NYC wedding Photogs....

[ethan_mei]

Hi All,

 

Not sure where to post this question...but here might be the closes test to it. Anyways my question is quite 'simple':

 

All you NYC or its surrounding areas wedding Photogs, what's your average price/fee as a 2nd shooter? What's included as your

responsibilities along this price (e.g. Do you need to edit, do you get to use these photos on your blog/portfolio, etc.)?

[dave_wilson1]

I'm in north-central NJ and don't shoot for myself anymore, but sometimes "help". I will second/third shoot, especially on a

big $$$ wedding, sometimes I just assist with lighting or I might shoot studio classic type portraits on a background. i use

their cards and just hand them over as the job goes along. Price, get what you can for your experience level. I don't talk

money on boards but I get paid pretty well.

[michaelmowery]

<p>The price will vary according to your experience and just how good your images are and if someone will pay your rates or not. If you are asked to edit then you should charge more for that time. The usage of images will vary from person to person.</p>

[savagesax]

Don't offer packages. Ask what the budget is and you will create a special day of photographic memories.

 

Do you want to give away a CD in a jpeg format, or do you want to sell prints and enlargements and perhaps triple your money?

 

Here's something I've never said here, other then not giving people a CD/DVD of the wedding. I tell them to let me make the printing orders from a pro lab.

 

OK - my secret - I NEVER print anything in jpeg. I convert the RAW images to TIFF files. Well everyone now knows one of my secrets! Well don't believe me. Check it out for yourself. Make 2, 40x60 prints, one in jpeg and one in a Tiff file. You won't believe how much data is lost. I sell this to clients. We need to educate our clients sometimes.

 

Back to your question. Although I'm here in LA I did shoot a wedding in NYC at the Waldorf. Fun place to say the least. So I find it very hard to offer packages when you are creating a $7000 wedding or doing a backyard wedding. I actually shot a wedding at a bowling alley. Dang that was a blast. Pizza, hot wings, and a sheet cake. Wearing a tux with those rented bowling alley shoes. The bride was just too fun to photograph.

 

We've used this statement for many years - You can too if you wish! No charge! hee hee

 

WE AREN'T EXPENSIVE, WE ARE PRICELESS

 

Well I just gave out a huge secret - print in tiff. Sell Tiffs to your clients not a CD with stinky jpegs and use a pro lab. You are in a fantastic area just as I am here in Los Angeles. Give the clients what they want, not put them into a package that really doesn't fit them.

 

Hope this helps