How much do you charge ?


lmao..u should have billed me wahaa
 

No lah, see posts in this discussion by ckuang, tungtong, YEOWMING, VanGogh53, sinned79

;)

I don't buy their idea. Yes, u can shoot free for a friend, but that's not a shield to shoddy work with the pretense that if things fail.."i shoot free hor, dun complain!"

I feel that's being irresponsible and highly unethical.

Do u perform a surgery for a friend because it's free so you can use a parang and chopstick?

it's their wedding day, not your training day.
 

if ur not confident .. then don do it
the first time i shoot a wedding was for my buddy, i charge him (<1k with 300 prints) + he quite chin chai ..

so i go to all those wedding threads
see , memorize and replicate :bsmilie:

but pls be able to handle your camera FIRST
else ask him to hire one
 

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I don't buy their idea. Yes, u can shoot free for a friend, but that's not a shield to shoddy work with the pretense that if things fail.."i shoot free hor, dun complain!"

I feel that's being irresponsible and highly unethical.

Do u perform a surgery for a friend because it's free so you can use a parang and chopstick?

it's their wedding day, not your training day.
Fair fair. But they must have seen the ts photos, and they must have liked them.. and they asked him to photograph for them. Now up to here no issues right?

So the question is: do you tell them: "Hey guys I shoot landscapes etc, but its the first time I do wedding photography? So photos may or may not turn up?"

I think responsibly you do. Whether you like it or not, you are learning on them, they are taking a risk on you; professionally / responsibly (in my books) you are obligated to let the client (the people who are asking you to do something) know.

Do you also ask for money on top of that? Well, the suggestion of some here is that you shouldn't. You shouldn't because they are friends, and because "you are learning from it", i.e. you are taking something from this experience already.

Personally, I also don't charge because I had no money during my wedding for any photos, all the memories I had was from 1 roll that some colleague shot even though I knew he had very little knowledge (let alone photo-experience, or wedding photo-experience); he used my F-601, with the 35-70mm 3.3~4.5 using the good old SB-22. Do they look like wedding photos?? Nah.. but I am very grateful for his taking while eating. Did I pay him for the photos? Well, if you have to ask that one don't bother replying ;)

-- marios
 

Fair fair. But they must have seen the ts photos, and they must have liked them.. and they asked him to photograph for them. Now up to here no issues right?

So the question is: do you tell them: "Hey guys I shoot landscapes etc, but its the first time I do wedding photography? So photos may or may not turn up?"

I think responsibly you do. Whether you like it or not, you are learning on them, they are taking a risk on you; professionally / responsibly (in my books) you are obligated to let the client (the people who are asking you to do something) know.

Do you also ask for money on top of that? Well, the suggestion of some here is that you shouldn't. You shouldn't because they are friends, and because "you are learning from it", i.e. you are taking something from this experience already.

Personally, I also don't charge because I had no money during my wedding for any photos, all the memories I had was from 1 roll that some colleague shot even though I knew he had very little knowledge (let alone photo-experience, or wedding photo-experience); he used my F-601, with the 35-70mm 3.3~4.5 using the good old SB-22. Do they look like wedding photos?? Nah.. but I am very grateful for his taking while eating. Did I pay him for the photos? Well, if you have to ask that one don't bother replying ;)

-- marios

if u r charging, then dun tell anyone "this is my first time" is what im saying earlier. That is unprofessional and may cost u future jobs. If u charge, do it well, act like u know it.

If u do it for free, u can tell them u r virgin but by saying "the photos may turn up good or not i dunno har..i virgin" reflects badly on u and adds unnecessary apprehension especially to the bride, unless of cos the whole wedding clan wouldn't give a damn about the photos in which case we should close this thread immediately and go fishing.

If u do it for free and tell them u r a virgin and they FORCE u to do it anyway, then u can either tell them to FO (to rescue whatever dignity u have) or go ahead and do it and be irresponsible if u know u may screw up as u r a virgin.

As for whether u should charge your friend, well it's personal. U could give him a discount if u r a pro/semipro cos u need to cover costs. A good friend will understand. If he can't pay, tell him dun get married. What, he can have a wedding but he cant pay u lodging and workmanship? Dump him.

At then end of the day, if u know u may not do a good job even if your friend and seen your "good work aka snapshots outside wedding" and thinks u can do it, DON'T DO IT. Ask him to hire someone who knows what they r doing. No debate here.

If u know u may not do a good job and your friend say "never mind la, won't blame u one..." ask him to respect your decision. Wedding is a serious matter. Friendships could be lost becos of some bad exposures...

