Los Angeles Wedding Photography Prices

What is the average price of wedding photography in Los Angeles? What is the average photography package couples purchase in Los Angeles and in the United States? Find below the answer to this question and the rates charged by top professionals.

Table 1: How Much do Wedding Photographers Charge in Los Angeles?

The fee charged by various Los Angeles studios for a 10 hour wedding covered by two photographers. Taxes Apply. For more information and to confirm availability, please contact the photographer directly.

Company NamePrice
Brandon James Gordon2350 Dundas, Toronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.brandonjamesgordon.com2800
Timeless Captures44 Valley Woods Dr, Toronto, ON, M3A2R6, Canadahttps://timelesscaptures.ca/2800
1486 PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.1486photography.com/contact/5367
Agi StudiosToronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.agistudio.ca/4463
Alexandra JakubowskaToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.ajphotographer.ca/2600
All This HappinessToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.allthishappiness.com/4600
Am MotionToronto, ON, Canadahttp://avenue-photo.com2900
Beautiful Life StudiosToronto, ON, Canadahttps://beautifullifestudios.com3000
Ben KaneToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.benkanephoto.com/4208
Cafa PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://cafaphoto.com/5085
Callum PinkeyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://callumpinkney.com/4403
Captivate Photo CinemaToronto, ON, Canadahttps://captivatephotocinema.ca/2600
Corina V.Toronto, ON, Canadahttps://corinavphotography.com/5311
Dan ClementsToronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.danclementsphoto.com/3330
David MorrisToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.davidphoto.ca/2542
Derek HuiToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.derekhui.com4294
Edris DaraianToronto, ON, Canadahttps://edris.ca/3955
EvolyllaToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.evolyllaphotography.com/3500
F29Toronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.f29.ca/4068
Face PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://facephotography.ca/4400
Focus PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.focusphotography.ca/3729
Frances MorencyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.francesmorency.com/4000
Gillian FosterToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.gillianfoster.ca/3842
Green TeaToronto, ON, Canadahttps://greenteaphotography.com/6000
Harvard PhotoToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.harvardphoto.com/5185
HRM PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://hrmphotography.com/5085
Isberto WeddingsToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.isbertophotoweddings.com/3955
Jamieson DeanToronto, ON, Canadahttps://jamiesondean.com/3899
Janice YiToronto, ON, Canadahttp://janiceyiphotography.ca/4294
Jennifer BallardToronto, ON, Canadahttp://jennifer-ballard.com/3955
Jennifer MoherToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.jennifermoher.com/5876
Julian MonizToronto, ON, Canadahttp://julianmoniz.com/5644
Just Klik ProductionToronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.justklikproductions.com/2400
Lushana BaleToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.lushanabalephotography.com/4803
Natalia ZukToronto, ON, Canadahttp://nataliazuk.ca/2375
Olive PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.olivephotography.ca/5650
Ondi StudioToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.ondistudio.com/3800
Pavel KounineToronto, ON, Canadahttp://pavelkounine.com/6413
PhotographikaToronto, ON, Canadahttp://photografika.ca/3842
Photography by CalinToronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.bycalin.com/2999
Raph NogalToronto, ON, Canadahttp://raphnogal.com/5079
Rhythm PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.rhythm-photography.com/5085
Sage and Sea Co.Toronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.sageandseaco.com/4000
Samantha Ong PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttps://samanthaongphoto.com/3499
Sarah AndrewsToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.sarahandrews.photo/3503
Scott WilliamsToronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.scottwilliamsphotographer.com/5367
Studio ArashToronto, ON, Canadahttp://studioarash.com/4238
Studio EpicToronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.studioepic.com/3786
Tamara LockwoodToronto, ON, Canadahttp://tamara-lockwood.com/5085
Tara McMullenToronto, ON, Canadahttp://taramcmullen.com/7458
Tara WeddingsToronto, ON, Canadahttps://taraweddings.ca/4746
Tied PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttps://tiedphotography.com/3400
Z MouluToronto, ON, Canadahttp://www.zmolu.com/5495
John and SamanthaToronto, ON, Canadahttp://johnandsamantha.ca/4875
Matt TrimbleToronto, ON, Canadahttp://matttrimblephotography.com/2990
Le Image IncNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.leimageinc.com4098
Dream Life WeddingNew York, NY, United States (US)https://dreamlifewedding.com3190
Sincerely EmeliaNew York, NY, United States (US)https://sincerelyemelia.com3875
