How Much Should a Photo Shoot Cost and Why?
How Much Should a Photo Shoot Cost and Why?
I wanted to take the time to explain the pricing of a photo session and why it is important not to just choose a photographer based on their sometimes very cheap prices, as well as the very overpriced ones, I consider my own pricing to be middle of the road for the highest quality end product in the images as well as an A* service throughout. My shoots are all taken from my studio in Perton Wolverhampton near Birmingham in the West Midlands and my photos packages start from £249 with a low £29 booking fee.
I have discussed this with a number of friends and clients over the years why photography pricing ranges from hundreds or even thousands per shoot when others charge super cheap rates. At the end of the day everyone has a budget, but human nature seems to drive the pricing discussion in two directions either for the cheaper options or the other way if you get what you pay for, but both can leave you feeling or being ripped off.
Photography by professional photographers is a form of art and many photographers will have invested lots of money, time and effort into training and equipment and really have a passion to produce something amazing. When working with children and especially newborns babies, it isn’t just a case of point and shoot, and they will rarely let this be the case. One of my specialties is children and newborn baby photos as well as maternity photography and cake smash and splash photoshoot photography and all require a lot of planning and preparation prior to the photoshoot. There is prep beforehand, planning what props to use, what colours to choose, and planning plan B if babies especially don't want to play ball, along with the cost of purchasing props for a session, and that's just to take the photos! There are hours of editing after a photography session to make sure that every little detail is perfect, as I hand edit all of my work as I take pride in producing the best I can every time for my clients.
Being a photographer is of course a job, so photographers have to make a living as well as there being lots of hidden costs that also need to be covered. Training, equipment, insurance, props are all part and parcel of each photography session. I have been trained as a newborn photographer to make sure that your little ones are handled safely, as well as first aid training, I have also gone on a few other training courses and I will no doubt go on more training throughout my time both in terms of newborns and other areas of photography, as you can start to see the cost of a photoshoot isn’t just mindlessly thrown together out of thin air and it is not as easy as it can seem to a client while they are with you on a shoot. Where I try to pitch my prices is a fair price for the work and the quality of my work throughout your experience, not just with the end product (your beautiful gallery of images), and I would like to think all of my past clients would agree.
While I understand everyone has their own budget to work within, and I am not saying that you should not go with a more budget friendly photographer over a more pricey one at all, as all photographers especially when just starting out may price to reflect there time on the job while learning their skill – I have been there and I am truly grateful for the clients that booked with me whilst I learnt my craft and started to corm my business but equally paying top prices like some charge doesn't always provide you with the best quality of work. At the end of the day I would say to choose a photographer based on their past work where possible that fits in with what your budget is sometimes paying a few hundred for a shoot will give you the highest quality and the best price for the quality dont be ripped off paying anything for poor quality images or be ripped off paying £1000 plus for images that many others can take just as well for half the price, as there are plenty that over charge you for the own name tag not just the quality of the work. If you are looking for a photographer, look at the individual's work and reviews before you make your decision. Another thing to look for is to make sure that when you are booking your photographer they are trained and insured and more importantly that you like their work. Please don’t just book someone because they are the cheapest or the most expensive as you stand a higher chance you will end up with photographs and or an experience that you don’t like let alone love, its about the experience as much it is the images.
A photoshoot is a luxury product that is something special and a memory to be cherished and have pride of place on the walls of your home or work. So please consider the end product as well as the experience you receive when choosing your photographer, for whichever photoshoot you are looking for, do your research before booking, don’t be swayed by prices, you deserve to love the images and experience you receive please properly check out a photographers work and reviews before booking, even give them a call and discuss what you are looking for.
Thank you for reading,
Claire xx
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