My wedding was shot by some semi amatures. I apprecite their work cos they took the time to do it for me as a friend and for free. If they were to charge me, I would hire a pro, that's for sure. But im not so into wedding pix. I wouldnt pay a guy 2K to shoot my wedding cos I think it's not worth it. but that's just me..;)
 

good friend will not ask you do free.
 

A good friend will not ask a virgin friend to take his wedding and then puts him in a spot until he has to put up his query in a public forum for all to c
 

if u r charging, then dun tell anyone "this is my first time" is what im saying earlier. That is unprofessional and may cost u future jobs. If u charge, do it well, act like u know it.

If u do it for free, u can tell them u r virgin but by saying "the photos may turn up good or not i dunno har..i virgin" reflects badly on u and adds unnecessary apprehension especially to the bride, unless of cos the whole wedding clan wouldn't give a damn about the photos in which case we should close this thread immediately and go fishing.

If u do it for free and tell them u r a virgin and they FORCE u to do it anyway, then u can either tell them to FO (to rescue whatever dignity u have) or go ahead and do it and be irresponsible if u know u may screw up as u r a virgin.

As for whether u should charge your friend, well it's personal. U could give him a discount if u r a pro/semipro cos u need to cover costs. A good friend will understand. If he can't pay, tell him dun get married. What, he can have a wedding but he cant pay u lodging and workmanship? Dump him.

At then end of the day, if u know u may not do a good job even if your friend and seen your "good work aka snapshots outside wedding" and thinks u can do it, DON'T DO IT. Ask him to hire someone who knows what they r doing. No debate here.

If u know u may not do a good job and your friend say "never mind la, won't blame u one..." ask him to respect your decision. Wedding is a serious matter. Friendships could be lost becos of some bad exposures...

My wedding was shot by some semi amatures. I apprecite their work cos they took the time to do it for me as a friend and for free. If they were to charge me, I would hire a pro, that's for sure. But im not so into wedding pix. I wouldnt pay a guy 2K to shoot my wedding cos I think it's not worth it. but that's just me..;)

1. Not everyone who is getting married can afford a wedding photographer, thus even a photo from the aunty on the wheel chair is as good as gold.
2. If at the time of my need you told me to FO because your artistic skills did not match Ansel Adam's (the average joe wouldn't even know who Ansel Adams is) what good are you?! ;)
3. Who cares about future jobs if one does not set an eye on a career in photography? Their only purpose is to help a friend.

Which of the 3 points above you disagree with :)

And by the way.. the other one turn pro already, not I say one ah... LOL
 

i think alot of people are short changing themselves. reason being. everyone wanna charge by the hour now. so by doing so. It bridges all the levels to be fighting together in the same big pie. Because everyone charges by time. So, simply put. why not start charging by images?

a simple analogy: 10 hours day $1500 all images returned Vs 10 hour day $1200 300 images returned, subsequent images at x amount of dollars.

DO your maths. if each image cost 1 dollar. and you shot 1500 images in the day. that will make you another hmmmmmm (1500-300)x $1 + $1000 = $2200.

isnt that an idea?:think:
 

i think alot of people are short changing themselves. reason being. everyone wanna charge by the hour now. so by doing so. It bridges all the levels to be fighting together in the same big pie. Because everyone charges by time. So, simply put. why not start charging by images?

a simple analogy: 10 hours day $1500 all images returned Vs 10 hour day $1200 300 images returned, subsequent images at x amount of dollars.

DO your maths. if each image cost 1 dollar. and you shot 1500 images in the day. that will make you another hmmmmmm (1500-300)x $1 + $1000 = $2200.

isnt that an idea?:think:

think there was one who charges $500 for whole day and each picture at $3.
 

if u r charging, then dun tell anyone "this is my first time" is what im saying earlier. That is unprofessional and may cost u future jobs. If u charge, do it well, act like u know it.

If u do it for free, u can tell them u r virgin but by saying "the photos may turn up good or not i dunno har..i virgin" reflects badly on u and adds unnecessary apprehension especially to the bride, unless of cos the whole wedding clan wouldn't give a damn about the photos in which case we should close this thread immediately and go fishing.

If u do it for free and tell them u r a virgin and they FORCE u to do it anyway, then u can either tell them to FO (to rescue whatever dignity u have) or go ahead and do it and be irresponsible if u know u may screw up as u r a virgin.

As for whether u should charge your friend, well it's personal. U could give him a discount if u r a pro/semipro cos u need to cover costs. A good friend will understand. If he can't pay, tell him dun get married. What, he can have a wedding but he cant pay u lodging and workmanship? Dump him.

