Many thanks go out to all of the families who have volunteered to spend the entire day with me!
I will be calling each one of you in the next few days to conduct a phone interview to ensure that we both have the same vision.
I look forward to speaking with you all!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
But Why Do You Cost So Much?
Here's a quick answer for a question I hear so often. Please do read it and keep in mind that I offer the CD of your photos with my sessions.
Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?
In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home "photo printers", when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?
Here's why.
Simply put, you're not just paying for the actual photograph, you're paying for time and expertise. First, let's look at the actual time involved. If you don't read this entire page, at least read this first part.
For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session
- two hours of shooting
- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.
- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)
- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive
- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs
- 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.
- For local customers, we also print a set of all of their photos, and meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.
For an eight hour wedding:
- I won't bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.
Now for the expertise.
Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though a quality camera now costs under $2,000 taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.
Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.
And let's not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera - and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.
Think of it this way - the next time you pay $X to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional.
What about the cheap studios at the mall?
Please don't compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won't come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.
The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you'll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you're there, you'll also spend $200 on other things. They don't have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.
Conclusion
We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Shawn, Pamela & Gavin Richter
Caught on Film Photography
copied here from : http://www.caughtonfilmphoto.com/costofphotography.html
Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?
In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home "photo printers", when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?
Here's why.
Simply put, you're not just paying for the actual photograph, you're paying for time and expertise. First, let's look at the actual time involved. If you don't read this entire page, at least read this first part.
For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session
- two hours of shooting
- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.
- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)
- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive
- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs
- 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.
- For local customers, we also print a set of all of their photos, and meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.
For an eight hour wedding:
- I won't bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.
Now for the expertise.
Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though a quality camera now costs under $2,000 taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.
Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.
And let's not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera - and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.
Think of it this way - the next time you pay $X to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional.
What about the cheap studios at the mall?
Please don't compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won't come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.
The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you'll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you're there, you'll also spend $200 on other things. They don't have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.
Conclusion
We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Shawn, Pamela & Gavin Richter
Caught on Film Photography
copied here from : http://www.caughtonfilmphoto.com/costofphotography.html
Monday, January 7, 2008
SO....HOW MUCH B4 PHOTOGRAPHY CAN YOU REALLY STAND???
I AM LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WILLING TO PUT UP WITH ME FOR 12 STRAIGHT HOURS....I NEED A MODEL FAMILY FOR MY NEW SERVICE "A DAY IN THE LIFE". I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW AS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS PRICELESS PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION.
MOST OF MY MODEL SESSIONS ARE FREE OR OF MINIMAL COST, BUT, SINCE I CANNOT DEVOTE AN ENTIRE DAY TO SOMEONE AND GET PAID NOTHING...I WILL OFFER IT AT HALF PRICE--WHICH IS $300.
INTERESTED IN MORE INFO ABOUT WHAT THIS SESSION IS ALL ABOUT??? THEN PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BLOGPOST UNDER THIS ONE...
INTERESTED IN BEING MY MODEL FAMILY???
THEN PLEASE CALL OR MESSAGE ME.
REQUIREMENTS...
MUST BE AT LEAST ONE CHILD--NO MORE THAN TWO--OVER THE AGE OF 1.
MUST BE DURING THE WEEK.
I GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL LOVE THE FINISHED PRODUCT AND THAT YOUR FRIENDS WILL BE JEALOUS THAT YOU HAVE SUCH A SPECIAL ITEM TO SHARE WITH YOUR FAMILY!
THANKS!!
BRANDI
brandifornof@hotmail.com
469-955-4922
MOST OF MY MODEL SESSIONS ARE FREE OR OF MINIMAL COST, BUT, SINCE I CANNOT DEVOTE AN ENTIRE DAY TO SOMEONE AND GET PAID NOTHING...I WILL OFFER IT AT HALF PRICE--WHICH IS $300.
INTERESTED IN MORE INFO ABOUT WHAT THIS SESSION IS ALL ABOUT??? THEN PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BLOGPOST UNDER THIS ONE...
INTERESTED IN BEING MY MODEL FAMILY???
THEN PLEASE CALL OR MESSAGE ME.
REQUIREMENTS...
MUST BE AT LEAST ONE CHILD--NO MORE THAN TWO--OVER THE AGE OF 1.
MUST BE DURING THE WEEK.
I GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL LOVE THE FINISHED PRODUCT AND THAT YOUR FRIENDS WILL BE JEALOUS THAT YOU HAVE SUCH A SPECIAL ITEM TO SHARE WITH YOUR FAMILY!
THANKS!!
BRANDI
brandifornof@hotmail.com
469-955-4922
NEW SERVICE--"A DAY IN THE LIFE"
One Day with the Special People in your World… A Lifetime of Value
Whether it's a typical day in the life of your family, a birthday celebration, a special occasion, a day with grandparents, or a family gathering, A Day in the Life provides you with the opportunity to have your memories recorded forever. Real life...Real Memories...Your Most Cherished Moments.
Your journey begins with a consultation to plan your day. Then while enjoying your time with your family, your precious moments will be photographed. After your day is over you will be presented with a library bound, hardcover art design book that will be a permanent record of your day.
A Day in the Life has an outstanding artistry to it, and will treasured forever.
Imagine what this book will mean to the little people in your life long after the big people have gone.
A Day in the Life, A day to remember… forever.
Dollar Value: Starts at $600.
Actual Value: Priceless.
Call today for more information
Whether it's a typical day in the life of your family, a birthday celebration, a special occasion, a day with grandparents, or a family gathering, A Day in the Life provides you with the opportunity to have your memories recorded forever. Real life...Real Memories...Your Most Cherished Moments.
Your journey begins with a consultation to plan your day. Then while enjoying your time with your family, your precious moments will be photographed. After your day is over you will be presented with a library bound, hardcover art design book that will be a permanent record of your day.
A Day in the Life has an outstanding artistry to it, and will treasured forever.
Imagine what this book will mean to the little people in your life long after the big people have gone.
A Day in the Life, A day to remember… forever.
Dollar Value: Starts at $600.
Actual Value: Priceless.
Call today for more information
Sunday, January 6, 2008
NEW WEBSITE!!!!
PLEASE CHECK OUT MY NEW WEBSITE @ www.b4photography.com
I will update this blog soon. I have been VERY sick lately and haven't really felt like even moving much.
I hope everyone's New Year was great--I will back from my break in one week! If you want to book a session with me--please call me!! My weekends for the first 3 months of the year are filling up super fast!!!
I will update this blog soon. I have been VERY sick lately and haven't really felt like even moving much.
I hope everyone's New Year was great--I will back from my break in one week! If you want to book a session with me--please call me!! My weekends for the first 3 months of the year are filling up super fast!!!
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