I’ve been a professional photographer for over a decade.  I got my first DSLR about 12 years ago and instantly fell in love with photography.  I took that camera with me everywhere I went and when my own kids got tired of letting me take their pictures, I started taking pictures of my friend’s kids.  One thing led to another, and ta da!  I am a photography business owner.

I didn’t start out with a studio or a large list of clients or really any knowledge of how to run a business.  All I had my camera, a couple baskets, a couple chairs, and a passion for capturing precious moments in time.  Here I am, almost eleven years later still going at it.  

The industry as a whole has changed a lot since my early days.  Trends have come and gone.  Technology has changed.  Computer editing software has changed.  Cell phone capabilities have changed.  Social media has changed.  Photographers have joined the industry and lots have left the industry.  

The only thing that hasn’t really changed?  My passion for capturing precious moments.  I still flounder on the business aspect of things quite often and I have made PLENTY of mistakes over the years and learned lots of lessons the hard way.  There have been a million moments I ask myself if this is all worth it, but my desire to document life as it happens and families as they grow and change has held me captive to this calling.  

With the explosive growth in technology in the last ten years, there’s been many moments I wonder if professional photography is obsolete.  Almost everyone has a decent camera in their pocket at all times and professional level equipment is only a two day prime delivery away.  I love that photography is so accessible!  Even my twelve year old daughter has developed an eye for beauty that she captures with the lens of her phone.  More times than not, my big girl camera stays tucked away in my camera bag and it is my cell phone I reach for more often than not for the everyday shots.  

So if everyone has a camera, then why do you need to hire a professional?  Why spend hundreds of dollars for something you can do yourself for free?  Why shouldn’t you just hire the photographer offering $25 sessions since cameras do most of the work for you?

Sometimes I ask myself the same questions.  Why WOULD anyone want to hire me when they can easily DIY it, hire any ol Joe Shmoe, or for the price of a couple sessions they could have their own fancy camera?  Professional photography is expensive. The economy sucks. My grocery bill is higher than my mortgage payment (yay teenagers).  Everything costs more.  Thinking about spending so much on what feels like frivolous services seems irresponsible.   Trust me, I get it!  

So why would anyone want to hire a professional?

Reason #1:  You can’t be in the pictures if you’re taking the pictures.

Yeah, yeah, I know.  You don’t like to have your picture taken anyway.  Guess what – me too.  We are our own worst critics and I promise I am the most awkward, unphotogenic human on the planet.  But every once in a while it’s nice to hand over the reins and let someone else work their magic.  

When I am shooting family sessions, my goal is to capture the bonds between people.  Of course, we all want the typical “look and smile” type pictures.  But my favorite pictures from a session, and of my own family, are ones where everyone is acting silly and the kids are showing off their personalities.  And you just aren’t going to be able to capture those moments between you and your family if you are the one with the camera. 

Reason #2:  You are probably not a newborn photographer.

More than once I’ve gotten inquiries from new parents that say something along the line of “we tried to try to take pictures ourselves, but they turned out awful”.  Have you seen those “nailed it” newborn pictures?  Yeah, newborn photography is hard.  It is a very specialized niche type of photography that no one is good at when they start.  Some days I feel like I should reach out to my very first newborn clients and apologize.  Seriously.  They are bad.  

Newborn photography is so much more than pointing a camera at your baby.  There is lighting and posing and angles and so many things to think about to make your sweet little baby look like a sweet baby instead of a wrinkled alien.  And then even after all those pieces are put together, there is editing.  I spend more time editing newborn sessions than shooting them.  

Birth is rough.  Babies come out with bruises and those razor sharp little nails scratch so easily.  And then there is the flaking skin and baby acne and eye gunk.  All those things are easily fixed in my editing process, but there is a fine line between appropriate newborn editing and making a baby look like a plastic doll.  Just like my mom taught me about wearing make-up, the trick to editing is to make people think they aren’t edited at all.  

Trust me.  For newborns, it is best to leave it to the professionals. 

Reason #3:  Props are expensive.

This one pretty much speaks for itself.  On average, I spend about $50-100 on props for each cake smash set I design, even if it is a theme I’ve done before.  That doesn’t include the cost of props I already have on hand in my studio, seamless paper, floor mats, or lighting.  By the time you purchased all those things on your own, you might as well have paid for a professional.  And then you don’t have to worry about setting up or cleaning up!  Win win! 

Want to see some examples of my elaborate cake smash sessions? Check out my portfolio here: https://drawinginlightphotography.shootproof.com/gallery/cakesmashes/

Reason #4:  Building a relationship with a professional photographer is priceless

It’s cliche, but I’m not lying when I say my favorite part of my job is watching my tiny clients grow up from behind my lens.  I have clients that I have seen year after year.  I have a batch of kids who were maybe 7 or 8 years old the first time I photographed their families who I will be doing senior portraits for in the next year or two.  It blows my mind to watch my tiny clients go from newborns, to toddlers, to school age kids.  I love building those bonds with families and the kids and seeing them over and over again!

Did you know that 85% of photographers quit within the first five years?  From what I’ve witnessed in the industry, I believe it.  So many people pick up a camera and think it will be a way to make a quick buck.  And then they realize it’s a lot more work than you’d think and a couple years later they decide it’s not worth the effort.  Most of these photographers hit the ground running with low prices and book tons of sessions and wear themselves out.  Photographer burnout is very real.  Choosing a photographer that has proven they will stick around long term is the best way to ensure you will foster that relationship.

Reason #5:  You’re supporting a local small business.

The vast majority of professional photographers are not getting rich off their businesses.  It is very much a work of heart.  We love what we do and we love sharing our art with the world.  By hiring a local professional, you are allowing us to chase our dreams.  Your session fees help send my kids to summer camp, and pay marching band fees (who knew marching band was such an expensive extracurricular?!?!).  Your dollars are very literally changing my children’s lives.  And I cannot thank my clients enough! 

---

I know my prices aren’t cheap.  But I charge what I charge so that I can run my business in a way that gives each client the time and effort they deserve to have a fun, relaxing experience.  My regular sessions are never rushed because I don’t schedule them back to back.  My turnaround time is fairly quick because I allow myself space in my schedule to edit.  Just like with any legitimate business I put a lot of thought and planning into my prices and I do my best to keep them as low as I can and provide as much value as I can.  

And at the risk of sounding a little conceited, I think I’m worth every penny! 

---

Would you like to chat about scheduling a session? Hit the button below and get in touch!