Letter on pricing from potential and response

[Bob_Coates]

Hi Bob,
I must admit when you told me how much you charge for your services for weddings, I was in shock. I find this entire business a racket. I think it is outrageous that you think it is appropriate to charge young couples starting off in life that much. They are incurring enough debt to start…..You know that taking digital photos even with your excellent experience should not cost this much. Digital doesn’t cost anything as you can delete bad photos. I am sorry but I will be sure to tell others not to use your services. <end of letter>

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on wedding photography pricing. It was not my intention to shock you.

Bob Coates Photography is not for everyone. If you don't see the art and time that go into creating the images we capture I highly recommend that you don't use our high end service. I've sent a PDF file (under a separate email) for you to study of our complete price list as there may be some misunderstanding because there was not a full explanation of what was included in our various collections. I don't do this to try to sell you on our service, but that you can understand our business a bit more. An analogy might be there are different models of automobiles for sale at highly different price ranges to meet the needs of many different people. We offer those various levels of service.

Please let me share with you some ideas on your comment that "Digital doesn't cost anything." I have over $60,000 in equipment under insurance. Half of that needs to be replaced approximately every three years. When you look at the time invested in capturing a wedding it is much more than just the time on the day of the wedding. We have time on the phone before the wedding answering questions and helping to plan the day. Time meeting with clients. Time to travel to the location and back. Time scouting locations. Time downloading, editing and preparing files. Not to mention time and money spent in continuing education with seminars, conventions and study to keep up with the advances in computers, new photographic techniques and software. As with any business there is also time in the office with marketing, correspondence, billing, taxes, record keeping, etc There are fixed costs in addition to those above. Phone service, Internet, office supplies, health and vehicle insurance, transportation and related costs along with salaries for employees.

We are not "just a camera" snapping away. We are professionals that are charged with capturing and preserving your memories at an event that can not be replicated. If after digesting this information you still decide not to use Bob Coates Photography I understand and would be happy to help you find a photographer who meets your needs and budgetary concerns.

Kind regards, Bob

[PaulCosmic]

Hi Bob

Very well put. I hope this managed to disarm the situation.

Paul

[pixel8]

Although Bob's response was eloquent and professional, it was analogous to playing Beethoven to Buffalo.

It was the great yellow father who created this kind of attitude at the lower end of the market place with an advertisement that read "It's as easy as blinking". That is all it takes to produce an awesome photograph.

The author of the complaining letter will never own a Louis Vuiton Handbag, Rolex watch or eat out at any higher level than a franchise diner.... making Red Lobster totally UP MARKET.

It is still no reason that photographers should stand by an watch the feeding frenzy of overpriced florists, who will go home with three to five times the photographer's fees. Some couples only deserve Kentucky Fried Pictures and we have to be comfortable with that. I don't let them get to me.

I would be upset however if someone in the medical profession wrote a letter like that, one cross section of my multi cultural client base, 90% of who are in the med field often make comments about our high fees, I love it when they ask me "why so much" The answer, So I can live as well as you do, otherwise I may have to deprive the market of my talents to go become a doctor. You should see their expressions [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[jkantor]

However, it goes to show that there is a huge demand for low-end photography. It's just a matter of finding a business model to make it work.

[Bob_Coates]

Received the response that I was still a racket. She obviously didn't read the enclosed price list because she would have noticed that I have Collections from $1500 to $25,000. I know I would have heard about that!

[csi1158]

I would have to agree with you that there is an incredible demand for inexpensive photography. I cringe a little bit at the term low-end. With 50 percent of all marriages ending in divorce (the other 50 percent ending in death), there is a niche for photographers to provide inexpensive photography for 2nd weddings, which normally are smaller affairs, civil ceremonies and theme type weddings.

However I take no exception to the prices charged by fulltime professional photographers. Wedding photography costing 5,000 or more is not uncommon, but when you consider time, equipment, insurance, album costs, assistant wages etc, those prices are more than justified. I can cover low budget affairs, 'cause I got a full time job as a crime scene investigator to pay my bills. I won't make any money covering the low cost affairs. In fact when considering my time, I've lost money on just about every low cost wedding I've worked. BUT I MAKE IT UP IN VOLUME... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lolwsign.gif[/img]

[imported_ChrisP]

[ QUOTE ]
However, it goes to show that there is a huge demand for low-end photography. It's just a matter of finding a business model to make it work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have designed my business model so that i can make a profit selling a $850 package including an album. I'd rather sell my $1200 package of course...

The issues with low end that I am finding is sicn ethere is less money to spend overall, the venues are not as nice (more firehalls, no limos and such), and the bigger issue IMO is the clients value photography less so you get less 'cooperation' or enthusiasm as compared to those spending more. this does show in the photos too.

As for remarriages, the brides and maids and wedding party in general are not as young, thin and pretty and overal again, the budgets are lower and the enthusiasm is less.

For some around here even $850 is too much!
As for the biz model - no 1Ds, no L glass (less overhead), no printed proofs, digital album that costs me $80 or so (less hard costs), and i can shoot the wedding, do teh PP and albums design and prints in a total of 23 hours or so.(time efficiency) and no employees or assistants.