Why Does Wedding Photography Cost So Much?

One topic that comes up fairly often is why photography costs as much as it does. I’m going to attempt to break it down here and hopefully give you the information that will help you more fully understand the answer to that question. These figures are average and will vary from one photographer to another. Also, keep in mind that a single unmarried photographer will probably have a lower cost of living than one supporting a family of five. Individual differences between photographers such as this, among others, does impact what a photographers needs to charge to survive.

Let’s assume the photographer lists a price of $3400.00 for 8 hours of coverage, an engagement session, an online gallery, DVD with high resolution images and a 30 page coffee table album.

Out of that $3400.00 you need to consider the photographers expenses. First, there are the annual expenses that take a part of each weddings income. Among those expenses would be insurance, advertising, updates and maintenance of their website and sample albums, advertising, accounting and legal expenses, repair or replacement or upgrading of very expensive cameras and computers, continued education, wear and tear on their automobile, and for some…studio rent, electric and telephone. All this may come to $300.00 per wedding.

Next, there are the fixed expenses for each wedding. Include in this figure…proof album and proof prints, consumables such as DVD’s or CD’s, and the cost of the coffee table book. This figure may come to $800.00.

After these expenses, the photographer is left with $1600.00. Federal, state and local taxes, social security and payroll taxes will take, on average, 40% of that $1600.00, or $640.00. This leaves the photographer with $960.00 in earnings for photographing your wedding.

Wow, you say…a thousand bucks for a few hours work on a Saturday sure isn’t bad. If it was that simple…you’d be right…it would be pretty good money. So, let’s look at the time investment for each wedding.

2 hours for meetings, emails and phone calls as you interview the photographer.
3 hours for the shooting and editing of your engagement session.
8-9 hours on your wedding day.
10 hours to process your images, get proofs printed, etc.
10 hours designing and producing the final album.
5 hours for misc. meetings, phone calls, emails, planning sessions, trips to the lab, etc.

All this and you still need to add in the hours each week needed to run the business.

All told…a photographer invests 40-50 hours in each wedding. 

The national average income for wedding photographers is approximately $28,000.00 per year. So if it seems like wedding photographers make huge amounts of money…they do not. On average their incomes are pretty much in line with the rest of the employed public. Some make more and some make less, depending on experience, talent, the actual type of product being delivered, and overhead costs specific to that photographer.

I hope this information is helpful in understand why your photographers prices are what they are.

Chain and Multi-Photographer Studios

There has been much discussion lately regarding whether or not you should retain a large, chain studio to photograph your wedding. Part of what generated this discussion was the closing of a long time studio in the New York area…one that employed dozens of photographers. They recently closed, leaving more than 600 brides without their wedding photographs, a photographer, or their money.

The case is currently being looked at not only by the bankruptcy court, but by law enforcement agencies to determine if any criminal wrongdoing was involved. Many brides put their faith in the large studio thinking that they may be more stable and reliable that a smaller independent operation. Sadly…they were wrong. Over the years, many chain and large multi-photographer studios have closed, leaving brides to fend for themselves…it seems to be the nature of the business.

Some questions you want to ask if you are considering using either a chain studio or a studio with a large stable of photographers…

1) Who exactly will be my photographer? While all the albums and photographs they show you will no doubt be beautiful…is it the work of the person who is going to show up at your wedding? Or, will the photographer who shows up be someone with no experience and no idea what you’re looking for?

When you meet with an independent photographer, you can pretty much be assured that the work you see is truly indicative of the work you’ll be getting. You’ll know your photographers qualifications, you’ll know their personality…and they’ll know yours. This personal relationship goes a very long way in providing the insight they need to fully understand how to photograph your wedding and caption the essence of who you are.

2) Will you be an actual bride and groom to them, or just a name on a file folder? The shear number of brides a chain deals with dictates that you’ll be a number. They won’t recall your personality or all the small things you may have said about what you wanted. The independent photographer will remember you when you call, they’ll know your personality and they’ll remember the little details that will eventually make so much difference in creating wonderful photographs of your wedding day.

3) How will your album be designed? Will it be done by someone who never met you, doesn’t know you and simply sticks your images in a template like all the other brides? Or will it be done by the person who actually photographed your wedding and understands what some of the details and nuances in the images mean to you? Will your album look like all the rest, or will it have that personal touch that makes it YOUR album?

4) Where will your photographer come from? I know it sounds like a silly question, but there are some large chain studios that will bring in a photographer from another city if they can’t find anyone local. Will this photographer know his way around town? Have they been to your church or temple and do they know your priest or minister or rabbi, and will they know how to deal with the light and layout? Do they know where the best spots in the park are? Do they have the personal relationships with the limo drivers, florists, wedding planners, videographers and catering managers that will help things go smoother?

The independent photographer will have insights into all these things. They’ll know where your priest is going to stand, and which window the sun will come through at 2:00PM. They’ll know about that giant willow tree in the park and how the sun will shine through it’s branches at just the right angle. And they’ll have a backup location in mind if it rains.

5) If your photographs are important to you, and more than just a stack of pictures, then it makes sense to have a photographer that you can communicate with and who knows you. It makes sense to use a photographer who can make you wedding photographs special because they know how you smile when your groom holds your hand, and how that tear on your dad’s face is the first one he’s ever let you see. The unnamed and unknown photographer will have none of this insight. And while they may take nice pictures, they’ll lack the depth and insight and meaning that would have truly set them apart.

