The Photography Survey 2014Sponsored by
Methodology
• 710 survey participants
• 92% from USA, 3 % from UK, 2% from Canada, 3% from rest of world
• Samples collected from April 9th, 2014 to May 9th, 2014
• All samples were collected through electronic invitation
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Which of these best describes your photography work?
71%
22%
2% 1%
6%
It's just me
I have a photography business with employees
I'm part of a studio of photographers
I'm an employee of a photography business
Other
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Which of these best describes you?
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60%
34%
3%
1% 1%
Full-time photographer
Part-time photographer
Advance hobbyist
Hobbyist
Other
4
How many years have you been in this business?
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2%
22%
27%19%
30%
Less than 1 year
1-4 years
5-9 years
10-20 years
More than 20 years
Average years in Business = 14.5
5
How many events do you serve each year?
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28%
36%
22%
8%
6%
Less than 10
10-24
25-49
50-99
More than 100
Average Number of Events per Year = 31.4
What is your typical (or 2014 expected) income from photography work per year?
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27%
22%22%
18%
11%
Less than $10,000
$10,000-$24,999
$25,000-$49,999
$50,000-$99,999
More than $100,000
Average Annual Income = $49,390Full-time Photographer = $72,318Part-time Photographer = $16,649
Which of these photography services do you offer?
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78%
32%
89%
31%
53%
25%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Wedding photography
Volume school/sports/events
Portrait photography
Other photography
Corporate events/photography
Boudoir photography
(Totals will equal more than 100% because participants can select more than 1 item)
What percentage of these services make up your total photography income per year?
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41%
35%
40%
36%
17%
10%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Wedding photography
Volume school/sports/events
Portrait photography
Other photography
Corporate events/photography
Boudoir photography
(Totals will equal more than 100% because participants can select more than 1 item)
What percent of your sales are from the following?
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55%
20%
13%
16%
20%
11%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Your photographic services
Digital files
Albums
Wall decor
Other printed product
Other
(Totals will equal more than 100% because participants can select more than 1 item)
(For Weddings) What is the amount of time you spend, on average, for each of these? (In hours)
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1.9
8.7
1.9
2.3
2.5
4.7
15.2
2.7
9.3
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0
Session or meeting pre-wedding day (not including engagement session)
On wedding day
Meeting with couple prior to being hired (including video/phone meetings)
Meeting after being hired but before the wedding (including video/phonemeetings)
Engagement session
After wedding: Other
After wedding: Image selection, editing, retouching
After wedding: Image delivery (DVD/Flash drive, web gallery creation, etc.)
After wedding: Album
Total Average Hours = 36.8
Time Spent Cont.… (Percent of Photographers that do task)
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52%
83%
84%
76%
76%
44%
84%
79%
68%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Session or meeting pre-wedding day (not including engagement session)
On wedding day
Meeting with couple prior being to being hired (including video/phonemeetings)
Meeting after being hired but before the wedding (including video/phonemeetings)
Engagement session
After wedding: Other
After wedding: Image selection, editing, retouching
After wedding: Image delivery (DVD/Flash drive, web gallery creation, etc.)
After wedding: Album
(Totals will equal more than 100% because participants can select more than 1 item)
To what level do you agree or disagree with the following statements. In 5 years...
Agree Neutral Disagree
Most brides will hire a professional to shoot in their wedding 39.2% 44.1% 16.8%
More than 70% of wedding photographers will be part time 55.4% 34.9% 9.7%
Most brides will not print albums 36.1% 43.8% 20.1%
Most photographers will sell only shooting services 31.8% 44.4% 23.8%
Most wedding photographers will handle shoot and video 21.0% 42.5% 36.5%
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Do you offer mobile galleries of your wedding images?
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45%
36%
19%
Yes
No
I don’t, but I would like to
How many photography packages do you offer?
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4%
8%
59%
10%
19%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
1 2 3-5 5 or more I don’t offer packages
Average Number of Packages = 4.1
Do you offer a "digital only" package?
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6%
42%
22%
31%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Yes, this is the only package I offer
Yes, this is one of the packages I offer
Yes, but it’s not on my official package list
No, I don’t offer this option/type of package
“Digital Only - Yes, but it’s not on my official package list” What percentage of your customers request this digital only package?
