The minute you enter the photography industry in any sort of serious manner, you become aware of the ridiculously cheap photographers out there. They seem to be everywhere, don’t they? (Heck, you might be one of ‘em!)
Here is why I want you to pay them no attention. There is no need to have a panic attack or to dread their presence, promise!
First, everyone starts somewhere.
A lucky few start from the get-go with solid pricing and a whole lot of business knowledge. A lucky few. Everyone else has a bottom rung that they start out on. Finding 12 people in your neighborhood who are dirt cheap doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to stay that cheap. This could be a phase for them and most likely, they will either burn out or get a clue that a sustainable business (or even a sustainable paying hobby) can’t go on like this. Things will change one way or another. Give them time to see the light, but don’t waste any time worrying about their effect on your business.
Not everyone wants to hire a beginner.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who aren’t about saving money and getting the most dirt cheap offering that they can, even if they aren’t currently rolling in dough. There really are people who value $200 photographers but might not a $2K. There are people who value $750 ones but not $75 ones, and there are ones that value $5K ones.
There truly are people out there that hire based on style and not ultimately on price.
Look for those people, market to them, and use your pricing to attract them. When I had my studio in Montana, I can’t tell you how many times I was told that I was hired because I was the highest priced photographer in the state.
Let me repeat: I was hired BECAUSE I was the highest-priced photographer in the state.
Hiring me wasn’t about just wanting to blow money, it was about getting what you pay for. Clients had the most confidence in me because I had the most confidence in myself to present the highest pricing. I didn’t try to be competitive with everyone else around me by keeping it cheap and safe. (It also took me years to get to that point, so don’t expect to just put out a price list and assume because you are higher than everyone it’s going to work for you. You’ve got to earn the reputation that can back up that pricing!)
The saying is true: you get what you pay for.
Those cheap-as-dirt photographers won’t be able to compete with you because you are going to be giving better customer service and a better customer experience to your people. That’s going to help retain your clients and not lose them to the cheaper photographers.
Focus your business energy on WHY you have your pricing and WHY it’s worth it for clients to pony up the cash. Assuming that you didn’t just pull numbers out of a hat, your pricing came from a place of common sense, sound judgement, real need, and compensation for your time and talent.
Lastly, you will be always be in competition with SOMEONE.
No matter what price range you’re in, you’re going to be in competition with other photographers at that price point. Let the competition be good for your business instead of letting it anger or discourage you.
44 Comments
Yes I look at all the photographer’s sites and photo’s. A lot of them out there. I am taking classes on updating my computer skills and going into a more stable job market. Working with the puplic is also difficult. Your over head is another thing. I will keep photography as a hobby. thanks.
the most valuable and tasteful pictures I’ve ever seen were captured by a photographer who loved what they were doing and it didn’t matter a hill o beans what kind of camera they had or editing tools they used.
great post!agree100%
the last line says it all…outdoing yourself! Perfect words…thank you!
Thank you for this – perfect timing!!
I am finding when talking to students that they are taking each others pictures for senior portraits!!!
I think that you make a valid point, but I am one of those cheap o photographers. I photograph cheap because I believe that EVERYONE should be entitled to great portraits of their children and families. Not because I do not have business sense. I love what I do and the price point that I work from. My customers are always happy and that is the best satisfaction a photographer can have. I ( most of my clients do not either) do not have $75 to drop on a sitting fee and another $150 to purchase photographs. So I work cheap because I love photography and I am not in it for the money.
I have also ran into that Kristin with seniors-again like Alicia say’s there will be people who do not want that for their pictures!
. However, she makes money on workshops-so can give this ‘break’ to the models and can sell her product for less. HOWEVER, this IS hurting me…I find clients comparing the two of us on price repeatedly and I can’t combat this dilemma…what say you to this Alicia? 
Great post. For me though, to make matters worse along with low priced new photographer cropping up all over the place, I have a very popular/well known photographer nearby me who does workshops all over and locally and really doesn’t charge much at all for her clients products comparably-insanely low digitals
After reading your post I wanna say, yes I am a “dirt cheap” photographer right now but I feel like I am good at what I do (it is a part-time thing tho bc I work) and the only reason I charge so cheap ($50 a session with cd) is bc there are SO many photogs around my area & I am new, so I’m trying to draw in some business instead of always using the same people. Any advice would be very appreciative! I have thought I needed to go up but then I’m afraid I won’t get any business! HELP!
I need to clarify I am “new” to having a business but have been doing photography for friends & family for about 10 years now…a year ago yesterday I opened my online business!
