Cheap vs expensive photography in cost wise
The most asked question we are now face everyday is 'how much?' And most answer we got is 'too expensive'. Here is a list of different level of photography in cost wise from the photographer side.
Condition: same photographer and work alone (no assistant/no crew)
List start from cheapest option:-
- Old camera(less MP), cheap zoom lens(less damage / stolen risk), deliver SOOC(less time) without equipment backup.
- Old camera, cheap zoom lens, on camera speedlight (more lighting control) deliver SOOC, without equipment backup.
- Old camera, cheap zoom lens, on camera speedlight, deliver images develop from raw, without equipment backup.
- Modern camera, zoom lens, on camera speedlight, deliver images develop from raw, with the old camera as backup.
- Modern camera, zoom lens, off camera speedlight, light modifier, deliver images develop from raw, with the old camera as backup.
- Modern camera, prime lens, off camera speedlight, light modifier, deliver images develop from raw, with the old camera as backup.
- Modern camera, prime lens, off camera strobe, light modifier, color management, handheld meter, deliver images develop from raw, with the old camera as backup.
- Modern camera, prime lens, off camera strobe, light modifier, color management, handheld meter, deliver images develop from raw, with modern camera as backup.
- ...
I think I should stop here, because this list will be too long to read. As your current reading, do you understand all the stuffs in the list? Do you realize how they affect the final result of your photographs? Here are just examples of different scenario in photographer's cost wise. And this didn't include how the cheap fees affected their mood(creative).
I hope next time when you talk with your photographer, don't just go for the cheapest route. Because 'the cheap' will be captured in photographs that may go with you for decades.
NOTE: I am now located in China, and this post is excitation by my fellow photographer who just finishes a cheap photo shoot, that he doesn't want to remember.