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Photo rip-off


parthiban
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There are always things you have to buy that can sometimes seem a bit of a rip-off but this one really takes the biscuit. Wanted to buy some official photos from my qualification a few months ago, the photographer who took them wants £17 for an actual print, or £40 for a digital photo! :o

 

To add insult to injury, there's a mandatory £2 delivery charge despite the fact he sends a link to download the photos from! :o

 

I'm not sure rip-off is even a strong enough term for this, but it was an important event and I want the photos :lol:

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''but it was an important event and I want the photos ''

 

Im sure he knows this ^^^^^^ and this is why the price is the price it is :lol:

Absolutely, it's complete robbery - obviously he's entitled to charge what he likes, but seriously considering mentioning to the professional body that they should reconsider who they hire as that is some extortionate pricing.

 

Three digital photos has cost me £122! :o

 

 

Actually thinking about it, if even just 50 people bought 3 photos like me, that's £6k! I need to think about getting into some part-time photography :o

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i agree that it is enfuriating with things like this, but as it is his career i sometimes try and consider what costs they need to cover.

 

so the original purchase of equipment, depending on where they are within the "proffessional" relm can be anywhere between a few thousand and tens of thousands of pounds. Maintenance, although digital equipment is lower on maintenance it still needs cleaning and parts occasionaly need replacing. Consumables, the photographer will get through batteries as well as ink and paper. Web hosting, many photographers depend on a proffessional, reliable web site which will cost them for hosting, upgrades and media backup support. Although most of us point and shoot, many photographers have spent years refining their craft, universaty courses cost multiple thousands and arent easy to get on, typically only the best most prommising people will be accepted. so you are also paying for their experience and the time it took them to do the job you requested.

 

now im not saying the prices you are being quoted are fair or unreasonable either, i dont know the quality of their work, but there are often lots of things that factor into a price that we simply dont see or even consider. :lol:

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Maybe they were 3 different photos?

 

School ones are the same, over the last 3 or 4 years they have gone up ALOT in price. The ones we were sent last month they wanted £15 for 1 printed photo, £20 or £30 (can't remember which) for a digital copy and then several photos were around £40-£50!! Don't they know times are tough, we're not going to pay that for a photo. I just take them myself now, does it really matter whether he's in uniform or not. Plus the last few have been taken against a white background and when you're wearing a white/light yellow polo shirt it tends to clash and doesn't look right!

 

Obviously in your case you wanted the photos so were over a barrel really. I appriciate they have overheads but that's just daylight robbery!

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So why couldn't you buy one digital photo and produce 3 prints from it?

Yep as above it was 3 different photos, would have been a bit of a blonde moment if I bought three digital copies of the same photo :lol:

 

I totally understand how much camera equipment costs but there's no need for him to recoup all his equipment costs in one night's work. I am seriously thinking about taking some photography courses, if this is the sort of money available it would make a very healthy side earner! :o

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So why couldn't you buy one digital photo and produce 3 prints from it?

Yep as above it was 3 different photos, would have been a bit of a blonde moment if I bought three digital copies of the same photo :lol:

 

I totally understand how much camera equipment costs but there's no need for him to recoup all his equipment costs in one night's work. I am seriously thinking about taking some photography courses, if this is the sort of money available it would make a very healthy side earner! :o

 

Most people start with weddings so why not try and find a pro you could shadow to see how they work? It's something I might look into in the future.

 

Camera equipment tends to hold it's value and hasn't increased that much over the years from what I've seen. So I can't see how they can justify such large increases in prices. I think even printing photos must be cheaper now as digital photography is pretty much the norm.

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Most people start with weddings so why not try and find a pro you could shadow to see how they work? It's something I might look into in the future.

 

Camera equipment tends to hold it's value and hasn't increased that much over the years from what I've seen. So I can't see how they can justify such large increases in prices. I think even printing photos must be cheaper now as digital photography is pretty much the norm.

If I can find some time I'll probably start with some courses, just for my normal photography I'd like to really understand my camera inside out, then I might think of taking it further.

 

In my mind £25 for a digital photo would have been perfectly acceptable, I thought £40 was a bit OTT. I understand the argument that if you buy the digital one you're effectively buying the "rights" to the photo so you can do whatever you like with it after, but still when the options are to buy a print or a digital one there isn't a whole lot more earning potential there for him.

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we have visiting artists lecture at the college i work at and many of the photographers mention how since the increase in afordable entry level equipment and peoples willingness to do it themselves or alternatively reluctance to pay a proffessionals, work is becoming increasingly more difficult and less often, this i would suggest would be the main reason for prices increasing..... people just dont use them so often anymore!

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