An answer deemed 'outstanding' that is full of crok
Jan 27, 2012 10:45:27 #
A potential bride ('PB') posts a dubious comment on Craigslist...
A photographer answers with something that is as ridiculous as the 'PB' comment:
http://www.petapixel.com/2012/01/26/why-wedding-photographers-prices-are-wack/
If you own your own business you will quickly spot all the half truths, lies and misinformation offered by the 'celebrated answer'. It is making the round in trade magazines.
Home: IRS allows only a % of a dwelling rent to be deducted if partially used by a business, same goes for any other expenses that are related to it (such has internet)
Car: A car lease cannot be entirely charged as cost and deduction either
IT and photo equipment is prorated and can be taking out of the cost over x number of years, depending of purchase cost or lease. Repair, maintenance are fully deductible; exception: software.
WEB cost is grossly exaggerated. The cost of high speed is about $50.00 per month, the cost of ISP for storage is now in abysmally low (how do you think this web site (UHH) can afford storing all those pictures here?).
Real cost of a wedding for the photographer takes a fraction of all the above all of the above especially when the 'studio' does other things.
What the idiot responder did not (for good reason?) approach is the difference quality between and mediocrity. Regardless of economic climate you pay for what you get, end of story.
The only things you can itemize as direct cost of a wedding are:
Digital photographer
Time passed to PP SOME of the pictures
Cost of media (disk or like media to deliver)
Cross over cost (digital/traditional)
Cost of traveling, per mile (from-to business)
Assistant pay, 'flat fee' (if any)
Cleaner cost (for 'uniform')
Time passed to shoot the wedding
Cost of printing (if any)
Time to create album(s) or folders (if any)
Cost of said albums and folders (if any)
For the film photographer (traditional)
Cost of film
Cost of processing
Cost of shipping
Cost of handling
Cost of lab PP
The rest is BS as it needs to be calculated over a year, using the total cost of running a business divided by the numbers of pictures taken in a year and multiplied by the number of pictures taken (VS. sold) by event.
Taxes ARE NOT A COST (unlike what that person said - 35% on 50k - cost??? wow!, this guy must be in France!)
In short this photographer's answer gives every professional a bad name. The media that touts this answer as being 'great' does us more disservice than anything else.
The whole affair sucks.
A photographer answers with something that is as ridiculous as the 'PB' comment:
http://www.petapixel.com/2012/01/26/why-wedding-photographers-prices-are-wack/
If you own your own business you will quickly spot all the half truths, lies and misinformation offered by the 'celebrated answer'. It is making the round in trade magazines.
Home: IRS allows only a % of a dwelling rent to be deducted if partially used by a business, same goes for any other expenses that are related to it (such has internet)
Car: A car lease cannot be entirely charged as cost and deduction either
IT and photo equipment is prorated and can be taking out of the cost over x number of years, depending of purchase cost or lease. Repair, maintenance are fully deductible; exception: software.
WEB cost is grossly exaggerated. The cost of high speed is about $50.00 per month, the cost of ISP for storage is now in abysmally low (how do you think this web site (UHH) can afford storing all those pictures here?).
Real cost of a wedding for the photographer takes a fraction of all the above all of the above especially when the 'studio' does other things.
What the idiot responder did not (for good reason?) approach is the difference quality between and mediocrity. Regardless of economic climate you pay for what you get, end of story.
The only things you can itemize as direct cost of a wedding are:
Digital photographer
Time passed to PP SOME of the pictures
Cost of media (disk or like media to deliver)
Cross over cost (digital/traditional)
Cost of traveling, per mile (from-to business)
Assistant pay, 'flat fee' (if any)
Cleaner cost (for 'uniform')
Time passed to shoot the wedding
Cost of printing (if any)
Time to create album(s) or folders (if any)
Cost of said albums and folders (if any)
For the film photographer (traditional)
Cost of film
Cost of processing
Cost of shipping
Cost of handling
Cost of lab PP
The rest is BS as it needs to be calculated over a year, using the total cost of running a business divided by the numbers of pictures taken in a year and multiplied by the number of pictures taken (VS. sold) by event.
Taxes ARE NOT A COST (unlike what that person said - 35% on 50k - cost??? wow!, this guy must be in France!)
