What do
you actually pay for when you engage a photographer for a particular service - wedding, event, commercial etcetera?
The Business of Cost
One cannot run away from costing - in any kind of business. If one understand the basic concept of business, cost is one of the most important factor in making sure the business is a success or otherwise. Managing the cost effectively will make sure that a business can grow and target can be achieved.
Cost that can run in photography can be summarized as follows:
a. Equipment Cost and Depreciation
True. Part of photography is all about equipment (apart from a good eye). The more high-end a particular equipment is, the more high-quality the result should be. And of course, any particular electronic gadgetry depreciates in its value and its quality over time. Service activities to the equipment is included in the cost in making sure that we can if not reduce, slow down the depreciation.
b. The Photographer
The business of a photographer apart from being a photographer is to provide professional services to the clients. The experience counts - the experience in handling the equipment, the experience of producing great photographs, the communication experience and the troubleshooting experience. The more experience the photographer has, the higher the rate will be.
c. Material Costs
Depending on what kind of Final Product does the photographer is offering, material cost too plays an important factor in costing. Quality comes hand in hand with the material. The higher the quality is, the higher the cost of the materials will be. Some materials that may be included in costing - album, laminating film, printing paper and any other materials.
d. Time
The photography business can be categorized as a consultancy business. In any consultancy business, the time slot for a particular client is exclusively for that particular client. No other client may take up that slot and/or the consultant may not engage on any other client in that slot. In short, when a client engage a photographer, he/she is actually paying for the “time exclusivity” with the photographer.
e. Post Processing Costs
The work does not stop after the end of the photography session. Selection of the photos must be done, enhancement, album design, printing, laminating etcetera. And these activities involve cost.
d. Miscellaneous Costs
Cost that falls into this category - marketing fee, outstation fee, petrol, toll, accommodation (if any) and any other cost that may incur during the job.
References
1. Hasnuddin Abu Samah - translated & tweaked from his article.
2. Saiful Nang