How much can a photog or videographer earn ?

[JRC]

Hi,

Just curious...anyone can enlighten me how much can a photographer and videographer earn ? Not as freelance basis but as a paid employee with monthly salary and maybe commisions & bonus. Experience counts so let's just take an average guy with 5 yrs experience...

[sundazz]

Originally Posted by JRC Hi, Just curious...anyone can enlighten me how much can a photographer and videographer earn ? Not as freelance basis but as a paid employee with monthly salary and maybe commisions & bonus. Experience counts so let's just take an average guy with 5 yrs experience...

i think if in local production house will be abt 1.6K to 2K +/- ??..
if in the broadcast station probably higher abt 2k to 3k+?? depending on your role and duty whether u are also cum editor, + cum producer + cum graphics artist.. etc???
and if in the ministry I think besides experiences will oso depend on your relevant acedemy qualifications.

But i ever heard of top notch editor which his pay cheque was 10K+ per month.. probably in those hi end commercial production house or TV channel..

hmm.. u planning to go into full time employment in the industry??

[JRC]

Originally Posted by sundazz hmm.. u planning to go into full time employment in the industry??

No lah...just curious as I mentioned. Becos an above average wedding photog can charge say 1k a day just for his services & equipment. Then he do just 3-4 weddings a month can earn 3k. So if full-time employed photog earn 2-3k, why dun they just do it on their own and earn more ? Why be employed ?

[catchlights]

Originally Posted by JRC No lah...just curious as I mentioned. Becos an above average wedding photog can charge say 1k a day just for his services & equipment. Then he do just 3-4 weddings a month can earn 3k. So if full-time employed photog earn 2-3k, why dun they just do it on their own and earn more ? Why be employed ?

do you think doing 3 or 4 weddings a month is only working in 3 or 4 days?

do you know a professional need to put in how much efforts to run the business? how much overheads he has to take care? no business mean no income.

some people wouldn't want to take the risk, source for business, meet customers, etc... rather to be employed.

[germ_boi]

Originally Posted by catchlights do you think doing 3 or 4 weddings a month is only working in 3 or 4 days? do you know a professional need to put in how much efforts to run the business? how much overheads he has to take care? no business mean no income. some people wouldn't want to take the risk, source for business, meet customers, etc... rather to be employed.

Yes. I agree, so hereforth determines who becomes the businessowners or the businessworkers.

[sundazz]

Originally Posted by JRC No lah...just curious as I mentioned. Becos an above average wedding photog can charge say 1k a day just for his services & equipment. Then he do just 3-4 weddings a month can earn 3k. So if full-time employed photog earn 2-3k, why dun they just do it on their own and earn more ? Why be employed ?

some other consideration hv to take into account:
- medical benefit
- cpf
- bonus
- no job no $$.. got job then got $$
- overhead cost
- equip cost
- your boss is your pay master
- and any others considerations.

but of cos if being a full timer u may:
- choose ur job (if u are too good in goood demand)
- may earn more then being an employee
- More busy = more $$$ (usually)
- the sky is your limit (if u are good in biz sense and skills)
- u are your own boss.. u pay master is your client

and many others pros and cons tat some other people can point out?

well, some people enjoy steady income, and some people just like challenges and are entrepenuers.

so... well.. ideally is to be both!!! RITE!?

[ckuang]

Originally Posted by JRC No lah...just curious as I mentioned. Becos an above average wedding photog can charge say 1k a day just for his services & equipment. Then he do just 3-4 weddings a month can earn 3k. So if full-time employed photog earn 2-3k, why dun they just do it on their own and earn more ? Why be employed ?

Because if the accounts are done properly, doing 4 weddings at month at 1k each, after paying off your overheads, most photographers probably take home about 1k a month. and that's assuming the amount of work is constant and no disaster happens during the month, and nothing breaks down, or gets lost etc, etc. Personally, if i had the opportunity to just work for someone else, i would rather have a regular paycheck.

[JRC]

Originally Posted by ckuang Because if the accounts are done properly, doing 4 weddings at month at 1k each, after paying off your overheads, most photographers probably take home about 1k a month. and that's assuming the amount of work is constant and no disaster happens during the month, and nothing breaks down, or gets lost etc, etc. Personally, if i had the opportunity to just work for someone else, i would rather have a regular paycheck.

I guess the regular pay check is important for many who are not too ambitious.

But 3k overheads for a one man operation (work from home) with just 4 weddings a month seems very high, especially when no printing is needed (I'm assuming 1k price is for services and equipment only).

[ckuang]

Originally Posted by JRC I guess the regular pay check is important for many who are not too ambitious. But 3k overheads for a one man operation (work from home) with just 4 weddings a month seems very high, especially when no printing is needed (I'm assuming 1k price is for services and equipment only).

Spend an hour with an acocuntant and an hour with a financial planner. it will be very clear after that.

[sundazz]

there are people doing freelance can earn enough to support family and for some eventually even build to a small biz. but of cos not all.. i means some..

N as an employee.. everyday wait for month end $$$. luckier one will sure they are paid monthly.. not so lucky one the boss may delay their pay or even run away with their pay..

