After many sleepless nights, long consideration, and changing my mind a couple times I have finally made a decision to change my pricing.
I am sure many of you will not be happy with my decision, and that is ok. I have come to the hard realization in life, that I cannot make everyone happy. But what matters most is making myself and my family happy. Over the past three years I have gained so much from my photography business, I have met amazing people who once were clients and I now consider friends, I have pushed myself further than I ever thought I could, but I have realized I have spread myself too thin. I am one who wants to do it all and never says no. This has hurt me, not helped me.
After doing my 2011 taxes, I was slapped in the face with the reality of how much I was really making. I assume people often think I am pocketing whatever I am charging, unfortunately that is not the true. It is actually far from the truth, but I love what I do. I love being able to interact with new people, I love coming up with new ideas, pushing myself and using photography as MY art. All these things are fun, but they don’t pay the bills, and it necessarily doesn’t give you the respect you feel is earned at this point in business.
I want my clients to want me for the whole package. For the professional you are getting, for the time I put into each e-mail, each session, and each time I am editing a single image.
I understand that some of you will shop around for cheaper prices. That is ok also. I would be happy to give you recommendations to people in the area. We are in a time where we all have to cut cost and shop around, I get that. I too do this in my daily life. But I want to set myself apart from the rest. I am not your average person, and I feel I am not your average photographer either, I can’t be that wal-mart deal that keeps slashing prices. I want to be able to give my clients 110% of my time and effort which is why I am making these changes.
My decision came down to three things for the most part, and these three things kept repeating in my head over and over.
# one: If I don’t think high of myself, how can I expect you to? #two: My kids, if I am not happy with my life, I cannot make them happy. My number one priority should be making MY kids happy first! and # three: I heard this quote and it was an eye opener.
Tell me, what is it
you plan to do with your one
wild and precious life? – Mary Oliver.
There are so many things I want to accomplish. So many things I want to see or experience and there truly is no time like the now. We need to start being better people now! Making ourselves happy and start fighting for what we believe in, instead of waiting for it to happen.
This is something I had to do to make myself better, and I truly hope you will all be able to understand.
Starting immediately there will be a $75.00 session fee at booking time. If you book me for a date, you will need to send a check, credit cards transactions might come soon.
there will be a minimum $175.00 digital/print purchase for all sessions.
All images come on a low resolution disc, good for only 4x6’s. If you would like high resolution it is a $75.00 fee.
$175.00 – 15 images
$200.00 – 30 images with a $50.00 print credit.
$250.00 – 50 images with a $75.00 print credit.
You will have a two week period to use to print credit before it is void.
Here’s to hoping you all understand and aren’t sitting in front of the computer looking like this: Click here to see all current pricing and 2012 info.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
1 comment:
I commend you for standing up for yourself, your family and your business. Times are hard for everyone, and no one can expect you to carry that burden, you have mouths to feed and bills to pay. I personally, will continue to be a loyal customer because I believe in you as an artist to capture moments that are usually only in our memory. You create gifts for my family that shouldnt have a price tag.
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