THE WHYS – PRICE
What keeps you from having family pictures taken?
I asked this question on Instagram a couple weeks ago and got back a lot of responses. Many of which were the same!
The 5 answers that came up the most were;
Sessions are too expensive.
My husband hates photoshoots.
My kids are insane.
I hate having my picture taken.
We are too awkward.
I am going to do my best to address these concerns one at a time!
PRICE
I understand why this one comes up a lot. It is often hard to see the value in something that may not actually have meaning to you until years down the line. It also seems like a fair bit of money for what seems like an hour of time. Prices are the way they are because photographers spend most of their time editing your images vs actually shooting. So while most of us say “It’s $$$ for a 1-hour session.” What we really mean is “It’s $$$ for the session, time to edit, edits, online gallery rental, insurance for our equipment, backup equipment, etc, etc.”
I think it is also incredibly important to remind ourselves of certain images that make us smile. I lost my Nana just before my 11th birthday. I don’t have a lot of pictures of her because so often she was taking them. I do have one of her skiing and it is AWESOME! I don’t know who took it or how much it cost but to me it is priceless. Look beyond today and think about what those images will be worth to you in the future. It may be morbid but pictures are important, they help us hold onto times that were the most valuable to us.
Keep your eyes open for deals, promo’s, mini sessions etc. and remember that most photographers offer gift cards! Mention a shoot for your birthday or Christmas! If a couple people go in on the cost of a mini shoot, it won’t seem like so much!
It also never hurts to talk to a photographer, tell them your situation. While most photographers don’t love being approached for a discount they may be able to figure out a way you can get some pictures. Just remember, this is a job and we have bills to pay too! We have put effort into pricing and aren’t arbitrarily assigning prices!
When you are ready to spend the money just remember to do your due diligence! Make sure what the photographer is offering is what you want, aesthetically as well as economically.