Emin KulievNew York, NY, United States (US)https://wedding.em34.com7000
Jason Thomas CrockerNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.jasonthomascrocker.com3950
Angelica CriscuoloNew York, NY, United States (US)https://angelicacriscuolophotography.com5500
Rick BacmanskiNew York, NY, United States (US)http://rickbacmanski.com3000
Ph NYNew York, NY, United States (US)https://ph-ny.com1899
J C LemonNew York, NY, United States (US)https://jclemon.com6500
Maggie MargueriteNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.maggiemarguerite.com6500
Maria HunterNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.mariahunter.com5195
Marie Labbancz PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.artoflove.com7000
Mark Nelson PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.marknelsonphoto.com16000
Meg Smith PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.megsmith.com14167
Melani LustNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.melanilustphotography.com8000
Mel Barlow & Co.New York, NY, United States (US)http://www.melbarlowandco.com12500
Rabbani & Solimene PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.rabbanisolimene.com6333
Radhika PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.radhikaphotography.com6000
Raquel Reis PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.raquelreis.com6500
Ready LuckNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.readyluck.com7400
Rebecca Yale PhotographerNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.rebeccayaleportraits.com8500
Richard Jopson WeddingsNew York, NY, United States (US)http://rjweddingsnyc.com5813
Robert LondonNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.robertlondon.com6000
Roey Yohai PhotojournalistsNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.roeyyohaiphotography.com7000
Ross NYCNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.rossnyc.com5500
R. Wagner PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.rwagnerphotography.com7500
A Day of BlissNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.adayofbliss.com6450
The Hons PhotoNew York, NY, United States (US)https://thehonsphoto.com7000
Konrad Brattke PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.konradbrattkeblog.com5875
Alton MartinNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.altonmartin.com3000
Lux PhotosNew York, NY, United States (US)https://luxphotos.com6285
Omega ImageryNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.omegaimagery.com3667
Suess MomentsNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.suessmoments.com/pricing4542
Grand Lens PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.grandlensphotography.com3494
Erica Mille ProductionsNew York, NY, United States (US)http://ericacamilleproductions.com5500
Brklyn ViewNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.brklynview.com5900
Duncan MoffatNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.duncanmoffat.com/pricing/3500
Therese PhotoNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.theresephoto.com4375
Jacek DolataNew York, NY, United States (US)http://www.jacekdolata.com4125
Forever Photo NyNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.foreverphotony.com4900
Hudson River PhotographerNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.hudsonriverphotographer.com5000
Christopher's StudioNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.christophersstudio.net4200
Tom HarmonNew York, NY, United States (US)https://tomharmonphotography.com4200
Ayenia NourNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.ayenianour.com5200
Weddings by ElviraNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.weddingsbyelvira.com5500
Jenny FuNew York, Ny, United States (US)https://www.jennyfu.com5000
De NuevaNew York, NY, United States (US)https://denuevaphoto.com6071
Ricky RestianoNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.rickyrestiano.com/wedding-packages4900
Vita BellaNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.vitabellaweddings.com3990
Framed EleganceNew York, NY, United States (US)https://www.framedelegance.com3000
acornproduction wedding photography1800 sheppard ave east, Toronto, ON, M2J 5A7, Canadahttps://acornproduction.ca2300
Judy and GavinLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.judyandgavin.com/5375
TTT PhotographyLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.tttphotography.com3000
Rob Greer PhotographyLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.robgreer.com/5950
Eivan’s Photo & VideoLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.eivans.com/1811
Josh GoodmanLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.joshgoodman.com/4000
Jenna BechtholtLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.jennabechtholt.com5000
Wedding Bell StudiosLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.weddingbellstudios.com/4000
Hasselblad StudiosLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://hasselbladstudios.com/2625
Gina and RyanLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://ginaandryan.com/5500
Sun and SparrowLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://sunandsparrow.com/3900
Dmitry Shumanev ProductionLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://shumanev.com/5500
Shutterspace studio CanadaOttawa, on, Canadahttps://www.shutterspace-studio.com2200
