Walk a mile in my shoes: Custom photography costs

Walk a mile in my shoes
just walk a mile in my shoes
Before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Then walk a mile in my shoes
~Elvis Presley

Blame my mother, no shoes equal good shoes, but that's beside my point. Come on, walk with me from the beginning of a custom (ie made for you) photo session to the end.
Coffee in hand I open up my computer and check emails. Yes! Another potential story to write through my lens for a lovely family. I favor with the reply of several questions to be pondered and answers to be gleaned. It could be minutes, some people are R.E.A.D.Y. (love that!), or it could be days before I hear back. At times it's easiest to pick up the phone if we both have a free 30 or 40 minutes (chatty, aren't I?), otherwise, it's back to the keyboard for answers and questions: rinse, lather, repeat, until both of us are comfortable that expectations and desires have been conveyed clearly.
Now that we know the what, we need to pin down the when. Calendar in hand we go over the time frame for which the family wants to do their shoot. Am I available? It's like one of those puzzles we use to play when we were kids, moving around dates and times for the perfect fit. Oh and let's not forget weather. It's important to consider a rain out (or any number of reasons for a reschedule) if there's a specific date you need your prints back.
What, check. When, check.
Now to the paper work. I have contracts for clients to sign and deposits that need to be cleared to conclude a booking. This is all done and accounted for just as if you were standing at the receptionist's desk in an office filling out papers and waiting, (but you don't have to wait for me, and you can't see me).
If we haven't already discussed where you'd like to meet for your session, I'll share some places locally that I love. If you have a special spot already picked out, and it's likely I'll feel like a little girl playing dress up when I get to visit a new location, thank you. We'll see what we need to do to make those arrangements (some places charge a photography fee you'll have to pay). Sometime before your session I will take a road trip, at the time of day applicable, to scope out the light, the area, and the opportunity that awaits.
Where, check.
The exciting part is just ahead. I prepare for your shoot at least the day before, sooner if my schedule allows: clean my lenses, charge batteries, get together any props and accessories we might use (often times this includes a special shopping outing looking for that special touch), make sure all paperwork is in order, and pack it all up. Heading out the door with my first, then second load, I pack up my SUV and gear up my GPS (so thankful for whoever she is). Cue the music, it's time to hit the road!
All that gear I just packed up has to be unpacked and my camera needs to be on-site prepped, so I arrive early. I'm glad cameras come with spinning dials, because the weather isn't that easy to change. I never know what it's going to be like no matter what channel 25 said just a half hour ago. For me, that can be a stressful aspect as I make sure I can find great light for your photographs.
The session itself is the easy part to explain; you know why you carefully picked out those outfits and showed up here (and I'm so glad you did!) The hour or so moves quickly but it's such a fun time. I love what I do and I love the privilege of sharing your family's life, if for this moment, with you.
Ahhh. You can breathe a sigh of relief,load your van and head out for the promised ice cream cone. ;) And I, you guessed it, load all my gear back into my car.
At this point it makes the most sense for you to read the previous description a few paragraphs above but in reverse.
Every photographer dons kid gloves on a newly used image card until those babies are safely uploaded to two or three places. And that's straight where I'm heading. Honestly, I most likely stopped for a cold Diet Coke and a gas fill up on the way home, but I do go right home.
I begin uploading the photos, I try not to look because I like to surprise even myself. Silly, I know. The process of uploading, sorting and editing begins. This is one of the most important parts of the session and it's definitely the most time consuming. We're all different, but many photographers will give you a peek at your set by posting a couple early edits. NOW the fun really starts!
By the time you get your gallery to view and proof, I've spent an average of no less than 10 hours on just your session.
Still, there's tweaking to be done, getting your order from you, sorting it, sizing images for prints, placing my order, receiving and packaging your order and more all before the grand finale. THE best part- delivering your prints is just ahead.
Do your feet hurt yet? ;)
I hope it's now easy to see that what may have looked at first glance to be a simple hour or two of time is anything but and so much more.
And I haven't even begun to tell you how much it cost me. Uncle Sam's out-stretched hand displays a sticky note scripted, "Save my 30%."
The camera, lenses, computers, insurance, professional fees, classes, supplies, and on and on it goes, is no small bottom line. The fact is, it takes most photographers at least 3 calendar years of full time work before they see any profit at all.
There, I feel better.
This walk was as much about me as it was about you. I have grappled with the issue of pricing my photography for quite some time. I've had the same thoughts as you, "Thirty dollars for a 8x10 print is outrageous!" "She wants $300 for a session fee?" So much so that I've lost sleep over it all. A lot. Seriously. But then, then I had someone walk me through what I do, the time it cost, my cost of goods and all of the business side of things (just as my computer decided to revolt at memory issues from uploading my client's photos and it cost me $600+ to satisfy). Good timing to drive the point home. I'm not one to take advantage of people or try to sell them on something. Not my style at all. There are a lot of us who feel the exact same way; if you're lucky enough to work with one of them you won't have any other questions about cost vs value. I promise.
If you value the timeless treasure of praise worthy photography as I do, now you know what it cost your photographer, too. I hope the value is even clearer.

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