It's from about two months ago, and it goes into not only why photographers (that is, true professionals as opposed to hobbyists) should NEVER under sell themselves and the services provided; as well as explaining why consumers should not buy into the "I will shoot your wedding for only $200!!! You can't beat that!! I will always do that!" aesthetic!
Now, before posting, I will say that I was once a photographer that was unfamiliar with wedding photography and wanted to begin my journey into the field. As a novice, I offered my services at well below market price (foolish, I know...but I didn't think anyone would ever book me if I was appropriately priced in the market with little to no true experience. I had shot one and a half weddings when I decided to go at it alone.) (I know that a lot of aspiring wedding photographers have the same mindset I had, and I urge them to read this article as well! You should never undersell due to your experience or lack thereof. Price yourself appropriately! And experienced photographers that book weddings by low-balling other experienced photographers, well they really should know better! Everyone should really value themselves and the work they do appropriately, and I feel that potential clients should also look at the value of the work and the packages when looking at the prices - not just what is immediately behind the dollar sign).
I know that we are all trying to save money anywhere we can...but do you really want to look back on your wedding photos and say something like "Man...I really wish we had gone with _______________ Photography. We would have gotten so much more for our money."
I know I wouldn't want that!
So, without any further wait, here is the article!
'And You Call Yourself a Professional' by Scott Bourne
a. You cheat the client. This is the worst point. That’s right, the client who’s once-in-a-lifetime special day has just been handed to the cheapo wedding photographer is not going to be well-served. A true professional photographer has skills that Uncle Harry doesn’t. The better the skills the more longevity in the business and the better the chance the client is going to get images they want to come back for.
[...]
[...]remember this – photography is an incredible career field if done right – if you get the reputation for being cheap you won’t last long – because you’ve got nothing to fall back on. Develop your skill set first, then your marketing, then launch with a product that has the value it should and more importantly value that will last – cheap candles burn fast and they’re gone."
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