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The wedding photography industry is a competitive one. There are lots of different photographers out there, offering up their services to happy couples around the UK. Whilst the quality of your images, the professionalism of your service and of course, how much you appeal to the couple are all important considerations when a bride and groom picks a photographer. How you are priced, and how you present those prices are also a big consideration and is often what distinguishes a good photographer from an excellent one. However, the issue of pricing and in particular a lack of transparent pricing can sometimes be open to dispute.

This means that it is vital that you put together a good quality pricing strategy. So, to help you make the most of your wedding photography business, we have put together our top tips for creating wedding photography pricing strategies that really work.

Focus on a few clear packages rather than several complicated ones

Confusing your potential customers with a complicated and confusing pricing strategy is never going to encourage them to use your services. Many photographers also make the mistake of creating too many different packages to choose from, all with really subtle changes such as an extra hour or a few extra photographs.

The best approach to take is to concentrate on two or maybe even three packages, all of which have obvious differences. This means that your potential customers will be able to see the different levels of what you can offer, and decide which one is right for them or your budget.

By keeping things simple, you will also minimise the chances of disputes arising due to misunderstandings relating to the pricing scheme.

Start small and allow the customer to build up

Another great idea to tempt customers into coming to see you for wedding photography is to offer a more tailor made approach to your pricing. Start with a low cost basic package that only contains a few elements of what you can do. This will entice customers to come and see what you are able to offer, and then you can start to upsell or add in the different services that you can provide.

Not only is this method going to encourage more people to enquire about your service, but the customer won’t feel pressured into going for a package that isn’t everything that they need. Instead they can pick a basic starting point and develop it into something that is perfect for them.

One of the objectives of recent consumer legislation is to protect the consumer from feeling pressurised into entering into a contract. Therefore, by providing the consumer with discretion and autonomy to choose a package, this will assist in minimising a dispute.

Show off what you can do

You should never underestimate the power of examples of your great work. If you are looking to tempt new clients into signing up with you, it is a good idea to show them exactly what you can offer them. If you are proud of your albums, make sure you take some examples of this, have a beautiful studio that they can view their photos in, have pictures of this, or better yet, invite them to take a look round.

Remember that even with the best pricing strategy, you still need to sell yourself as a business, which means that you always present yourself in the best light. In doing this you can assure your potential clients that come their big day, they will be presented in the best light possible too!

For more information about pricing strategies or to recover an unpaid debt contact: info@theweddinglaweyer.co.uk

 

Complaining that you look more like the beast than the beauty on your wedding day is unlikely to be a good enough reason in the eyes of the law to provide you with consumer rights against your photographer.

However frustrating this may seem, consumer rights legislation is more focused on the ‘quality’ of your pictures rather than the aesthetics of the subject matters in the picture.

The starting point is that you should expect a reasonable quality of image from your photographer. However, where this has not happened, you can do the following:

  1. Contact your photographer to see whether they are able to edit the photographs to enhance the quality. A face-to-face meeting is usually more effective and shows a level of seriousness on your part.
  1. If the pictures are so poor that you are unable to use them, you should be able to seek a full refund. There is also a possibility that you will be entitled to claim for compensation to reflect the loss of memory of the day. In claiming compensation, it is useful to keep the amount to a realistic figure to reflect your disappointment. Any extortionate claims are likely to be unsuccessful.
  1. If some of the photos are good quality but the rest are missing or unusable, you will only be able to claim a partial refund.
  1. You may benefit from gaining an expert opinion from another photographer to comment on the quality of the photographs. This could assist in strengthening your case.

Should you require any assistance in complaining about the work of a photographer – contact   info@theweddinglawyer.co.uk

 

So the big day has come and gone, honeymoon is over and normality has kicked in. But – when are the wedding photos going to arrive? Before entering into a photography or videography contract, it is strong advisable that you check to see how long after your big day the photos and/or videos will be ready. An effective contract will make reference to the delivery date of the photographs. Photos and videos can take up to 1 – 6 months to be ready particularly where the photographer/videographer has a busy schedule and little time to edit.   There may also be an option for you to view your photos and suggest edits to be made before the completed version is ready.

If the contract does not state how long it will take for the editing service to be completed, the general rule is that according to the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a service is to be performed within a “reasonable time”. What constitutes is a reasonable time is a question of fact. Opinions of other photographers and videographers may assist in this regard.

To ensure you get your photos and videos on time, the following tips may assist:

  1. Check the contract to see if there is mention of when the photo/video will be ready. If this is not stated in the contract, ask your photographer/videographer before confirming a booking.
  1. Following your wedding day, create diary reminders to periodically contact your photographer/videographer to monitor the progress of the editing of your pictures/videos.
  1. Where the photographer/videographer fails to deliver according to the timetable in their contract, there may well be a potential breach of contract claim against them. In the first instance you are advised to send a letter of complaint and failing a satisfactory response consider contacting a lawyer.

