How Professional Photographers Arrive at their Charges
It is not unusual for professionals in the service industry to find themselves in a position where they must justify why quality work deserves its price. Many prospective clients don’t understand why photographers in Spokane charge so much when they know someone close who takes beautiful images using their smartphone or digital camera, and they have easy access to scanners and home photo printers.
Here’s why
Simply put, clients are not just paying for the photograph itself, but for the time, equipment, and expertise, as well.
Time
Typical photo sessions take between 2 and 8 hours, depending on the type of event. Consider a two-hour photo session with Kelly Tareski Photography:
· Time taken to travel to and from the session
· 30 minutes of preparation, setup, getting to know the client’s preferences, etc.
· The actual 2 hours of shooting
· 30 minutes of loading photos onto a computer – between 2 and 4 Gb of data
· Another 30 minutes to back up the images on a portable storage
· 3-4 hours of image editing – cropping, color, sharpening, contrast, etc.
· 2 – 3 hours (before and after the session) talking to the client, receiving the order and payment, reviewing with client, answering questions, receiving and verifying prints, delivering the package, etc.
Printing and framing some of the photos
You can see how a two-hour portrait session turns into 10 or more hours of work from start to finish. The amount of work would nearly double for 4 hours sessions, or triple for 6 hour sessions. Post processing itself is actually a very long and tiring process that may take over a day for wedding shoots.
Gear
Modern day photography no longer needs Digital Effects, Surrealism, Chroma-Key Technology, or CGI. Though a quality camera can cost under $2,000, you still need to invest thousands of dollars in photo editing software, lighting equipment, backdrops, tripods, props, studio space, etc.
Expertise
Shooting professional photography is a skill that is acquired through years of experience. The rate at which photographers develop their skills is different, usually one year, and even though modern quality cameras offer more functionality, taking great portraits takes more than a nice camera. The photographer must learn how to use his/her fancy camera, how to edit images using different software, how to set up, etc.
Professional photographers also need great social skills, so they can communicate effectively and keep the client at ease. And even amidst all these challenges, photographers in Spokane do not compromise. They never back off from tough challenges, and will always give you their best. After all, they are in business and must build a portfolio. So now you know what you’re paying for.