Why Photography Is An 'Investment'
Over the last few years I have changed and upped my pricing. Just like any small business, in the beginning, you are not very profitable. I re-invested just about ALL of my income back into my business. I was happy to start out 'low' in pricing to gain more clients, more experience, and to be able to put that money towards everything I would need to be successful.
As time has gone on, I have a seen the typical flow of photographers as they grow as a business, and I was not an exception. Many photographers start out with lower pricing and give all of their digital images away. You feel the need to provide everything and give away 80 images for a mini session. This is what photographers call 'shoot and burn'. Not only is it exhausting but it also isn't profitable nor is it the best quality you can provide.
What I have learned is that not only is it important to be a successful business, but it is also important to give quality over quantity. I know that in the day of social media, we want ALL the images. And by all, I mean 100s of images for a standard family session. I get it. We want options. BUT, let's say you pay a little less and get every last image. Of those 100 images, how many are used? How many see your walls? And how many collect dust in your cloud space or hard drive?
It also can be so overwhelming to go through large galleries and decide on which ones will be your new profile picture or the the canvas you print for your wall! I compare it to 'scrolling' through the millions of options of shows on all of your streaming services. This is why I end up saying f*** it have the time and just watch Schitt's Creek for the 100th time. Or I don't print an image for my wall until 3 years later.
This year I have played with my packaging and listened to clients. I wanted to find a balance between providing those digital images AND also providing amazing prints. By allowing me to help you go through galleries I can advise on print sizing, how to decorate your wall, how images are cropped for print, and more. AND the prints come directly from me, which means they are 100% guaranteed to look in print like they do on your screen! No weird color calibration from Costco that makes your prints look more green or blue!
Am I going to cost a little more? Yes. Am I going to provide a better service? YES! Am I going to provide better quality images? 100%!
All of that time I spent in the 'shoot and burn' world has provided me the opportunity to stock my client closet, stock my studio, upgrade all of my equipment, take numerous education courses from lighting to posing to safety, AND most of all, have taught me how to provide the best possible service for your money!