At then end of the day, if u know u may not do a good job even if your friend and seen your "good work aka snapshots outside wedding" and thinks u can do it, DON'T DO IT. Ask him to hire someone who knows what they r doing. No debate here.

If u know u may not do a good job and your friend say "never mind la, won't blame u one..." ask him to respect your decision. Wedding is a serious matter. Friendships could be lost becos of some bad exposures...

My wedding was shot by some semi amatures. I apprecite their work cos they took the time to do it for me as a friend and for free. If they were to charge me, I would hire a pro, that's for sure. But im not so into wedding pix. I wouldnt pay a guy 2K to shoot my wedding cos I think it's not worth it. but that's just me..;)
I agree with you.
when being commission to shoot a wedding, the photographer has full responsibility to deliver the best he can, irregardless he is charging full rate, or discount rate, or $1, or angpow only, or for FREE.
 

i think alot of people are short changing themselves. reason being. everyone wanna charge by the hour now. so by doing so. It bridges all the levels to be fighting together in the same big pie. Because everyone charges by time. So, simply put. why not start charging by images?

a simple analogy: 10 hours day $1500 all images returned Vs 10 hour day $1200 300 images returned, subsequent images at x amount of dollars.

DO your maths. if each image cost 1 dollar. and you shot 1500 images in the day. that will make you another hmmmmmm (1500-300)x $1 + $1000 = $2200.

isnt that an idea?:think:
this should be the way to go, customers will know they will have good quality images with the minimum spending, and also option to get more quality images with reasonable spending, and within their reach.

and this will drive photographers excel himself, work harder, create more high quality images, make more sales.

and the best part is it will drive away customers with Singaporean's buffet mentality, "everything all I want, as long is cheap cheap, if free better still."
 

this should be the way to go, customers will know they will have good quality images with the minimum spending, and also option to get more quality images with reasonable spending, and within their reach.

and this will drive photographers excel himself, work harder, create more high quality images, make more sales.

and the best part is it will drive away customers with Singaporean's buffet mentality, "everything all I want, as long is cheap cheap, if free better still."

The issue of "more, free better etc...." is not resricted to Singapore or is specific only to photography (else I wouldn't have bothered contributing if it was just for photographers since I am not one).

See http://www.amazon.com/Free-Perfect-Now-Connecting-Insatiable/dp/068486312X

Useful stuff: http://www.amazon.com/Them-Your-Sid...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281146463&sr=1-1

Many professions run on the same lines, facing them same issues, customer tendencies, attempting to re-define the products / services and the way the service is delivered, etc etc...

Happy reading :)
 

1. Not everyone who is getting married can afford a wedding photographer, thus even a photo from the aunty on the wheel chair is as good as gold.
2. If at the time of my need you told me to FO because your artistic skills did not match Ansel Adam's (the average joe wouldn't even know who Ansel Adams is) what good are you?! ;)
3. Who cares about future jobs if one does not set an eye on a career in photography? Their only purpose is to help a friend.

Which of the 3 points above you disagree with :)

And by the way.. the other one turn pro already, not I say one ah... LOL

Im not saying u cant do for free. If a friend cant even pay for a wedding photog and has to have a banquet on a roadside but needs to document the event, then by all means help him. But whats the point of telling him "i first time shoot huh, u may or may not get the pictures hor, ok? ok then i shoot.."?
Im sure if he gets it for free and know u r doing him a favour he wont blame u if u screw up. But if he does, then what good is he?! Want free and good? Dun demand so much la friend.

If at the time u needed my help and i tink im not Ralph Gibson, then I will shoot for u but just taking a risk la, since u dunno if u will screw up or not and how you will react when u see underexposed or overflashed faces of your mother in law. U wanna walk that thin line, go ahead! Or u could decline and ask your friend to get someone else to do it. Like i said, if u perform a surgery on him becos he asked u to, WHAT GOOD R U?!


TS said he is a semipro, exact meaning we wont know. SO he may be eyeing a future in that line. Can u be sure he is not? If he is a hobbyist, then perhaps he can go ahead and do it for free but in that case, why ask us here how much he should charge? Obviously he wants the money.

As for the other guy, good for him. Some people value $ more than friendship. It's their choice. ;)
 

I agree with you.
when being commission to shoot a wedding, the photographer has full responsibility to deliver the best he can, irregardless he is charging full rate, or discount rate, or $1, or angpow only, or for FREE.

u rarely agree with me. What's up? ;)
 

TS what is your decision?

I mean how much you charging?
 

discussion is focus on the issue, find your view points here are valid, hence agree.

I agree. Some people takes things here too personal. U r different. Rare, very rare.
 

I think alot of people would like to know what does "semi-pro" that TS have indicated means.... :dunno: