Most of the time, the first thing anyone asks me about when they contact me is for my pricelist. How much will their photography cost. And sometimes, I know that the price tag might cause a bit of stinger shock. I understand. I am not the perfect fit for everyone, and I know this. My feelings aren’t hurt.
I wanted to provide a breakdown of what goes into our costs, because I think it is a really important thing to understand. Your custom photography is one of the only things that remain unaltered and true to it’s state as life changes. You have your memories and maybe a few other mementos but your photographic memories document a small piece of precious time that 50 years from now, will bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart. Something that you can enjoy today and for future generations.
So while it is easy to think that you’re hiring your photographer for just a couple of hours of time at your shoot, you’re not. You’re actually paying for:
- The skill, artistry, expertise & time of your photographer
- Backing up of your photographic session files & storage
- Proofing & editing of your photographs (roughly 2-3 hours for every hour of coverage)
- Posting photographs to your online gallery
- Backing up the final edited files
- Custom creating storyboards or cards as requested
- Other items such as DVDs, DVD cases, and so forth
- Preparation of files for printing, creative and artistic edits, resizing and other enhancements
- Ordering & delivery of prints
- Packaging & printed matter
- Anything else that a package might include
- Travel expenses to your destination
- Admin & followup calls, emails & letter writing
Then there are all the other things that go into running a proper business:
- Taxes
- Insurance
- Paying employees
- Ongoing education – courses throughout the year both locally and across the country with some of the best photographers around
- Marketing, magazines, research, blogging, posting on forums, and a long list of similar tasks
- Association membership fees
- Software upgrades & computer maintenance
- Equipment maintenance & repairs
- Props
And the one I feel most passionate about?
- CAMERA GEAR – I use top quality Nikon gear & Apple Mac hardware. If there is a specific need for your photo session that I don’t have, I hire it. I have a lot of nice gear because I want to capture the BEST photographs I possibly can, and I want to be prepared for any situation. I also have backup equipment.
I know there are photographers out there that only charge a bare minimum or anyone can pick up a digital camera today and shoot pics, but what you receive from them in the end varies wildly. Some of them hand you the photos straight from their camera, and you take them to a lab and print them yourself. Never mind if the color is off, you’re in shadows, the photo looks messy, or anything else. There is no enhancement at all to the image files in the digital darkroom. I don’t know how they do it – they must have a weekday job to pay the bills, because there is simply no way that I can crunch the numbers and do the math to make it work. That means that the time they have to focus on you is limited. Most likely, they are not paying themselves. They have no backup gear in case anything happens to their camera at your session. They think a few dollars is great for their time – and they ignore everything else that goes into taking care of you. They can’t afford quality gear to produce fantastic images* because they are not charging enough for their work.
You’re not just paying for said hours of photography. There’s so much more than that. Hopefully, this page helps to clarify that. Need more info?
Please inquire for more details and to find out if I am available for your Anytime Lifestyle Session or Event , as I take on a limited number per month. Prices are subject to change throughout the year, and are normally modified quarterly. Reserving your date now will lock you in at my current rates. Please contact me to learn more.
*Note: Part of the magic of taking great photographs is within the person holding the camera – I am not a gear snob. I know this, having nice gear helps. Having a variety of lenses and knowing how each lens impacts the photograph that you envision inside your head helps even more in making that vision a reality. I love my camera and my lenses, and with them I can achieve any photograph I see in my mind.
no comments