When looking at the price of hiring a photographer, the price can be all over the place, which can ultimately be so confusing as a client. There is a huge range of pricing for photography out there, and its hard to fathom why one photographer is charging $150 for 100 photos and another is charging $1500 for ONE photo.

So why the divergence? Shouldn’t all photography hold similar value?

It can be pretty daunting trying to figure out whats going on in the photography world, especially considering there are no industry standards. There is no standard range of pricing to guide new photographers and no educational threshold to guarantee a certain level of work. So naturally, clients are left confused with no direct information to guide them in these matters.

MISconception #1

how long does it take to create a photograph?

This is one of the biggest confusion points. From a clients perspective, the photographer shows up, maybe gives some direction (maybe not!) and clicks a button. Easy, quick, finished. So why wouldn’t the cost align with the obvious time spent on the job?

Well, it’s not that simple.

It does take less than a second to take a photograph. Particularly, when someone is new to the trade, it can be a simple process; Take the picture, Upload the picture, trash the terrible frames where people’s eyes are closed, quick edit and deliver the rest. Done! It doesn’t take long and they often charge appropriately for it.

But as photographers learn and grow, the process becomes more involved. It begins to expand into a process where they aren’t just taking images, they are taking care of the client as well. Editing becomes more complex and polished (making sure the colors are accurate) and investments are made in formal education opportunities to learn new skills, as well as upgrades to equipment. They become confident in their lighting (making your images more flattering) and they offer an EXPERIENCE that helps you to feel confident in your final images. Professional photographers will make light work of the things clients don’t enjoy doing - like eliminating more of those throw-away shots that just don’t look good, helping with wardrobe & styling, and naturally knowing how to pose and get genuine expression.

This is the point when most photographer realize that their current prices are not sustainable. They are no longer spending a few hours per client. Rather, they are spending 20 -30 hours providing not only beautiful photographs, but also a full service experience because they know they have the expertise their clients do not.. which brings me to point #2…

MISCONCEPTION #2

HOBBY VS PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS

I want to start off by saying, there is nothing wrong with EITHER of these two categories. However, there is a HUGE difference between the pricing of someone who does photography as a hobby and someone who is running a legal photography business. And I’ll say it again, there is nothing wrong with hiring a hobbyist to take your family portraits! You most likely have a friend or an relative who owns a nice camera and is more than happy to charge a low price (if anything at all) and snap a few images for you. And that’s great! However, it’s not the same as having photography be the thing that supports your family.. because if you had to actually support AT LEAST a minimum-wage income with your photography,charging an incredibly low price is going to leave you destitute. I was a hobbyist photographer for a few years before I decided to turn this into a career…and I can speak firmly on this because I lived it.

I will spare you the math because there are plenty of detailed articles on the internet that go full-force with the numbers. The truth is, there are costs to running a business that include:

TAXES (sales/income/self-employment) – Taxes take about 33% of all income

INSURANCE

CAMERA EQUIPTMENT & MAINTENANCE

LIGHTING EQUIPTMENT

PROPS/CLIENT CLOSET

WEBSITE

STUDIO RENT

EDITING SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS

CLIENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

MARKETING

TRAVEL

CONTINUING EDUCATION

CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION FEES

ETC…

So why should you care if your photographer is running their business legally? Well, the person running a legal photography business is probably going to take their job a little more seriously and invest time and money into being a professional. They will make sure you’re happy and comfortable and take care of, and will absolutely fix any issues that come up. This is their occupation after all. Plus, you know, insurance…should anything happen.

And here is another real difference… When you get to take home the full amount you charge because you are not paying taxes and other business expenses (illegally or not), you don’t have to charge as much…but often, you won’t have as much to offer either. As a client, you just have to decide which scenario you will be happy with.

MISCONCEPTION #3

PRODUCT CONTROL & QUALITY

I think it’s safe to say that professional and consumer products vary quite a bit (although consumer products have come quite a way in the last 5 years!) Some photographers literally spend YEARS testing out and perfecting their offered products.

Most professional photographers pride themselves on offering heirloom-quality, which are often only offered by specialized companies. Finding those companies takes time (and financial investment).

So in short.. quite often, professional photo products are not the same quality across the board. And as you can infer, better quality products cost more, which means the photographer has to charge more in turn

MISCONCEPTION #4

ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE THE SAME

Pet peeve time! I cringe anytime I hear this statement: “What a great picture, you must have an amazing camera!”

Well, yes. In fact, I do have an amazing camera…but it doesn’t operate itself and could just as easily produce a horrific picture as well.

Maybe in the future photography will be all AI, but today the skill of the photographer is the ONE thing that will differentiate an amazing photograph from a okay one. To be blunt, there are photographers that deliver work that’s no better than your iPhone shots.. while others create stunning images that are purposely created to make you feel a certain type of way.

The biggest problem is that some people genuinely can’t tell the difference (which makes me sad face big time)But also, it’s fine…because ultimately I want you to be happy.

If you’re on the hunt for a photographer and scrolling through various images that really all look the same to you, then you can be pretty certain that you will be happy with whomever you decide to hire. BUT if you can instantly tell who has spent time perfecting their craft, then most likely you will be much happier investing with that photographer.

Photography can be a cut throat industry for certain, as I’m sure other industries experience as well. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned (and I mean been smacked over the head with) it’s this.. Professional photographers are not trying to take all of your money (or as it’s often phrased, your arm and your leg) because they feel greedy and superior. Photographers price their work based on very solid business costs and charge accordingly so they don’t run their businesses into ruins. They are also the photographers who most likely be around years from now, continuing to satisfy their clients. Unfortunately, they only make up about 10% of the photographers who are out there.. so it’s no wonder that it can be a surprise when you run into one and their professional pricing.