I am in the process of trying to come up with prices for weddings. I've read several posts where members talk about creating a value for yourself or an hourly wage for your services at the wedding and post processing. Can you all give me some insight on how you came up with your value or hourly wage.

Right now my aim is to provide exceptional services to lower/mid range of wedding budgets in Southeast Colorado. The current trend in the two towns I am working in, is every photographer offers the same style of pictures the basic traditional I come to your wedding and shoot the "traditional" pictures or the 80's studio bridal portraits. So my goal is to offer a new contemporary style that isn't currently available. (not that traditional is always bad)

I am still just getting started and am not really charging for my services yet so please as I work towards my goals can you help me understand how to create a value for my time?

Gena, I might not be too great of a help on the pricing side: read Anne's photolovecat blog, and you will get an idea. But you first need to know how much you are worth in your own eyes. How much is your time worth to you? How much do you want to and need to make? etc.

If you are in a small town and there are not too many options for brides to start with, wow public with a new, fresh style and products. I can relate to this. I am moving from a big town in OH to a small town in WA shortly. I shot two weddings there last year and used that as an oppotunity to start getting my name out. I made a couple of coffee table books for my family, free of charge, and send it to them to enjoy. They became my embassadors: the books get shown to anyone who comes for a visit. I hear a lot of remarks that coffee table books were not heard of before and people are completely taken by them. I am planning to use not only my style, that sets me apart from local photographers (which I also found to be very traditional and boring), but also the products I will be offering. If you are the only photographer in town offering unique products and your style sets you apart, your value goes up immediately. People will be willing to pay more for your services.

I hope this helps at least a little. The most important thing, though, is to know how much you are worth and being confident about it. If you respect yourself and your talent, others will do also.

Good luck,
Elena

Don't forget too that you have to cover your costs. Remember that its more than your time that goes into your pricing. You also have to consider hosting fees, insurance, advertising, license fees, accounting fees, etc.

This website will give you a good idea of what you will need to make to cover everything.

Thank you Elena and Melissa! I appreciate any and all imput.

Melissa the link you listed isn't working for me, not sure it is opperator error or not!

When I started (a year ago) I looked at other people's work and decided where I was comparatively, then thought about what I wanted to make $ wise (per event). A year into the business, I've got a more realistic picture of what I end up spending, what time it takes me to meet, shoot, and process an event, what I actually make from prints etc. etc.

If you don't have anyone to compare to in your town, maybe you can look at photogs in different (but similar towns) for ideas.

I priced myself higher than the budget photographers and less than the high end ones. Now, I am about to change my prices. I still wouldn't call myself high end - I've got so much to learn - but I can see myself being there in about 3 years.