard people have for photographers in general: they are willing to pay $500 dollars to a DJ and $500 dollars to a master of ceremonies (both of whom deserve ever penny they charge), but will freak out when the photographer asks for more than $100 dollars… yes, $100 dollars.
That attitude towards photographers is mostly the consequence of the lack of basic knowledge of what it takes to be a photographer, and how much time and money is invested by us in order to show up and deliver. It may aso be caused by the fact that photography is also a hobby, and that everyone who is part of the industry actually loves what they do.
Someone roaming the venue of a wedding anniversary, an engagement party, a retirement party, a wedding, or any other type of celebratory event, is seem as someone who works effortlessly. It may be the fact that they look cool while doing it, or that they wield fancy equipment, or that they are smily and personable most of the times. In other words, it is almost like people are just jealous of them.
Yet, the biggest problems are lack of knowledge and lack of consideration. Very few people know everything that is involved in the creative process of photography. From time, to hard work, to finance, the act of delivering good quality photos entails way more than just looking through the viewfinder and pressing the shutter. What is worse is that in some cases, those who do know, can’t care less because they want to save a few bucks. Then they try to shortchange the photographer, like their work is worth nothing.
Time and effort
One of the most common problems with photography clients is how quickly they want the photos delivered, like it is just taking the picture and downloading. Very few know that once the shoot is over, the photographer works probably three or four times more downloading the photos, choosing the best ones, editing lighting, sometimes even retouching—which I normally don’t do.
Depending on the volume of work, it may take the photographer up to five hours going through the images and selecting the best ones. Then, also depending on the volume selected, it could easily take them over an hour or two to edit all the photos.
Then, sharing with the client, which could be in an online gallery or through a file transfer service, and wait for feedback to adjust any changes if need be. Normally, I edit one photo, email a screenshot to the client and wait to see if they like that editing style before I proceed with the rest. At times, it can take them up to an hour to reply, depending on how busy they may be.
But what few people know is all the time it has taken the photographer to learn everything they have learned, to be online looking for leads and trying to reach out to people, to do the research about how the market works in their area, to set up a website or an online gallery that looks compelling enough that they will be potentially hired. It also takes a lot of time to plan the shoot, to look into the venue (or look for one), and arriving way ahead of time to test the lighting conditions of the location.
So, a two-hour shoot—in which, by the way, the photographer hardly ever sits—can easily translate into ten or fifteen hours of painstaking work.
How much it costs a photographer?
It is obvious that when it comes to photography, you are not only paying for the time and effort of a photographer. You are also helping them pay for their investment.
Thinking that a photographer only invests money on an expensive camera is preposterous. Yet, some people actually believe that is the case.
Let’s start with the basic: the camera gear alone. It is very unlikely today that any photographer will find work if they don’t spend at least $1,500 on a camera and a lens. It is true that even a camera that you can buy for $200 can do the job, some clients, if they know about cameras, will judge you for the price of your gear.
To give you an idea, I once photographed a family event while I had my old Canon EOS 7D, which today you can get for about $250. I was using a Yongnuo 35mm f/2 lens, which is about $100 on Amazon. Yes, less than $500 in gear, and doing a good job for me.
However, one person knew about cameras and approached me and said, “Wow, you are still shooting with the old 7D?” I couldn’t tell if it was admiration or skepticism and judgement. I know that the photos came out great and that the clients loved the results, based on the fact that they paid me a good tip after receiving the images. Yet, I couldn’t help feeling judged.
There is something else. Even though the person whom I gifted the 7D tells me that it still works today, it was way past its shutter expectancy. It could have malfunctioned at the wrong time, and I would have been left in a very tough spot. So, upgrades as a business are more a necessity than luxury.
People also need to understand that every time you press the shutter, the camera zeroes in on its death. Most modern cameras come with a shutter expectancy, meaning that once that number is reached, the camera may or may not be 100% reliable. One event will make a photographer take way over 1,000 photos, and most cameras come with a 200,000 to 300,000 available actuations.
This is just the camera. Add in one or two extra lenses, camera cards, hard drives, flash, cleaning kits, lighting equipment and their accessories, computer, editing software, website, equipment insurance, certification memberships, transportation, and in many cases studio space, furniture and backdrops… the list can go on and on.
Of course, not all is bad. On numerous occasions I have received compliments about the work, and I have been told it was worth every penny and more, hence the tips and the recommendations that have come my way.
Final Thoughts
I have done TFP shoots through the years. I have also given discounts and gift cards, and thrown in promotion campaigns for certain occasions. Doing a photoshoot for free as a gift or volunteer to photograph an event because of its importance are not strange to me. But that doesn’t mean I don’t value my work: it is still a passion to me, and I still want to get paid.
This applies not only to even photographers, but to every other commercial photographer out there: portraits, branding, family, boudoir. They all have similar expenses and most have being questioned for their pricing at least once.
My advice is, if they offer you a discount or gift card, understand that they are doing it not because their services are not worth more. Instead, they want to give you an opportunity to enjoy a service that you may otherwise not be able or willing to afford.
When you are offered a free shoot, understand how much the photographer values your friendship, your cause, or your event. It is a very expensive gift, and you should show appreciation and respect for it and the person who gives it to you.
So, next time you are about to hire a photographer, bear in mind that you are not hiring a person to merely press a shutter. You are paying for their time, their talent, their experience, the use of their equipment, their editing, their commitment to your shoot…
The least you can do, if you are willing to pay for any type of entertainment to your event, is be willing to pay what the lens professional is worth. After all, they will be the ones providing you with the memories.
