Eric I somehow see your point.. I will have to admit some Photographers are just TYPICAL Kenyans & want to make money quickly (with no DSTV as a plus..lol lol). But some form of commissioned photography is expensive e.g. landscape, wildlife & documentary due to very many factors (here is where you use a long lenses worth 400,000 - 1,000,000) For weddings what I would advice is take time to shop around and also early enough. Seek references. Getting a great/good photographer especially once Wedding season (i.e. August to December) begins it will be difficult.. There is the elements of business as you indicated i.e. Willing Buyer Willing Seller .. But remember this is a wedding & its best to avoid 25k worth of work (trust me.. I literally squint when I c the work).. Clients should not expect that guy to perform magic, then they shout & demand a refund because of the poor work. We have heard of stories where clients complain where they got a "cheap" non professional photographer thinking the shots will turn out like Mutua Matheka<http://mutuamatheka.co.ke/>orJoe Makeni<http://joe.frontlite.co.ke/>or James Quest <http://james-quest.com/> or Thandiwe Muriu<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thandiwe-Muriu-Photography/223944484283211> or Ben Kiruthi <http://benkiruthi.com/> . I pray the misconceptions of photography shall diminish as the days go. Having DSLR camera doesn't make one a photographer sama as owning a PC doesnt make one a techie/geek. The ones who realistically charge highly know very well other factors come in e.g. experience, additional professional training & demand with some as I said earlier turn down so many requests. I'd suggest when it comes to weddings or high end corporate events it's best to budget from 50,000/= onwards. The end value of the work will be worth way much more than what you'll pay for. An example go to your mum and grab her wedding album and ask her to give you the story behind the images and you will see what I am telling you. Advice: Do have a proper discussion with the professional photographer as to what you expect & negotiate the details of the contract as well. Sadly most clients ignore this but if you are to pay such a tidy sum its best to have it in writing to ensure delivery of work as to the quality you expect & eventually value for money is achieved. Also listen to the Photographer's requests & demands e.g. some Pro's may insist you request your guests not to take photos at the wedding for they shall be shared later. Some of the reasons behind such a request is some of the equipment they use e.g. lighting may be triggered & cause chaos when the ceremony is ongoing & also pushing & blocking the photographer from taking the shots is one of the annoying things they go through. Personally I don't operate without a Contract for commissioned work whether its a Birthday shoot or a Hotel shoot. It protect both the client and the professional. Photography in Kenya is headed in the upward direction in terms of quality & fully dedicated & highly invested professions.. You may see below where we are headed, so my advice to all those expecting to commission photography services in the near future is to budget adequately. Siku za "Mtu wa Pisha" are coming to an end. http://www.chrismanstudios.com/ http://www.brettflorens.com/weddings.htm http://www.fearlessphotographers.com/ Kind Regards, [image: Ephraim Muchemi] [image: Chagua Amani, Zuia Noma][image: Freedom][image: Global Warming is real][image: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle] Social Profile: [image: Facebook] <http://www.facebook.com/emuchemi> [image: Twitter] <http://www.twitter.com/efi_m> [image: LinkedIn]<http://www.linkedin.com/in/emuchemi> [image: foursquare] <https://foursquare.com/efi_m> [image: WordPress]<http://littlehacker.wordpress.com/> Contact me: [image: Google Talk] emuchemi [image: Y! Messenger] emuchemi [image: Skype] flyefi [image: WWF - World Wide Fund For Nature] <http://bit.ly/wwf-site>Donate<http://bit.ly/wwf-site> | Share on Facebook <http://on.fb.me/kE6cbn> | Share on Twitter<http://bit.ly/Tweet-WWF>Add this to your emails<http://www.wisestamp.com/apps/causeWWF?utm_source=extension&utm_medium=email&utm_term=causeWWF&utm_campaign=apps> Printing emails is SO 2009 Get a signature like this. <http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=19&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.com%2Femail-install%3Futm_source%3Dextension%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dpromo_19>CLICK HERE.<http://r1.wisestamp.com/r/landing?promo=19&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wisestamp.com%2Femail-install%3Futm_source%3Dextension%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dpromo_19> On 19 May 2012 09:07, Eric Mugo <kabugum@gmail.com> wrote:
Well said Ephraim,
Spoken like a true businessman.... most of your points are based on operating costs. You have given good reasons but not good enough to justify why someone would charge 150k-200k to a couple for a wedding shoot of one day in Nairobi? If you are charging that amount for a corporate event I would understand.
There is no job that is easy, ask anyone on this list the challenges of their work and they will give you a whole bucket load of them.
The point i was trying to make is that of VALUE for money. I am not trying to demean the work of photographers but surely 200k worth of photos, do they have DSTV on them :-) .
