How Are Wedding Photographer Prices Determined?

It is said that the only time that the bride and groom truly enjoy their wedding is after the nuptials are over and they finally find time to go through the photographs and relive and recount every moment.

While this implies the importance of clicking pictures during a wedding, it also brings forth the issue of wedding photographer prices that need to be considered to facilitate the generation of memories. For the moment to be captured in all its glory, having a good photographer behind the lens in a must and this could translate into more expenditure than what you might have expected.

How to Identify Economical Options

Comparison Shopping – Given that wedding photography as a niche is regarded as being one of the most expensive, you must start early in your quest if feeling intimidated by the cost factor is to be avoided. Indeed it is possible to find reasonably good but cheap wedding photographer if you shop around and make inquiries through appropriate sources. Shopping in advance will not just reduce the cost considerably but also enable you to build a rapport with the photographer and work out details like package deals and hidden charges, if any.

Experience – Exploring options in terms of wedding photographer prices will lead you to discover that the amount charged by photographers depends upon the category to which they belong. As per their experience and expertise, photographers are broadly classified as interns, meaning amateurs or novices, or specialized wherein the degree of professionalism and expertise is high. Because interns are relatively new in the field, their charges are lower as compared to professionals but the quality of output may vary from one photographer to another.

Area of Specialization – Wedding photographer prices are highest when you opt for a photographer who is specialized in covering nuptials and undoubtedly the results are often exceptionally good too. That said such photographers often run a busy schedule and hence need to be booked way in advance of the event. On the other hand, if you explore websites like Craigslist which feature on-call photographers, chances are that you will succeed in finding a really cheap wedding photographer who might be eagerly waiting for an opportunity to build his portfolio.

Striking A Good Deal

Having understood the manner of pricing, it is time to focus on the details of the deal in terms of everything that can be included in the package since this has an impact on the overall cost. Some of the must-haves would be digital back-ups and an online album not to mention printing rights to anything that you choose. You could try a bit of bargaining and include enlargements bearing in mind that some of the best captured moments could prove to be ideal as adornments on your walls.

Some add-ons that can also be discussed are pre and post wedding sessions, having an ancillary photographer around to focus on guests and frills like art books, acrylics, blocks and canvases. Constructing a DVD slide-show set against a musical background is also a good idea for personal use as also for guests since it facilitates skimming through the photographs any time in future at your own pace.

Final Word

From the photographer’s perspective, pricing is based on three factors namely time, number of photographs and types of albums. Amongst these, time spent at a wedding takes priority over everything else and wedding photographer prices could be charged either on hourly basis or as a part of the package deal.

Ultimately, the objective of being able to cherish your wedding at some point of time in future should be met and hence needs to be balanced with price concerns. So while you can opt for a cheap wedding photographer, checking the quality of his work prior to selection is a must to avoid regrets later. Because wedding photographer prices are spread over a wide spectrum, the onus is on you to narrow down options as per your circumstances and acquire the best service available.