HOW MUCH SHOULD A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER COST IN PORTUGAL?
How Much Should You Invest In Your Wedding & Elopement Photography?
In this article, you will understand a few factors that affect how much wedding photographers cost in Portugal, & in general:
- Expertise
- Experience
- Location
- Lifestyle
- Style
-What they include in basic packages (album, engagement session, etc.)
Ok, so you’re here because you’re curious about the cost of a wedding & elopement photographer in Portugal & how much you should invest in your photography, right? Perfect, because as a Portugal wedding photographer we have got the answers for you. Continue reading below!
A LITTLE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE:
If you are from another destination, it’s important to understand that the wedding industry here in Portugal is very different than the booming & ever growing industry in America, & Australia.
Traditions are very important in Portugal, but if you are complete OPPOSITE of traditional (which we are) then, you can begin reading all the different categories & what is normally included, for these specific price ranges. As you get into the higher brackets, the experience will be overall better & you can expect to get more quality.
For us, quality & the experience is WAY more important…. if you think about it, it’s YOUR day + you deserve an experience + to feel catered to in every way!
1.FIRST & FOREMOST…
YOU MAY WONDER: "WHY DO WEDDING & ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHERS CHARGE WHAT THEY CHARGE?”
Many people think we just take photos & thats it, but there is SO much more than you may know. The higher the price of the photographer, the more they are doing for their business + the more education they did or continue to do, in order to give the best client experience!
That’s why knowing how much should a wedding photographer cost in Portugal, is important + in general the reason for the price of a wedding photographer. Really understanding, WHY they charge what they charge.
Prices BEFORE, DURING, & AFTER the day of work at the wedding/elopement, include:
Hundreds of emails, calls, messages, etc… back & forth.
Logos & branding.
Travel to and from photoshoots & weddings
Timeline prep/pre-wedding planning
10 to 20 hours of 1 wedding day of work (setting up, traveling locally, coverage of the wedding & elopement day, photo backup/transfer)
10 to 30 hours of editing time (sometimes more or less)
Website renewals, updating, writing blogs posts, etc…
Marketing
Social media planning & posting
Insurance for gear.
Upgrading & maintaining gear.
Contacting other vendors.
Location scouting
Taxes & Accounting
Office work
*** The list really can go on, but these are the main things we find important for you to know.
HOW MUCH SHOULD A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER COST IN PORTUGAL?
We aren’t going to give you THE answer, because it’s ultimately up to you, what you’d like to invest in & what type of experience you want, but we will give you the different ranges of prices & what to expect in each range!
2. NOW, FOR PRICING & THE VARIOUS THINGS YOU CAN TYPICALLY EXPECT TO GET IN EACH RANGE
0-500€: Traditionally here in Portugal you can expect normally one photographer that is either newer in the industry & wants to grow their portfolio, or that is happy charging that amount & maybe doesn’t have an ideal client or niche, but doesn’t mind.
They also normally cover over 12 hours of photography. Their style of photography can be a bit outdated and/or a bit all over the place (inconsistent). If you are happy with that & you care more about investing in other things (like food or a DJ) then, this price range is the one for you!
500-800€: Again, sticking to traditions is very common here so, with this price range you can expect the above plus, extras like:
Possibly including the day-of photo prints, same day editing, possibly a second photographer & normally they like to include many extras like: a simple photo album, photo prints, videography, & probably a USB.
***With these lower price ranges, you need to consider that the quality of the photos, the experience given to you & services provided will not be the same quality as a higher-priced/higher in demand photographer.
800-1,000€: At this range, photographers possibly have been in the industry for a year or so.
However, typically its the most basic package out there with normally only photos included, & sometimes can include 2 photographers if they’re a husband & wife team (this really depends). Coverage is not all day either, its normally anywhere in between 4-6 hours. Some photographers have extras they include as well, but it really depends on the photographer.
1,200-1500€: Their experience could be in between 2-3 years, you will get more artistic photography styles.
It could include 2 photographers, full day coverage, an engagement shoot (adventure shoot, trash the dress, rock the dress… that type of session), possibly a quality photo album but, it may be more simple. The extras do depend photographer to photographer.
3.500€-5.000€: Often, their experience in the industry will be 3-5+ years, they might invest themselves in some workshops, etc & may be well established, but lack some things — for example: clear workflow or process, delivery timeframe may be up to 5 months+ or they may not offer much in their photography collections, etc…
Their prices might include 2 photographers, engagement shoot (adventure shoot, trash the dress, rock the dress.. however you want to call it), a photo album, all day coverage. (full day for Portuguese weddings are about 15 hours), possibly a custom usb or photo prints as well. Possibly a wedding video teaser, as well. The extras do depend photographer to photographer.
For the most luxurious experience— 10,000€-15,000€+… : Often, their experience in the industry will be 3+ years but they eat & breath photography, their workflow & process with you is seamless, professional, communication is outstanding, & often they are internationally known, being featured in magazines/Vogue, etc…They’re always investing in extra photography & marketing education, they take on mentorships, etc… in order to always improve their quality & luxury experience for their clients. The list can truly go on.
Their style of photography is also in higher demand, they’re more established, offer more luxury items. For example: You possibly would get 2-3 photographers, film photography, an engagement shoot, photos of rehearsal dinner or welcome events, an heirloom photo album (NOT the ones from an electronic shop), 8-12 hours of coverage, custom usb, drone coverage, wedding content creators, etc. This changes from photographer to photographer, but be assured that a you get a luxury experience & you can see the photographers really care about YOU & YOUR day, they will help you with your timeline of the day, & offer suggestions/tips along the way as well, but definitely start putting you first - I mean, you’re the King & Queen of your wedding day so you deserve the very best!
Do you feel you still need more information about wedding photography in Portugal?
We’d be happy to speak with you & help you out MORE WITH this topic!
With these different price ranges, we aren’t telling you what you should do, but rather we recommend you truly think about how important your wedding & elopement photography experience is to YOU. By thinking deeply about this, you will see how much you’d like to invest, because photography is an investment! An investment that will last years, & years, … & YEARS to come.
Love from,
Your Portugal wedding photographer team | The Lopes Photography
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