After reading a recent post on wedding aces, and being asked the same questions by couples on a regular basis, I would like to add some insight on what factors can and will effect price for your vendors, specifically for photographer and video.
I am sure things like such as purchasing or leasing a studio space will vary from region to region however, that is the first item which plays a role in determining price for a studio.
It’s pretty simple. If your studio is located in Mid-Town Manhattan you lease or purchase cost would be at least 3-6 times higher, as compared to a studio of the same size located in New Jersey.
Our Studio, has couples who travel from well over an hour, because they know that an hour drive is worth saving several hundred or even thousand dollars on their wedding photography and video, without sacrificing quality and artistry.
There are many other factors, which can influence cost, and they include but are not limited to, the was teh album is prodiced, the leather used, if an assistant is used or not and more. I will jsut focus on some of the more common items which are universal.
Other areas which help control cost is post production. Is your studio incurring the cost of having to have each album designed by a graphic artists or their lab, or do they have a graphic artists on staff?
A custom layout will also cost more than having your album design by a lab, many times using the same templates you see in other albums, while a custom layout will use images from your wedding to create a one-of-a-kind album.
Studio, which utilizes new technology, can also reduce their cost, especially when comes to creating Black and White images, spot color images, sepia images or even magazine style layouts.
When photography, was all film a spot color image, would be created through a labor intensive process, of painting in the red color of the flowers while in the dark room than taking a screen of that images. Now the process is much more efficient, when done in Photoshop by a seasoned graphic designer.
Asking the right questions will help you understand if you’re paying for someone’s overhead or if you’re paying for someone’s talent, experience and a high quality product and services.
Now stay tuned to Part II of How Much? (Video)