Well I can answer the currency question FWIW: US$ 3500 = ~£2100, US$6000 = ~£3600. Apart from that I'll keep my head down for a bit ;)

I'm really not sure what this article is trying to say... if you're not getting enough bang for your buck, then pay a bit more and get the whole job done for you, or as previously said, find a cheaper photo-pyro. Maybe the follow-up article will enlighten us a bit more, but until then...

Hey Jerry, thanks for an interesting post. I fully agree that clients should invest in a true artistic experience with a tangible result in the form of a beautiful album and prints. I also agree that they should look beyond receiving just a DVD which may be redundant in a few years time. Unfortunately in this age of shoot'n'burn, user generated content, and group buying websites that offer $29 photobooks and $10 canvas prints, it's an uphill struggle to educate the masses on the importance of professional photography that justifies a substantial investment. The majority of people have never bought professional photography and therefore don't have a benchmark to work to, so shoot'n'burn, Groupon, and services such as Blurb understandably come across as representing good value. We also have to bear in mind the incomes, life stages and geographical areas that customers are approaching us from which will affect disposable income. I believe the tide will turn and high quality professional photography will get the recognition (and income!) it deserves. In the meantime all we can do is be true to ourselves and market to our desired customer base and they will find us. And for everyone else we can don the educator caps we are so passionate about wearing.

I am sure you could find a cheaper option if you only driven by price. In my opinion, a good photographer is an artist and should be encouraged to charge a premium for his heart, his passion, his vision, his ability to be in the right place at the right time, to allow the wedding to flow, and to be a master of light. That will get 'you' great files to work with. And for that, you should be happy to pay $3.5k (not that many pounds and a bargain in my book).

I'm very negativ, but what I see is: couples want as much for their money as much they can, and don't really care about else (most of them). Several times had to realize, that they cannot see really difference between photographs, and photographs. Anybody can take pictures, and they do it without any self or whatever controll(only memory card), and they like what they do. What they see, it doesn't take much more than pressing a button, and there are the image and it is so beautiful. So, why a photographer wants that much for that? That's for customers. On the other side, there are guys thinking it is so easy and can earn lots of money let's give a try, my friends telling me my pictures are so good, why not. (There are desperates as well, because they need the extra for living and equipment is available everywhere for budget.) You cannot beat them in price, service or anything. If they don't screw up totally the photos nobody will complain, because 1, they cannot see real difference between photographs, and 2, they will be happy to see themself, and granma', and the others on their beautiful wedday. Supposing, they later will see a 'better' job , they will think yes-yes but it was only .... for us. No one can tell them that one's images are better, if they have their idea about it, you cannot change it. They buy a shooter for that day nothing else. They only want files, because they can go anywhere and print it, book it, etc...After when I read John Hartington's book about this business, got even more disappointed, it is depending on what we do, have to educate each others why must, or must not do this, or that, if it is not already too late. Since 'money makes the World go round' people cannot think in long term, at least in my country this is what I see, they have to pay the next bill so they will quote like that. No way to think that next time there will be a cheaper. And how can it happen that I cannot hear anything else from customers that photoshop will do this or that, or one day just before a press conference two assistant like girl were chatting what they will do at home on Photoshop, and In Design, and how simple is that (guess, they bought them). I'm missing a kind of mistery about photography :-(

Hello dears. We don't have to agree about this. Anybody care to contribute a "artists deserve $3.5k a day" post? Send it to editor@queensberry.com and I'll put in a good word for you with my nephew. He says he believes in debate, and that nice Mr Jerry is too far away to do too much damage ;-) Take care.

 Well to be honest that is the problem, let's leave it for another day - then they go online and order something cheap because it is "good enough".  I personally do not have the time or resources to keep answering inquires from brides who ask if I can do their album " because their photographer did not offer one.  I want my images to be showcased and packaged correctly to show the value of the work.  A 16x20 FRAMED is worth a lot more than 16x20 without even a mat board.  Images in a beautiful  album are worth much more than on a disk that my get scratched or lost!  I guess that is why we have vanilla and chocolate.

Jerry, I meant Mr Tonko, being the client, should sit and enjoy and have a professional to do everything.

no Jackie what I am saying is couples think that is the going rate and want everything under the sun for it.  I am trying to prove that by doing a quality job - start to finish - is more than what couples should expect to pay.  But of course if couples do not become educated and cannot wait to pick up that "magical DVD" then the industry is sunk.  Thanks for your comment

I hear you, however both my kids want my "finishing touches" on the images.  Nothing against the person we hired, she is an incredibel photographer, they just like my subtle nuances.

I totally agree with you and to be sincere I don't get why mr. Tonko wants to do all the work rather than pay a little more and have the work done by someone else. All in all is his turn to sit back and enjoy.

In my opinion they are getting a lot if the photographers are good. A bad photographer takes pictures. A good photographer produce unique images. If the guys you hired are good then they are worth every cent.

to all I have a mindset that I have always delivered a "finished" product.  I will never "sit back and enjoy"  I love what i do, and to me, The sit back and enjoy is the easy way out.  ANYBODY can burn a dvd. To me that is what is  becoming wrong with this industry - sit back and relax.  If everybody felt that way, we would not have a need for album companies, professional labs, etc.   Put yourself  in a couples' shoes " I paid $3000.00 and all I got is this dvd".  if you feel that way, why show "finshed images on a website?  maybe photographers  should show what they deliver - unfinished files.  I think it is very misleading.  Yes Craig, I am trying to say that coupel who come to me with this unrealistic budget and want everything in the world are being led down the wrong path - by the ones taking the easy way out.

Jerry, I meant Mr Tonko, being the client, should sit and enjoy and have a professional to do everything.

Hi Milton and thanks for the reply - you hit the nail on the head.  After  photographing weddings for 30 years and still going strong,  I have seen the highs and the lows; I also believe this will ride its course.  I have also seen the ebb and flow of photographers / "seminar sellers" who do not do anything except ride the circuit no matter how much experience they have.  if they were as busy as they say they are, how can they afford to be away for so long?  Again that has wave has come and gone.  As long as there are the ones out there doing quality work and delivering the quality product that the masses see in finished products and  they will have the desire to purchase. Have you ever walked into a home and seen a "Framed DVD"?..lol  I just wonder what some of these "shoot 'n burners will be doing in 25 to 30 years.

To be honest, I have really struggled to understand what point is being made in this article. Is the author complaining that: (a) there are shoot'n'burn photographers out there charging too little because he's paying $6000 for shoot'n'burn and others are charging just $3500 (b) there are shoot'n'burn photographers out there charging too much because he's paying $???? for shoot'n'burn, and then having to do all the hard work himself which pushes the overall cost of the photography upto $6000 wholesale (c) that there are shoot'n'burn photographers out there full stop. PS: Am in the UK, and have no idea what $3500 is worth in GBP, whether it buys a car or a cup of coffee! ;-)

Very true - however what good are images if the photographer just copies them to a dvd.  The couple is getting images, NOT the photographer's creative eye or vision.  All they are getting are a bunch of files on a medium that may not be around in a few years.  Remember a 5/14 floppy or a 3.5 disk?  Where are they now?

I think the work of the photographer starts in the camera. Darkroom/editing/ printing are further stages of the creativity. If I was on a budget I would rather invest on a good photographer and leave the album to another day.