“How can you charge me $20 for an 8×10? That’s too expensive. I can get that same print at my neighborhood store for a fraction of the price”.
I am asked this question so many times. So much so that I finally buckled down and decided to write something about it. Before we get started though, let me just say that there are numerous reasons why photography costs so much but, please, don’t choose a photographer simply because they’re the cheaper alternative.
The kiosks found in many pharmacies and big-box stores have their place. They provide us with instant gratification where prints are often turned around in about an hour. But let’s just take a minute and see what exactly takes place at a kiosk. Upon arriving at your neighborhood store, you insert your memory card into the kiosk and it prompts you for the size and number of prints. After going through the contents of your memory card, it tells you to return after an hour and pick up your prints. You come back an hour later and look at the images and notice a few things. The colors are incorrect. The crop isn’t right. The print finish isn’t to your liking.
A professional photographer, on the other hand, sends their prints to a professional lab. The prints on my proofing page are powered by SmugMug, a local company based in Mountain View, CA. The prints are sent to a professional photo processing lab in Georgia and are 100% guaranteed. If you don’t like them, send them back to me and I’ll give you a new set. The bottom line is, if you’re not happy, I’m not happy. Unlike most instant kiosks where your only choice is glossy (matte if you’re lucky) my prints are always printed on luster paper, highest quality archival paper on the market today. This type of paper is the choice of most professional photographers. A good photographer knows their professional lab is an integral part of our success. These labs often cost more to maintain but they do tend to offer a wider range of products for the discerning client. Thus, a better-looking and longer-lasting end product for you.
The bulk of the cost of a photographic print produced by a professional photographer has a lot to do with the time, equipment costs, vision and reputation of the photographer not to mention expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.
- Professional photographers don’t just take pictures. We capture memories.
- We invest in the right equipment to get the job done.
- We spend the time to get each image right, and then perfect it before printing.
- We incur costs of maintaining a custom photography business. Yes, we do pay taxes, acquire business licenses, and liability and coverage insurance–and those don’t come cheap.
You can see how this question is rather multifaceted. It’s not simply black or white (no pun intended). Another big factor that comes in play is time. When a photographer charges $150-$300 for the photo shoot (or a session fee) you are not just paying for the one to two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 20 hours complete time for your session. Let’s see how this all breaks down:
- Consultation time (getting to know you): 30 minutes to one hour
- 30 – 60 minutes prep time (includes equipment and back up equipment checks)
- 30 – 60 minutes travel time to client’s chosen location
- 15-30 minutes prep time at location
- 60-120 minutes with client
- one hour travel time from session
- 30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
- 30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
- 6-8 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images (black and white conversion, color correction, retouching if necessary, cropping, etc.)
- 1-2 hours time with client for ordering images and prepping orders
- 1 hour sorting through and checking order
- 1 hour prep time for delivery and shipping
- any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues
“Well, I think I’m better off going to a portrait studio at the big-box stores. They’ll only charge me $49.95 and I get all of these extra prints”.
Much like the one hour developing kiosks, these too have their place. But before you go and book that appointment, let’s look at what these places offer. First, who’s behind the camera? Who’s the photographer? I’m pretty sure that the one taking your photos are doing exactly that, simply taking your photos. They just work there. Most of these places have “template” poses with no artistic vision. The reason why these places can offer relatively cheap sessions is because they go for sheer volume of appointments. These stores make money on volume and not on a 1:1 customized experience. You book a half hour sitting. You’re in. You’re out.
There are no options for location based sessions. You’re in a studio and that’s it. You can’t have them come over your house or meet you at your favorite park. I highly doubt they do creative editing on the photos either. As I mentioned, they’re just there to take your photos and nothing else. A professional photographer on the other hand, suggests and guides you through different poses and setups and the sessions can be anywhere you choose.
Hopefully this rather lengthy article helps shed some light on the issue that most people seem to wonder about why a professional photographer is the right choice for you and your family’s memories. I strive to ensure that I develop an unparalleled reputation with my clients. My business is based on their referrals and word of mouth is the best form of marketing, so it’s important for me to make you happy.
Thanks!
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