Photo by Dana Cubbage Weddings

So with that in mind, here’s a list of some factors photographers take into consideration when building out their pricing:

Educational Background | Is the photographer academically trained in photography? Are they continuing their development on a regular basis by participating in workshops and conferences?

Years of Experience | How long have they been shooting weddings?

Location | Photographers in large cities and destination locations may charge more for their services.

Awards and Accolades | Has their work earned any honors or distinctions over the years? (This can often show you what kind of weddings they’re exceptional at shooting.)

Published Features | Do they have work featured in prominent and industry-leading wedding publications like Style Me Pretty? While it might not be especially important to you, it does bolster those aforementioned professional accolades.

Hours of Coverage | How long will they be available on your wedding day? Do you need them from morning until midnight, or would six hours suffice?

Second Shooters | A second shooter is, of course, an additional expense, but having one will allow for more moments to be captured during larger weddings. Unless your wedding is small and intimate, a second shooter is pretty much a must. You can trust your photographer’s recommendation on this.

Travel Expenses | Will the photographer need to travel a long distance to attend your wedding? What sort of traveling expenses might they incur? You’ll be responsible for covering these additional costs.

Hours of Editing | So much time and energy is put into editing the photos from your day! As a rule of thumb, the more hours of coverage you have, the more time the gallery will take to edit.

Gear | The tools a photographer uses are costly and, as such, can factor into pricing. This includes state of the art cameras, lenses, lights, reflectors, styling mats, film (if a film photographer), etc. Top notch photographers replace their gear regularly!

Album Costs | Most good photography packages include luxe photo albums, and the cost to have one made will be included in your pricing should you choose to order one. We’re big fans of albums and will always recommend that you do one. Yes, it can add up, but you won’t want to skimp on this—it’s one of the best keepsakes you’ll have in life.

Insurance | Many high-end photographers have business insurance to cover any liability concerns that could arise (for example: if they accidentally break a glass at the venue, or if a guest trips over their camera bag or injures him/herself on a piece of photo equipment).

Because of all these factors, photographers are available for work at several pricing tiers. Keep in mind that those priced lower generally have less experience, less education, and less (or lower quality) equipment. So, if you’re looking at $ versus $$$ vendors, put in some extra time to really research them and their abilities. If you decide to inquire with them, ask about their process and background to make sure you trust them with your day.

“Every photographer is priced differently and offers a different experience to their couples. We are not all the same! Photographers differ by personality, editing style, what medium they use to create their images, the deliverables they offer, the number of shooters they offer, the experience of those second shooters, the number of images they deliver to clients, the amount of hours they spend with you on the wedding day, years of experience, the number of weddings they've shot, and many other variables. You're not just comparing apples to apples when it comes to photographers.”

- Dana Cubbage, Dana Cubbage Weddings