Why is hiring a professional photographer so expensive?
Most photographers aren't trying to take all your money. They price their work according to very concrete costs and charge appropriately so they don't run their businesses into the ground. They are the photographers who will still be around 5 years from now.
Photography Sessions Are Filled with “Hidden Hours.”
While the client may only see the photographer for an hour, there was likely:
Over an hour of planning the shoot + time traveling to the shoot + half an hour to set up the equipment + the actual hour at the shoot + time traveling back + about an hour to load and choose the best images + another two hours minimum to edit the images + an hour to load the images online + an hour to order and deliver the prints. Not to mention all the time spent communicating back and forth with the client.
That one hour session? The photographer probably spent a full eight hour day on.
How much do you pay your hairdresser? Tax guy? Mechanic? It feels easier to justify those expenses because you can see how much work went into the project firsthand. But, when you hire a professional photographer, you only see a small amount of what it actually took to produce those final images.
Let’s Talk Expenses
Photography Gear Is Expensive.
Camera Bodies = $2000+ each (most photographers have more than one)
Lenses = $3,000+
Hard Drive to store images = $300+
Computers = $2000+
SD Cards = $200+
Lighting = $1000+
Props = $4,000+
Client Closets = $2,000+
Professional photographers don’t just have expenses with gear, they also have:
Business License Fees = $300+
Booking/Delivery Costs = $300+
Continuing Education = $2000+
Website = $400+
Editing Software = $150 + annually
…and so much more!!
Photography is a small business
Besides the expense of actual photography equipment, professional photographers are paying for the same bills that your hairdresser and tax guy pay.
Self-employed taxes and health insurance + liability and gear insurance (often over $500 a year) + utilities—including a faster-than-average internet speed for uploading large image files online + marketing expenses.
Oh, and like your tax guy, there are often “seasons” for photography. Wedding photographers are busiest during the warmer months, and often book very few, if any, jobs during the winter. Outdoor portrait photographers are also limited by the weather.
The bottom line? The photographer that you thought was making $250/an hour, after expenses probably makes $15/hour.
Photography Is More Than Just Pushing a Button.
Sure, you can probably get photos for under that $250 by walking into a chain studio, often located inside a department store. But here’s the thing—I’ve seen the help wanted ads for these types of businesses, and they say no photography experience necessary.What were they looking for in their applications? Marketing experience.
These $50 studios don’t hire professional photographers, they hire people with sales experience and you walk in the door for a $50 special and walk out spending $250 in prints and extras with an up-sell.
When you hire a photographer, you hire an artist. Chances are, they’ve spent years perfecting their craft. They’ve invested a lot of money in learning how to take beautiful images, and when you walk in their studio, they’re going to put time and effort into helping you relax and smile—not rushing you through a session and then spending twice as much time convincing you to buy the add-ons.
What Happens When You Don’t Hire Professional Photographers?
I believe that everyone should take photos, whether it’s of their own kids growing up or the places they travel too. But, there’s a big difference between a casual snapshot and a professional image.
When you hire a professional photographer, you’re getting an artist who knows just how to light the shot, how to pose, how to set up the photo. You’re getting a photograph that, because it was taken with a professional camera and not your smartphone camera, can be reprinted onto a large canvas. And because you hired an artist, you’ll actually want to.
When you hire a professional portrait photographer, you get images that make you feel confident about yourself. When you go to a walk-in chain store instead, you feel rushed and often leave paying more with an upsell anyways.
Bottom Line?
A person with a “nice camera” doesn’t equal quality photography. Quality imagery takes years of practice and continual education.
Photographers don’t just “press a button”. They have to master their equipment, understand lighting, style, prompting, posing, editing and more!
They don’t just do it for money. While money is important to live, professional photographers do what they do because they LOVE people, creating fun experiences and capturing your beautiful life in creative ways.
NEVER just hire the cheapest photographer, who may not even value their OWN work (possibly why they are priced SO low because no respectable professional can charge less than the market value and be running an actual business with your best interest in mind). Always consider quality over quantity. Its my personal belief that a GREAT photographer doesn’t complete your gallery, email it to you and never talk to you again until the next booking. GREAT photographers help you all the way through the process from offering assistance with wardrobe to creating wall art for your home.
Consider investing in a quality photographer with years of experience over saving a few bucks on the “cheaper” photographer!
xoxo,
Veronica