Price of photography service has been going down?
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Definitely... With digital SLR prices coming down, practically any one can be a photographer.
It's very competitive.
And also, cameras these days are pretty much sophisticated that do much of the thinking for you. It's not like those in the 70's and 80's where SLR photography is hardly a hobby if you are not technically inclined. One reason I see more females using SLR's now.
And with affluence, more and more people are owning expensive professional equipment even the pros themselves may not own! Just read the camera discussion forums here.
It's very competitive.
And also, cameras these days are pretty much sophisticated that do much of the thinking for you. It's not like those in the 70's and 80's where SLR photography is hardly a hobby if you are not technically inclined. One reason I see more females using SLR's now.
And with affluence, more and more people are owning expensive professional equipment even the pros themselves may not own! Just read the camera discussion forums here.
you can't charge that much $$$ for a certain kind of the photography at certain kind of the market segments.
especially so many people willing to shoot for free / portfolio / experience / low rate...
it definitely make someone looks like a fool to pay you $$$$ for getting the job done... either the clients, or your competitors.
especially so many people willing to shoot for free / portfolio / experience / low rate...
it definitely make someone looks like a fool to pay you $$$$ for getting the job done... either the clients, or your competitors.
Which area of photography?
If you talk about the professional arena, prices are going up, esp those of us who have to pay soaring rent. Even for the wedding industry, many of the pros are raising their prices, admist many people who are willing to shoot for free. My fees has doubled since last year, album products gone up by 50% and even so, my schedule is packed for the entire year. Also, I know for sure my clients who have booked my services last week would be upset if they find out that my fees were to go down later.
Though our market is much smaller here as compared to US or Australia, there's more than enough market for the professionals. and of course, it really depends on WHICH market you want to be in and the clientele you want to attract.
If you talk about the professional arena, prices are going up, esp those of us who have to pay soaring rent. Even for the wedding industry, many of the pros are raising their prices, admist many people who are willing to shoot for free. My fees has doubled since last year, album products gone up by 50% and even so, my schedule is packed for the entire year. Also, I know for sure my clients who have booked my services last week would be upset if they find out that my fees were to go down later.
Though our market is much smaller here as compared to US or Australia, there's more than enough market for the professionals. and of course, it really depends on WHICH market you want to be in and the clientele you want to attract.
The Common "feedback" I've received thru conversations/chit-chat ways with some of my clients(also some thru friends-not biz) was "of cos whoever cheaper & photo looks ok can already"=Shocked, but already prepared, luckily. You know what, what worst was told(by afew of those asked)=>"Usually we(as refer to those)won't be able to tell what's not good in a photo/s except sharp or not only"=this is more shocking ok(to me). Now basically I know why.
How now, any better ideas(whether to educate them, as in, what's a gd photos)??
TIA.
How now, any better ideas(whether to educate them, as in, what's a gd photos)??
TIA.
in my field of trade which is a close relative of photography, lagi worse.....most clients will tell you, "Got sound, got picture can already!"
One local chicken rice company even got the 'chicks' to offer me $10k to produce a 'high-end' TVC for them, and with that money, they also want a training video & a corporate video with a famous TV host with the likes of typical mediacorp 'food-intro' tv programs!
I left their office grumbling to myself that is a bloody waste of time to even go for the meeting. :nono:
Most local businesses in Singapore don't appreciate creative businesses because they cannot put a value to their Return of Investment.....very near sighted. :nono:
One local chicken rice company even got the 'chicks' to offer me $10k to produce a 'high-end' TVC for them, and with that money, they also want a training video & a corporate video with a famous TV host with the likes of typical mediacorp 'food-intro' tv programs!
I left their office grumbling to myself that is a bloody waste of time to even go for the meeting. :nono:
Most local businesses in Singapore don't appreciate creative businesses because they cannot put a value to their Return of Investment.....very near sighted. :nono:
Definitely... With digital SLR prices coming down, practically any one can be a photographer.
It's very competitive.
And also, cameras these days are pretty much sophisticated that do much of the thinking for you. It's not like those in the 70's and 80's where SLR photography is hardly a hobby if you are not technically inclined. One reason I see more females using SLR's now.
