Why does custom photography cost so much money?
When I first started out doing photography I started charging really great prices like a bunch of prints and a full disc of photos for about $45 dollars now that was CRAZY! I was also 16/17 years old at the time and did have business sense but wanted to get into photography…..how I first begun was by creating photo greeting cards with photos of flowers and other places in the Windsor area and I LOVED it!
After purchasing my first SLR it was well over one grand! Now if I was still charging that same price as above this would be my hobby as how would I ever get my money back from buying the camera???
I have changed my prices only a few times since I first started and people still don’t understand why it’s so much money even though this is MY career and future.
The break down on equipment:
(3) yes THREE SLR cameras….what happens when one breaks and you are in the middle of a photo shoot??? yup that’s why I have a back up as it has happened to me and so thankful for my back up. Cost: Well over $4000.
(2) Flashes $1000.
(15 or so memory cards) $800.
Lenses: $2500. +
Props: $3000. (I have sooo many hats and tons of other props)
Backdrops: $1500.
Backdrop stand: $150.
MONTHLY up keep on website: $75.
MONTHLY phone and internet bill: $175.
Tripod: $100
Batteries a month: $20-$40. (depends on how many shoots a month)
Marketing in a year (depending on the year) $3500.
Software: $600. +
That’s just a small break down on the larger items, there is also smaller expenses like computer ink, cleaning supplies, gas, packaging, discs, business cards, and more!
After a lot of my expenses people think I make all the money from each session but after calculating all my expenses, my time, and travel there isn’t much left in my pocket.
When people ask me how much of a discount or what extras can they can receive am a typically an easy going person but after working on my book keeping over the last few years after re doing it am coming to the conclusion that people don’t understand that this is my job and I can’t always offer a discount or throw in extra prints/products.
I order my photography prints through a professional photographers lab, not a Wal-Mart/Shoppers lab. The quality is not there, the colouring is off, sure they are a lot cheaper but the photograph isn’t it’s true self.
Weddings are another huge thing as I have been walked on before sadly by people I’ve know and ones not as much. I feel a bit disrespected. Majority though the couples I work with have been amazing. Weddings are a lot of work, 6-12 hours at the actual wedding, pretty much double that time for post production and I do go through all the photos and make sure that they are alright and make the changes need be. 4 hours plus more to create the album, plus the time to meet up with the bride and groom. I now have a six page contract so no one can walk on me again.
MY prices are reasonable and even some photographers that are just starting out have their prices the same or higher even and I’ve been doing this for 5+ years! But people don’t realize the value of a photograph….a photograph is a piece of art work, something created and something to be looked at and WOW’ed at as it’s a memory to keep forever. You can’t buy time but you can save a memory through a photograph.
Photography is my passion, my life, my career. I have THOUSANDS of photographs saved on my computer/printed/in albums and each one of the photographs tells a story and saves that memory that I will never have back. Good or bad it’s a memory I will have forever saved and can always look back.