Finally, the comment you made about 25k is simply not true. Expensive is NOT necessarily Equals to quality when it comes to SERVICE business. E.g when I travel and I have the option of choosing between an Old 5 star hotel or a new 3 star hotel, i will always go for the new 3 star hotel. The reason being that i will get VALUE for my money since they are trying to impress and will go out of their way to make sure i'm happy for LESS and the service will be of higher quality.
Anyway, at the end of the day its a willing buyer willing seller Market and for the buyer, its imperative to get value for your hard earned cash meaning the buyer really needs to do their groundwork/research.
Cheers!
On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 3:15 PM, Ephraim Muchemi <emuchemi@gmail.com>wrote:
This is a common complaint which is totally misunderstood. Photography is not an easy POINT & SHOOT assignment. You have to look at the bill from the PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER's point of view. I am a Techy & I have been shooting creatively as a hobby for roughly 20yrs & recently turned Semi-Pro heading towards fully Professional from demand & pressure so I shall share a few pointers.
*Professional Photographer Billing Factors*
1. The Value of equipment: the equipment to be used may range from 250,000 to 500,000 (based on various factors). 2. Time to Edit: The Client want fabulous photos.. Not photos with mud in the brides dress, or a bridesmaid with a bumpy face, groom with razor cuts. Post Processing may take some days. From around 1,000-2,000 shots the Professional Photographer has to choose & edit the final 200-400 (as to the contract you agree to) 3. Labour: There is no way a wedding can be shot with just 1 cameraman. There will be a need for a 2nd, 3rd or even a fourth cameraman and an assistant. The gear can get heavy and using some of the equipment will need an assistant e.g. reflector, slave flash, light diffuser etc. Many Photographers avoid taking weddings at first & even as the lead photographer because they know of the physical & mental demand it requires. 4. Transport: For the Professional to come to the meeting to plan the wedding he/she used a mode of transport. For the Professional to attend & shoot the complete the wedding he/she used a mode of transport. Professionals prefer using their own transport for logistical reasons. 5. Food: For a serious Professional Photographer, in the planning stages they know how tedious & busy weddings are so they have to plan to eat a serious meal & early enough. plus they have to be properly hydrated. Yes you may say there is food at the wedding, but in the morning the photographer has to be @ the Brides/Grooms homes during preparation..then later they have to be on their toes. Who will take that would have been the PERFECT shot when the photographer is holding a Chapati in one hand and a plastic plate in the other? Serious meals for the TEAM are costed in their planning. 6. Insurance: The Professional Photographer is like any other entrepreneur. The equipment they are using is really expensive and has to be insured. The Professional's Health & Life also has to be insured. A client dropped a lense of mine & broke it & it was a small lense & a new one is worth 30,000/=. I have to replace that lense now & sadly it wasnt insured. Imagine the pain if a professional photographer's gear worth 150,000 was damaged or stolen during the wedding? It is a Painful scenario. There are lenses which cost as much as KES 1,000,000/= . Surely the professional photographer has to consider costing it int he bill for the assignment. Look at this story of a Photojournalist who lost a lense during a football match in Turkey http://blogs.reuters.com/photographers-blog/2012/05/16/saving-the-canon-400m... 7. Depreciation: Every time a DSLR camera's shutter is clicked its lifespan reduces that is why it is best to avoid buying a used camera from a Professional Photographer & buy from an amateur. The Professional is aware at sme point he/she has to replace their equipment. so in his/her mind they very well know after 5/6 years they willl have to replace equipment worth 250,000-500,000. 8. Upgrade: The Professional Photographer is a Businessman. He/She is fully aware they will need to upgrade or purchase new additional equipment to enable them to be more creative. It will make no sense to be a Professional Photographer & you still have 1 camera & a flash 10 year after one started out. Where is a studio & lighting kit, where is the reflector, where are the slave flashes, where are the soft boxes, where is the etc etc etc. 9. Training: Professional Photographers are fully aware that they are not perfect. Again its like any other profession. They have to undertake constant training & with some of the courses do cost quite a sum of money.
*Common Photography misconceptions*
1. The Better the Camera the better the picture: Skill, Creativity, Observation, training, PASSION & HARD WORK comes first before the camera. I have a fellow friend photographer who concentrates on iPhone Photography & he takes way better shots than many people I know. There are photos taken by my fellow professionals & enthusiast with Point & Shoots & they will blow you away. If you have an EXPENSIVE CAMERA with a LONG LENSE to shoot a wedding, trust me WE PROFESSIONALS WILL LAUGH AT YOU! There are many elements to look into when taking a photo e.g. aperture value, lighting, shutter speed, ISO, Composition, Subject etc etc. Hard work is mandatory for some of us will tell u stories like for when I wanted spectacular photos of Mt. Kenya I had to prepare a days before, identify location of the shoot take test shots, look at the weather pattern & the estimated sunrise time then wait for the final day. On the final day I woke up wake up @ 5am walked in the dark, set-up tripod & camera waiting for 6am-6.30am for the perfect shots. This was done with knowledge I was in an open place where wild animals lark. So trust me, to get THE SHOT it really takes HARD WORK & PASSION among other. 2. High End Professional photographers are too busy to work: A Professional Photographer should be aware each client is special and they have to assign adequate time to the client. Some of fellow professionals who I am close with take only 1 wedding or 2 weddings a month only because they are aware of the intensity of the work.