And with affluence, more and more people are owning expensive professional equipment even the pros themselves may not own! Just read the camera discussion forums here.
True anyone can be a photographer but not everyone can shoot well and make money out of it.
Pros do not need to own expensive equipment to call themselves a pro photographer. It's the skills which are pro that sells as mentioned by Uncle Ortega.
Sophisticate equipments means faster time being churn out in each photo but it DOES NOT help you do all the thinking. 99% of the time you are still the one who design and create a shot, not the camera. Technology helps you to SAVE time and making fast bucks! There is no camera in this world can think for you.
Well, I would categorize that under cheapo clients. Plain simple.
I have met before this clowns before and the worst part is they are cheap and bad pay master. If they do respond what you mentioned above, then their taste as a cheap as it gets. The richer a person is, the more stingy they are.
Infact, I couldn't be bothered with the remarks given by them as they are trying to make us look cheap. Simple exploitation of photographers. Never sell yourself cheap.
If a client thinks is so simple to shoot, loan your camera to them and ask them to shoot. Then you shoot your own style with the same product. Compare with theirs and yours. Ask them for a HONEST opinion. I have tried this method before and 10 out of 10, I win hands down.
Plus they are only FEEDBACKS. Anyone can say anything they want.
Price of photography on the LOWER end has been going down. Why? Simple because everyone wants a share of the pie, so they sell themselves cheap.
Once that happen, it's the clients advantage. If no one sells themselve cheap, client would need to settle for the least expensive ones. Normal day rate with at least a minimum of SGD$1500 for 8 hours work. That is the bare minimum.
Minumum photography fees without any photo retouch.
OT is additional $100 per hour after 8 hours is up.
This is just a very basic example.
Actual Day Wedding photography which involves longer timing and album, I would charge at least $3,500 (minimum). Remember you are selling your skills not just some albums full of photos.
In the world of providing professional business services
from fashion to the food industry it is all about
branding positioning in the type of market chosen.
Photographers have to adopt future thinking if they
want to go further and can prosper quicker by adopting
and positioning themselves in a more collaborative
manner searching the world constantly for its
marketing activities.
:heart:
thank goodness i decided to make photography a hobby again.
now i am in the shoes of the client and i do see that photographers don't make as much money as b4
the DI artist makes more money doing less work.
My pridiction, the industry will change and photography will be only a tool to make images.
in the future, there will be image making companies that will sell images or create images that the client want/need.
photographers, DI artists and CGI artists will eventually become 1.
now i am in the shoes of the client and i do see that photographers don't make as much money as b4
the DI artist makes more money doing less work.
My pridiction, the industry will change and photography will be only a tool to make images.
in the future, there will be image making companies that will sell images or create images that the client want/need.
photographers, DI artists and CGI artists will eventually become 1.
In the most demanding reality, photographers sell
themselves cheap in order to get a bit of the pie.
However the argument that it is your skills you are
selling and not the equipment to the clients seems
outdated.
Ask some top stage prosperous artist photographers
you will be amazed at the expense they put into
gearing and preparing themselves for top flight customers
who are willing to pay. An example can be the seen in
our little green island when paving the way for the
launching and the promotion of the Singapore Airlines.
Adopting the style and way of thinking will not fail.
SIA will never hired but only the top flight photographers
if I am not wrong. Another example is our Navy, just
look at their ad campaign and TV commercials.
:thumbsup:
themselves cheap in order to get a bit of the pie.
However the argument that it is your skills you are
selling and not the equipment to the clients seems
outdated.
Ask some top stage prosperous artist photographers
you will be amazed at the expense they put into
gearing and preparing themselves for top flight customers
who are willing to pay. An example can be the seen in
our little green island when paving the way for the
launching and the promotion of the Singapore Airlines.
Adopting the style and way of thinking will not fail.
SIA will never hired but only the top flight photographers
if I am not wrong. Another example is our Navy, just
look at their ad campaign and TV commercials.
:thumbsup:
Think it really depends on the segement of the market and what area of commercial photography. As far as wedding and portraiture go, my feeling is that the rates have actually increased very dramatically among the photogs since the early 2000s. Of course so has rent and salaries, etc. My gut feeling is that while earned income has increased, disposable income has decreased.
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