Photography, an investment.

I like to take photographs. I’ve had so many people ask me to take photographs for them that I decided to take my passion for photography from a hobby to a business. Once I started, inquiries flooded in, always with the question: “What do you charge?!” So I explained that I charge a $50 one-hour session fee and that disc and print packages start at $49.

“It must be nice to make $50 an hour.” was a response I received. It was not meant to be a snotty remark, just like the age old: “You take really good pictures. You must have a good camera!”

Real talk: I do not make $50 an hour. Here is the break down: I usually spend half an hour before the actual session discussing location details, specific requests, props, etc. Then, I’ll spend probably a half hour driving to the location for the session. It takes everyone a few minutes to “warm up” in front of the camera - that’s why I’ll take some test shots and we’ll talk while we all get relaxed. So, when I say one-hour session, you’re more than likely getting more because I want your photos to be the best that they can be, everyone relaxed and natural in the images! I spend another half hour driving home. Once I get home, I’m spending 3 more hours culling through the images, editing (adjusting levels, b&w conversions, etc), creating an online gallery for clients to preview the images, then placing print orders and/or creating discs/USBs.

That is roughly six hours of my time. That means I have made about $8 per hour. Who in the world starts a business to make $8 hour? I’m rethinking this whole thing as I type this!
From six hours of my time, I have a final product that I’ve created for you. You have tons of options when it comes to receiving the final product: a disc or USB of your images, prints, photo albums, view finders (if you were born in the 80’s you’ll definitely remember those!)

A question I was asked: “Why do digital files cost so much money? All I do is download it.”
That is exactly why digital files are priced higher than prints! Once you receive your disc of images, you will then pay another company to print the images for you so I will never again receive compensation for the photos that I created. You will share the images with friends/family and again, there is no additional income I receive. Years before digital, clients only had the choice of going to their photographer for prints, discs did not exist. A photographer was compensated every time their image was printed. In the digital age, that is no longer the case.

Another question: “Why are prints so expensive when I order from my photographer? I can go to my drug store and get prints made in an hour for a quarter of the price.”
Have you ever noticed how an image looks so much different on your computer screen versus the print you receive from a local store? Check out professional photographer Annie Manning’s comparisons here: http://paintthemoon.net/blog/2011/10/photoshop-actions-why-your-print-lab-is-so-important/
Where you print your photos matters. The difference in quality is evident! A photographer uses professional printing labs. This allows us to order custom sizes with custom options (ex: matte or metallic finish on photos) and know that the images you receive will look exactly like the image you see on your computer screen.

After you’ve received your final product, I then dutifully pay my taxes to the government. I put money aside for things like health insurance and an IRA. I then use remaining money to literally put food on the table for my family, just like you do when you go to work.
You spend an hour letting me take your picture. I spend six hours working to create beautiful final images for you. Like any business, I then have to sell you a product that you want. Those products come at a cost.

While large chains (think Portrait Innovations or Sears photo studios) can get huge discounts on products because companies know they’ll sell huge amounts bringing their profits up in turn, small business doesn’t have that luxury. I am offering completely custom items that are produced by professional print labs that specialize in one thing only: making photographs a piece of art.

For those that have read this far, if you are still shrugging and saying to yourself: ”Anyone can take a picture; a print is a print, the cheaper the better.” You don’t have to finish reading this, I’m not trying to change your mind, I'm laying down facts.
We all place value on products and services differently. Some of us love designer handbags and decide to save up $200+ because we value that item and can justify the price. Some of us have to have a $5 Starbucks coffee each morning because it makes us feel better about starting our day. Maybe you like to pay to get your nails done on a regular basis or for the men that may be reading this, you justify upgrades on your car or tools simply for the fact that you enjoy them. We all have those items or “extras” that we justify because we want them, they make us happy, we deserve them every now and again!
For those of you that see the art that exists in your every day, that value photographs and know that they have the potential to outlive you - I am writing this to you.

I want you to know that I have went out on a limb to take something I’m passionate about, that makes me feel creative and excited, and turn it into a business. I love not taking photographs but creating them.
In a digital age of smart phones and free photo apps, anyone can take a photo and “edit” it anytime, anywhere. We Instagram photos of our food. There is an overload of images on a daily basis. What images move you? What personal images do you want to keep? We are living, breathing stories. What part of your story do you want to remember most?
This is what I want:

I want you to trust me when I ask you to stand in my daughter’s kiddie pool that’s covered with a $5 sheet in my garage and take the picture from this:

To this:

I want you to trust me when I go to the store to grab this red lipstick because it will really make this photo in front of the red door pop.

I want you to trust that I will work with an idea that you have because I took this photo of fireflies one night

and decided the next day that I could take this picture

to create this:

I want to take the ordinary average/everyday and make it extraordinary.

I want to hear your ideas and if you say “…but I don’t know how that will look…”
I’ll say: “Let’s find out.”

If you read through the cold hard facts of why photographers aren’t “cheap” and can see that I’m trying to make an honest living supporting my family like you are - if you see that a photo session at a location of your choice goes beyond the hour that you’re there - if the idea of taking a fun/unique photo somewhere not in the mall against a plain backdrop excites you - we should talk. I can offer you custom creative portraits. I’ve invested so much of my time and money into camera gear, photography/business workshops, editing programs, business licenses, marketing (logos, website, etc) all because I love taking photographs and I know it’s possible to create a successful business out of that. To be a successful photographer, you have to invest in me.