Pricing
For the sake of full transparency, and to give you an idea of what you get, I decided to post about the thing that will seal the deal either way with clients.
If you want to skip the why and the how, my price is towards the bottom of this post in italics.
When a potential client reaches out to me for a session, one of the inevitable questions that must be asked is: "How much do you charge?".We all live on budgets, myself included. Many of us work multiple jobs-- myself included-- so that our budget can be even just a little more comfortable. When it comes to money, a little comfort goes a long way.
That is why I strive to work with budgets to the best of my ability. I take great pride in that fact, because as a photographer (a service that, realistically, is not a necessity) it is very easy to justify charging hundreds of dollars for a session, or even thousands of dollars, depending on the occasion. That's why when you do a google search for "wedding photographers" in your area, you'll likely find packages that sit comfortably between $1,500 - $5,000.
When you take into account that wedding packages often include an engagement session, a bridal session, sometimes perhaps a boudoir session, and then of course the whole wedding day, as I said it's fairly easy to justify those prices. If I'm being 100% honest with you, it's my hope to eventually be able to make that much for a wedding package. I would love nothing more than to be able to earn my entire livelihood by capturing the love shared between two people, and the indescribably, magical beauty of a bride-to-be.
That said, I am not there yet. This is not yet my full-time career (though that is my end-goal). I therefore cannot justify for myself charging a couple $1,500 - $3,000 for a wedding package. Fair enough, Holley, but what do you charge? I'm getting there!
Then there is the beauty of expectant mothers. The love on a lady's face to match the love growing in her womb. Packages for maternity photos can be in the same ballpark as wedding packages, when you go high-end.
Maternity packages will often include a session for only mommy-to-be, or one with the father and any other children the couples have, and a newborn session for after baby has made their way into the world. Some photographers will even offer a package that includes photos of the delivery, for those who want to capture that particular miracle.
And what about family or children-only sessions? Arguably one of the funnest sessions to provide, you'll find that these are often much lower in cost than weddings or maternity, simply because there is only one day, one hour, in which photos are being taken.
Then of course there are senior portrait sessions. Again, usually only one day or hour is needed to actually take the photos, and often you will find that your photographer will also design your grad's invitations as well.
And sometimes, we just get photos taken because we want to get glammed up for a little while! Who doesn't want to feel like a star from time to time?
All of these are services that I and honestly most photographers offer. When it comes to the photographs you want, the first thing you should consider is how you want them to look. Each photographer has a different style, and the examples above are glimpses at mine. I specialize in outdoor photography, particularly when sunrises and sunsets are involved. I love vivid color that pops and stuns. I aim to make my photos of you look just as beautiful and unique as you are, inside and out. Quite frankly, I succeed in doing that whenever I aim my lens.
However, the prices for photography aren't just for taking the photos. Like any business, there are fees and expenses that are included in the price.
For me, I take into account several different expenses. How much will it take to fill up my car? What about props that I may need to provide (and therefore purchase myself)? Will this client want to use their own printing service, or have me get prints made for them?
And then there is the investment of my time into your photos. My sessions are always no less than an hour long (and if we are being honest, I always go over the hour). This allows for outfit changes, location changes, and the assurance that you have a wide variety in your photos to choose from when it comes to getting prints made.
Beyond the time of taking the photos, there is the time it takes to edit them. As I said before, my sessions never last less than an hour. In an hour with you, I can take anywhere from 100-300 photos, depending on different variables. In that batch of 100-300 photos, I will edit anywhere from 25-75 to send to you as the finished product. That means, for me, "clocking in" on the morning after the session, and spending no less than 10 hours on your photos, including one break for snacks and/or letting my pups outside to play. And that is just a typical one-hour session! For weddings, the number of photos I take is in the thousands, and it's at least a week's worth of editing, to ensure absolute perfection is what you can expect when I deliver your photos.
Another service I offer is graphic effects and design added to your photos. I don't charge extra for this (as of yet), but that is more time invested into making sure you get the photos of your dreams.
To break it down, for a typical, non-wedding session I will spend no less than 12 hours on your photos. That is usually the best-case-scenario, thinking absolutely minimally. Realistically, it's probably a lot closer to 24-36 hours. For wedding packages, it's at least a week's worth of time.
I don't say all of this to complain. In fact, it's the opposite. Photography work never feels like work to me, because it is truly my passion, and I love doing it. I say all of this so that you may have a clear understanding of my pricing.
For all sessions, my lowest price is $150. That is my bottom line-number. That is for a typical, no-fuss, no-bells and whistles session, where we spend an hour together, I spend a day editing your photos, you receive your photos and then go your own route for getting them printed. That is the base price.
For bells and whistles, which I am happy to provide, such as graphic effects, collages, designs for invitations/announcements, the price increases.
For packages that include multiple sessions, including a full day's worth of photos (such as a wedding or other special events), the price increases.
If you want me to have your photos printed and deliver them to you, the price will increase based upon my printer's prices. They are always quality prints, and never disappoint me since I began using them.
I said earlier in this blog post that I work with budgets to the best of my ability, and that is absolutely true. That said, I am also trying to earn a livelihood through this passion of mine, and as much as I would love to have the luxury of doing this for free, or for no more than what my printing service charges, I do not have that luxury.
I often offer discounts, or specials. I often host mini-sessions, and will occasionally pop up at a local event with a photo booth of sorts. If you want to be a part of my mailing list, you will get first dibs and first glances at what discounts or specials I am going to offer. If that's an opportunity you're interested in, please say so in the comments, and I will get in touch with you to collect your email address!
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