Pro’s & Con’s Big or Small…
Here are pros & cons of hiring a larger retail studio VS
an independent photographer?
Here are four factors which can help measure the scope of your wedding photography investment:
Time with clients…
Larger retail photography studios may employ a staff to streamline the production, an independent wedding photographers will cater to the individual needs of their wedding clients, which may limit their time & only allow them to capture a limited amount of weddings each year. An independent wedding photographer regards their consultation time as valuable moments to engage and learn about the objectives of their clients, straying from providing coverage of their event and instead personalizing the objectives in order to execute to their client’s wants and needs of there wedding.
Personality AKA Bed side manner…
As often shown with larger retail wedding photography studios employing numerous staff photographers, you may never meet your photographer until the day of your wedding. At Peter Bruce photo, we think this is BAD. What happens if you don’t get along with that person. With an independent wedding photographer you will meet them right away, allowing you to measure your level of compatibility immediately and whether you like the person. The photographer and video people are going to be with you for the whole day. As I have said before, just because they are a great shooter does not make them a nice person. And your wedding day is not the day you want to hang out with a A__ hole.
Cost $$$…
Larger retail studios systematically use an opportunity to cut costs by providing a company spokesperson or sales representative whose responsibility it is to meet with every client and provide them a generalized code of conduct, a universal task/shot list and other common objectives that their assigned photographer must pledge to demonstrate. Larger studios may also receive discounts from product manufacturers for producing high volume sales which aids in keeping their prices aggressive, where as independent photographers offer competitive industry standard rates based on their merit while striving to provide the best quality products and services for the amount of time not divisible amongst a staff, whereby shooting fewer events per season and therefore providing a more personalized one on one, prompt performance and service. An independent wedding photographer may offer to discount their services based on a given time period such as an off peak seasons event or a Friday or Sunday weddings. Larger retail studios however rely on a constant price structure which is as low as they’re typically willing to go based on a system driven on volume, whereby not allowing clients to bargain for discounts and/or other special offers. And though larger retail studios may entice you to walk through the doors with the promise of an cheap “package”, this offer usually includes their lowest tier, lackluster, self-assembled album of comprised of considerably less pages/photos than an independent photographer’s comparable product that the studio anticipates you’ll upgrade to meet the level of popular consumer spending averages which compels their bottom line: a compounded and generalized service with additional products offered based on an average of volume sales. Be careful things may sound good, but not work that way.
Talent…
A Photographer hired by larger retail studios earns a small amount of the larger studio’s profit forcing these photographers to often also hold a full or part time job which may not prove as beneficial to the client as an independent photographer working on their craft constantly. These retail studio freelance photographers are usually new to the wedding industry and utilize the opportunity to work for larger retail studios as they practice their shooting while perhaps continuing their education. Most successful, independent wedding photographers have sought their apprenticeships previously & finished their primary education prior to gambling with not only their reputations but their client’s memories as well. While an independent photographer’s livelihood and continued success relies alot on loyal customer referrals, larger retail studios more often than not focus on their bottom line – quantity often over quality. We Believe that the most important factor is QUALITY.
