i’m a beginning student photographer and i’ve been asked to photograph a wedding. this is the first “real” job i’ve gotten, so i really don’t know how much to charge. they say they’re on a “low budget”.
how much should i charge for wedding photography services?
June 3rd, 2010 by Kati
If you’re a beginner, you’re still an amateur. So I wouldn’t charge anything outrageously expensive. Think of how much the film is going to cost and make it more than that. This means you still get a profit, and they can have beautiful wedding photos for a good price.
Tell them to hire a professional. Weddings are no place for amateurs be they students or the average Joe just getting into photography.
So, you’re about to shoot an unrepeatable event with an enormous amount of emotional baggage attached to it by the participants, with no previous experience and no chance of a re-shoot if things go wrong.
I admire your confidence, however misguided, but this is not a good idea. Put your trust in KK’s advice. If you must go ahead, invest in some good Professional Indemnity Insurance.
There is only one way to learn and thats to do it. Here is what i would do. If you have any doubt about your abilities, tell them to hire a different photographer and ask if you can still tag along and take pictures for free. So that way you still get the experience and they get what they want. If you are completely satisfied in your work, then I would call around to other photographers in the area and pretend your looking for one for your own wedding. Get their prices and then calculate your own. Every area is different in charging. So you need to get a feel for your area. But really, there is only one way to get better, as long as they know what to expect I see no problem in you doing their wedding.
I’m a wedding photographer in Shropshire. I’ve photographed many many weddings over the years. For a direct answer to your question, as a complete beginner I would probably charge about ?100/$150
I would suggest that you go to a solicitor/lawyer and get them to write you a contract. You will need them to put in a clause that states that the client knows you are a beginner and if the photographs are not up to the client standard then it’s a case of ‘buyer beware’ (can’t remember the Latin version)
You Must reiterate to your client that you haven’t done this before and as it’s a very high pressure event, you can’t guarantee anything.
If you are feeling nervous about this then good, you should feel nervous. This is a once in a lifetime event and you need to have had experience really.
If you are dedicate to the idea of photographing weddings, then I suggest you refer these clients to a more experienced photographer and then scout around for intern or assistant jobs with a wedding photographer near you.
For the best results, apply to photographers outside your immediate area. No one likes to train the competition.
If you go ahead with this, good luck to you!