Great read! I currently am own of the lower priced photographers at $100 a session (including disk) but I can still find dozens of photographers cheaper than me. I started charging at about half of what I am, I’m hoping by 2013 I’ll have solid pricing and the talent to back it up.
I am a brand new photographer just starting out. I am one of those “dirt cheap” people you are referring to in the above post. I charge that amount because I am just starting out and honestly still learning. I don’t feel that I should be talked down to or made to feel bad because I offer a service to someone at a cheaper price because I am just starting out. I have taken some beautiful picures for people I am so grateful that they took a chance on ME. I’m not sure they would have done that if I charged a huge amount. Some of us are just starting out and need a break from those that have been doing this a long time. Isn’t the idea to support one another? Not to mention there are some people that want pictures done but are living on a budget. If they can get someone to capture those memories for them and not break the bank I would hope everyone would want that. I give great customer service, treat my customers amazing and enjoy learning and creating memories along the way.
Thank you so much for all the great comments everyone!
I think what a lot of experienced photographers who are working hard to get to the point of sustainable & profitable businesses tend to obsess and worry over the lower priced photographers instead of focusing on their own businesses.
There are people out there that simply can not afforfd high end photography- and that’s totally understandable! There should be photographers for every price group demand. There is no reason to be discouraged by all the ones that are cheaper….they aren’t in competition, they are there to fill a need.
It isn’t a matter of quality of work- it’s a matter of needing to provide an income that can sustain a business for the long-haul. $75 portrait businesses are able to provide a sustainable income. They are either a way to pay for a hobby OR as a stepping stone to a place that gets them to the next level in pricing.
Focus on your business alone and you’ll do amazing no matter where you currently are.
I’ve heard a lot of photographers that really worry about the cheapo photographers. I like to compare it to a hotel. There are mega expensive hotels and there are nasty cheap hotels. And there is a market for both! I’ts like that in many industries. Including ours.
I agree with the above. I am just starting out and don’t feel just because your fees are “cheap” that your quality of work is “cheap”! Not everyone with dirt bottom pricing is in it for the money, some maybe, but I for one am not! I love capturing memories.
I loved this because I’m so tired of all the photographers I friended on FB because I admired their work only to read their negative comments about those who are under them in skill, education, equipment etc… No one is born with a camera in their hands. It would be nice if we could all learn to mentor those that share our passion without judgement.
I use to be one of those “cheap” photographers. Only charging $60 for a 1 hour shoot with disc. I did this for awhile until I realized I was making no money. I have since raised my prices and will continue to adjust until I find something that both suits my clients along with myself. I am still one of the cheapest in my area, especially with weddings.
This is a fantastic article. Just because someone owns a digital camera does not make them a professional, experienced, or even competent photographer. Sorta like owning a car doesn’t make you a good driver. But then again, no one thinks they’re a bad driver…
It’s great to start my morning with a post like this. Tons of new competition in my area (like everywhere else), and reading stuff like this makes it easier to remember not to worry about what everyone else is charging — whether they are higher or lower. The main thing is to be confident about whatever it is you are offering. Thank you!
I understand what she is saying in the article, but I also understand the photographers who do not charge an arm and a leg! Maybe there are people out there who just love what they do (photography) and thats all! It’s not always about the money, or trying to take buisness away from someone else, and if you can HELP someone out who can’t afford the higher prices, well, that makes it all worth it in itself
I started my business as a reasonable photographer (not a fan of the word cheap, its just insulting). I offered sessions with the cd for $150. I wanted to provide my clients with a great service and great images at a reasonable price. We all start somewhere, right? I was super busy with sessions and editing, but no sales.
Then I gained clarity after keeping track of my time per client. On average after emails, session, downloading, editing, uploading, posting to facebook, processing orders (if there was any other than the cd) and mailing. I was spending about 8-10 hours per client, while still working a 40 hr a weeks job. When I did the math, I was making $15 before taxes and after taxes and expenses (insurance, business reg fees, internet, software, packaging, paypal fees, shipping fees, taxes, etc.) it was closer to $7 an hour. I made more than that as a waitress at 15 years old.
Although I truly love taking photos and providing this service, It is very easy to get bitter when I was spending all my spare time working to build a business, to barely make minimum wage. I went through a ton of emotions, thought of quitting and then I regrouped.
Although I wanted to be a reasonable photographer and provide this service to all, I also wanted to turn this passion into a business I can live off of. At $7 hr that is not a reasonable goal.