I have used the term PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER so many times to emphases a point. We are tired of being called "Paparazzi" or "Mtu wa Picha". I could go on & on & on.... but I hope these few pointers shall help clarify some misconceptions.
BUT PLEASE LOOK AT ONE'S PORTFOLIO BEFORE DECIDING AND LOOK AT THE SMALL THINGS TOO. If the Professional Photographer is late for a scheduled meeting please take it seriously. That could mean there is a possibility it is a habit & may intrude in the wedding day photography plan e.g. will he/she reach early enough when the bride is preparing etc etc.
If you have a query about photography please feel free to ask.
Thank you.
Kind Regards,
[image: Ephraim Muchemi]
[image: Chagua Amani, Zuia Noma][image: Freedom][image: Global Warming is real][image: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle]
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On 18 May 2012 13:54, Collins Areba <arebacollins@gmail.com> wrote:
leaning more towards the cannon 60D... the D3100 is hardly an upgrade from the D60. ;-) any luck with the cannon?
On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 1:07 PM, Kevin Mutuma <kkmtumah@gmail.com>wrote:
@ Collins, I can hook you up. New or used? At the moment got D3100. Check out the reviews. Very on top of its game for an Entry level DSLR.
On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 12:56 PM, Collins Areba <arebacollins@gmail.com
wrote:
and while were at it... Who knows where to get affordable (compared to ebay / amazon) enrty level / semi pro DSLRs like the D7000 or the rebel t3i
On Fri, May 18, 2012 at 1:00 AM, Jac <jack.gathoni@gmail.com> wrote:
I think it all depends with the environment\ambiance and the creativity of the photographer. I agree with you that if you have a good camera you can take better photos than that guy who is charging crazy figures. I have experienced this before where I was able to take nice photos with my 8MPX camera than a professional who had a very big Camera with those crazy lenses. Again if you go for those very big photographers, they might not have time to select and Photoshop ur pictures to details because they are simply very busy.
Best
On Thu, May 17, 2012 at 9:42 PM, James Mutuku <listmutuku@gmail.com>wrote:
> It's never about the camera nor the cs6. it's about the camera > man/woman > > On 5/17/12, David Nyamboki <tchadavey@gmail.com> wrote: > > HAHA it the special moments you want captured or you intend to > venture in > > the business. It for you to decide. but you can check > www.benkiruthi.com. i > > suppose the rate are fairer. > > > > feel free. ukitaka pia kuna kazi ya pesa ndogo. > > > > On Thu, May 17, 2012 at 6:15 PM, Eric Mugo <kabugum@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > >> Hi, > >> > >> So i recently requested for a quote from a few of local > photographers > >> (wedding photos) including the ones considered as one of the Top > in the > >> Market. I was shocked at some of the prices...one of the charged > me in > >> USD. > >> > >> I actually had to go back to his website and had another look. I > felt > >> challenged in that If i had a serious serious Camera (the ones > with some > >> crazy long lense) and photoshop CS6, I'm confident I would be > able to > >> produce something close (due to lack of practice, exposure in the > field) > >> but nevertheless so long as i capture all the special moments and > >> photoshop > >> them. > >> > >> Whats you take? > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Skunkworks mailing list > >> Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke > >> ------------ > >> List info, subscribe/unsubscribe > >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > >> ------------ > >> > >> Skunkworks Rules > >> http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 > >> ------------ > >> Other services @ http://my.co.ke > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > *Nyamboki Oira > > Technical Consultant > > **0726-570919* > > > > > -- > Best Regards, > James Mutuku Ndeti > Agile Systems Limited > +254722490994 > www.agile.co.ke > www.zetu.co.ke > > Has your organization implemented a customer relationship management > (CRM)system? visit http://www.agile.co.ke/crm.php and find out how > our > CRM can help you achieve better customer satisfaction and sales > _______________________________________________ > Skunkworks mailing list > Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke > ------------ > List info, subscribe/unsubscribe > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > ------------ > > Skunkworks Rules > http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 > ------------ > Other services @ http://my.co.ke >
-- Jackson Gathoni
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