No, my photography pricing is not "standard"
A few days ago I got a call from someone looking for a newborn photographer. The first question that was on the caller's mind was "I saw on your website that your sessions are $$$ – what does that include?"I explained my pricing structure, and what they would get depending on packages they choose.
"This sounds very expensive – is this standard for newborn sessions?"
I get this question a lot. And I used to feel defeated when replying to it. But this time, I confidently said:
"Well, it is if you want to make a living!"
He laughed, and said they were going to look for other photographers. And that was the end of the conversation. For the first time I felt really good about it, even though they didn't want to talk with me further.
Why?
Because I know what it takes to run a business and pay the bills, and there's no point in me trying to convince someone that my pricing is in fact very reasonable, when price is the deciding factor for a caller.
Now – I understand that everyone has a different budget, and everyone prioritizes photography differently. JC Penney, Sears, and all those other fast-food-chain type studios exist to service people who do not have the budget for a boutique business owner who creates a unique experience just for them.
Now back to the standard price. Looking at industry averages, I am on the higher side of average – because I've done my homework and know what I need to charge to make an actual living.
Running a personal business is EXPENSIVE – it is not the same as showing up for a regular 9-5 job, where you never invest any of your own money. The session fees don't go straight into your pocket.
Many creatives price with their emotions, which often leads to not breaking even, to burnout, and to giving up.
You may think that you can't charge real money as a newbie. You may think that your work isn't worth more. You may think that price is the only way you can compete with other photographers in a saturated market. Maybe someone you love told you that they'd never pay more than $100 for a session. Maybe you just haven't done the math.
It may FEEL like charging $100, $200, or $500 for a session puts a huge chunk of money in your pocket. If you aren't adding up your expenses and comparing them to the revenue you are bringing in, you don't KNOW if you are actually making a huge chunk of money.
Full disclosure – if I were charging $100 per session I'd have to do 150-250 sessions a year to cover my business expenses, depending on whether I needed to buy new gear or attend a conference, for example. That thought scares the pants off of me!
The honest truth is, that if you are charging too little to pay yourself a decent salary you have a hobby – not a business. A hobby that may cause you to work yourself into the ground, while you have less and less time and energy to nurture the relationships in your life.
If you are a small business owner, you deserve to charge for your time, your work, your photographs, your art. You deserve to pay yourself a salary. You deserve to have money left over for savings. You deserve to buy frivolous things from time to time, like a movie ticket, just like everyone else working a regular job.
Heck , you deserve to spend even more money on yourself so that you can keep on keeping on!
So no, my pricing is not standard.
My pricing reflects what I need to sustain my business, to earn a salary, to pay for the life I want to live – which is the healthy way to approach any business.
I challenge you to do the same.