First Wedding- Be Nice

[Nekrose]

Hey DPSers!
It has been a while since I have visited the forums.

I was recently contacted about a wedding. It is a very small ceremony on the beach at noon. I am used to shooting on the beach at all hours, so that isn't an issue.

The thing is, this is completely new to me!

I have been wanting to start doing weddings, but I never had the balls to out myself out there. This woman was referred to me by a fellow photographer who left Hawaii recently.

I told her that I have never shot a wedding before, and she said that wasn't an issue.

Now I am just trying to work out a package. She doesn't have a set budget yet.

The wedding will take place in January. I move Hawaii in February (military wife) and so I would like to get this under my belt before I go. I had planned on implementing Easy As Pie pricing during this time frame, and I am also rebranding and all that jazz.

I am hoping for an estimate, or an idea of what things to offer.

My current pricing is:
$150 for session
Various Print packages
Disk of high res images- $400

Thank you all in advance!

[Biomech]

I would say that you are wwwaaaayyyyyy too cheap! I have a problem upping my prices, but I completed my second wedding (first church wedding) on saturday. It's not something I'm planning on doing alot of as the market is over saturated here, but the first was my mums second wedding and saturdays was my girlfriends cousin. As an amateur photographer and also immediate family guest, I was paid £500 (about $1,000 USD).

I love shooting beach scenes in the middle of the day, I find they are really clean, crisp, bright and colourful. But I'd imagine a wedding would be better suited during the sunset - maybe push to have a shoot then/too?

My first thought when I saw the title of this thread.

"First wedding - Be Nice".

That's lovely for a forum, but you really think your clients will be so forgiving?

Anyways,

My $.93

[Jim Bryant]

Jesus.........you're killing the market by working cheap. At least charge what the craig lists gang charge $300.00. You pull this in Hawaii, those local photographers will hunt you down and beat you over your head with your camera.

[Jim Poor]

I think we're dealing with a little bit of a misunderstanding here.

When you mention your current rates, I assume that those are for a portrait session rather than a wedding, correct? Yes, still to low, but I at least hope you're not thinking of using those same rates for a wedding.

Contact the photographer who has left Hawaii and referred you. Find out what s/he was offering while there. You aren't competition so sharing shouldn't be a problem.

[ShenaLuke]

well quys and qals. I quess if you are going to take it personal on one you might as well no that you are takening it personal on a lot more. I to only charged 150 for my first wedding. It was my first wedding and it was not a big one. the people couldn't afford much and i was wanting to build my folio instead of making the money. So Yes, i did the wedding for 150. I wasn't trying to under cut anyone, i just thought that starting out, i didn't want to charge to much because i was still new to this. So i feel what this person and everyone else is going through. If you are bothered by people who are just starting out and are charging less just to build there self, then on the behalf of all of us, I AM SORRY.

[Jim Poor]

Ah, but just because you did it the wrong, no business sense way, doesn't mean you did it right.

Originally Posted by ShenaLuke

well quys and qals. I quess if you are going to take it personal on one you might as well no that you are takening it personal on a lot more. I to only charged 15t0 for my first wedding. It was my first wedding and it was not a big one. the people couldn't afford much and i was wanting to build my folio instead of making the money. So Yes, i did the wedding for 150. I was trying to under cut anyone, i just thought that starting out i didn't want to charge to much because i was still new to this. So i feel what this person and everyone else is going through. If you are bothered by people who are just starting out and are charging less just to build there self, then on the behalf of all of us, I AM SORRY.

[ShenaLuke]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

Ah, but just because you did it the wrong, no business sense way, doesn't mean you did it right.

It not about what is right or wrong, Its about someone getting in the door. In this business if you don't have the pictures to show, then people will go else where. People want to see pictures and that is what we were doing, getting the pictures and helping people who don't have alot of money to spend. We are just starting out, but that doesn't mean that we don't know what we are doing.

[candleman]

charge what you feel your time is worth.
1 hour shooting = easily 4-5 hours of "otherwork"
EG. meetings, planning, research, shotlists, contracts, travel, culling, editing, printing & burning, hand over, backing up and data management, paying your assistant, e-mail correspondance involved with third parties, refreshments, buying extra cards and batteries,

it adds up very quickly.
I'll easily spend 4 hours just deleting crap after a 4 hour Wedding.
I charge $290 for the first 2 hours of shooting, and $250/hr after that. (rates increasng again soon)
delays and waiting time is chaged at a lower rate seeing as i'm not shooting in that time and it costs me no editing time.

I wouldn't guarantee a number of files, and I would make it very clear they will under no circumstances get "ALL" the images.

get a solid contract, and EXPLAIN the limitations set out in the contract to the client.
the majority of people don't read what they sign, then they will try re-negotiate the contract, or simply outright violate your copyright because you havn;t educated them properly. (and that would be your fault, not theirs)

get gear and liability insurances if you don't already have that... more cost

[Jim Poor]

Actually, the idea of "I have to work cheap because I'm new" shows that you don't know what you're doing. No skin off my back as you're not my competition and, unless you change your thought process, never will be because you'll be out of business.

Originally Posted by ShenaLuke

It not about what is right or wrong, Its about someone getting in the door. In this business if you don't have the pictures to show, then people will go else where. People want to see pictures and that is what we were doing, getting the pictures and helping people who don't have alot of money to spend. We are just starting out, but that doesn't mean that we don't know what we are doing.