Samantha TurchinLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.samanthaturchin.com/3250
Magalt BarajasLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://magalybarajas.com/2000
Gavin PhotographyLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)http://www.gavinphotography.com/3750
Weddings 64Los Angeles, CA, United States (US)http://www.wedding64.com/3670
Mark LangLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.marklaing.com/3250
The SanadasLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://thesanadas.com/5000
ABM Wedding PhotosLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.abmweddingphotos.com3825
Alex Z PhotographyNew York, NY, United States (US)https://alexzphotography.com/5250
Jason Burns PhotographyLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://jasonburnsphotography.com/4300
Victoria Chrystal PhotographyLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.victoriachrystal.com/3750
Karina SantosLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.karinasantosphoto.com6000
Ryan ChamberlinLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://www.ryanlamedia.com/1500
Caitan Co PhotoLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://caitandcophoto.com/4000
Nicole Amanda Photography2013 Seeleys Bay St, Ottawa, Ontario, K2J5P5, Canadahttps://nicoleamanda.ca/5800
Geaux LiveNew Orleans, LA, United States (US)http://geaux.live4000
888 ProductionsLos Angeles, CA, United States (US)https://the888gallery.com/3699
Sandracardenasphotography.comMississauga, Mississauga, On, L5R3P6, Canadahttp://www.sandracardenasphotography.com870
Whiskey & Wolves Co.Toronto, Ontario, M6P2S5, Canadahttps://www.whiskeyandwolves.co3750
Laura Kelly PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttp://laurakellyphotography.ca5850
Chelsea Mason PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.chelseamasonphotography.com4800
Photography by EmmaOttawa, ON, Canadahttp://photographybyemma.ca/4399
Stacy Kentopic PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://stacykenopicphotography.com2000
Mitch Lenet PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://mitchlenetweddings.com3300
Sophie Fortier PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://sophiefortierphotography.com3350
Joey Rudd PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.joeyrudd.ca4100
Boyo PhotoOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://boyophoto.ca3100
Couvrette StudioOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.couvrette-photography.on.ca2250
Mocha Tree StudiosOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.mochatreestudios.com3500
Anne Marie Gruden PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://amgphoto.com3500
Christopher Steven B PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.christopherstevenb.com2650
Intuition PhotoOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://intuitionphoto.com3900
Lauren McCormick PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://laurenmccormickphotography.com4250
Mark Cooper PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttp://www.markshots.com1500
Green Tea PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttp://greenteaphotography.com5500
Samantha Marie PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.photographybysamanthamarie.com3000
Lisa Provencal PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttp://lisaprovencalphotography.com/5000
Harison Baker PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.harrisonbakerphotography.com2350
Anita PeeplesOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://anitapeeples.com4750
Mary CalotesOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.marycalotes.com6000
Ali and Batoul PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://aliandbatoulphotography.com/4625
Grace and BowtieOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://graceandbowtie.com4500
Shutter TreasureOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://shuttertreasure.com/4000
Kim Ing PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://kim-ing-photography-1.showit.site4000
Stacey Stewart PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttp://staceystewartphotography.com3500
Murray Milne PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttps://www.murraymilne.com3300
JI PhotosOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.jiphotos.ca3500
Charlotte Northrope WeddingsOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.charlottenorthrope.com4500
Eddie Lo PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttp://www.eddielo.com3000
Stephany Beach PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.stephaniebeachphotography.com5000
Ghattas WeddingsOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.ghattasweddings.com/3950
Hillary Elizabeth PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.hilaryelizabethphotography.net3550
Mondays With Mac PhotographyOttawa, ON, Canadahttps://www.mondayswithmacphotography.com3400
Astora Studio PhotographyToronto, ON, Canadahttps://astorastudio.com/4000
Sanaa StudioBrampton, ON, Canadahttps://www.sanaastudio.ca/2500
Avangard photographyToronto, On, Canadahttp://avangardphoto.com3500
L L photography115 gore dr, Barrie, ON, L4N0A8, Canadahttps://llphotographysimcoe.wixsite.com/mysite1500

