CODB
(Cost Of Doing Business)
(AKA: Why Wedding Photographers Cost So Much)
Short Version:
1. There is NO substitute
for experience.
2. NO ONE ever gets married on a Tuesday.
3. Professional Equipment has Professional Price Tags.
4. Education ain't cheap, either.
5. Insurance
6. Taxes
Longer Explanations:
1. There is NO substitute
for experience.
We all expect our wedding to be a "once in a lifetime"
event. It's a "one-shot" deal. There is only one kiss, one cake and
one first dance. An experienced wedding photographer knows the drill and anticipates
the sequence. He's ready when he needs to be and is prepared. He has been around
people of all kinds and knows what works and what is inappropriate. He understands
and respects and flows with the events and yet steps up when it's time and makes
the shot happen. There are some things you can't learn from a book.
2. NO ONE ever gets married
on a Tuesday.
Almost explains itself, but... There are generally 52 Saturdays in a year. Some
of those are holidays. In our area, some of those are winter. Any photographer
can reasonably expect there to be only about 30 weekends that are "real"
wedding days for most people. Everyone getting married will be do so on one
of those 30 Saturdays. Yes... I know there are Sundays and Friday nights, but
really.... Saturday is the day. Few photographers can expect to book all 30
Saturdays. Competition from other photographers and relatives with "great"
cameras plus price and number of people all wanting June 7th will limit the
number of possible weddings shot.
3. Professional Equipment
has Professional Price Tags.
It is possible to take decent pictures with a $200 lens. But
there is a very real reason why the pros use that $2,000 lens. Cameras, computers,
lens, batteries, printing, and an endless list of "nickles and dimes"
type items allow us to make beautiful images with exceptional quality, but it
cost.
Not only is the gear costly, but having a place to work takes a lot of money.
Having a "real studio" is an amazing difference from working out of
a living room no matter how cool that living room might be. Professional people
will have a professional place and stuff. And we have back up stuff!
4. Education ain't cheap,
either.
Kind of goes with #1, but without some form of education, there is certainly
something missing. There are some things you can't learn from a book and some
things you SHOULDN'T learn without one. Books hold others experience. A good
photographer will not use your wedding to learn things the hard way.
5. Insurance
Holy Cow!!! Can't open your doors as a business without 6 forms of it. Liability,
Building, Vehicle, Malpractice, Health, Life and whatever else we're paying
for.
6. Taxes
Do I REALLY need to say another word?
There are other expenses along the way like gas, food and all sorts of "little things." I didn't even mention advertising... which is sometimes the only way people know you exist... Those yellow page ads are thousands and the newspaper or radio is hundreds/week.
We know professional wedding photography is expensive. We get that. Therefore, we don't take the responsibility lightly. When you hire a professional, you can expect professional results. When you hire cheap... well... we wish you the best.
574/267-6771
Joe Kois
477
S. Circle Dr. W.
Warsaw, IN 46580
The office is located right across US 30 from Hacienda in the grayish building with blue doors. My door is NOT on the parking lot side. It actually faces US 30 and you have to walk around the end of the building. The old black sign that hung in my yard is over my door.