The Danger of “Saving” Money on Photography

 

 

Congratulations bride to be!! Your engagement season is going to be so much fun as you look forward to your first day of marriage!

 

One of the first things you’ll start thinking about is choosing a wedding photographer! Now, I’ll admit, this post seems funny coming from a wedding photographer, but I’m going to be 100% honest with you.

 

My goal is to help better every bride’s experience, regardless of if they are my client or not, so this info is no strings attached! I simply want you to have the tools to make a GREAT CHOICE & love your wedding photographs!

 

Why are some photographers’ offering the same packages but very different prices?

 

If you’ve done any amount of photographer research at this point, you probably have started to wonder this. The AVERAGE wedding photography package includes: 8 hours of coverage, a second shooter, your digital images in a gallery, and possibly an engagement session.

 

So the obvious question: why do some photographers charge only $1,000-2,000 for this package while others charge anywhere between $3,000-6,000?

 

Now I can’t speak for all photographers, but the majority of photographers I have met raise their prices for reasons that really benefit you!

 

I’ve listed some of those reasons for you below so you know what you’re investing in:

 

 

Reason #1: Investing in Camera Gear

 

There is a very high chance that if a photographer is charge a medium-high level price, they are investing a lot of that money BACK into their camera gear.

 

This is a HUGE benefit to you!

 

Because I invest money back into my gear, I’m able to take ALL these shots one a wedding day:

 

 

These three really important ceremony shots, were taken with 3 different pieces of camera gear while I stood in the exact same spot.

 

And to be totally transparent, these three pieces of gear cost about $7,000 combined. Someone who is only charging $1,000-2,000 for weddings would have to wait a REALLY long time to acquire all this gear which means less variety for you!

 

 

Reason #2: Investing in Education

 

Believe it or not, there aren’t a lot of “degree options” for wedding photography, so photographers have to look to the internet.

 

Fortunately, there are some big name photographers who have began creating courses for other photographers to learn how to better their skills.

 

It’s one thing to have a photographer who can take beautiful portraits during the golden hour of the day at a beautiful location, it’s an entirely different thing to have a photographer who knows how to take 5 sets of portraits back to back, on a tight schedule, with beautiful light while it’s raining outside and guests are showing up!

 

If your photographer is charging a higher price, they are likely (and hopefully) investing a lot back into photography courses. (The great ones are between $600-1,000 per course).

 

Here’s some before education & after education shots of mine to prove to you that education really matters!! This first wedding was one of my best friends who was generous enough to give me a shot!! Love you, Devon!

 

 

Reason #3: Having a GREAT second shooter

 

Just so you know, when you pay for a second shooter, it could be anyone. Again, most photographers I know are very diligent about finding a fantastic second shooter for each wedding day, but technically they could choose someone with little experience so they don’t have to pay them as much.

 

Typically, a great second shooter would get paid between $250-400 depending on their level of expertise and amount of time they’re needed at the wedding.

 

Again, if you’re only paying someone $1,000-2,000 they won’t be able to cover all three of these very important items I’ve listed above.

By choosing great second shooters, you’re able to get MORE variety while still having a consistent level of skill in your photos.

 

Below is a set of photos taken at the exact same time, giving the bride lots of variety without extra time.

 

 

Still have questions?! Write a comment below & I’ll answer them!

 

 

Want more?

Rainy Day Weddings: What Brides Should Know

Ceremony Exit = The New Sparkler Exit

First Look: The New Tradition