Submit Your Wedding Photography Price

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How Did We Calculate the Average?

In Los Angeles, everyone is a wedding photographer! As the industry is not regulated, if you have $1,000 you can go to Costco, buy a camera and you are in business! However, it is not that type of photographers we surveyed.

We looked at the Top Los Angeles studios or individual professional photographers to determine their average fees and their distribution. Our data clearly shows that 24% of the studios researched in Los Angeles charge around $3,500.

Please note that destination wedding photographers will build custom packages or offer a la carte options based on the travel and shooting time.

We only analyzed wedding photography pricing, not photo booth or wedding videography services. For those services, please head towards the respective sections of the website.

Factors Impacting Pricing

If you analyse pricing quotes from different photographers, you will notice huge pricing differences. Why such a wide range of price points? What variables impact the average photography price?

The most important factors that influence wedding photography costs are coverage length (time), number of shooters, products included in the collection. In addition, brand name, experience and marketing skills play a crucial role in the amount charged.

Number of Hours of Photography

Time is a direct cost for the artist and the more time a bride requires, the more expensive it gets. If a couple needs coverage after midnight or the event is outside the photographer’s area, chances are she can not book another gig the following day, so the couple might have to pay extra.

On average, packages include 8-10 hours of photography.

Do you want a lot of reception images? You might have to buy extra hours and that doesn’t come cheap.

Preferably, schedule the key events (cake cutting, bouquet and garter toss) immediately after dinner and let your photographers go one hour into the dances. Most dancing shots are repetitive, so you won’t miss much.

Number of Photographers

Having multiple shooters document your big day has its advantages: you will get a large diversity of shots captured from various angles, you will have multiple artists with different interpretations of your wedding day, etc. However, additional shooters cost extra. A second photographer will cost you another $500 but gives you a good ROI and is worth the money.

Skills, Experience and Brand Name

Experience and skill, fame and brand name go hand in hand. It is almost self explanatory that well-known artists are in high demand so they charge above market rates for their services. Newbies often shoot for free, so if you have a small budget, please explore that option.

Please note that the results might vary.

The artist who is established has a solid customer and referral base, and built a network of industry professionals will definitely charge more than the newbie. He will most definitely receive more inquiries than a new entrant in this industry.

Newbies do not have a portfolio to show. As such, they receive a very limited number of inquiries, so they have to compete on price to convince the potential clients to book them. After all, the price is determined by the supply and demand. As the demand for a beginner artist is almost non-existent, the price is also low.

Marketing and Branding Acumen

One of the factors that influences fees is the marketing abilities of a studio. The better an artist is at marketing her business, the higher the fees she can command.If the artist is able to build a distinct brand, that will allow her to charge a premium price. Truth be told, it is very hard for a photographer to develop a distinct style as most cameras take the same photos and everyone has access to the same post-processing techniques. In the age of the internet, one can emulate a look in minutes by buying a preset.

Here is why Marketing is extremely important. Being active on social media, advertising on the channels with the highest impact is crucial for the photographer to be able to raise prices.

Travel Costs

This applies mostly to artists who bundle their travel costs into the packages offered. Please note that some companies do not charge travel fees, especially if your reception takes place in a place on their bucket list.

Geography

Your wedding’s geographical location will affect the cash amount you will spend on your portraits. Getting married in a remote town? You can find an affordable local photographer who will give you a great deal.

Tying the knot in downtown Los Angeles? You will spend more on photography. For money-saving tips, check our Best Wedding Budget Tips.

Photographers’ locations. You can find more affordable photographers outside of Los Angeles’s downtown core where rents are prohibitive. A photographer operating from home incurs lower costs so you will save money and get a better deal.

Prints

Additional photo albums and engagement sessions will increase the amount spent on photography. An album sells for over $500-$1000 and represents a large percentage of your average photography package.

An engagement session will set you back over $500-$1,000. Also, canvases, metallic prints, etc are unique products created for you and they are not cheap.

Do you want large prints? Professional photo labs are quite pricey. If your wedding pictures are a big deal for you, pay for professional prints. Couples on a budget can try inexpensive labs like Shutterfly. Is editing and retouching of wedding pics included or you have to pay extra? How much more?

Most photographers process wedding pictures themselves while others outsource to cheap shops abroad. The cost of processing is an important driver in the total price brides pay.

Printed products are expensive, and if you love that Italian leather-bound album, you will have to pay a premium. As the traditional printing industry is in a rapid decline, there are more modern products available, but they come at a higher price tag. Nowadays the brides and grooms can opt for canvases, large prints, or even metallic prints that will cost a few hundred dollars for a 20″x30″ print.

