Today on the blog we’re talking all about Winnipeg Wedding photography prices. As a newly engaged couple, what can you expect to pay for engagement and wedding photography? Should you be looking for the “deal of the century”, or should you invest more into your wedding photography? Together we’ll look at the benefits and the drawbacks of both approaches. As a Manitoba photographer, I’ll also walk you through my personal pricing.

Why Do Winnipeg Photographers Charge Different Prices?

This question could make up a full blog post in itself. Today, I’m only going to scratch the surface. There are numerous reasons why photographers price themselves differently. To name a few…

1. Skill level – How comfortable is a photographer in different shooting scenarios?
2. Gear – Do they have back-up gear or different lenses to choose from?
3. Level of service – What support do you receive as a client? Do they have PDF resources, blog posts, etc.?
4. Years of experience – Are they new or seasoned?
5. Popularity – Do they have more inquiries than they can serve?
6. Part-time or full-time – Is it a hobby, part time gig or a living?
7. Uneducated/Educated Pricing – Do they know the photography market? What are their competitors charging?
8. Portfolio: Do they have a portfolio of work, or are they building one?
9. The list goes on…

I’m going to outline the first two reasons VERY BRIEFLY below:

1. WINNIPEG PHOTOGRAPHY – SKILL LEVEL

New photographers will generally charge less as they build their portfolio. They are quite literally learning on the job. There is no shame in this, however their work is often more prone to errors. They are developing their camera skills, editing style and ability to direct clients.

A seasoned photographer knows where to be and when. They have a repertoire of posing and guiding prompts. They have photographed a lot of weddings in many different lighting scenarios. As a result, their wedding galleries are typically more curated.

2. WINNIPEG PHOTOGRAPHY – GEAR

Photography gear is EXPENSIVE!!! Typically, newer photographers start on beginner equipment (not always, but very often). This means fewer camera functions, focusing errors and often very grainy low light images.

As photographers grow and learn, they typically invest in new and better gear. At the end of the day, gear is not everything. A huge component of photography is the artist and the eye behind the camera. However, if a photographer has a greater lens selection, it often leads to a greater variety of shots. If he/she has a camera with eye autofocus, your eyes will be sharper in every image. If the camera has the ability to combat low light really well, your images can come out clearer.

Winnipeg Wedding Photography Prices

Now the answer you’ve all been waiting for! How much does a wedding photographer cost in Winnipeg, Manitoba? Full coverage wedding prices usually vary between $2500-$5000 CAD plus tax. In Winnipeg, photography services are subject to PST and GST (GST if the photographer makes over 30k in sales a year).

Additional costs include second shooters, mileage, wedding albums, and engagement sessions. Note, sometimes engagement sessions are complimentary. If you want everything from getting ready photos to first dances, you’ll likely need a minimum of 8 hours of wedding photo coverage. A photographers most popular packages are often listed on their website (ex. https://brookemos.com/investment). You can always inquire for custom pricing. For instance, I have a PDF that breaks down booking 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 hours etc. Always clarify if mileage is included or charged an additional cost.

If a photographer is charging $1000 for 8 hours of wedding photography AKA “the deal of the century” (or is it??), my number one assumption would be that they are NEW. You shouldn’t be surprised if there are major inconsistencies in the final gallery delivered.

Is it dangerous to make assumptions? Don’t worry, shortly I’ll walk you through 7 steps for choosing your wedding photographer. However, first I want to talk about engagement session pricing.

Winnipeg Engagement Session Prices

Engagement sessions have grown in popularity throughout the years. This is your oppourtunity to meet your wedding photographer and to understand his/her work process. I always tell my clients, “you don’t want a stranger photographing one of the most memorable days of your life”. Clients who have engagement sessions tend to be less anxious when having their actual wedding photos taken. Photographers take a couple different approaches when pricing engagement photography. If you want an engagement session, remember to account for it in your wedding photography budget.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT: PRICING METHOD #1

Method one, they include a complimentary engagement session in their wedding photography packages.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT: PRICING METHOD #2

Some photographers will offer discounted engagement sessions to their wedding clients. For instance, if you book a wedding photography package, and add-on an engagement session, you may save $100.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT: PRICING METHOD #3

The last method I’ve seen is simply full price engagement sessions. There is no monetary benefit to the client to book an engagement session. If they want it, they’ll pay for it.

Engagement Session Price Range

Regardless of the method, typically an engagement photography session ranges from $200/hr to $500/hr! As previously mentioned there are numerous reasons why photographers charge different prices. Here’s my method for choosing the right photographer for you. PS: Hopefully I’m the right photographer for you and I can make the search SUPER easy 🙂 !!!

7 Steps For Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

1. Find a photographer whose style you like.
2. Look up their work on social media (ex. https://www.instagram.com/brooke.mos/). This will give you a quick snapshot of their portfolio.
3. Define your budget. Is it strict, or are you willing to pay for a photographer you love? Remember the comprises you’ll make if you pay less or more. Outlined above under the heading “Why Do Winnipeg Photographers Charge Different Prices?”
4. Check if the photographer has their pricing listed on their website (ex. https://brookemos.com/investment).
5. Scroll through their website so that you can see a range of their work (ex. https://brookemos.com/wedding-photography) or (https://brookemos.com/category/love-stories/). This gives you insight into how they manage different lighting scenarios. If there are no engagement/wedding galleries listed, email them for a sample.
6. Read reviews. You can often find them on their website or google listing (ex. My google reviews). If they don’t have reviews posted, they may be new or unfortunately haven’t collected them.
7. If you still love their work, inquire (https://brookemos.com/general-contact-form)!

During your client call ask questions! If you want to further understand a photographers skill level ask them about their experience. That way you can be confident in your investment.

Wedding Pricing Example Using my Business

For reference when you work with me as a wedding photographer here’s what you can expect:

• 1. Skill level: My camera is basically an extension of my hand. I know how to navigate all sorts of lighting conditions.
• 2. Gear: I shoot with with pro-level gear. I have two of EVERYTHING and multiple lenses I rotate through.
• 3. Level of service: My goal is to anticipate questions before they are asked. I give all of my clients PDF guides
• 4. Experience: I’ve been shooting for about 8 years. Four of which have been full-time photography (Learn more about me here: https://brookemos.com/about)
• 5. Popularity: I’m from Winnipeg originally. I’ve operated my business in Vancouver for three years. I recently moved back to Winnipeg and now book clients all over Canada.
• 6. Full-time: I do this for a living! All-day, everyday!
• 7. Educated: I’m very aware of what other photographers are charging hence the blog post haha.
• 8. Portfolio: I have a complete portfolio of work. You can see it here https://brookemos.com/wedding-photography or here: https://brookemos.com/category/love-stories/

Knowing my answers check out my photography pricing: https://brookemos.com/investment .

Winnipeg Wedding Photography Prices Conclusion

Now you know the secrets behind Winnipeg wedding photography prices. Sometimes photography is a “get what you pay for industry”. However, there are some really good photographers across the board. If you’re looking for a Winnipeg photographer, I’d love to be considered: https://brookemos.com/wedding-photography!