All depends on indivdual..

so u choose.. no really rite or wrong..

[engr]

Running business needs to deal with high risks.. but high risk = high return if nothing goes wrong.. I should think a good wedding video chap can fetch 5k a month assuming each wedding is 1.2k min and working from home. Overheads quite low this way but OMO style.. imagine u r sick on a wedding shoot but no one to cover?? How? Den again no cpf n bonus, no sick leave, how?? But if u have the guts to cheong u may be able to make it big.. ppl with high qualifications will be more frightend to try as they know their market rate so y take the risk?? PAssion doesnt feed the family all the time

[Hobbes00]

I'll say, go read up, be damn good in your video work.
Have a great interpersonal skill with your client and partners in this industry.
Shoot afew weddings for below 1k - use them and make a good marketing kit.

And then from there onwards, you aim high and stay high - get rich clients and keep your rate high. Be confident and dream damn big.

Do this for afew month and you'll realise you'll b in demand - people will offer you jobs and biz.

From there on, you can decide if you wanna continue working independently or not..

But the key here is, always improving and aimming high.

[Takumi]

I guess so.
Personally I don't think videographers can earn as much as they did.
Reason is that the barriers to entry are being removed.

Most computers are reasonably powerful these days and can handle video editing. Windows Movie Maker is now installed on almost all windows computers. In addition video editing software are available at a reasonable price. Camcorder prices also are dropping like crazy.

It now is a case of 'have equipment, don't have knowledge' rather than in the past 'no equipment, no knowledge'

In order to compete, video people must offer more things like motion graphics and special effects... but even then, the power to do video is in their hands.

I think every company would have a regular employee, but he/she would have knowledge of video editing and is able to produce in-house videos...that's how I see the industry evolving.

The age of videographer is ending - the age of the videography trainer is beginning...

[Hobbes00]

Well, go major in something..

1) Digital Film (Be a Directory Of Photography)
2) Weddings (Do it and keep on improving, u'll be top of the line)
3) TV Stations (Shoot for mediacorp)
4) TV Commecials/Corporate Showreels

Focus on one and be damn good at it.

[JRC]

Originally Posted by Takumi I guess so. Personally I don't think videographers can earn as much as they did. Reason is that the barriers to entry are being removed. Most computers are reasonably powerful these days and can handle video editing. Windows Movie Maker is now installed on almost all windows computers. In addition video editing software are available at a reasonable price. Camcorder prices also are dropping like crazy. It now is a case of 'have equipment, don't have knowledge' rather than in the past 'no equipment, no knowledge' In order to compete, video people must offer more things like motion graphics and special effects... but even then, the power to do video is in their hands. I think every company would have a regular employee, but he/she would have knowledge of video editing and is able to produce in-house videos...that's how I see the industry evolving. The age of videographer is ending - the age of the videography trainer is beginning...

Agreed. More service providers since barrier to entry is lower.
But I'm thinking the demand for video may be exploding ? Due to internet bandwidth increasing and increasing video sharing platforms possibilities.
Companies will need more qty of videos but budget of each video is reduced.
Is this a real trend happening ?

[Takumi]

Originally Posted by JRC Agreed. More service providers since barrier to entry is lower. But I'm thinking the demand for video may be exploding ? Due to internet bandwidth increasing and increasing video sharing platforms possibilities. Companies will need more qty of videos but budget of each video is reduced. Is this a real trend happening ?

I should think that companies would need more qty of videos - it's a bit like hiring a professional photographer vs getting your friend to take photos with a point-and-shoot. Everyone can take pictures, not everyone can take pictures well. Same as video.

Not sure of how often SMEs would be willing to fork out 5-10 k for a corporate vid.

So perhaps videographers should start making a niche for themselves...

But in this era of $1k cameras and an editing station on every computer, I am not sure if the numbers of professionals can still stay the same or increase...

Already, these threads are filled with people undercutting one another...

I did a wedding before for $250 per day when I was a noob. Later on, I calculated how long I took to finish the job. I only earned $12.50 per hour

To top it off, I'll rather be an office worker who has the chance to play with video cameras in the areas of work rather than be a full time videographer who has chance to stay in office occassionally.

On the bright side, perhaps video equipment rentals, video consultants and trainers would go up, up up!

[JRC]

Using wedding as an example, let's say the current rate is about $1200 per wedding with editing but w/o express.

Anybody knows the rate 10 years ago ? Average...

[sundazz]

Originally Posted by JRC Using wedding as an example, let's say the current rate is about $1200 per wedding with editing but w/o express. Anybody knows the rate 10 years ago ? Average...

10 years ago I freelancing abt $750 for a wedding package shoot in S-VHS camera (M9000 range of camera). deliver in VHS tape.. edit with a linear editing suit..

[Hobbes00]

u guys saw how I got bashed on the other thread?

[Takumi]

Yes. Asking for freebies on a forum is a tad far out, if you ask me.

It'll get you bashed.

Remember: $$ is closest thing to man's heart.

Work = Time = $$

Videographers have a low rate of $$ / per unit time due to increased supply.