Why to Increase Your Prices

And other things you need to know about the cost of a professional photographer…

I received the usual message on Facebook twice this week…”When will our photos be done?” “Did you send the photos?”

After spending two days putting in 12 hours at the computer to finish galleries, I was getting anxiety and now rushing to cater to the needs that did not fit in my timeline. It had only been a few days and as I meticulously culled through over a thousand photos, hand selecting the best for my clients, I had the dreaded feeling of knowing I was barely breaking even.

This was my first year in business and I thought if I priced my sessions at a budget, I would book more and remain busy. However, as a small business owner who is completely in love with photography and capturing moments for you, I would be doing a disservice to myself and you by continuing to book budget friendly sessions.

That being said I am so thankful for all of my wonderful clients this year, who have allowed me to grow my business and grow as a photographer. As the holiday’s approach I have decided to increase my prices for next year in 2021. Here are a few reasons why…

Now I know there’s nothing sexy about talking about cost of services, especially when you are a paying client. However, most days non-photographers may not realize just how expensive running a photography business may be. If you have ever wondered why photography sessions cost what they do here are a few expenses you may often forget about. So here’s a little breakdown…

• Business

  • LLC Registration

  • Taxes

  • Website

  • Website Domain

  • Gallery Website

  • Online Storage like Drop Box

• Equipment

  • Camera

  • Lenses

  • Memory Cards

  • Card Readers

  • External Hard drives

  • Tri-pod

  • Travel Bag

  • Camera and Lens Cleanings

  • Lighting Equipment

  • Computer

• Software

  • Adobe Lightroom

  • Adobe Photoshop

  • Microsoft Office

• Travel Costs

  • Fuel

  • Travel Food

  • Wear and tear on personal vehicles

• Time

  • Time versus money baby- Your time is valuable!

  • Photo session time

  • Editing time

  • Gallery build and upload

  • Overall time for running a business

All in all, know your worth and charge accordingly! A fellow photographer once told me that customers will value your service much more if you charge a fair price and do not cut them a deal. Being a photographer is so much more than shooting photos.