Insurance

Every professional photographer should be fully insured…not only to protect themselves, but to protect you as well. It’s just the responsible thing to do as a business.

The are two main type of insurance that every photographer should have. I will address each one and why it’s important to you, the bride and groom, that your photographer have such coverage.

1) Theft or Loss. Theft insurance will help the photographer replace equipment that gets stolen or damaged. Equipment does get stolen. Equipment does get dropped. While most photographers are very careful with such expensive gear, once in a while the unexpected does happen. And why the photographer having theft insurance is important to you is this…what would happen at your wedding if the photographer had his gear stolen or damaged in the days leading up to your wedding and they didn’t have the cash on hand to replace it? You’d be left without a photographer, or at the very least, one with hastily rounded up used or borrowed gear that may not be up to the task. Ultimately, your photographs may be effected. If the photographer had insurance, all the gear is replaced and you’re safe.

2) Liability. This insurance covers many issues. Suppose your grandmother trips over the photographers tripod and gets hurt? If the photographer was at fault, the insurance will help with the medical bills. Suppose the photographer is at your home and accidentally knocks over that expensive vase you have, his insurance may help to replace it. And finally, many houses of worship and reception venues will require your vendors to have liability insurance before they’ll be allowed to work in the building. The church or hotel or whatever wants to be sure they’re financially protected should the vendor damage anything or cause an accident.

In short…you should insist that your photographer be fully insured. This is for your protection. Not only if something happens on your wedding day, but to be sure that if something happens at someone else’s event, your photographer will still be in business when it comes time to photograph your wedding.

A true professional will have insurance, the amateur or wannabe wedding photographer may not. Always check to be sure, and if they don’t…cross them off your list.

Backup Equipment

One thing that you should always ask about, and insist on, is that your photographer has sufficient backup gear should something stop working. Cameras do fail unexpectedly. Flashes do short out when you least expect them to. It’ll happen to every photographer sooner or later.

Any good photographer will have an absolute minimum of two camera bodies, and preferably three or more. And I don’t mean one good camera and a cheap point and shoot as a backup. I mean good, sturdy cameras designed for wedding use. They should also have two or three extra flashes and enough batteries to power all of them…and a few more batteries in reserve.

If your photographer has only one camera or one flash…what are you going to do if it stops working or gets dropped and broken? The wedding will continue of course, but you’ll have no photographs of it. Is this a risk worth taking?

I’ve heard numerous stories over the years from brides who had a budget photographer with no decent backup gear, and sure enough, something broke and the bride ended up with very few photographs, or very poor ones because the photographer didn’t have any backup gear…or cheap gear not up to the task. One thing that separates the true professional from the amateur or wanna-be photographer is their gear. The pro will have the right gear and plenty of it. The wanna-be will have just enough gear to get by…hopefully.

Copyright release

This comes up often. The client wants to have a copyright release to be able to use the image files they received from their photographer. Generally speaking, few photographers will release their copyright. Most likely, the photographer will grant to the client “Personal Usage Rights”. Copyright Release and Personal Usage Rights…two different things.

What this means is that the client can take that disc of image files that they received and make prints for themselves, their friends, use them in thank you cards, make their own albums, etc. Basically, any personal use. What they can’t do is sell them commercially. In other words, the bride wouldn’t be able to sell an image to David’s Bridal for example for them to use in an ad campaign without the photographers permission.

99% of the time Personal Usage Rights are all that the client will ever need. And should the need arise that somehow the client does need the full copyright, most of the time that can be negotiated with the photographer.

California Sales Tax

Currently, under California law, wedding photography is a taxable service. Your photographer is required to collect sales tax from each client as a percentage of the entire sale amount and remit it to the state treasury at specific intervals. Contrary to what I’ve heard some people say, the photographer doesn’t get to keep it. They’re only acting as an agent of the state.

The photographer is required to obtain a California Resale Certificate from the State Board of Equalization. Without this permit, there’s no way to legally collect sales tax from a customer. The photographer should be able to produce their permit for inspection if you ask to see it. If they can’t…think hard before giving them any money. There’s a good chance that they’re “flying under the radar” in an attempt to avoid taxes, and if they’re caught…you will be looking for a new photographer. The state takes such things very seriously. Now there are some instances where no sales tax needs to be collected. An out of state sale is one example. If the product (your photographs) is shipped to an address in a state other than California…the photographer is not required to collect sales tax.

Each year, there are a number of photographers who are forced to close up shop because they got caught playing fast and loose with the tax laws. More than a few brides have found themselves without a photographer…and the money they paid them.

Feeding your photographer 

Some photographers state in their contract that they must be fed, some make no mention of it at all. There is no hard and fast rule about it. Even photographers can’t agree on how it should be handled. But here’s a few things to keep in mind…

Even if you decide not to provide a meal for your photographer, they will appreciate a break sometime during the day to feed themselves. Remember that they’ll be on their feet for 6-8 hours or more, and carrying twenty pounds worth of equipment. Some photographers will request a hot meal, and most reception facilities are happy to help out by setting up a “vendors table” off to the side somewhere. If you are feeding your photographer, it helps if they’re taken care of towards the earlier or middle part of the serving time. If they do go at the very end, chances are they won’t get any chance to eat, as by that time you’ll be done with your dinner and be up and about, so they need to be up as well. Unless a meal is contractually required, the final choice is up the bride and groom. Just let your photographer know what to expect so they can plan accordingly.