Worth More

A few weeks ago, I ran into one of my old photographer buddies. We got to talking about the freelance market and his wedding photography business and how there's been a surge of "photographers" lately. It made me laugh how he said that one guy bought himself a T3i and all of a sudden he's a wedding photographer. HAHAHA! I have a T3i and I wouldn't even consider myself within the same caliber as he.

I'm sorry. But a nice, expensive camera does not a photographer make. And sadly, they are running down legit, talented people. When you're looking for someone to document what could be one of the most memorable times of your life, are you really willing to put that in the hands of someone whose camera controls they don't master to save a few bucks? If you want to pay $200 for a wedding photographer, you will get photos that are worth $200. It’s not a lesson you want to learn the hard way.

I have to admit, I was recently on the receiving end of a similar price negotiation. I'm still battling with whether I should have given in. But every marketing and business site I Googled convinced me not to. And I can't help but feel insulted that people who know me are offering to pay me less than what even an intern is worth. Really? I understand companies are on a budget. But hey, I’m a business owner too. You get what you pay for.