The Truth Behind the Pricing of Newborn Photography
I honestly hear this question more often than not and honestly, I can't totally blame people for wondering such a thing. If I am being honest, I get a lot of inquires that rave about my work yet they ghost me when I send them my pricing. You may think to yourself how can a photographer charge so much when surely it's just snapping a few shots with a really good camera and a couple of props right? But the honest truth is that is far from the truth. There is so much more to newborn photography and here is the truth behind the price of Newborn Photography.
Experience + Training How many hours of hands on experience does your photographer have? You are about to entrust THE most precious gift into their hands for several hours. Newborn posing is a fine art that takes years of refining and perfecting. You want to be 100% certain your little one is in the safest hands possible as they are being posed into those cute poses you love.
Your little one's safety is of the utmost importance and should be priceless. I have invested thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours learning proper safety and posing techniques for your little ones. The great thing about photography is that there is always more to learn and master so our training is ongoing. I personally invest several hours a week researching and investing my time on developing my art and style.
Equipment Professional photographers do have to own professional level equipment which runs well into the thousands for the most of us. I myself have invested thousands of dollars into my camera(s), lenses, lights and computers. On top of that our equipment has to be calibrated and cleaned on a regular basis. Within this category I would also have to mention all of our props. We as newborn photographers become prop addicts. It is a terrible (and expensive) addiction but it is very much needed. You may think oh wow a prop for a tiny human, that can't be that expensive, but trust me when I tell you that one simple headband can cost between $20-30, those fuzzy little bonnets typically cost between $40-50 and don't even get me started on those colorful backdrops and matching fabric wraps as that can easily run you $50+ or the wooden props are $100 without shipping charges. It's essential as newborn photographers to keep our props fresh and up to date and to provide you the best of the best for your sessions.
Session Time As I mentioned before, newborn photography takes patience (and a lot of it). A good newborn session can easily take 2-4 hours not to mention all the hours it takes before you arrive to design and set up your session and then the time it takes to take it all down and wash and clean everything.
Editing Time + Software My work only just begins when you leave your session. I promise you, photography and editing is way more than just pushing a button. The amount of time spent editing a newborn session alone is more time consuming than any other session. As I am sure editing time will vary for every newborn photographer but for myself, I spend an average of 8 hours editing each of my Newborn Sessions so that you get that creamy, beautiful finished product. Not only does editing take lots of time, the software itself is not cheap. Annual editing software cost for photographers are $340.
Online Galleries + Image Storage I love that I am able to provide my clients with private online galleries for them to view, chose and download their images. These services do not come free to us and of course as professionals, we do not erase your images after you have ordered. We keep them on file for 2 years and this again, cost us money to do so.
Website + Marketing This area of business can vary with cost however website design, development and maintenance is an ongoing cost to every photographer.
Cleaning This may be one you have never thought of but a job hazard is newborn bowel movements. I swear they always wait until I get them all cuddled up in the most perfect pose before they decide to release the biggest poops so think about all the time it takes to wash and sanitize all of the props/blankets/backdrops/etc.
Insurance The cost of public liability and business insurance varies throughout the world but this is a cost that should also be considered when it comes to newborn photography.
Bottom Line, Photography is an investment that becomes more and more valuable over time. As your baby grows to a child, teenager or even into adulthood, your images from your newborn session will bring you back to where it all began. Hiring a professional to capture moments like these are worth every penny because you only have one opportunity to get it right. As you go forward searching for a Newborn Photographer, I hope that you keep these thoughts in mind as you view their pricing. Spending good money on your Newborn Photos is a real investment but these images will become a family heirloom themselves.
Hugs,
Sierra
