Is my time over already?

[ejder]

<p>I got involved in shooting weddings only a few years ago, and up until the last couple of months business was consistently increasing. I was so busy, I had to turn down many job inquiries. But now...</p>

<p>Nothing has changed insofar as my marketing methods. I did and still do use craigslist as one of my primaries, and TheKnot.com was very kind to me at the beginning of this year throughout June/July, when many brides were mentioning my name alongside other popular local photographers and I was getting lots of bookings from them. In fact, I've expanded my presence a little and gotten involved in a few sites that allow clients to review my services, and all of my reviews have been good thus far. Yet now, for some reason, my site is getting fewer hits, and I am getting very few inquiries; and for the past month, my name has not appeared on TheKnot.com. All of a sudden, I'm concerned about the future of my wedding photography business.</p>

<p>What's different? From the beginning I was never the expensive choice; I priced myself somewhat below the least expensive (but still popular) competition, which, until recently, was about $100/hour (I was closer to $75). Well, there are now several photographers - not just one - out there who are offering to shoot weddings for as low as $100 for 4 hours. Not only can I NOT compete with that and still make anything for my efforts, but I feel like they have ousted me from my niche position of being the most affordable alternative that still included retouching in my rates.</p>

<p>So, the two changes that I know about are the ultra-budget photographers have taken over the role of most affordable option (besides free), and I'm no longer being mentioned on TheKnot.com, which was a source of many clients.</p>

<p>Up to this point, I've only been shooting weddings solo for 1.5 years. Is my run over that quickly? And...is it because I didn't maintain a niche or ever establish myself as one of the best local photographers, but only existed as a "better than most of the other budget shooters" class?</p>

<p>I'm just not sure what to do at this point. I have all this equipment that is going to be literally collecting dust for at least the next 1.5 months until my next official booking comes around.</p>

<p>Incidentally, my websites are <a href="http://www.vegas-photo.com">http://www.vegas-photo.com</a> and <a href="http://www.photoesk.com">http://www.photoesk.com</a> - the latter is a virtual copy of my blog and contains the same photos.</p>

[ron_steedman]

<p>Joey--if you perceive one of your competitive advantages to be budget pricing of $75/hour, why doesn't that appear anywhere on your website, including under the most obvious Pricing | Weddings?</p>

[david_schilling___chicago_]

<p>Suggest that you list how inexpensive you actually are on your website. I suspect that some brides are taking a quick look at your pricing page and moving on without making contact with you. Regarding your pricing strategy; by under-cutting your competition you invite newer shooters to do the same,.........I've been watching this trend for the past couple of years and I think it's hurt the industry.</p>

<p>Suggest that you network with local photographers, work on your marketing through relationships with local vendors, find a way to get your name on the knot every now and then, and re-position yourself in the middle/upper-middle of the market and raise your prices. There's very little margin for a budget shooter to compete with the "ultra-budget" shooter. Good luck. </p>

[ejder]

<p>My pricing is no longer an advantage; on the contrary, with the new shooters undercutting me by as much as 70% or more, my prices seem high in comparison. I did undercut my competition from the beginning, but I did it by a much smaller margin than others are doing now.</p>

<p>I don't know how to get on TheKnot anymore; since vendors can't post, I can't advertise unless I pay to be on their vendor list, which is not in the budget.</p>

<p>I'm in a bit of a dead-end as far as my pricing and offerings are considered: Two very popular local photographers give what most brides consider to be very good work, and their rates are also on the budget end, around $100/hour. What they provide at that price point is a disc of retouched photos, more or less the same as I do. If I were to charge more than them, I would also have to offer more...which is where I hit a brick wall. The only significant offerings besides DVD discs are, to my knowledge, online proofing, prints, and albums. My time limitations and lack of experience with albums and printing don't allow me to get involved in those things without serious investments of both time and money, and I won't have much of either for a long time now. Basically, this forces me to stay where I am.</p>

[david_schilling___chicago_]

<p><em>"I don't know how to get on TheKnot anymore; since vendors can't post......."</em></p>

<p>Use some imagination............Suggest that you network with local photographers, work on your marketing through relationships with local vendors, find a way to get your name on the knot every now and then, and re-position yourself in the middle/upper-middle of the market and raise your prices. <em>Raising your prices is a marketing strategy.</em></p>

<p><em>My time limitations and lack of experience with albums and printing don't allow me to get involved in those things without serious investments of both time and money, and I won't have much of either for a long time now. Basically, this forces me to stay where I am.</em><br>

<em></em><br>

If you don't grow, you'll likely stay stuck.</p>

[laura_kamler]

<p>Joey, nice site. I think your wedding portfolio is too random on your website. Lots of good shots there, but no story told.<br>

Also, late August when everyone is going to back to school is not the time when most brides that age are planning, they have to finish their degrees etc. Not sure if you are catering to that group or not, but that is one explanation.<br /><br />If you don't grow in services and knowledge you won't just stay stuck, you'll bomb out eventually.<br /><br />Either bump it up and find some more ways to get your name out there or give discounts and work for nothin'. Either way, time for some creative thinking.<br /><br />Also, your "About" page is too detailed. They don't need to know how many weddings you shot last year. A picture of you would be better than the unity candle.</p>

[ejder]

<p>Suggestions for my "about" page have been noted and you made me look at it and realize just how outdated my info there is. I edited it, but I have not and will not add a photo of myself for various reasons.</p>

[wedding-photography-denver]

<p>You seem to have answered one part of the question yourself. Lower pricing than everyone in your market invites yet lower pricing from others. In this economy, I dare say that is one reason for the slower leads. Additionally, I think people have held off on booking since they are worried about said economy.</p>

