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May 2013 Moms
bowman958
member
OMG photography pricing!
bowman958
member
I have reached out to a couple of photographers in my area (central OH) and about crapped my pants last night when one of them quoted a newborn session at $1,000. And for a grand, you get 12 edited photos - 12?!?
Makes the one I picked - which runs about $400 for 50-odd photos and the images on CD - seem like a steal. Holy cow!!!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: OMG photography pricing!
We are using the same photographer that did our wedding. We are paying $1000 and that includes maternity and newborn and 6 other session throughout babies first year of life. And then we get a really nice "first year of life book" when we are done. We also get all the images on a CD.
This is a veryyyy discounted price from what they normally charge because we use them often and have become friends. I think normal price for this package is $2700
8/15 - BFP
beta #1 - 178 beta #2 - 385 beta #3 - 934
u/s 9/13 - 1 little heartbeat
Mine will end up being about $550 when all is said and done. I love her work though so it's worth it to me. Thisis without prints - I'm doing those through my pro lab.
I do newborn photography, but it's hard to do your own kids.
I would GLADLY pay $1000 for 8 sessions. But for 1 - there is no way I'm giving in to a market that inflates prices to that level!
Those are insane prices! I expect high numbers for weddings, since there is so much more involved. But maternity or newborn pictures? Yikes.
I have a photographer friend who has done couples pics and boudoir photos for me, and she only charges $100. She stays about two hours, and dosent limit the number of pics. She dosent do any printing, just gives us a CD of the pictures, and she edits her favorites. And they are awesome. I feel lucky, now.
The Daily Nugget
Cycle 12, IUI #1 - 33m post wash 10/15/10 = BFN
Cycle 13, IUI #2 - 15m post wash 11/16/10 = BFP, missed m/c, D&C 1/3/11
Cycle 15 - 18, IUI #3-6 = BFN
Cycle 20, IUI #7 = BFP!, missed m/c 9/14, D&C
DE-IVF Aug. 2012: ER 8/30 11R, 7M, 4F; ET 9/4 returned 2
Beta 9/18 #1-820, #2-1699, #3-7124
10/1 1st u/s measuring right on track, 125 bpm
It's about the same here in Dallas, too.
When you say central OH, do you mean Columbus? I ask because I know I saw a decent photographer for about that. I want to say it was maternity, newborn, 3, 6 and 9 months. I want to say it was babysteps? I'll find it and link you
ETA: Here's one of the links I was talking about. She does a pretty good job, several of my friends use her! https://www.amyclarkstudios.com/index2.php#/multi-text_4/1/
Ridiculous. I have a national-award-winning photographer in my town - he charges about $25 for a sitting fee (30 minutes with outfit changes) and then you pick and choose what you want and the sizes and he gives Kids Club pricing (cheaper than senior/wedding photography prices).
$1000 had better include every picture in digital format, numerous portrait sizes (all of which in color, black and white, and sepia tone), a video of the shoot, lunch, mowing my lawn, cleaning my house, and detailing my car!
Seriously! I am also in the DC area an am having trouble finding someone that I like and doesn't cost an arm and a leg! I have a lead on a couple...happy to share "finds" if you want to!
Thank you for the link! We are in Columbus (love it), but we are moving right after the baby is born to Ann Arbor (shriek!!), so I will only need 1 session. I decided to go with Lily Glass (https://lilyglassphotography.com/).
We went with Lily Glass - www.lilyglassphotography.com
Absolutely, would love to share! I'm asking a friend tonight how much her photog charged her, but she went with https://www.amiebradyphotography.com and had lovely maternity photos taken about 2 months ago.
[sorry for the double post - messed up on the previous one!]
I've never heard of her before, but her pictures make me want to get married again! I'll keep the husband, though
I'm holding back my boo's for Ann Arbor, haha.
As for photography, we had a hard time finding someone for our wedding last year and were so happy with them that I'd love to use them again, but they moved last summer to South Carolina. So I'll have to search again. Photography prices are certainly high. I wish I knew a few budding photographers around here. I'll have to check out the lilyglass website, but I probably won't travel all the way to Columbus for pictures (even though I have to go there to register for the baby!)
First Son - born 2013
Third Son - due June 9, 2018
The Ann Arbor move is for H's work, and I am kicking and screaming the whole way - trust me, as an OSU grad I would not live there by choice!!! Thankfully it is only a 2 year stint.
I couldn't spend that much on a photo session - that's just crazy. But, I'm also the mom that takes my kid to Picture People in the mall for pictures!