So I set new goals, created new pricing. This terrified me. My new goal is to make $600 per customer, including session and prints. This is still less than other around me. My session fee is still the same, I stopped including the CD with the session and it worked. People are still booking, I even had a $900 order, not including the session fee. I almost fell off my chair when I saw it! I am still tweaking, not everyone spends $600, but I average $400-600 per session. Don’t be scared to up your prices, your time and talent is worth it and it is so much better than being bitter!
I agree everyone starts somewhere and we all have been priced low and if you can sustain on that as a business plan then that is great. I decided that for my business I wanted to offer a lot of bells and whistles, which takes time, requires ordering sessions, pre-session consultations and costs a little more money. I am not happy being a reasonable photographer or having clients who want it all for $75. I enjoy getting to know my clients, planning the wall display for there newborns nursery, and creating albums & announcements. There will always be a market for all price points and that no one can change. Honestly without that market I may have never started my business. Just do what you are comfortable with.
Thanks for the help!
Just wanted to say thanks, I never looked at it this way, I always had my price low, not this low i charge a donation for sitting fee and then 100.00 for 12 8×10′s not to cheap but thought it was so clients would get a good deal, and i am only learning…I am no pro I am starting at the bottom, and working my way up, BUT i started for those less unfortunate that can’t afford the higher priced photographers, but i also don’t want used for free…I also started and going to specialize in Special Needs photography so, I guess it is just what i feel my work is worth right now, until i get more experience!!!
Great article, thanks. My business is still less than a year old AND I have just moved interstate so my prices are currently lower than i’d like. It amazes me though when I still see photographers charging HALF what I do. How can they make a profit?
I agree with most of this article. Some photographers starting out charge cheap rates because they are intimidated by other photographers in their local area and or they are still unsure of just how much their time and effort is worth. On the other hand photography is so easy to learn if your dedicated and don’t mind doing your time in the books and practice that many people are picking it up as a hobby and doing an awsome job with it. I have a friend who is in the medical field, she makes around 8k per month or so from her full time job. She mostly does not charge for photography, she don’t need the money, she just loves photography as a hobby. Her work rivals many photographers work that I have seen throughout the country on facebook. If photography is your main source of income then yes, you probably should not be charging dirt cheap prices.
I love the article, however a couple of the comments bothered me. I too offer a ridiculously low session price, but for three years have worked to improve my skills, and know I do AWESOME work! My resolution this year was to raise my prices to what they are worth, and the end of March is when that is happening! I’ve depended on fb so much that my website is poorly neglected…another goal for me by end of March. Change is scarey, but I keep telling myself it will be worth it. Thank you so much for the article!
Tabitha… I agree with you and that’s why I keep my prices cheap. I could never afford a yearly $200 sitting plus paying for photos for 3 kids. I think that every person deserves to have great photos at a great price. I stay at home so for me it’s chance to get out of the house and do something I love! It’s just a little extra cash for my family while I get to do something I enjoy. I think people are lucky to run into a hobby photographer… you get great pictures for a great price. And I suppose it would be different if it were my full time job, but I don’t want it as a full-time job where I’m pretty sure after a while I would burn out.
hi. thank you so much for this insight. i totally agree! i started out charging nothing, then $75 (free CD), then $100 (free CD), etc, etc… i was starting to get so busy, overwhelmed and burned out. of course i was busy because i was dirt cheap and giving away the CD!! i had no shortage of clients but i felt like i was working for free. i finally got the confidence to increase my rates significantly and started charging separately for prints and the CD. i was nervous, but i booked 2 shoots immediately….no problem. i was shocked! i also found it was a different type of client. i could tell they really valued photography as an important investment. i’m not the most expensive photographer in the area, but i feel like now i’m at least getting paid something reasonable for my time and talent. i have fewer shoots, but i am not overwhelmed anymore (i do photography in addition to my full-time day job so it’s a bit of a balancing act). i think that, yes, all photographers have to start somewhere, and you can’t necessarily start out charging $1K a pop if you have no experience. you have to work your way up. i’m glad i did that to gain the experience and build my portfolio. but i would say, once you feel confident enough in your work, and you are able to consistently deliver the same results, hike your rates up. otherwise you are not placing enough value on what you do. i also agree that potential clients will have a different perception of you based on your rates. i think when i was charging cheap rates i was perceived as low-end. it was scary to raise my rates, but now i feel like there is a different/better perception of my business.
