Time is the most valuable thing anyone has. So its not surprising that most photographers have time based packages (so $ much for 5 hours, so much $ for 8 hours, etc……) while this works for some, it doesn’t work for me.
I was reminded how inconveniencing this can be as I attended an old coworker’s (who somehow forgot I was a professional photographer) wedding last weekend. Apparently she had paid $1800.00 for 5 hours of time. She wanted, “before the wedding,” "the ceremony” and the first “hour” of the reception covered. However they started over an hour late so instead of the photographer going to the reception with them; he took a few formal pictures and went home.
I felt bad for them. If I would have had my camera, I would have done the reception for next to nothing for them. And this is the reason I don’t do “time based packages.” It can be bad for everybody. If a photographer leaves before the cake is cut at a reception, the guest won’t think “they must have only paid him for a few hours.” No, they will think “Wow, their photographer just left! I wouldn’t want to use him!” And I would not feel good about leaving a couple on their wedding day when there are so many other moments that need to be captured. This is just my opinion.
Now don’t get me wrong, I rarely stay at a wedding alllll day. Receptions are like most parties; they come full circle: there’s the quite beginning, the rocking middle and somewhere in that rocking middle 10 percent of the guests leave, then another 40 percent leave about an half hour later. That’s when I leave. I always check with the bride and groom to make sure all family portraits have been covered and to let them know I’m leaving.
Now; I have the utmost respect for all wedding photographrs and how they price their services but when somebody books Kahn Santori Photography, they get Kahn Santori photography all day.
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