FWIW, I bought a great camera for a little more than a grand, and I take a lot of artistic pictures myself. Also, Ann Arbor is a wonderful town - especially if you burn all your OSU stuff before you get there - GO BLUE!!
I totally agree with you on the artistic value and hiring a professional to do professional work (vs. a snapshot)! It is a lot of work and good photographers do spend an enormous amount of time that we never 'see' on the front end. They definitely earn their paycheck...
However, I do think there are some areas that photogs hike up prices because they can. Not saying it's right or wrong, as you said they value their own work, but it's true that inflation does happen. I am hoping to find some middle ground, myself.
I have been thinking about this this afternoon - and I partially agree with you. I am certainly free to not spend $1000 on 12 pictures, and to avoid paying a photographer $90/hour (including shoot time and edit time). And the photographer is free to charge that amount - plenty of people do pay it. I disagree that the photos for $450 are a "discount" photographer in my particular market - it is more like the $1000 is a gouge. I also doubt that the pictures from the $1000 photographer would turn out $550 dollars-worth better than the photographer I am choosing to pay $450. Having seen the work of both and having first-hand references for both, I trust that I will be getting a better value for similar products at the $450 price point.
Awww, she has some great shots! Would love to know what she charged. I am waiting on a price list from someone I contacted earlier. I will PM you later with the website and list when she replies.
quote:
I have been thinking about this this afternoon - and I partially agree with you. I am certainly free to not spend $1000 on 12 pictures, and to avoid paying a photographer $90/hour (including shoot time and edit time). And the photographer is free to charge that amount - plenty of people do pay it. I disagree that the photos for $450 are a "discount" photographer in my particular market - it is more like the $1000 is a gouge. I also doubt that the pictures from the $1000 photographer would turn out $550 dollars-worth better than the photographer I am choosing to pay $450. Having seen the work of both and having first-hand references for both, I trust that I will be getting a better value for similar products at the $450 price point.
I would like to add that your photography choice for your wedding was great (whatever price you paid for that). I love that picture of you dancing!
First Son - born 2013
Third Son - due June 9, 2018
Awwww, thank you, I'm blushing!!!!!!
We looooooved our wedding photographer, and he was right around $2,000.
I actually think that's a good deal. Professional photographers tend to charge $50-$100 for prints, depending on their size. So if you're getting 12 for $1000... and that includes the session fee? I think that's fair. A newborn session tends to be about 2-3 hours long (and think of their travel and setup time) and then the editing time behind the photos... there is a lot of time and effort (and expensive equipment) that goes into photography. Also, higher end photographers tend to use better photo labs for their prints. So the quality will be better and they will last longer.
That's assuming that it actually includes the prints. If it's $1000 for a single session and 12 photos on disc...
I would like to add that you have to consider that whatever a photographer is charging, that is not the amount of money they are putting in their pocket. If they are legitimately running their business there are many other expenses that most people don't consider. Just think of taxes alone, probably about 35% of what you are paying goes to paying taxes. Then there is business and liability insurance, cameras, lenses, upkeep on these, computers and software, website and hosting fees, marketing, classes or workshops, any office supplies, etc. Add to that that when you are a photographer you are working for yourself, so out of your income comes personal health insurance, (hopefully!) a retirement fund, there are no paid sick days, no paid vacations. There are other people who have explained it way better than me. If you're interested just google "Why is custom photography so expensive?" of "Why is wedding photography so expensive?". You will get a lot of great answers that will make more sense of it.
Now, that being said, I'm not saying there aren't photographers out there that overcharge or inflate their prices. That is true of any kind of business. Just like there are also photographers out there who are only charging $100 for a session and disc of all the images. If their goal is to make a living at this, they will most likely not make it. But this can also be true of any kind of business.
And I'm not saying that anyone or everyone should or can pay $1000 a session. I am a photographer, I value it immensely, and right now being pregnant and too sick to work, I cannot afford to pay $1000, so I understand being in that spot. I just hate that people just assume that photographers are overcharging or getting wealthy off of their prices. It usually isn't true. Most are just getting by, making average money, if that, (& that's if they're running their business right), but usually the one great thing they have going for them is they are luckily doing something they love and that makes it so worth it.
Here's one link to a photographer who explains it pretty well if anyone is interested. I just found it by googling like I said above https://miettephotography.com/blog/dallas-child-photographer-on-why-oh-why-is-custom-photography-so-expensive/
violet (01.06.2011) & colt (09.27.08)
expecting surprise baby no.3 may 3rd