Written on January 26, 2010 at 2:21 pm by kerridigital

Juicee Bee Productions New Wedding Price List

Filed under Juicee Bee no comments

My weekend business with my bff, is Family/Event Photography Juicee Bee Productions. I got really motivated after visiting the National Bridal Show in Toronto last Friday, to re-vamp our price list. We have realized that what we offered was more hassle then it was worth, so I managed to stream-line the process, so that only the services that Brides want, they pick and pay for themselves. This is as opposed to having packages full of things they might not necessarily want, and that I might not necessarily want to do. (my time is precious)

For example, some brides are very hands-on and want to make their own photo albums and prints. This is either because they are creative, or frugal, which isn’t a bad thing. I am also a firm believer that people should have the rights to their own photographs, I mean what do I want to keep them for?! That’s why we give every customer their photos on CD/DVD with signed permission to print and share, as long as they don’t sell them.

It was interesting to see how other photographers do things. Especially those who have been in the game longer than we have. Some of them have ridiculously low prices, and offer so many things within those packages, that it makes me wonder how they manage to make any money. It also makes me wonder what quality of products they are using to make their prices so low, like photo paper quality and photo album quality etc. It also makes me wonder what kinds of photographers they really are. I mean, I have an education in Television, and let me be the first to tell you that, that doesn’t always mean it’s interchangeable with Photography, but the principles behind good framing are so similar. I mean you still have to have a photographic eye, and not all good photographers have to go to school to become such.

I actually have taken film photography classes, and spend a lot of time reading manuals, books, tips and blogs. So while I don’t have as many field hours as some, I am a quick study and know what looks good and how to use my camera with out resorting to using the ‘auto’ feature.

I also think it takes a good ‘people’ person to work on weddings. Some photographers has such poor ‘bedside’ manners, it’s a wonder that they can stay in business at all.

With that all being said, I have a couple weddings under my belt, and I do value my time as much as my partner’s, so our prices are set so that we don’t undercut ourselves. I mean, really? Would you value my services if I didn’t value them myself?

We are relying mostly on ‘word of mouth’ at this point, but we’re hoping sometime soon to be showcasing our work in Bridal Shows, preferably the smaller low key ones. The Toronto show was so over-saturated with photographers, I wonder how any bride could establish a rapport and make a decision with any one of them. I have a feeling, that most brides go to one show, and pick one of the first vendors they approach (so booth placement is key) or being fortunate enough to be the ONLY photo vendor at the show. Like the Welcome Wagon Shows. We were approached to be in one in Barrie, but it wasn’t a good time for us, but hopefully the next one, we’ll be ready for.

So in my trying to spread the word, we have donated a Gift Certificate for a Silver Family package for my brother’s Jack & Jill as a prize for auction. I am really excited about that. So after I designed the Gift Certificate for that, I got inspired to make a Price Card, for the day when we do attend a show.