There does reach an inevitable point in the conversation where they say so what? I really know you told you about my plans, and I've told you what I want, and then I always ask them, you know, are there any? Let me know what kind of question's gonna answer for you. Is there anything I can answer for you? And then it usually segways into? Well, you know, we're just kind of wondering like what it costs. I know I have two options here because I have three collections, and I do have a lot of add ons. I could either sit with the client and read out all of those collections to them over the telephone and let them write them all down, or I could mail them to them, email them to them. I prefer to email them to them for one of multiple multiple reasons. First of all, it takes away that uncomfortable part of the phone conversation when you actually have to talk about money and I have no problems talking clients about money. But it's a very terrible thing when you say, well, my rates began at fiv...

e thousand dollars, and then there is dead silence or my rates begin it fifteen hundred dollars and there's dead silence. And you realize oh god they just spent thirty minutes talking to me and I'm above their budget or and now none of us know how to get out of this alive and were all uncomfortable and everyone's looking at their feet and I don't know what to do second of all I don't want them to have to write this down this is way too complicated and they're scribbling it all down and then they have to take this you know, chicken scratch scribbling home to their fiance and talk to them about it what I do at that point in time when the conversation naturally turns over to talking about rates as I say listen I could read you my collections in all of my rates and information over the telephone but you don't need to have to write all of that out I've got it in a pdf let me e mail that to you you and your fiance can sit down you can look over it you can share it with your parents if you need to and then you can get back to me with any questions that you have don't worry I'm gonna follow up with you I wouldn't leave you out there alone but it would probably be easier if I e mailed it over to you I'm emailing them an eight and a half by eleven priceless pdf that they can then download and print on their computer at home that's way more professional looking than their handwriting as they tried to scribble down all of these collections into a notebook. So that's, generally, first of all, how I get out of any awkward conversations about pricing and second of all, how I get another chance to reach out to the client, send them another email, connect one more time. It was great to talk to you, here's. The price list that I was talking about before. Please let me know if you have any questions. Get back to me whenever you'd like. Easy done. Now you will inevitably have the client who's like that's. Great. And I would love it if you e mailed it to me. But can you at least tell me what you're starting prices? You know, so I can just I have some idea. Of course. So let me tell you about collection. Three it's the base collection that I have it's basically just time and your digital files, you know, it's it's five thousand dollars or fifteen hundred dollars or whatever it is for you or whatever your based collection is. This is what it comes with. And then I get a chance to detail, you know, it's eight hours of photography by myself and my assistant. You get your high resolution fully edited digital files and when I say fully edited digital files I want to be very clear I'm not just going to come home and download the files and hand them over to you they go through a very extensive editing process there looked at one at a time their color corrected one at a time by hand they make sure that the exposure is perfect on every single image and the color balance is precise so whether you want to print a photograph of you and your new husband together or your third cousin breaking it down on the dance floor all of your files are handled with the same care and respect I'm going to send you the price list with everything else in it please let me know if you have any other questions very very easy so as we've mentioned what if they want to talk rates on the phone we're gonna talk rates on the phone if they really pushed me if they really want to get into that on the telephone but then I will always follow up that phone call by saying listen I know we went over all of the packages and I know that you wrote them all down but let me just go ahead and send this pdf over to you anyhow it's got it all listed out in case you missed anything in case you can't read your handwriting later it's also eight and a half by eleven it's really easy to print, and you can also forward the email to your fiance or your parents or anybody else who needs to take a look at it again. It gives you another point of contact with the perspective client, which I think is always helpful. So what if they can't afford you? And they ask for a discount? This is listen, I have no problems with negotiation. I have no problems with negotiation or clients who want to talk about things or customized things are changed things around, but I do have a problem with is a client who asks for money off just because I would never in a million years call up somebody and say, ok, listen, I mean, I know you started five thousand dollars, but our budget was really four thousand dollars. So can you do your five thousand dollar package for four thousand dollars? Well, no, that's not negotiating negotiating means I take something off and take something out of the package and then offer something different to you. I'm not just gonna give it to you for cheaper, just because you asked me to give it to you for cheaper now that's a little bit different from negotiating if you come to me and you're getting married on a thursday and january we can negotiate all day long that's fine with me, but if someone just blanket asks me for a discount, you don't just get a discount just because you want a discount. Life doesn't really work that way. No, you can't pay me in half and get money off. No, you can't pay me in cash and not pay sales tax like I don't do any of this shady under the table dealings. I don't do anything that gets you out of sales tax if a client asks, can I pay you in cash so that I don't have to pay sales tax? I say, of course you can pay me in cash, you can pay me in whatever method you want. However, I do have to collect sales tax for the state of new york and deliver it to them. This isn't money that I'm making. I'm basically taking it from you and handing it over. So unfortunately, no there's, no way to really get out of paying sales tax so negotiation may be negotiating labor day saturday no negotiating a sunday in march, maybe, but a flat discount just for the point of giving a flat discount for no reason whatsoever absolutely not no that's, no, what if they push you? What if you're on the phone with them and they push you or they're rude and I know that sounds ridiculous, but I have literally told my prices to people on the phone and had them laugh at me, and I've had them laugh at me when I charged fifteen hundred dollars for a wedding, and I've had them say, you know, what are your rates? Well, photography begins at eight hours with myself in an assistant for twenty five hundred dollars, and someone has said twenty five hundred dollars for pictures at which my response is yes, ma'am, absolutely. Would you like me to send you over my full price sheet? And if you're rude and if you're pushy and if you're nasty, I will continue to be polite to you all day long. I will continue to treat me, treat you with respect, no matter how you're treating me and in my early days of being in business, whenever something like this did happen whenever someone pushed me, whenever someone was rude to me on the phone, whenever someone pushed me for a discount, I crumpled in caved. But as I was in business for longer and longer, if I repeated the mantra to myself over and over again, this isn't personal it's just business. Then that removes all of my emotion from these dealings. I'm not saying that removes my emotion from my work. I am continually incredibly emotionally invested in my work and in taking care of my clients, but when it comes to money, it's not personal, it's, just business. If you're going to be rude to me on the phone, I'm going to wish you all the best and send you on your way. I'm not gonna be rude back to you at all, so don't let this phase you if you say your prices to someone on the phone and they choke or they say, oh my god, are they say for pictures? Yes, ma'am, absolutely it's been an absolute delight to talk to you. Please give me a call if you have any other questions whatsoever. I wish you all the best in your plans. It takes no effort whatsoever to be nice to somebody, even if they're being rude to you on our number one rule is my assistant and I always have in wedding photography is don't be a jerk even if they're being a jerk to you always take the high road always be polite.

