This is a first......undercharging?

*bigben91682* · 08-15-2008, 06:14 AM

Some friends of mine are getting married, and they approached me to do the photography for their wedding, no problem. They gave me the details and I basically gave them my "break even" fee, which covered my transportation and lodging, since the wedding is about 300 miles from where I am located. I don't want to profit on my friends.

Right off the bat they insisted on me giving them a quote, which I appreciated, they didn't expect me to do it for free.

I gave them all the details of how I do weddings and after about a week, I got this email this morning.....

"We both are very comfortable with you doing our photography at our wedding and feel you will do an amazing job. However the quote is WAY too low. Here is what we have in mind. We want your "top notch" unlimited deluxe package. We feel your cost of $2500 is extremely fair and this is what we are going to pay. We are also going to pay more for your transportation costs because lets be honest, $100 is not going to cover a trip from the Albany area to NL. We will pay $200 for fuel and an extra $300 ($500 total if you are mathematically challenged) for lodging that night. We expect you and Nikki [my wife, who assists me at weddings] to engage in beverage consumption after your duties are finished.

So, recapping our demands, we will pay $3000 total for your services on my day of reckoning.

DEAL?????"

I'm not even sure how to respond! But I must say it's refreshing to find people who appreciate the value of photography.

I'm still going to do it for my original price, because if we weren't shooting it we would be going as guests, and paying the $500 travel out of our pocket, so it works out well for everyone. If they insist on paying me that amount, I'm going to give it back to them as "wedding gift" from my wife and I.....I love my friends!

*Mike Cash* · 08-15-2008, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by bigben91682

I'm not even sure how to respond! But I must say it's refreshing to find people who appreciate the value of photography.

Bride's dad covering everything, is he?

*bigben91682* · 08-15-2008, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by Mike Cash

Bride's dad covering everything, is he?

I hope he likes the pictures...

CycloneBandDad · 08-15-2008, 11:28 AM

Sounds like pretty nice friends!

reeftool · 08-15-2008, 11:46 AM

You have great friends. The last wedding I did for "friends" at "cost" they whined that I had the film developed at a good lab instead of K Mart.

*ukbluetooth* · 08-16-2008, 03:35 AM

My father shot a wedding for friends, in fact it was the last wedding he ever shot.

He used a Rolleiflex TLR (he had two until he left one on a train). It was a big wedding.

Whilst the couple were on honeymoon he spent many days and nights processing films, printing proofs and doing advance order albums. A lot of time and a lot of money.

When they returned from honeymoon they had decided that it just didn’t work. They were not compatible and separated.

My father never got a penny and vowed that he would never do another wedding. At least in the digital age this would not happen in quite the same way.

little laker · 08-16-2008, 03:45 AM

That's great Ben

Originally Posted by reeftool

You have great friends. The last wedding I did for "friends" at "cost" they whined that I had the film developed at a good lab instead of K Mart.

They're the type of people whom can't tell the difference between K-Mart's quality and a good lab.
However if they could they'd blame it all on you calling you a "not so good" photographer

Originally Posted by ukbluetooth

My father shot a wedding for friends, in fact it was the last wedding he ever shot.

He used a Rolleiflex TLR (he had two until he left one on a train). It was a big wedding.

Whilst the couple were on honeymoon he spent many days and nights processing films, printing proofs and doing advance order albums. A lot of time and a lot of money.

When they returned from honeymoon they had decided that it just didn’t work. They were not compatible and separated.

My father never got a penny and vowed that he would never do another wedding. At least in the digital age this would not happen in quite the same way.

Nice friends, whom needs enemies

Personally I won't shoot any friends wedding, and I won't even help with them.
Just because I've seen what happens too many times.

*monochrome* · 08-16-2008, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by bigben91682

DEAL?????"

I'm not even sure how to respond! But I must say it's refreshing to find people who appreciate the value of photography.

Suggested response - "DEAL!!!!!"

Buy them a personal, meaningful present that costs $500 more than you would have spent anyway.

Do NOT give them money - they will be offended.

*bigben91682* · 08-16-2008, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by monochrome

Suggested response - "DEAL!!!!!"

Buy them a personal, meaningful present that costs $500 more than you would have spent anyway.

Do NOT give them money - they will be offended.

I wouldn't want to offend anybody!

*monochrome* · 08-16-2008, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by bigben91682

I wouldn't want to offend anybody!

Forgot the

My grandmother still whispers in my ear when I am tempted to do something she would think "incorrect."