Comments on: Earning Money from Photography http://dslrblog.com/earning-money-from-photography/ the stories behind the images Tue, 22 May 2012 11:37:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: Chris http://dslrblog.com/earning-money-from-photography/comment-page-1/#comment-6029 Chris Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-6029 I quite agree to a point Mark, personally I have done two weddings and found it a fraught experience. Both couples were very happy though, and my single camera is a 8mp and there was just little me. On the back of the first I have been asked to do another in august. Keeping in mind they are willing to pay me to fly to another country rather than use a local photographer I feel pretty chuffed that I must have done an adequate job. Prints and albums are where a lot of photographers make their incremental money but I guess not entirely necessary as many photographers websites now show some are moving away from the traditional step by step process towards the full monty luxury package (including what you describe but also engagement, dvd, practice run ...) through to budget "here is your disk and single print". From what I understand £1k would be the very bottom end of the market where they wouldn't perhaps expect as full a service as all that, plus I think you would not want to do any scale looking at a 40% bill, more likely work on a company basis. Having said all that, while I do think about other types of photography work my nerves were so shattered I won't be jumping at doing weddings in future. The problem with weddings is people aren't too keen on coming back together for a second try if something goes wrong! I quite agree to a point Mark, personally I have done two weddings and found it a fraught experience. Both couples were very happy though, and my single camera is a 8mp and there was just little me. On the back of the first I have been asked to do another in august. Keeping in mind they are willing to pay me to fly to another country rather than use a local photographer I feel pretty chuffed that I must have done an adequate job.

Prints and albums are where a lot of photographers make their incremental money but I guess not entirely necessary as many photographers websites now show some are moving away from the traditional step by step process towards the full monty luxury package (including what you describe but also engagement, dvd, practice run …) through to budget “here is your disk and single print”.

From what I understand £1k would be the very bottom end of the market where they wouldn’t perhaps expect as full a service as all that, plus I think you would not want to do any scale looking at a 40% bill, more likely work on a company basis.

Having said all that, while I do think about other types of photography work my nerves were so shattered I won’t be jumping at doing weddings in future. The problem with weddings is people aren’t too keen on coming back together for a second try if something goes wrong!

]]> By: MarkT http://dslrblog.com/earning-money-from-photography/comment-page-1/#comment-6030 MarkT Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-6030 Its a very competative market as you say. There are lots of people out there doing it for practically nothing (there are some shocking sites out there). Producing good quality albums is what will seperate you from the rest of the people there with their canon ixuxs, there's always going to be an amateur photographer at these events who will probably have a dslr. <p> I don't think many people would incorporate a company for a few weddings here or there, however they would naturally if it was a full time venture (if they hit over 30K) <p> locally it would be a struggle, a thousand pounds is probably the most a lot of people in yorkshire will pay. 500 pounds for a digital only service is a much more realistic target. <p> This is a price list from a decent yorkshire based wedding photographer. <p> Wedding Package One Forty prints up to 10"x 10" in an album chosen from the Elizabethan range. Price £1065.00 <p> Wedding Package Two Forty prints up to 8"x 8" in an album chosen from the Elizabethan Range. Price £876.00 <p> Wedding Package Three Thirty six prints up to 8"x 8" in an album chosen from the Elizabethan Range. Price £798.00 <p> Wedding Package Four Thirty prints up to 8"x 8" in an album chosen from the Traditional Range. Price £663.00 <p> Wedding Package Five Twenty four prints up to 8"x 8" in an album chosen from the Traditional Range. Price £598. Its a very competative market as you say. There are lots of people out there doing it for practically nothing (there are some shocking sites out there). Producing good quality albums is what will seperate you from the rest of the people there with their canon ixuxs, there’s always going to be an amateur photographer at these events who will probably have a dslr.

I don’t think many people would incorporate a company for a few weddings here or there, however they would naturally if it was a full time venture (if they hit over 30K)

locally it would be a struggle, a thousand pounds is probably the most a lot of people in yorkshire will pay. 500 pounds for a digital only service is a much more realistic target.

This is a price list from a decent yorkshire based wedding photographer.

Wedding Package One
Forty prints up to 10″x 10″ in an album chosen from the Elizabethan range. Price £1065.00

Wedding Package Two
Forty prints up to 8″x 8″ in an album chosen from the Elizabethan Range. Price £876.00

Wedding Package Three
Thirty six prints up to 8″x 8″ in an album chosen from the Elizabethan Range. Price £798.00

Wedding Package Four
Thirty prints up to 8″x 8″ in an album chosen from the Traditional Range. Price £663.00

Wedding Package Five
Twenty four prints up to 8″x 8″ in an album chosen from the Traditional Range. Price £598.

]]> By: MarkT http://dslrblog.com/earning-money-from-photography/comment-page-1/#comment-6036 MarkT Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-6036 I have often thought of doing some pro photography, however it's not as straightforward as it may seem. A wedding could drag in a grand a week, however take into consideration what has to be done to earn that grand. <p> Consultation with bride and groom before to pitch <p> Meeting with bride and groom to discuss shots <p> stake out where you are going to shoot to work out where shots are best placed wedding day (will need 2 photographers ideally or at least one assistant) - pretty much full day as you'll be needed before, during and after (and possibly in the evening) <p> Photoshopping, probably a full day (at best half a day) <p> Meeting with bride and groom to provide proofs <p> Outsourced printing of materials <p> Delivery of albums (hopefully extra sets required) <p> that quick grand turns into a lot of work and your grand will include the materials which will make a massive dent in the budget (plus dont forget that tax man will want his bit too, if this is extra income he's probably gonna take 40% <p> On the kit side too you're gonna need two boddies and to get the print sizes required youre gonna need a 12mp camera. <p> I read somewhere that the average full time portrait photographer grosses 50K, take away the materials and running costs they are left with around 24K. I have often thought of doing some pro photography, however it’s not as straightforward as it may seem. A wedding could drag in a grand a week, however take into consideration what has to be done to earn that grand.

Consultation with bride and groom before to pitch

Meeting with bride and groom to discuss shots

stake out where you are going to shoot to work out where shots are best placed
wedding day (will need 2 photographers ideally or at least one assistant) – pretty much full day as you’ll be needed before, during and after (and possibly in the evening)

Photoshopping, probably a full day (at best half a day)

Meeting with bride and groom to provide proofs

Outsourced printing of materials

Delivery of albums (hopefully extra sets required)

that quick grand turns into a lot of work and your grand will include the materials which will make a massive dent in the budget (plus dont forget that tax man will want his bit too, if this is extra income he’s probably gonna take 40%

On the kit side too you’re gonna need two boddies and to get the print sizes required youre gonna need a 12mp camera.

I read somewhere that the average full time portrait photographer grosses 50K, take away the materials and running costs they are left with around 24K.

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