{"id":2017,"date":"2025-11-11T00:30:57","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T00:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.professionalchildphotographer.com\/information\/?page_id=2017"},"modified":"2025-11-10T22:10:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T04:10:23","slug":"why-you-should-offer-custom-photography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.professionalchildphotographer.com\/information\/why-you-should-offer-custom-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Offer Custom Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NOT<\/span><\/strong> BUDGET PHOTOGRAPHY SESSIONS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

(DEEP SIGH) Ok – let’s chat about the photographer offering the $175 _______________* session.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

*insert: high school senior; baby’s first photography, mini-, eighth grade graduation, anniversary, etc etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2026You know the one. You see it posted in Facebook groups constantly: “Just booked my first senior! So excited! Charging $175 for the session + digitals. Is that too much?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in the comments: 20 other photographers chime in: “That’s about right for starting out!”<\/em> ,“I charge $150, so you’re good!”<\/em> ,“Don’t price yourself out of the market!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what nobody’s saying in those threads: That $175 session just cost you money.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not “didn’t make much profit.” Not “barely broke even.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You literally paid that client to let you photograph their child!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if you’re nodding along right now because you’re familiar with it: if you’ve witnessed it, if you’ve been there, if you ARE there\u2026this article is for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because competing on price isn’t a business strategy. It’s a slowwwww painful and excruciating march toward burnout, resentment, and eventually quitting photography altogether. You’ll be posting your “closing my business” announcement in a year or two and maybe even selling your gear at a loss. RIP. I’m so sorry to give you that news (but that’s why I’m here trying to show you the way!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s a better way. It’s called custom professional photography. And it might just save your business\u2014and your sanity.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Math That Nobody Wants to Do\u2026but every photographer needs to <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let’s break down that $175 senior session. Grab a calculator, because we’re about to get uncomfortably real.

Your $175 session includes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • 1-2 hours of shooting time <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Travel to location (30 minutes each way)- 1 hour total <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 10-15 hours of culling and editing (dependent on how you present your imagery in terms of finish quality and customizing towards your brand’s aesthetic)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Client communication (emails, texts, scheduling) 1-2 hours total <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • File delivery and gallery setup 1-2 hours total <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Conservatively, that’s about 18-22 hours of work. Let’s be conservative<\/span><\/strong> and call it 15 hours (for those folks who balk at the idea that it’s 22 hours per client). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    $175 \u00f7 15 hours = $11.67\/hour<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But wait\u2014we aren’t close to being done!

    Now subtract<\/strong> your expenses: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Camera gear (depreciation, repairs, upgrades) <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Computer and software (Lightroom, Photoshop subscriptions) <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Website hosting <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Insurance <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Marketing <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Gas and vehicle wear <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Taxes (you ARE paying all applicable taxes\u2026riiiiiight?!) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Again, let’s be conservative<\/em><\/strong> with our numbers and say your per session overhead is only 30% of that $175 revenue.

      $175 x 0.30 = $52.50 in expenses
      $175 – $52.50 = $122.50 net revenue
      $122.50 \u00f7 15 hours = $8.17\/hour <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Congratulations! Weeeeeee! You just made less than Federal minimum wage ($7.25) once you factor in ALL of your expenses<\/span><\/strong>.<\/strong> <\/span>

      And that’s assuming: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Nothing goes wrong <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • The client doesn’t request revisions <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • You didn’t spend time on social media marketing to book them <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Your gear doesn’t break <\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • All the other variables that may take place between marketing your sessions to image delivery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Oh, and one more thing: you probably gave them “all <\/em>the digitals,” which means they’ll never buy prints to add to your sale. So that $122.50? That’s all<\/strong> you’re getting from this client. Ever.
        <\/p>\n\n\n\n