Our Prices will not be displayed on this site but we will give you an indication of what it costs to hire our services.

There are two distinct methods that professional photographers use to charge for their services. Either, services rendered or goods supplied. (Sounds like the GST, doesn't it!).

Traditionally, portrait / wedding phtographers charge for the prints / enlargements they supply. There might be a booking fee but it is ususlly minor compared to the total cost. These studios make their income by charging around $70 for an 8"x10" (20cm x 25cm - about A4 size) print and around $650 for a simply framed 16"x20" (40cm x 50cm - about A2 size) enlargement. You rarely get the chance to buy the proofs and never get the chance to buy the negatives. If you want several enlargements then it usually cost the same for each photo. This could finish up being an expensive exercise. Basically, these photographers make their income by considerably marking up their prices and trying to sell as much as possible.

Commercial / advertising photographers work differently. They charge for their time and then whatever costs they incur such as film, processing, printing, etc, are charged at cost (or very close to it). Say a photographer was hired for half a day to shoot an advertsement. He (she) might charge $300-$500 (maybe less - maybe more) for their services. This is what guarantees their income. If they used three rolls of slide film they might charge around $80 for the films, processing and slide mounting - whatever the professional photo lab charged. There might also be a delivery charge. These charges are all itemised. Advertising agencies would keep these pictures. Advertising agencies don't pay for "one of that picture, three of that picture and two of that picture" and perhaps pay $500 for each and every enlargement. The photographer gets what he wants and the client gets the product. If you buy a microwave oven you don't want to have to pay each time you use it. While there is a definite fee it can be a lot less than the first method of charging described above.

At Photo Mode we have tried the first method but we and our customers prefer the second. We don't offer you a cheap booking at $30 just to entice you to do a sitting and then try to sell you enlargements at $500 a time. We will charge you around $400 per half day and then give you all our product at cost. We can get the printing done for you if you prefer and supply the finished items but you will pay around $30 for a 16"x20" print - not $500. Despite the initial service fee you get "a lot more bang for your buck!".

With Digital Photography you may receive 200 or more high quality images on CD/DVD. You can have a few enalargements ready to frame and put on the wall, an album to see as many favourite pictures as you want and other prints to give away for a fraction of the price a portrait studio would charge. Many studios are genuinely horrified at our pricing structure but for us and our clients we find it is a win-win situation.

Depending on your requirements, together we will reach a pricing regimen where we will both be satisfied.