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49%
33%
18%
Less than 25%
25-50%
More than 50%
“Digital Only - Yes, this is one of the packages I offer ” In 2013, what percentage of your packages were digital only
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39%
26%
35%
Less than 25%
25-50%
More than 50%
“Digital Only - Yes, this is the only package I offer” What is the main reason you only offer a "digital only" package
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3%
9%
52%
36%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Other packages are not worth my time
Other
Most simple / cost effective for me
Demand from customers
Do you include a copy of the digital images with your packages?
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6%
46%
19%
14%
14%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Yes, only for images they purchase a printed product from
Yes, it's included with the package
Yes, but for an additional fee
Yes, as an incentive if they buy a higher end package
No
Which one of these packages is the minimum you offer?
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16%
10%
16%
29%
14%
15%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Set fee: the fee covers shooting, the images and credit towards any printedproducts
Other
Digital plus: files delivered + web gallery and some prints
Digital only- files delivered on DVD/drive/download, nothing more
Album: the fee includes shooting + an album (with or without the digital images)
A-la-carte: for shooting and images files delivered + all other options are a lacart items
What percentage of your package business are these packages?
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34%
29%
24%
29%
45%
23%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Set fee: the fee covers shooting, the images and credit towards any printedproducts
Other
Digital plus: files delivered + web gallery and some prints
Digital only- files delivered on DVD/drive/download, nothing more
Album: the fee includes shooting + an album (with or without the digital images)
A-la-carte: files delivered for shooting and images + all other options are a lacart items
(Totals will equal more than 100% because participants can select more than 1 item)
What is the influence level for each item below to couples choosing their photographer?
High Neutral Low
Depth /variety of product offered 25.4% 51.5% 23.1%
Having the expected price 68.2% 28.0% 3.8%
Online reviews of past customers 30.8% 45.1% 24.1%
Overall presentation/sales pitch 43.2% 46.9% 9.9%
Package/s offered 37.9% 45.6% 16.5%
Portfolio and image samples 70.7% 24.2% 5.1%
Recommendations from past customers 70.4% 23.1% 6.5%
Uniqueness of album 25.2% 41.4% 33.4%
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Which of these methods do you currently use to reach new customers?
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11%
93%
67%
71%
40%
13%
46%
9%
5%
10%
31%
17%
23%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Yellow pages, postal mail, newspaper, radio, or TV
Word of mouth/customer referrals
Website, blogging, or directory listings
Social networking (ie. Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram)
Search engine optimization
Search advertising PPC (Pay Per Click, Google, Bing, etc.)
Referral or preferred list/s of other vendors
Other
Marketing consultants or services
Magazines
Local events/bridal shows
Lead or email list services
Industry association/s
(Totals will equal more than 100% because participants can select more than 1 item)
How much do you spend on each method per year?
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$663
$350
$438
$292
$529
$859
$485
$581
$1,524
$1,538
$1,154
$624
$457
$0 $200 $400 $600 $800 $1,000 $1,200 $1,400 $1,600 $1,800
Yellow pages, postal mail, newspaper, radio, or TV
Word of mouth/customer referrals
Website, blogging, or directory listings
Social networking (ie. Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram)
Search engine optimization
Search advertising PPC (Pay Per Click, Google, Bing, etc.)
Referral or preferred list/s of other vendors
Other
Marketing consultants or services
Magazines
Local events/bridal shows
Lead or email list services
Industry association/s
Average Spent per Year Total = $2,273
Which of these items do you spend money on each year?
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35%
22%
7%
8%
48%
51%
57%
56%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Videos/DVDs
Special online content
Newsletters
Market research
Magazines
Educational events
Conferences/seminars
Books/eBooks
(Totals will equal more than 100% because participants can select more than 1 item)
How much do you spend per year on the following items?
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$173
$243
$110
$254
$98
$440
$723
$151
$0 $100 $200 $300 $400 $500 $600 $700 $800
Videos/DVDs
Special online content
Newsletters
Market research
Magazines
Educational events
Conferences/seminars
Books/eBooks
Average Spent per Year Total = $910
Additional Downloads
• Supplemental Data including; the “Other” in Photography business type and services offered, plus trends, issues, or opportunities others are seeing is available at the following link:
• http://data.twrsv.com/ThePhotographySurvey2014_supdata.pdf
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