Should you require any further information contact: info@theweddinglawyer.co.uk

Last year, The Wedding Lawyer received a record number of disputes arising from the photography and videography contracts. Disputes partly arose due to the supplier not keeping to their side of the agreement.

Whilst photography and videography contracts differ depending on supplier, here is our six-step checklist to assist you when checking your photography or videography contract.

Step 1 – Does your supplier know the venue, timings and duration of coverage?           

As the consumer, it is your responsibility to check that the contract correctly states the date, venue and timings of your photo and videography shoot. Some suppliers will indicate the time at which they arrive and leave (e.g. arrive 9am and leave at 5pm) and others will simply state how many hours they will be providing coverage for (e.g. 8 hours coverage). Remember, wedding days do not always run on time, therefore, you are advised to go through your itinerary and ensure the timings stipulated on the contract as realistic. You may find it useful to negotiate an hourly rate with the supplier in advance of your wedding day, in the event of the day over running by one or two hours. This will prevent any nasty surprise bills for overtime after the event.

Step 2 – Who owns the copyright in the photos?

Do not be alarmed when a clause in the contract states “copyright of the photographic material” belongs to the supplier. This clause is often found in photography contracts. As the consumer, you should take care with how you use photos that are taken from your wedding day by your photographer. Whilst it may be tempting to stick photos/videos onto social media sites you are advised to check with you photographer before you use such photos/videos in this way.

Step 3 – How much do you need to pay upfront?

Many photographers and videographers want to be paid the entirety of their fees in full before your big day. Whilst, this provides the supplier with security that they have got the full payment, it also means you have little bargaining power once you have departed with your hard earned money. Whilst, suppliers can set their own terms as to how and when payments are due, it is worth choosing a supplier who is willing to accept part payment prior to the big day and the balance on completion of the job. This will provide an incentive for the supplier to deliver your photos and videos in a timely fashion.

According to the UK Competition and Markets Authority – as a guide:

  1. A deposit is just to reserve the goods and services and should be no more than a small percentage of the total price.
  1. Advance payments reflect the supplier’s expenses in carrying out the contract and should leave the customer with a reasonable amount to pay on completion of the job.

Step 4 – Do you need to provide your supplier with a meal or a break?

Photographers and Videographers are usually required to be fully alert and present throughout all aspects of the wedding day. However, they are only human beings are often stipulate break times and meal arrangements in their contract. Ensure you understand what the hospitality arrangements are for the supplier and if possible ensure this is factored into the itinerary. A failure to make provision to allow your supplier to take breaks for meals could mean they end up taking it at a time when they are most needed during the course of the day. It is not unusual for a photographer and videographer to request a hot meal in their contract. If this is the case, ensure you have made provision for this with your caterer.

Step 5 – Does your supplier understand the timetable for the day?

Contracts often contain a clause along the lines of

“The supplier x will endeavour to capture all the relevant moments throughout the day as they occur. However, some unforeseen moments might not be captured”

To minimise the risk of not capturing a special moment, ensure you have given your supplier a full briefing as close to the day as possible. This should also be supplemented with a printed timetable so there is no confusion as to where the photo and video team should be on the day.

Step 6 – Do you know when the final photos and videos will be delivered?

An often-disputed point is that a videographer or photographer is taking too long to deliver the photos or videos. Carefully check each clause of the contract to see that it mentions how long it will take the supplier is likely to deliver the final version of the photos and videos. Should this not be included in the contract, ensure you get written confirmation about how long this is likely to take.

Step 7 – Is there more than one photographer or videographer?

Both the bride and groom have wanted to instruct their own photographer and videographer on a separate basis to cover the wedding day. If this is the case, check the contract to ensure there are no limitations to allowing this. Some suppliers include a exclusivity clause which states “no other professional photography crew will be hired to cover the same event”.

Step 8 – Do you understand the cancellation clause in the contract?

Unfortunately, there are times where wedding days cannot go ahead, therefore ensure you are clear of what your financial liability is when you have to cancel a booking with a photographer or videographer. Remember, wedding insurance is always a good idea to protect you to cover any expenses in the event of cancellation.

If the photographer or videographer cancels the booking, check to ensure you are clear on your rights. The supplier should provide an alternative supplier of the same quality and experience or a full refund.

Should you need assistance with reviewing a contract or dealing with dispute, please contact info@theweddinglawyer.co.uk