In short this photographer's answer gives every professional a bad name. The media that touts this answer as being 'great' does us more disservice than anything else.
The whole affair sucks.
I just want to sleep
I am bored
Jan 27, 2012 15:57:55 #
Wow. All those expenses. BUT didn't he/she say 20 jobs a year. I don't think the camera expenses stay the same for each job. Hmmmm me thinks a little more is here.
You got to pay for the professional shots though and not everyone has the eye for those.
Still, I would hate to pay $2,500.00 for maybe 4 or 5 hours of photos of my daughters wedding.
Sarge
You got to pay for the professional shots though and not everyone has the eye for those.
Still, I would hate to pay $2,500.00 for maybe 4 or 5 hours of photos of my daughters wedding.
Sarge
Jan 27, 2012 16:30:53 #
If I were to shoot a wedding, I would charge at least three grand. Perhaps more. My time is worth what it is, there is travel, insurance, lots of things.
Then there is the problems associated with screwing up her precious day. I think brides would really hate to hear that their wedding images are gone because I messed up.
So I need the three grand to get out of town until things cool off. Or pay my mouth-pieces to defend me. Hiring those gentlemen I send around to "talk" with her hubby, well, they are costly. They are my 'Angles' so I trust them to make a convincing argument that someone should keep their mouth shut. I mean, consider dropping the court case because someone could get hurt. Well, not hurt, perhaps, but they would be "invited" to the desert for a late night negotiation, so bring a shovel.
Seriously, three grand would be my absolute minimum. there are cheaper ways to go, but you pay for what you get, I suppose. Hiring a rube who screws up the wedding pictures can be a valuable learning experience.
Then there is the problems associated with screwing up her precious day. I think brides would really hate to hear that their wedding images are gone because I messed up.
So I need the three grand to get out of town until things cool off. Or pay my mouth-pieces to defend me. Hiring those gentlemen I send around to "talk" with her hubby, well, they are costly. They are my 'Angles' so I trust them to make a convincing argument that someone should keep their mouth shut. I mean, consider dropping the court case because someone could get hurt. Well, not hurt, perhaps, but they would be "invited" to the desert for a late night negotiation, so bring a shovel.
Seriously, three grand would be my absolute minimum. there are cheaper ways to go, but you pay for what you get, I suppose. Hiring a rube who screws up the wedding pictures can be a valuable learning experience.
Jan 27, 2012 16:38:12 #
Roger Hicks
Loc: Aquitaine
RobertMaxey wrote:
Hiring a rube who screws up the wedding pictures can be a valuable learning experience.
Very true. I mean, nowadays, who gets married only once?
(Insert smiley of choice)
Cheers,
R.
Jan 27, 2012 23:42:17 #
Correction.. she claims a gross profit of 22k of which she claims to pay 15k to the IRS that is 68% taxes!!!!!!!!!!!
Jan 28, 2012 02:29:41 #
My brother ended had a contract to pay a new upcoming wedding photographer $1500.00 for his wedding and ended up doing some of the work himself towards the end of the night so he got $500.00 back plus extra items for the hassle. Just think, he wouldn't have had to pay anything IF he would have taken me up on my offer to photograph his wedding. I may not have pro gear, but he sure wasn't happy with a lot of the photos that person took.
Jan 28, 2012 05:50:34 #
I thought the answer was very good, although I would question some of her costs and tactics. For example:
If she's paying $15,000 a year in taxes on a gross income of $50,000, she needs to learn how to take advantage of tax deductions or hire a good CPA.
I didn't see where she said that she deducts all of her rent or car lease on her tax return, only that her gross income pays for her rent and lease, as well as food, gas, postage, insurance, etc. My gross income does the same.
She needs to find a new host for her web site. $30 a month is outrageous! And another $30 a month so that photos can be view online and shared? That doesn't make sense to me. I think she's inflating her costs.
I can't imagine wearing out shoes after just 20 weddings. I take care of my shoes. Some tennis shoes I've had for 20 years, and except for the soles (which no one sees), they look as good as the day I bought them. Just have to learn how to use shoe polish, Armour All, buy new laces, etc.
$2,500 a year for high speed Internet? Holy cow. Sounds like she needs a new Internet provider, too. My high speed Internet (the fastest available to me here) is $69 a month, and it's fast.
