Why is Professional Photography expensive? It is a question that comes up from time to time and one that I have even asked in the past before I understood why. Maybe you are considering investing in a photo session but you are hit with sticker shock when you reach out to the photographer. Well, I am here to help shed some light on it for you! There are a few main reasons as to why. For one, if you are having your photos done by a legit professional, they have many business costs that they are covering. The cost of getting licensed and insured, equipment costs, editing software subscriptions, website host costs, and gallery delivery services to just name a few. We also pay taxes, which is anywhere from 20-30 percent of every dollar that we make! As business professionals, we do not want to cut corners, but rather we want to deliver quality in our services.
Photographers also have to consider the cost of gas to travel to and from the session. Sometimes we also have to pay entrance fees or parking fees to get into the location or event. Certain locations require a permit to be pulled in order to shoot there. Permits can range anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars depending on the event and the venue. The cost of all of the little things in photography just add up as well. You need a bag or two to carry your equipment, you may need a tripod, cleaning equipment, flashes, extra batteries for your camera, SD cards, external hard drives, computer and a cell phone. The list could go on and on!!! When you book with a Professional photographer, remember that you are also booking their time and their equipment as well as their creative talent and artistic abilities.
One more thing to consider when you book a photographer. When a photographer says “yes” to you and your session, it means they are saying “no” to other things. Saying no to spending time at home with family. So that time is valuable. Time spent editing is valuable as well. Photographers spend hours uploading, editing, then exporting, saving and backing up images. Editing is one of the most time consuming parts of our job! So when you look at the cost of that photo shoot that you are booking…my hope is that after reading this you will realize that you are actually supporting a business. You are paying for a lot more than you realize! You, the client, the consumer are why we remain a sustainable business!