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Susan Stripling

Susan Stripling never knew that she'd end up a wedding photographer. Though she purchased her first camera in high school she went to college to study theatre and dance, obtaining a BFA in 2001. Shortly upon her move to New

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topics covered in this class

Wedding Photography Digital Photography

Ratings and Reviews

Misty Angel

oh Susan, you are AWESOME!! I am not a wedding photographer (despite dipping my toe in this intimidating pool for one of my dearest friends), I shoot all forms of portraits and love sports too! Your '30-Days' has been the single most influential and educational moments since I started my venture into photography in 2009! THANK YOU! Your honesty, directness, bluntness, humor and vulnerability makes these 30-Days the most worthwhile time spent away from actual shooting; while simultaneously is the most inspirational motivator to push you out there to practice these ideas/techniques! #SShostestwiththemostest You raise the bar in this industry, not just with wedding photographers, but with all genres of photography! I wanted this course to learn about shooting and thought, great... I'll get a little bit of the business side too... OMG! I got it ALL! I'm dying! What an awesome investment in myself, my business and in YOU! PLEASE keep doing what you are doing! I love your new Dynamic Range, I feel that it is a wonderful extension of the work you do with Creative Live! I watch you EVERY DAY, every morning... I know that I continue absorbing your wisdom through repetition! I don't want to be you, I want to rise to your level! So thank you for the inspiration, motivation and aspiration! Keep on being REAL, its what we love about you! We embrace your Chanel meets Alexander McQueen-ness! :) Thank you for stepping into this educational space and providing us with your lessons learned so we can avoid the negative-time investment making mistakes... we are drinking your virtual lemonade!! HA! Like the others, whatever wisdom you offer in this medium, I will be jumping at the opportunity to learn from you! THANK YOU!

user-59abe9

All the positive reviews say it all. When Susan took on the challenge of teaching this course it must of looked like attempting to climb Mount Everest...and she accomplished just that. Susan is a detailed, well-organized photographer and this clearly comes out in her teaching. Using repetition, clear instructions, a logical and well laid out presentation, she answers most any question you might have when it comes to wedding photography. I felt like I was having a private consultation when watching the course. She is real, honest, tactful, funny, and a gift to the photography community. Finally, her photography is professional and inspiring. Thank you Susan for the tremendous amount of work that you put into making this an outstanding Creative Live course for us all.

Sean

Wow. What a super, comprehensive, entertaining, informative course. Well done. I've taking a lot of photography classes and this one is definitely top of the list. Susan Stripling was very well prepared (and great job by the CreativeLive Team too). Terrific course. Susan shared so much. Thank you! P.S. Love the CL boot camp courses.

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The Pricing Conversation

The Pricing Conversation

Lesson Info

23. The Pricing Conversation

Lessons

Introduction

Evolution of Susan's Style

Branding and Identity

Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned

Introduction to Gear & Equipment

Lenses Part 1

Lenses Part 2

Lighting

Seeing the Scene

Seeing the Scene Q&A

Rhythm and Repetition

Leading Lines and Rule of Thirds

Rule of Odds and Double Exposures

Intro to Business

Financing Your Business

Q&A Days 1-4

Pricing Calculator

Package Pricing

Marketing

Vendor Relationships & Referrals

Marketing w Social Media

Booking the Client

The Pricing Conversation

Turn A Call Into a Meeting

In Person Meeting

Wedding Planning

Actual Client Pre Wedding Sit Down

Engagement Session Details

Engagement Session On Location

Wedding Details & Tips

Detail Photos Reviewed

Bridal Preparation

Bridal Preparation Photo Review

Bridal Prep - What If Scenarios

Q&A Days 5-11

First Look Demo

First Look Examples

Portraits of the Bride

Portraits of the Bride and Groom

Family Portraits Demo

Family Formal Examples

Wedding Ceremony Demo

Wedding Ceremony Examples

Different Traditions and Faiths

Wedding Cocktail Hour and Reception Room Demo

Wedding Cocktail Hour and Reception Room Examples

Wedding Introductions

First Dance

Wedding Toasts

Parent Dances

Wedding Party

Reception Events

Nighttime Portraits

Nighttime Portraits with Found Light

Post Wedding Session Demo

Post Wedding Session Critique

Wedding Day Difficulties

Post Workflow - Backing Up Folder Structure

Post Workflow - Culling Shots

Post Workflow - Outsourcing

Q&A Days 12-23

Post Workflow - Gear

Post Workflow - Lightroom Editing

Managing Your Studio

Post Wedding Marketing

Client Care

Pricing for Add-Ons

The Album Process

Balancing Your Business with Life

Post Wedding Problems

Parent Complaints

Unhappy Customers

Working with an Assistant

Assistant Q&A