| A statement that sends a chill down the back of any | | | | a good job of damaging this professional service. A |
| professional photographer, "why do you charge so | | | | professional portrait photographer will make their |
| much, I print them off at home for £1 and you | | | | profession look very easy, they will not spend hours |
| want £60 for an 8" x 10", you got to be joking" | | | | changing lighting, altering the camera set ups etc as |
| Thankfully this is not a regular comment, but even | | | | they know their equipment and settings as an act of |
| still it demonstrates how a vast majority of the | | | | habit, something that has been learnt over many |
| general public perceive the prices that a professional | | | | years of training and development at great costs. So |
| portrait photographer charges. Of course on the | | | | someone who has maybe a keen interest in |
| other side of the coin a growing number of people | | | | photography, and takes a few snaps of their friends |
| are slowly understanding the importance of such a | | | | and family suddenly has a light bulb moment, I could |
| service to record your families history in a | | | | do that how difficult is it? So they make a website, |
| professional way. | | | | run a blog and the most damaging thing they do is |
| I will now try to explain why a pro photographer | | | | call themselves a professional photographer, I may |
| needs to charge at least £60 for an 8" x 10" to | | | | sound bitter but I am simply just making an |
| make the smallest amount of profit to survive. We | | | | observation. So you ask why is this a problem after |
| will base this theory on a small business with say one | | | | all its good to have competition, well I agree but of |
| receptionist and the business owner as the | | | | course what actually happens is when a perspective |
| photographer with a rented premises with a studio | | | | client calls up and says, " how much do you charge |
| facility. So to begin, there are the fixed costs, rent, | | | | for an 8" x 10" and your reply is £60 of course |
| wages all the normal bills you would expect. Then of | | | | they will say, " I just spoke to another photographer |
| course the huge investment into professional camera | | | | and he only charges £8" I rest my case. |
| equipment and lighting, marketing and of course | | | | So The Point Is... |
| printing and presentation of your finished 8" x 10", | | | | Well its the customer who is really missing out, they |
| and probably the most overlooked (even by | | | | want to book a professional and have an image that |
| photographers) is the amount of time that is spent | | | | will last a lifetime, not some cheap printout with a |
| on producing just one image. Firstly you spend an | | | | photographer who has not invested any capital or |
| hour with your clients maybe two at the the time of | | | | passion into there profession. My advice would be if |
| the session. When the shoot is over you have to | | | | its cheap, be careful as you will be disappointed and |
| download your files to the computer, then back | | | | in more case than not simply just wasted your |
| them up, process the image then add a colour profile | | | | families time. Do some research, ask your friends if |
| to your style, retouch any blemishes etc. Now to get | | | | you like what has been done for them, be open |
| the files prepared for a slideshow so the client can | | | | minded about cost, remember you are hiring a |
| view the images, again another hour or two with | | | | professional service. A framed medium sized portrait |
| your customers, going through the to finalise their | | | | of your family may cost you between £400 - |
| final selection and pray you will not have a comment | | | | £600, but please remember this product will last a |
| like the one at the start of this article! | | | | lifetime and will be handed down to future |
| Is This The Fault Of The Customer? | | | | generations, so for the cost of a nice handbag or a |
| Well this has lots of different factors but the blame | | | | designer pair of shoes, it surely has to be amazing |
| is nothing to do with your customer, as there are | | | | value even at that price. |
| thousands of photographers all over the world doing | | | | |