I agree with most of this..we all start off somewhere. I have slowly started building a “fan base” through charging a low rate. In small, economically deprived towns, you can’t charge the high rates as you can in larger cities..so I started small and I have gained so much experience and notoriety by doing so. And now I am confident to bump up to the next level. I am starting to feel the anxiety as well from seeing people get their tax refunds and go buy a camera similar if not exactly like mine (that I saved and saved for) and just jump right out the door charging $100 a session and they still have yet to learn what the camera can do..BUT I also remind myself that my clients choose me. As long as I continue to produce the work that they love, they will continue to come to me
I read this article early in the morning, and for some reason it has bothered me all day. I too am one of those cheap photographers. Will I ever raise my price? Probably not! My goal is to be able to give that stay at home mom/single mom or dad a beautiful picture to treasure. I have lots of competition with low priced photographers in my area, and honestly I don’t look at it as competion because we all help one another. My sessions are $65-$75, and that does include the disk. However I do no printing. Another reason I am so called “cheap”. Printing is another expense on my clients pocket book.
Great article, and I love the advice to stop worrying about others (it goes both ways) and worry about doing what is best for you and your business!! Thanks for the reminder
I completely agree with you. There is room for every level of photographer, at every price point. There will always be a range of clients – from those only able to pay $100 for the disc, to those willing to spend $2K+. I think every photographer should start off at $100/disc. It will make you or break you. You will either love what you’re doing, and want to improve, and want to grow. So you’ll educate yourself, and continue to learn and practice. Which will make you appreciate what you do, and so you’ll start to charge more. Or, you’ll burn yourself out because you’ll have a TON of business at $100/disc, and you’ll see that all the time, effort and dealing with clients (some of whom are guaranteed to be unreasonable) just isn’t worth it when you’re not making a profit.
I think saying everyone is entitled to custom photography is like saying everyone is entitled to live in a mansion, and drive a Lexus. There are different sizes of houses, and different cars with different options, just as there are different photographers offering their work at different prices, giving varying client experiences. People will pay more, sometimes more than you think they can afford, for the things they value most. I know people that live in small apartments in the suburbs, but they drive an expensive car, because that is what they value, or feel is important to them. People that value quality work and a great experience *should* pay more for custom photography. As for custom photography at dirt cheap pricing, just because you might be able to find it, doesn’t mean you are entitled to it.
this seems to be a heated debate. i don’t think Alicia’s post was ever intended on offending anyone. she was simply answering a photographers question. and as she so eloquently stated in her reply post that there are photographers of all price points available. i believe it’s fine to be a “cheap” photographer but why under sell yourself by charging less than the big box photography studios like Sears, Picture People and the sort. If nothing else you should AT LEAST be charging similar rates. just my two cents.
Alicia, thank you for the words of encouragement. I started my business a little over a year ago and worked on pricing based on your guide. While portfolio building I charged $75 plus $350 for the digital files, $35 for prints 8X10 and smaller. I’m now at $175 session fee and digital files have increased to $450. I’m in the South, and our market tends to be lower than other parts of the country.
Occasionally, I have ran special promotions where I offered a discount on my prices, this is what I’ve learned from them.
I didn’t book any more clients when I was having a sale.
Those I did book at the sale price, did not appreciate my work as much and were more difficult clients. I think they just booked me because of the lower price.
My best clients, the most loyal, the ones that refer all their friends and adore me, are the ones who paid the most, and spent the most money with me.
You are completely right on everything you said on this post. There are all different kinds of people out there looking for all different kinds of photographers. You produce a pricing guide and give advice to build up those who may not feel confident enough to charge what they are worth, and I think that’s a beautiful thing. Your post is written for your target market, the photographer who is ready to move to the next level but is unsure on how to do so.
Your pricing guide was based on selecting the number of sessions you feel comfortable with to bring the income you desire for your business. I feel happy with doing less sessions than a lower priced photographer if those clients value my work and I feel like I’m giving them a quality experience. Someone else may like a faster paced business model. Your blog post is perfect inspiration for fighting the doubts that arise when you find out there are 10 photogs charging $50 (or nothing) in your five mile radius.
I’m of the mindset that photography is not an entitlement, it’s something you save up for. I’d rather have one client who truly values photography than 20 just wanting a few snapshots.
I’m going to start selling cars for $10 because everyone deserves a car.
People can afford what they want to afford. It isn’t about how much money they make. It’s about how much they want it. They can stop paying $400 on cable and internt, they can stop eating out for every meal, they can cut back on other non-necessities if they really want professional portraits taken while getting great service and having an amazing experience.
