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So here you are!
You don't even want to admit how many hours you've spent surfing the Web for amazing Blogs, or Facebook for posts from all the different photographers out there in your Market...and beyond.
You're comparing their work to yours & searching for the correct pricing for you, right?
~ What do I charge my Clients?! ~
It's the magical question that I honestly still struggle with to this day!!
My simple answer? What allows you to sleep at night?!
What makes you feel like you're being fair to your Client - AND fair to yourself?
If you're handing over your time, energy & talent - leaving yourself feeling somewhat 'taken advantage' of? You're not charging enough.
If you stress out having to hand over your work to the Client because the quality has left you nervous? You're charging too much.
Going back to our own Journey...every Wedding was a learning opportunity for us - heck, it still is!
Of course, we started out charging around $200 after shooting for Free...and worked our way up over the years.
I see so many Photographers out there in a 'higher range' & as an artist in the field - my jaw just hits the floor. HOW do they even get that?! How do they sleep at night? And, WHY is the Groom wearing a Blue Tux...or why is there a Pink cast to their hair?! Is their skin really grainy & orange?
When you come across photos where you see flaws in the work - you automatically wonder "How can they possibly be charging so much more than I am? That must mean I can raise my prices, right?! RIGHT!?"
Compare PHOTOS - - not prices!
I see a photographer that recently started in our area that charges just a few hundred dollars less than us for a full Wedding. I also see one that's done just a handful compared to us - that charges significantly more!
Once again, the key for me is charging a Price that I feel is fair.
We're certainly not the cheapest ~ but there's plenty out there that are far more expensive!
I'm sure there's people who see our work now & wish they'd gotten the same quality from us early on in our Journey. (I will now cringe & cower). Of course, let's remember we all start somewhere & how important it is to charge accordingly.
It's also important to know that Free (or 'affordable') photography will always be a favorite!
When Auntie Pam (who's taken her camera to a few Weddings now) says she can do it for you, a lot of people will jump on that!! And, that's okay. Everybody loves their own photos! It's them...it's their memories!
It's hard not to take that to heart when you see people gushing over these photos that you feel could be better...now you're doubting yourself again...
But, the important thing is to believe in yourself & keep doing what you do...!
Stay true to you - and your Clients will hire you for that...!
One of the things that I've struggled with is : I'll be sitting at my computer working + haphazardly listening to the 'photographers showcase of the day' teaching the masses how to be a good Business person - or how to take correct photos. When they start talking about Pricing, they toss out these huge numbers. I, again, have to just sit back & be realistic re: what Market I'm in personally - and know what is going to work for me.
Niels & I have always shot together - we've never done limited-time Bookings & we've always handed over every file that we kept to our clients as quickly as possible.
It was my Philosophy from the very beginning to treat Clients exactly how I would want to be treated ~ and it continues to be how I run my Business today! I hope this Post somehow helps you...and, now, I'm off to get some sleep tonight! xo
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