Advertising Costs

Advertising on print media is extremely costly, and that expense is built in the packages. Even online blogs and magazines are not cheap.

Do you see a studio’s ads in luxury wedding magazines or met them at premium wedding shows? Their packages are probably overpriced.

Cost Structure

Each studio’s cost structure is one of the major factors that impact the price tag. Rent is prohibitive in downtown Los Angeles, so if you booked one of the downtown studios, you will realize that you and the other clients pay that $10,000 studio rent.If you have the budget, by all means, hire one of the prestigious studios in the New York area. However, if you are on a tight budget, book an independent artist working in her basement who will deliver the same high-quality photographs at a fraction of the cost.Another variable driving photographers costs is the equipment used. Some photographers use very expensive equipment and charge for it.

Affordable Wedding Photography

Despite the raising costs, the competition in the area is so intense that prices have remained flat for the last 3-4 years since we started tracking them. Besides the full-time photographers, you can find “weekend warriors” who charge even less than a full timer.

Calculating the Average Price of Wedding Photography in Los Angeles

The amount couples are spending these days on their wedding is significantly higher than $11,000, the amount paid in the ’80s adjusted for inflation.

Even more important, the more couples spend on their wedding, the less happy they are afterwards. They can not afford a house in good neighbourhoods, so their children attend low-quality schools, which impacts their future.

In 2021, the recommended amount couples are expected to pay for photography is about 10% of the wedding budget. It follows that the average wedding photography price in Los Angeles is $4,500 (including HST).

That is consistent with our Prices Survey of top studios in the Los Angeles area. In Canada, wedding photographers charge on average $3,500 and $5,000.

Generally, packages include a photo album, two wedding photographers and 8-10 hours of photography. That would provide coverage for the bride’s preparation, ceremony, and wedding reception.

Some brides may spend a higher amount on their wedding images if photography is a big deal for them and are looking for famous photographers to document their wedding day.

Couples who want to spend less on photography will choose more budget friendly packages that include less time or no wedding albums.

Finally, clients on a budget could only hire a professional photographer to document the bride and groom’s preparation and wedding ceremony, then ask guests to snap some pictures during the reception.



Distribution of Prices in the Los Angeles

There is more to the picture than the average price. The distribution of prices gives you a clearer picture of the amount you can expect to pay.

As per Table 1 below, in 2021, Los Angeles, 79% of studios researched charge between $3,000 and $5,500 for a package that includes 10 hours of photography and two shooters.

That is consistent with the average cost calculated as a 10% of the average wedding budget.

Table 1: Cost distribution of a 10 hour package including two photographers

Price
Number of Photographers
% of Photographers 
$2,500

0

0%

$3,000

2

8%

$3,500

2

8%

$4,000

9

38%

$4,500

1

4%

$5,000

2

8%

$5,500

3

13%

$6,000

2

8%

$6,500

0

0%

Average Los Angeles Wedding Packages

The price intervals are calculated considering a 10h coverage, 2 photographers and 1 album.

Upscale photographers (top 3% of the market): Do you have the money to hire a famous photographer who charges $8,000+? For a high budget wedding, that is a reasonable target.

Still, you need to make sure you are getting a good return on investment (ROI) and it is not just the marketing hype increasing the average cost. You must love your photographer’s wedding pictures and personality or you might not be getting the best deal.

Premium photographers are talented and experienced, yet not famous artists who charge anywhere between $4,000s and $8,000s.

Affordable wedding photographers in Los Angeles charge between $3000s-$4,000s for their packages. This is what 24% of Los Angeles photographers charge.

Budget friendly photographers charge $2000-$3000 and represent 16% of the market.

Lastly, you have the cheap photographers whose services you can buy for a song. Sure, they shoot cameras from the last century but they charge under $2000 and that sounds like a great deal!

Unless it is a friend-of-the-family rate, in this price range, clients are taking risks and need to do serious homework. If you intend to spend under $2,000 you are gambling your wedding photos.

Calculating the Best Return on Investment (ROI)

Find three photographers whose wedding photos you really like and whose pricing and packages fit your budget. Assess the value of their packages, including extra fees such as the cost of photo albums, travel fees, and cost of digital files.