The people who didn’t value professional photography enough to save up or sacrifice other things in order to pay for it decided to buy a rebel and start their own photography business.
If it’s a hobby, photograph your kids or trees and subsets. Let the Professionals photography other people. not paying in taxes on that income is illegal and therefor, if cannot be a hobby unless you do everything for free. A disc costs maybe 15 cents.
And my final point, the reason you start a business is to provide a specific service. You have a goal in mind, you know what you brand is, you know who you want to sell to, and you know what your expenses are off the bat, so you know what you have to charge to cover those expenses. Thats how any business works.
Oh, I’m passionate about dental work, I’m going to start a business, and blindly learn as I go. I better not charge much thought bc I’m not very good.
Get good, THEN start a legit business.
I think saying that everyone is entitled to custom photography is like saying that everyone is entitled to drive a Mercedes, which is simply unrealistic. We pay for we value at a price we can afford or are willing to pay. There’s nothing wrong with charging $100 for a session and CD if you’re fine with what you’re making and your clients are fine with what they’re paying. There’s also nothing wrong with charging $200 for a session and having a minimum purchase of $xxx, either. I’m a photographer first because I love it, and second because it’s a business intended to provide income and financial security for my family. As such, my prices are determined accordingly, and as a result, so is my target market and client base. No one says my clients HAVE to book me or pay my prices — they are certainly free to book someone else at $100 a session with CD. There’s a market and demand for every price point — that’s the beauty of free enterpise. If “cheap” photographers are providing a service and product that is of value to their particular client base, and their clients are happy, that’s awesome. I think you’ll find that the clients who pay $xxx – $xxxx for their photography aren’t the same clients who would pay $xx, regardless.
I think that if you are running a business, you’re planning on making money. At least enough to cover the costs of insurance, new equipment every now and then, and of course walk away with some profit – however large or small that might be. That’s the point of a business, right? If you’re charging less than minimum wage AND trying to do real, legitimate business things… well, personally, I wouldn’t start a business just to go in the hole so that other people could take advantage of my skills and time.
However, if you want to have a hobby and give low-income families great photos, call it that. It would be a service for your community, a way to give back to needy families – not invite bargain hunters to come running. It could be a hobby in which you totally take upon all the costs, or which you end up making a little bit of money under the table (in the form of donations for your time).
Either of these options is fine, depending on what you want to do with your skill, and any pro photographer has started by having a hobby – just don’t get hobby and business mixed up. There’s a big difference. If you’re just starting out, I suggest offering a select number of totally free sessions to build your portfolio, and doing some business courses, all the while having your final goal in mind – and then slowly easing your way to your ‘ideal’ pricing over the course of a year or two.
Great job and information Alicia!
Thank you, Alicia, for taking the time to write a post that is encouraging and educational.
For those feeling offended, may I suggest you try re-reading it with the view in mind that it’s about improving your business if you so wish, not an attack on your choices.
Great question and remarkable answers!!
When I had a full time job and did photography on the side I was the cheap one. I gave out the cds. I was one of them!
However, in Sept I quit that job and made sure leading up to that my clients knew that change was coming. I was about to rely heavily on photography bringing my income.
I do consider my time, my area, and what I need to make when coming up with prices. And I do have room to grow with my experience. I love that you said “You’ve got to earn the reputation that can back up that pricing!” right now I match my pricing and hope to keep rising!
I absolutely agree… the problem most people face is, How does one gauge their work and match it with a price? Just because a photographer thinks their worth 5k, doesn’t mean they are, they could be worth substantially lower, and a photographer that thinks their work is worth $200., is probably worth the 5k…
I have yet come across anyone that has been able explained it clear cut, give someone an answer that didn’t make the person feel more lost than they already were..
Cheers.
I understand that everyone starts somewhere, but I do have to question those who hold a camera in their hand and have a business page up the next day. I get e-mail questions from new photographers already in business charging individuals, asking the most basic of all basic questions that they should know before they ever charge anyone a dime. I understand that everyone starts somewhere. But why not do the right thing and take some online classes, workshops, youtube and google until you know everything you can about aperture and shutter speed and lighting. Shadow other photographers, assist, and second shoot. Too many people pick up a camera and CON people into believing that they know what they are doing to make a lousy $75. Yes, it is conning someone if you still don’t know how your camera works in manual and yet you charge. I really don’t mean to sound rude, but I’m becoming very tired of seeing this practice. It would be like me starting a real estate business without ANY knowledge on the real estate market.