<p>I have seen a significant slump since about June, but then again, this is a slower time for inquiries. I have most inquiries now coming from past client recommendations. So that's what I know.</p>

<p>As an aside, your work is pretty good and suggests your price will be higher that it is. Post your starting pricing too, IMO.</p>

[catalin_stanciulescu]

<p>Hello Joey, first of all, that is no photojournalistic style.Second, you have to adapt your style to photojournalism because this is what everybody wants now.You should work a little more on your composition.Good Luck</p>

[plavchak]

<p>Joey I assume you are not in this business to make a living? Is it a hobby? Can't see how you can complain about a lack of business. You just got beat at your own game is all that has happened. The prices you charge is the reason every bride expects everything for nothing. Your are shooting "50-200" shots per hr, retouching and giving them the files for $75/hr?? As it's already been stated, undercutting each other brings everyone down.<br>

Online proofing, prints and albums does not require much investment. Online proofing $99.00/yr some less. And they can do the printing and collect payment for you. Prints $0.00..customers pay for the prints. You order them from your lab they pay. Doesn't cost you a thing. Albums a few samples and nothing after that. You order, they pay. You can get free album design programs from most album compaines. Or you can hire the design out and pass the cost to the customer. Also, the best thing to offer is over the top customer service, that is free to you and brides will pay for that!<br>

I really don't see the reason for this post. You know what the problem is. You were the cheap photographer , now you are not. It looks like you do great work, so I don't understand why you want to be the budget photographer. I'm just saying....</p>

[pete_harlan1]

<blockquote>

<p>Well, there are now several photographers - not just one - out there who are offering to shoot weddings for as low as $100 for 4 hours.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Well, anyone shooting weddings for 100 bucks is VERY part time and no doubt offering quality and service far below what a true professional will offer.</p>

<p>This is NOT a question of price..It is a question of perceived value. If someone believes they will receive quality photography for 100 dollars, they are misguided and deceived.</p>

<p>Joey; do you want more business? Then go out and get the business! Show your prospective clients WHY you are worth what you ask. We humans buy VALUE, NOT price. Any good business person will tell you this.</p>

<p>This bemoaning of how 'The other guy is beating my price" is a old, tired excuse.<br>

The people who complain about this the most are the weekend warriors.<br>

To rely on internet advertising and price break points alone is just plain silly.</p>

[dave_wilson1]

<p>Joey I had a few thoughts after carefully looking over and reading your two sites. First, too much information. I got tired just reading all that. Second, in the 'About me" section, on photesk, get rid of that self description of the button down shirt BS and all that, also you're body size etc. who needs that info? Stick to a short personal and professional resume and that's it. Brides are spending many thousands on weddings and dresses and everything, then you're selling yourself for a few hundred bucks and wearing a button down shirt etc. then you're on here with this tale of woe, good heavens man, you shoot real nice, look the part and charge the part, do something, anything to get the brides in front of you, face to face and sell your stuff. Or work for somebody else a a sub-contract or employee and take a check and run, leaving the rest to them.</p>

[ejder]

<p>The most popular photographer here in Las Vegas charges $100/hour and includes all images on dvd disc. Brides LOVE him. His work is not as good as most of the local photographers who charge in the thousands, but the brides think he's great anyway.</p>

<p>The type of service in demand in wedding photography varies widely depending on the location. Las Vegas has three types of brides: Ritz Carlton brides, on-the-strip/private venue brides, and shady chapel brides. Based on my experience, most of the on-the-strip/private venue brides are as budget-conscious as the shady chapel brides.</p>

<p>You're right that I am complaining about someone doing the same thing that I did, but I honestly thought I was on the bottom rung and that anyone who went lower than me simply couldn't afford to be in business or pay for their equipment. I guess I was wrong.</p>

<p>Oh yes and I removed that stuff from the about section of photoesk before I saw your post. I've been doing some website updates today. Thanks for that, I thought it was stupid too and I can't figure out how someone managed to convince me that I should write my bio that way.</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>A race to the bottom can't be a very satisfying journey.</p>

[aimee_pieters]

<p>Joey,<br>

You can never win the lowest price game as you're finding out. Someone will always beat you. You have a couple of options here; either continue to cut your prices or change what you're doing and go for a higher priced market. I'm sure that many others on this site will confirm that the less people spend, the more they tend to demand. You will also rapidly grow tired of working harder and harder for less and less.<br>

Customers buy what you show them. If you're offering images on disc, that's what they'll buy. If you offer a complete wedding album, you'll get people who want that. You may not book at the same rate, but you'll make more money and work with an easier clientele who appreciates your work.<br>

It's time to remove more from your website. The only thing that listing your equipment will do for you is allow your competition to use that information against you. The brides don't know one camera and lens from another and don't really care. They're only interested in results. I know that others probably don't feel the way I do, but personally, I think that a website for photography looks much richer with a dark background and reversed type for the copy.<br>

You also stated in your original post that you haven't changed what you're doing at all. Herein lies the key. If you keep doing the same thing and you're not getting good results, it's time to change. Refresh your marketing, your offerings and perhaps your style and go after a better clientele.<br>

If you don't want to do this or feel that you don't have the time, then perhaps you shoot try to work for someone else just doing photography.<br>

I hope some of my information helps, thanks and good luck.....-Aimee </p>

[diane_c]

<p>I believe it's all in who you are marketing too. You do NOT want brides who want to pay $100 for 4 hours. You want to target brides who want QUALITY and PROFESSIONAL work no matter what the cost. They do exist, you just need to figure out how to adapt your marketing towards them.<br>

Diane</p>