Why does photography cost so much?
Just a warning before you read this: I’m not trying to convince you to buy a portrait session from me. I just think it’s important for you to know what actually goes into a photo session so that you can be more informed. I hope that this article can speak about the blood, sweat, and tears that most professional photographers put into their work.
Why does photography costs so much?
Let’s take my 2 hour session, where you get 2 locations, any combo of people within the 2 hours, digital images, printing and posting rights. This session is priced at $310. (Let me just say also that some photographers think that I’m selling my soul when I include the digital download in my sessions. So keep in mind that getting the images is VERY valuable, you’re getting an original piece of art!!!!) I want to keep giving the digital images because we live in a digital age – and honestly if I was having a session I’d totally want that! I want to give you what I would want!
Now, it would seem that I pocket $155 per hour based off of this fee. That I’m actually making $155 as opposed to the minimum wage of $7.25 if I were working at a minimum wage place. There is a lot of extra time and expenses that the client doesn’t actually see that goes into figuring the cost for each session. For instance, for the 2 hour session, I don’t just spend 2 hours on the session, here is the break down of time spent on a 2 hour session (so you can fairly divide this time in half if you’re interested in time spent on the 1 hour session).
–1 hour prep before the session (includes emailing client, consultation of what to wear, possibly shopping for fun portrait props like balloons, bubbles, pin wheels, baskets, flowers, etc.)
–30 Travel time (this varies obviously with every shoot but on average I spend 30 minutes going to the location, scoping out spots to shoot, and the travel home)
–2 hours on location shooting
–2-4 hours post editing (for me this is downloading images off of CF card, backing them up on external HD, choosing which ones are keepers, editing them in Lightroom, making your printing/posting rights, resizing your images to upload to my print service, uploading the images to my print service, emailing you that your images are done and that you can see them, contract, printing/posting rights) This only takes into account what I’m doing on your photo session. This doesn’t take into account answering emails, networking, hustling my business – all that I actually don’t get paid for. So I might have done this before your session to actually get your business – it’s the behind the scenes.
–There is also more time put in when clients order prints or any other add-ons that could be tagged onto this hourly calculation
Total hours spent on a 2 hour session: about 7 hours (So actually I might make $1/hour….oh my goodness)
What also goes into this price calculation is: (So it’s not like I’m really pocketing that hourly fee that you just calculated)
-Business expenses
-Photography experience/education
-Cost of upkeep of equipment or NEW/USED equipment
You might just think that I have 1 or 2 bills to pay as a business owner. Right now there are a TON of photographers, and I think it’s somewhat because they just think they need a camera and a lens. There are actually A TON of things that go into actually having a business. I have thought about each one and truly don’t like to waste money (by now you’re may be getting my point that I don’t actually have money to throw around!) and they serve to make business run smoother and/or to be more professional, after all I am offering a professional service here.
Here are just a sample of bills that needs to be paid in this category I’m calling..
Business Expenses
–Service Fee for Invoices (each client gets an invoice so they know their total before I spring it upon them this also serves as a receipt)
–Service Fee for accepting Credit Cards (so you can pay your way)
–Advertising Fees (which I rarely use because they don’t really work and I have no money!) Networking does work so this is where I like to spend this money or really time
–Gas for all those miles I drive to locations and deliveries
–Normal business supplies (paper, ink, printer, staples, etc.)
So those are just some obvious ones.
Photography experience/education
I actually went to school for photography so I know a lot about the art of composition and how to use my camera. This is more than a person who picks up a camera and offers photo sessions for $25 (nothing personally against someone starting out – I was there once too!). I look and study posing so that you look your best in your photographs (you do want to look good, right?). The camera doesn’t add 10 pounds, the photographer does. And I’ve totally been that photographer who didn’t know that…but now I know…that’s why I pay to study posing. The reason why a lot of people don’t charge a lot for their photography, is because they don’t have experience. This is what I did, when I first started out I had to prove myself, so I made my prices really low so that I could actually get clients. Everyone knows that usually you pay for what you get. If you’re willing to pay that $25 for the person next door to take your photographs then you probably are going to get $25 worth of photography not the “Wow this is great and I’m going to enlarge this to be the 24×36” mantle print!!!” I want your photos to live on well past the time period that they were taken in. I want you to experience the power of your photos – the appreciation you feel toward your loved ones in your photos. This is really important to me! If just one person feels appreciation toward their loved ones and not hate/anger/resentment/discontent because of their photos for just ONE MINUTE I feel like I am successful at what I am doing.
Cost of Upkeep of Equipment
So it’s no secret that photography costs a lot. I think one of the most common comments I get when people see my camera for the first time is “wow that must cost a lot”! Yup, you’re right! Photography would be a ridiculously expensive hobby of mine, so I’m glad it’s not just a hobby! I would have a hard time justifying purchases that cost so much if it were just a hobby! A nice camera body can run you over $2000 and that’s not even accounting for the lens you’ll need! Those can cost somewhere around that to even more! And then there is flashes ($500+) and other gadgets that actually make your photographs better. Oh and did I mention the external hard drives you need to keep all of these photographs ($100+). I haven’t even talked about the price of editing software Lightroom ($$) and all the other things that come with it. Professional photography also requires a really nice computer. My husband built me mine (hallelujah!) but honestly I’ve been thinking a laptop would be a great way to showcase my work to potential clients and work on-the-go. (Adding that to my long wish list….)
Now I haven’t even mentioned the cost of actually living, like food, rent, etc. I’m not even factoring that in to this equation.
Something also that has been on my heart (now that I have a family) is although I LOVE photography and giving people that appreciation they need for their loved ones – photography is my job and requires me to take time away from the ones I love. That is so precious I can’t even really put a monetary value on it.
Phew! That stresses me out just thinking about all of that stuff!
So I hope that after you’ve read this you understand a little why professional photography created by a professional costs so much! I’m certainty not trying to rob you! Please leave your comments/questions, your Amens and hallelujahs!