Thomas On Rails

Pro-Photographer Wannabe?

Posted by Codejoy Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:21:00 GMT

I found this through my feed today: Is a Pro Photographer Wannabe Cutting Into Your Business?

It speaks of Uncle-Joe Digitals cutting into the profitability of pro wedding photographers. I have studied this area a lot and one of the first things I learned is not to underbid what the rest of the community (other pro photographers) are charging for a wedding. Common mindset for anew photographer might be "well my portfolio isn't as fleshed out as others so I should charge less to just get jobs." This really pisses off other pro photographers cause under bidding takes jobs awy from them and in the end drives the market down cause its what prices people begin to expect. This is true I would say everywhere but where I live. I live in a city of modest size where high paying jobs seem to be very rare, therefore I suspect the majority of the populace here wouldn't have the $5,000 to spend on a wedding photographer (which is what I gather other pro wedding photographers are charging in areas with clients more likely and able to pay such a fee). But I digress, the entire article speaks briefly of underbidding and mostly just makes a point that anyone with a digital camera thinks they are a pro, or near pro. I have a digital camera? Am I pro? Or am I wannabe? Its almost like a foot-in-the-door catch 22, if getting your first paid gig that you turn out great work for makes you a pro, then at some point all pros were wannabes until they got that first gig.