In Table 2 below, Package 3 ($2,500) has the lowest price, but it is not the best investment because you will need to pay extra for extra time, the second shooter, high-resolution digital images and a wedding album.

Table 2: Packages from 3 Photographers

Package 1
Package 2
Package 3
Time

10 hours

10 hours

8 hours

Album

included

not included

not included

2nd Shooter

included

not included

not included

Digital Images

included

included

not included

Cost

$3,500

$3,000

$2,500

Table 3 : Additional Fees Charged by the three photographers. Photographer 1 offers the best Return on Investment.

Package 1
Package 2
Package 3
Time

10 hours

10 hours

8 hours

Album

included

not included

not included

2nd

included

not included

not included

Jpegs

included

included

not included

Cost

$3,500

$3,000

$2,500

Comparing the prices and packages above, it appears that Package 3 has the lowest price (Table 2). Still, when calculating the total cost, including the additional fees (please see Table 3 above), Package 1 gives you the highest return on investment, despite the highest price.

Be Aware of the Following Pricing Techniques

Psychological Pricing a.k.a. Charm or Golden Pricing

This is a basic technique whereby the price of the product or service ends in an odd number just under the round amount. Instead of listing a package at $3,000, the common practice is to offer it at $2,999.

Why do we perceive the two offers so drastically different? Studies by Thomas and Morwitz in 2005 show that because we cannot remember the whole price, we form a perception of low, medium and high based on the left digit of the number. As long as the left digit does not change, we don’t perceive the difference.

As consumers, we think the difference between $4,000 and $2,999 is closer to $2000 than to $1000. Also, which package is more affordable? $2,999 or $3,000?

Price Insensitivity Intervals

There are intervals where we are completely price insensitive. For example, when comparing two photographers offering the exact same services, one for $2,780 and the other one for $2,999, the two prices feel the same.

Presenting Packages in Descending Order

Our brain relies on the first piece of information to decide in a process called “anchoring.” As such, many companies present 3 packages starting with the most expensive to sell you the next service, which now feels way more attractive.

Table 4: Comparison of average Los Angeles wedding photographers’ costs by duration of the photo shoot.

Time
Average Cost
WedPrices
1 h

$546

$328

2 h

$1,092

$655

3 h

$1,638

$983

4 h

$2,194

$1310

5 h

$2,730

$1,638

6 h

$3,276

1,966

7 h

$3,822

$2,293

8 h

$4,638

$2,621

9 h

$4,914

$2,948

10 h

$5,000

$3,000

They calculated the average in Los Angeles using a proprietary algorithm. To confirm availability and obtain a quote, please contact the vendors listed above.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of packages from top studios in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, in 2021 the average price wedding photography in Los Angeles can run between $3,000 and $5,500. Over 79% of the studios analyzed charge that amount. High-end photographers command rates that can exceed $10,000. Packages usually include 8 to 10 hours of coverage and two photographers.

In US (outside the Los Angeles area), couples pay between $2,500 and $3,500 for wedding photography services.


References

The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing – Book by Thomas T. Nagle, John Hogan and Joseph Zale

The Psychology of Price: How to use price to increase demand, profit and customer satisfaction – Book by Leigh Caldwell

Confessions of the Pricing Man – Book by Hermann Simon

Value-Based Pricing: Drive Sales and Boost Your Bottom Line by Creating, Communicating and Capturing Customer Value – Book by Harry Macdivitt and Mike Wilkinson

The Psychology of Price: How to Use Price to Increase Demand, Profit and Customer Satisfaction – Book by Leigh Caldwell

Pricing Done Right: The Pricing Framework Proven Successful by the World’s Most Profitable Companies – Book by Tim J. Smith

Priceless: The Myth of Fair Value (and How to Take Advantage of It) – Book by William Poundstone

No B.S. Price Strategy: The Ultimate No Holds Barred, Kick Butt, Take No Prisoners Guide to Profits, Power, and Prosperity – Book by Dan Kennedy

Pricing for Profit: How to Develop a Powerful Pricing Strategy for Your Business – Book by Peter Hill

The 1% Windfall: How Successful Companies Use Price to Profit and Grow – Book by Rafi Mohammed

Handbook on the Psychology of Pricing: 100+ effects on persuasion and influence every entrepreneur, marketer and pricing manager needs to know – Book by Dr. Markus Husemann-Kopetzky