Rex Photography - How much to charge for simple wedding photography?

How much to charge for simple wedding photography?

A woman I know would like me to shoot her wedding. I've never shot a wedding before, only fashion type editorials-- and I'm still in school. How much should I charge and what is the best way to deliver the pictures? (CDs + prints? If so, how many prints?)

Public Comments

I don't think you could do it hourly since you have not done a wedding before and don't know how long you will take. When I first started i just charged a set up fee ($100-125 I think) and then gave them a low res. cd of the pics so they could look but not print them. then the order pics through you...and you mark up your prices on the prints for your profit. if you don't have a printing service I will list the one I use below. Also check out www.photosig.com for some ideas on stuff.
If this is your first wedding, I would charge a small set up fee (100-200$$) and then charge her for any prints you give her. The key for you right now is to get your name out there, and if you do a good job and give her prints for next to nothing (Or her images with the rights to them) she will talk about your greatness! Just charge her how much the processing is, and maybe 25 bucks for the rights to the images.
Word to the wise. IT IS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY. And I'll bet you dollars to donuts she is spending a ton of money on the reception, and trying to get the one memory that she will cherish forever, her wedding photographs for cheap. I used to shoot weddings, made a ton of money doing it and lost my love of photography in the process which took me a decade to get back (that is a whole other story). I ran into more people who contacted me for their wedding photographs, only to go with a friend or uncle Bob because I cost too much. Didn't matter that they would spend $5 grand on the wedding, they wanted the photo's for next to nothing and what they got, was indeed, next to nothing. I even had a few brides contact me in tears asking if I could fix what the photographer had major league screwed up. Not to mention the ones that contacted me or I ran into later and said they wished they used a pro. I know few people who have been happy using an amateur. My advice to you, have her contact a pro, one that will let you shoot around him or her and learn that way. Then later on strike out on your own. Yours is almost a sure fire way to lose a friend. Tell her to spend the bucks and also tell her if she doesn't, you will not let your inexperience get in the way of your friendship and that she can't hold you responsible for poor results. Put the fear of God into her and she may be willing to part with $500 or more for a decent pro. What you should charge her at this point ------ your out of pocket expenses. Best way to deliver is on CD's and let her edit them. But edit a few for her to see what the final results can look like. Also, have her sign a release allowing you to use them in your portfolio and for business purposes, such as advertising. Standard photo release forms can be had at most good office supply stores or possibly on the web. =============== Life is so simple, but we insist on making it complicated Confucius 551 - 479 BC =============== Peace Jim http://www.ChinaBlix.com .
Sorry you lost me at simple. Tell them to hire a professional. a
Did one on Friday. Lasted a little more than three hours (It was a Thai wedding--ton of food) and took over 1,500 photos. Wore out my hands. It was for my family-so it was free). They're very happy with it, but did not realize that I was busy the entire weekend going over the whole thing with Adobe Lightroom before I handed them the disks. Unfavorable lightings inside (the temple)--and blindingly sunny outside (etc) was some of the problem, etc. Informal group shot of the kids. (Yes, these are kids. I am older than them.) http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2346/2400587286_fcbd01aa5a_b.jpg It is so much work--and if you feel you can do a good job, don't short change or you'll be swearing at yourself later for all that work for a hundred bucks. And for your sake--bring extra memory cards (I had five 16 GB and ten 8 GB cards plus four set of batteries and a back up camera with me) and bring someone with you to keep an eye on your stuff or they might grow legs.
Tell her to hire a professional or dont charge her anything. You have never shot a wedding before and its really differnt than a fashion shoot. you dont have hours to set up check the lighting etc. It all happens in a flash. Just give her the CD
Hire a pro. If you need to ask how much to charge, then you are not prepared to shoot a wedding.