What am I paying for?
The cost breakdown of photography can be difficult to understand, and varies widely from project to project. People sometimes wonder why a short session can be so expensive, and I get it! It might look like your photographer is just showing up and pushing a button, but there’s so much more beyond what you see in the session.
To keep clients informed on what they’re paying for, I want to be transparent about how and why my rates are determined. My pricing for photography reflects many things, including:
-The hourly or flat rate for that particular session (including setup and breakdown)
-A small travel fee (depending on where the shoot is)
-Time spent editing (which typically takes multiple hours, if not days)
-A kit fee for my own equipment and any necessary rentals
-Any props that need to be purchased for a shoot
My rates also reflect over a decade of expertise as a professional photographer. It’s entirely up to you to decide what you’re willing to pay for photos, but keep in mind that the price tag you choose will often reflect the quality of the finished product.
How much will my session be?
As a general baseline, you can expect sessions to start at $200/hour (with a one-hour minimum). This is a frame of reference for the most basic of projects, for example: a one-hour headshot session at a nearby location, with no fancy props or equipment.
That said, I’m a big fan of people coming together to make things more affordable for everyone, so the cost for some shoots can be split when more people join! For example, a private headshot session for one person might be $200/hour, but if you get three other friends to join, that cost becomes $50/hour for each person; I don’t upcharge for additional subjects. This model also works well for graduation photos and other similar shoots.
Do you take alternative forms of payment?
If finances are tight, I am open to negotiating heavily discounted (or even free, in the right circumstance) photoshoots in exchange for services that are an agreed-upon “equal value”. We can determine what that means together, but I like to offer this method of compensation in the spirit of community, one of my deepest values.
Since the same amount of money can hold such a different weight for each individual, this is my way of giving potential clients the opportunity to determine what they’re able to “pay” based on what resources or skills they have at their disposal.
Keep in mind, trades will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis, and I reserve the right to respectfully decline an offer if it’s not the right fit.
Do you charge per edited photo?
No. I like to give clients as many feasible photos as possible (without including a bunch of duplicates) from a session. That said, each type of shoot will have a roughly estimated deliverable count for what makes sense. For example, event photography usually includes as many unique images as possible (maybe 30-40 photos per hour shot), while a headshot session really only needs one, maybe two, final edited shots.
I deliver all finished albums digitally, in full-resolution. You’ll have a set amount of time to download these for your own drives.
Please note: I never send RAW files, unless specifically agreed upon beforehand.
Do you do photo printing?
Printing is not my business’s specialty, but is available as a premium add-on for any shoot.