Photography by the Browns, Centerville, Iowa

Why Do Professional Portraits Cost So Much?

In this digital age, when almost everyone has digital cameras, scanners, and home "photo printers," we are often asked, "Why do professional photographers charge so much for an 8x10 when that print costs less than $2.00 at the local discount store?"

Our clients are not simply paying for a piece of photographic paper, they're paying for time and expertise.

The average portrait session...

First, let's look at the amount of work involved to create and capture digital images for a professional portrait.

For location sessions (outside of our studio camera room), we travel to where the photographs will be taken. We then setup our photographic equipment and consult with the client. Once we are ready, we take the photos.

At the end of the session, when working on location, we drive back to our studio.

Next, we transfer the digital images files to our computers and make backups on our network servers and to archival quality CD or DVD discs.

We begin working on the images to create the "proofs" which requires 2 to 4 hours of working with the images in Adobe Photoshop®. We work on each image by doing retouching, some cropping, adjusting the color, and creating any digital special effects requested by the client. The images are then prepared for proofing in either print or online.

Once the client is ready to place their order, we consult with them in our studio for 1 to 2 hours. If required, we can even meet the client in their own home to consult with them about their order which could require extra time for travel.

The amount of time we dedicate to our clients begins to add up. A simple one-hour session easily turns into an eight-hour day or more from start to finish. So when we're charging almost $200 (session fee and retainer fee) for a one-hour photo shoot, the client is not simply paying us $200 per hour.

The eight to twelve hour wedding...

A wedding photographer typically meets with the bride and groom several times before and after the wedding. And it's not uncommon to end up with hundreds of images, many times more than a portrait session. Professional photographers spend 40-60 hours per wedding from doing the photography to preparing proofs and finished albums and books. When a wedding photographer charges $4,000 or more for approximately 8 hours at the wedding location, clients are NOT paying them $500 an hour.

The expertise and cost of doing business...

Working as a professional photographer requires skills developed through years of education and experience. Even though a digital SLR camera can be purchased for less than $1,000... creating professional portraits involves much more than a good camera.

Most professional photographers work years... from buying their first camera to making money with photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera, there is a mountain of other equipment and software used to edit and print photographs, run a website, etc. Then there's the expense of buying lighting equipment, backdrops and props. As with all other businesses there is rent or mortgages to pay, expensive utilities, insurance, payroll taxes, etc.

Along with the financial investment, photographers must have people skills and help their clients to feel comfortable in front of the camera. Posing people to look their best is an important skill. One could argue that posing is a more important skill than actually knowing how to use the camera. A poorly exposed photo can be saved, but a badly posed photo cannot.

The chain store photo studio...

Chain stores photo studios do have their place. For a very cheap price you can run in, get some quick photos, and be done with it. However, you get what you pay for.

Consider the time and effort that a professional photographer puts into creating portrait images compared to a chain store photographer. The sessions in a chain store photo shop last just a few minutes, while a professional photographer takes the time to get to know their clients, helps make them comfortable, maybe make them laugh and to generally have an enjoyable experience. If a baby is crying because it is hungry or needs a diaper changed at a chain store, the photographer there often doesn't have the time (or the patience) to wait because everyone is in a hurry.

Many chain stores use portrait photography as a "loss-leader." Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios in 2007 because of the financial drain. Using portrait photography in the chain stores as a loss leader gets a customer in for quick, cheap photos…and while the customer is in the store, they may spend $200 on other items.

The professional touch...

Professional, photographers are just that… professionals. Working as a professional, it's much like other professional occupations…. mechanic, dentist, doctor, or electrician. A truly professional photographer often becomes a friend as someone who documents a family for generations with beautiful professional, personal photographs creating cherished memories.

Think about it this way: A pair of scissors might cost $1.50 at a discount store. Yet, most people will gladly pay a lot more to hire a professional hair stylist to cut and style their hair.

The added attention and quality that a professional photographer provides is worth the investment.

Conclusion...

We hope that your taking the time to read this page will provide a better understanding of why professional photographs, created by a professional photographer are so expensive.