Today is one of those days I wish I was a unicorn. I edited my night away into the morning of 3am and woke up at 6:45am to do some more editing. While I was working I had an inquiry about my photography pricing and I was told it's a bit steep.
That hit a nerve and for some reason I can't shake it off.
I've been doing photography for 8 years now. I'm not a newbie who can charge next to nothing because they are wanting to build their portfolio. I've been there and done that...8 years ago;) Photography is my life. This is how I feed my family and pay bills. I want people to understand that running your own photography business is not cheap. We have our off season and busy season. We're not guaranteed a paycheck every week. To be guaranteed that paycheck we have to bust our butts and sometimes that means putting our work before our family.
I shouldn't have to explain how I determine my pricing BUT I will break it down for you.
1. Equipment. Equipment is not cheap!!! Thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars have been spent to have the proper equipment
(not to mention backup equipment) to produce the best product for our clients.
2. Miles. This is the part my husband hates BUT I have to go where the client wants me.
We put lots and lots of miles on our vehicles to get to our shooting location(s).
3. Gas. Not cheap but we have to pay it to get to our location(s).
4. Babysitter.
5. Time. Majority of my engagement and senior sessions are done in Van Wert or Fort Wayne. That 30 mins to 1-hour drive there and back plus add on the 1-2 hours of shooting has me gone for 3 to 4 hours just for a session (keep in mind, I'm paying for a babysitter).
That is why I charge more for seniors.
6. Our job doesn't stop after our session. There's many, many hours ahead to edit those images.
7. Computer equipment. MAC's are not cheap!!!
8. Software/website. I pay $30 a month to upload each clients images for viewing or if they purchased copyrights they can do an
instant download from that site. I also pay for photoshop and light room.
9. Insurance. We all need it.
10. Editing. Family, senior and weddings all have different pricing. The more images that need to be edited the more
I charge. Editing is not just loading the pictures onto your computer and cropping to size. It's making sure each image has proper color, light, making faces clean and smooth and most of all it's a sharp image!
11. Copyrights to your images. The price tag on that is priceless! That's the photographer's time and talent to create those images. The photographer is allowing you own their creativity,
the finish product.
Now that I have let you in on what it takes to run a photography business I hope you have a better understanding. Every photographer has their own pricing and reasoning behind that price. We are entitled to our own opinions but sometimes it's better to think then to speak ;)
Live forever LOUD,
Erika