Now that she told me she wastes money on Apple products, I won't recommend her. LOL
I'm wondering why she has a yearly expense of $200 for Lightroom and $900 for the new Adobe CS5 program.
How does one print a DVD on a printer that costs $300 and uses $200/year in ink? I burn DVDs on my computer, which comes with a DVD drive and burning software included in the cost of the computer. Maybe Apple is so advanced (and expensive) that it prints DVDs?
I'm wondering why she has to buy 2 x 2TB external hard drives each year at $500 total. She could buy 2 x 3TB external hard drives for that amount, and I just can'e see 20 weddings worth of pictures taking up 4 TB each year!
Why is she paying $400 a year to back up online with all the free services that are available?
If she's paying $15,000 a year in taxes on a gross income of $50,000, she needs to learn how to take advantage of tax deductions or hire a good CPA.
I didn't see where she said that she deducts all of her rent or car lease on her tax return, only that her gross income pays for her rent and lease, as well as food, gas, postage, insurance, etc. My gross income does the same.
She needs to find a new host for her web site. $30 a month is outrageous! And another $30 a month so that photos can be view online and shared? That doesn't make sense to me. I think she's inflating her costs.
I can't imagine wearing out shoes after just 20 weddings. I take care of my shoes. Some tennis shoes I've had for 20 years, and except for the soles (which no one sees), they look as good as the day I bought them. Just have to learn how to use shoe polish, Armour All, buy new laces, etc.
$2,500 a year for high speed Internet? Holy cow. Sounds like she needs a new Internet provider, too. My high speed Internet (the fastest available to me here) is $69 a month, and it's fast.
Now that she told me she wastes money on Apple products, I won't recommend her. LOL
I'm wondering why she has a yearly expense of $200 for Lightroom and $900 for the new Adobe CS5 program.
How does one print a DVD on a printer that costs $300 and uses $200/year in ink? I burn DVDs on my computer, which comes with a DVD drive and burning software included in the cost of the computer. Maybe Apple is so advanced (and expensive) that it prints DVDs?
I'm wondering why she has to buy 2 x 2TB external hard drives each year at $500 total. She could buy 2 x 3TB external hard drives for that amount, and I just can'e see 20 weddings worth of pictures taking up 4 TB each year!
Why is she paying $400 a year to back up online with all the free services that are available?
Jan 28, 2012 06:50:23 #
The first thing I spotted was the car and rent expense. Neither was being used exclusively for business. She was using both for things other than business. One can only hope her photography is a lot better than her accounting.
Jan 28, 2012 07:21:15 #
steve_stoneblossom
Loc: Rhode Island, USA
"You will spend thousands of dollars on a wedding dress or flowers or a venue or on catering which you are going to have for only one day, but your photographs will be the only thing you have to remember that one day for the rest of your lives."
To me this was the most valid part of the whole argument.
To me this was the most valid part of the whole argument.
Jan 28, 2012 07:51:21 #
Jan 28, 2012 08:03:46 #
I think her "inflated" response was a justification to be used to molify the client and/or in the event of a lawsuit.
Some people will say the response was great without analyzing the facts.
Some people will say the response was great without analyzing the facts.
Jan 28, 2012 09:17:00 #
russelray wrote:
I can't imagine wearing out shoes after just 20 weddings. I take care of my shoes. Some tennis shoes I've had for 20 years, and except for the soles (which no one sees), they look as good as the day I bought them. Just have to learn how to use shoe polish, Armour All, buy new laces, etc.
I, too, have shoes I bought over 20 yrs ago, but they're men's shoes. Women's shoes are not as durable as men's, and style is a consideration for a woman at a wedding. I'll allow her the shoes.
Jan 28, 2012 09:38:56 #
jerryc41 wrote:
quote=russelray I can't imagine wearing out shoe... (show quote)
Ah, yes. Imelda Marcos. Good point. Allowance granted here, too. :thumbup:
Jan 28, 2012 09:51:10 #
Imagine the IRS auditors discussing - laughing about this one around the water cooler. If she is telling it straight look for the knock on the door.
Jan 28, 2012 09:54:22 #
The best and most cogent answer is by Steve Stoneblossom, to which I agree completely. How important are the memories that are preserved in those invaluable and priceless pictures?
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