Latest news on pricing, heard from the grapewine ...

[Deadpoet]

Was having beer with a photographer this past weekend. He was lamenting the fact that he lost a big job to a student who masquerades as a freelance event photographer.

Well, after a bit of proding, I found out that the student/photographer is charging S$100 for 3 days of shooting, and will be providing the organiser a minimum of 1,000 pictures on CD.

OMG, this must be the lowest price seen to day, at a max of 1-cent per picture, and this includes the cost of the blank CD's, transportation, and let's not forget the cost to charge the batteries!

Wonder how low can it get.

 

[espn]

I can find you several websites of wedding photographers from $250 and up to $450 a day, prints, CD, everything included.

And CS here you can find tons of free photographers (I'm guilty on this one).

 

[Deadpoet]

I can find you several websites of wedding photographers from $250 and up to $450 a day, prints, CD, everything included.

And CS here you can find tons of free photographers (I'm guilty on this one).

Free is one thing, but charging $100 for 3 days of shooting? It's not a morning, a day, but 3 days.

 

[espn]

Free is one thing, but charging $100 for 3 days of shooting? It's not a morning, a day, but 3 days.

Hehe... nothing surprises me in SG. undercutting is everything

 

[adamadam]

Maybe he enjoys it a lot, and doing it for free wouldn't be good?

 

[espn]

That's another reason The $100 is probably just an ang pow.

 

[itisnottheendorg]

i came across students who asked to do professional projects, in return they ask for the merit or distinction grade with letter of compliments if the job is well done, which they assured. dont laugh mind you, saw their portfolios, its indeed good enough. i suspect part reason they 'par-kat' (work with) design house students who would manage/organise/touch up these portfolios, and these design students in turn get to submit these as their portfolios, and get distinctions as well. thats what i call good studentship..

hey lets work towards a 'free' market!

new idea: lets work towards a counter-bid market..meaning the photographer bid to PAY the project manager in order to get the job!

 

[espn]

That's pretty fine because the scales of returns are evenly distributed to both sides

 

[Long Thai Bean]

i came across students who asked to do professional projects, in return they ask for the merit or distinction grade with letter of compliments if the job is well done, which they assured. dont laugh mind you, saw their portfolios, its indeed good enough. i suspect part reason they 'par-kat' (work with) design house students who would manage/organise/touch up these portfolios, and these design students in turn get to submit these as their portfolios, and get distinctions as well. thats what i call good studentship..

hey lets work towards a 'free' market!

new idea: lets work towards a counter-bid market..meaning the photographer bid to PAY the project manager in order to get the job!

In this case, its a win-in situation for both the photog (student) and the designer (student) ... Quick thinking and a simbiotic relationship on their part .... Hat off to them because they have managed to "out-wit" the pros by making use of each other's talents.

Its a loosing battle going head-on with these students. But of course, once they come to the working world, it would not work out any more .... Best they can do is TFP or TFCD for starters ... and that too will not last long. Once they have their portfolio, they will need to charge to cover the basic needs of life.

And then they will be out-bid by another group of "current" students ....


RGDs

 

[itisnottheendorg]

i see that way too but i think the matter is if a good number of them start doing this in a rolling wave manner, one wave after another, then what the pros fear is that prolong shrinking of their market, or a permanent deterioration of margins.

 

[Zplus]

Haven't you noticed? Going digital has that effect on every market. Things get cheaper. One way or another. Love it and hate it at the same time.

;p

 

[espn]

I see lotsa wedding shooters nowsadays the market is increasing. Friends are doing for free too

 

[airforce1]

Not surprising I attend a wedding dinner 1 Official photo and there were 10 friend's photo shooting every pose the official take. It's a big headache.

 

[arttl]

Undercutting won't kill people with talent and skills. It'll only kill those who undercut.

Jon

 

[dragos]

$100 for 3 days??

how to charge like that??

 

[waileong]

Obviously you worry about this only if you haven't made it.

You think John Clang charges $100 a day?

Even if it's $1,000 a day, I suspect he'll have more than enough work to last two years.

Wai Leong
===

Was having beer with a photographer this past weekend. He was lamenting the fact that he lost a big job to a student who masquerades as a freelance event photographer.

Well, after a bit of proding, I found out that the student/photographer is charging S$100 for 3 days of shooting, and will be providing the organiser a minimum of 1,000 pictures on CD.

OMG, this must be the lowest price seen to day, at a max of 1-cent per picture, and this includes the cost of the blank CD's, transportation, and let's not forget the cost to charge the batteries!

Wonder how low can it get.

 

[Canonised]

Free is one thing, but charging $100 for 3 days of shooting? It's not a morning, a day, but 3 days.

Even the world's oldest profession is having the same problem ..... some charge $10,000 a night, most $300 a nite and some are giving free shots over a couple of beer ......
this photography business is more and more like that .......

 

[itisnottheendorg]

wha lao...you making me feel depressed.


paying a few $k over for something that even $40 can do the job...just maybe a bit more er..responsive and.. well-built..

 

[jsbn]

Was having beer with a photographer this past weekend. He was lamenting the fact that he lost a big job to a student who masquerades as a freelance event photographer.

Well, after a bit of proding, I found out that the student/photographer is charging S$100 for 3 days of shooting, and will be providing the organiser a minimum of 1,000 pictures on CD.

OMG, this must be the lowest price seen to day, at a max of 1-cent per picture, and this includes the cost of the blank CD's, transportation, and let's not forget the cost to charge the batteries!

Wonder how low can it get.

In such a stiff and small market, undercutting is everything my friend.

And of cos, with affluent ppl getting DSLRs with no 2nd thoughts, shooting Professional mode all the way and behaving like a Professional, the real McCoys are being booted aside in favour of the posses. The guys who are really learning and keen on offering their services are being bummed aside in favour of cost.

 

[reno77]

Only studio photographers can survive in the coming years?