Baby It's Cold Outside

It's snowing today!!!!! I love a winter wedding….but don't think that just because you are getting married in the winter that you have to have a wedding full of snowflakes and the color red. Black and white glam is a fabulous winter statement!

Happy Holidays, Happy Feet

Whether you are a bride or attending a wedding, red shoes are such a fun accent to any holiday affair...subtle yet festive, and exactly what that white dress needs in December!

Rock N Roll!

I love when I sign a couple that isn't afraid to be "out of the box"...this new graphic designer bride and guitar playing groom are going to have an amazing, fun rock and roll wedding! Here is a taste of their look that I created for them

An Apple a Day...

Fall is here! And what better way to honor the changing of the seasons than with apple details? Yummy and fresh with a pop of color, this detail is exactly what your warm and cozy fall wedding needs!

Red Hot!

Whether you are a modern, bohemian, traditional or glam bride, red lips are exactly what you need this fall and winter for your wedding day!

Fly Away

I recently ordered butterflies for a bride to create a butterfly cake...these delicate, colorful little beings can be fabulous inspiration and theme for a unique and whimsical wedding!

The Value Behind Wedding Photographer Pricing, by Tav Jinivizian

Why do wedding photographers cost so much? I mean, really. Our cameras are just a grade or two

above your uncle's, or your friend's, or even yours. We show up, take some photos, and burn a disc.

That'll be $5,000.00 please. Thank you! Come again!

Good thing it doesn't actually work that way (for most photographers). Not every photographer has

the same routine. Lower priced photographers (about $500-$1,500), mid-range photographers (about

$1,500-$4,000), and high-end photographers (about $4,000-$10,000+) all have different routines and

protocols, products, services, quality, and years or experience - and the finished results that you

receive in the end will reflect those prices.

Time and attention are big factors in pricing. Some photographers will get every little detail about your

wedding from you, and then plan the entire photography schedule to the most minuscule of details.

Visiting each location ahead of time, planning shot locations, timing travel and transitions, backup

plans, and coordinating logistics with the reception manager and/or wedding planner are just some of

the preparations that are made by a prudent photographer. Some will even create an itinerary of

events for you.

Photographers with more experience already know these locations, so not as much planning is

required by them, and the proof is in their portfolio - usually for the better. Other photographers just

play it by ear - meaning they just show up and shoot; kind of like throwing a bunch or darts at a board

and hoping something sticks.

Will you be receiving an engagement session? This is a great way for you and your photographer to

get to know each other. This is important since you'll be spending most of your wedding day with this

person, and need to be comfortable around him or her and their camera. Engagement sessions still

require planning, and possibly getting the appropriate permits. This kind of specialized attention is

one factor that contributes to pricing.

The products and services a photographer offers also affects pricing. A higher quality of prints and

albums means a higher price for the photographer. This higher price is then considered into the

photographer's pricing strategy.

When we're talking about a photographer's services, we're referring to planning, logistics, image

enhancement, and shooting. The time photographers spend scouting locations, planning itineraries,

shooting an event, and all the hours behind a computer needs compensation. The more of these

services that a photographer offers, the higher the price you can expect. Also in consideration of

these services is the quality of work, and years of experience.

As wedding photographers, we wear many hats. Production manager, logistics coordinator, art

director, graphic designer, therapist (who do you think reassures you when the best man is driving

back home to pick up the rings?), and photographer. Some photographers wear some or all of these

hats, some have more experience than others, and some have a higher quality than others. All of

these factors meld together to define the value of the photographer. Ultimately, you are the judge of

that value. So in the end, the classic cliche still stands: you get what you pay for. Armed with the right

photographer, that payoff can be huge.

Tav Jinivizian is the owner, operator, and photographer of Tav Images Photography. He has been

shooting weddings, portraits, and fine art landscapes for 4 years. You can see work samples on

www.tavimages.com.