If other professionals were paid like artists

I was looking through my time hop photos yesterday and came across a photo I had posted a few years ago about what if other professionals were paid like artists. Each box has a professional making a comment that artists have all made before like about exposure, working another job to support their passion job, etc. I reposted the photo yesterday because of how true this cartoon still is to me. I've been a professional photographer (I've been getting paid as a photographer) for 15 years. And even though I've been doing this profession longer than any old job I ever did I still hear the same things from people. Things like "won't cost an arm and a leg", "this could be for your portfolio", "I don't need you to edit the photos I just need some photos", "your camera takes great photos" and the list goes on. Most of the time I try to ignore these comments and just chalk them up to people not understanding what it takes to be a photographer or how much time goes into being a photographer. But every once in a while it rubs a raw nerve and I have to speak up.

I'm in a lot of business, mom and photography groups on Facebook. It is how I get almost all of my customers because it is free and easy. And in these groups people are always looking for a photographer no matter what style. Instead of doing just a quick search for photographer in past posts they all just make a post looking and about 90% of the time they post either that they are on a budget or don't want photos to "cost an arm and a leg". Okay first off budgets are great and I completely understand that. No one has a huge chunk of money lying around and thinks sure why not spend a ton of money on some random photos. Especially if you are updating your family photos every year, you can't afford to spend a ton of money each year. But what is "an arm and a leg" priced at? When I read or hear that I cringe because it isn't the same price to everyone and it isn't like photographers are out there trying to gouge customers. I as a photographer I am not like hmm how can I set insanely high prices and get people to pay for them? In fact I try to keep my prices low because I really want to help those families who can't afford to update their family photos every year because I feel it is important for everyone to have beautiful photos to remember each other by. With both my parents gone all I have are their photos. Moments captured in time. So no I'm not out to overcharge someone because I want to make money and that is all I care about. 

I changed my prices for the first time last year when I relaunched my business. I was trying to get any customer I could and I was really set on keeping my prices low because I didn't want to scare anyone away. I almost put a question mark at the end of a sentence anytime I said a price. Even with low prices I had people ask if I could go lower, if they could get free photos or told me I was too expensive. I had no self confidence in myself and because I was charging so low I was often taken advantage of. It wasn't until my mentor said flat out that I wasn't charging enough. She said with my experience, education and equipment I was under charging and actually hurting my business. People would look at my work, see my resume and then wonder why I was so cheap so they would move on. Others would see my prices and take advantage of me being so cheap. By raising my prices I set a higher standard and was also at the same competing level as other photographers. And she was so right. Once I changed my prices and stopped worrying about what others thought I started to feel more motivated by doing photography. I was standing up for myself and valuing my work. I may not have customers lining around the block but my time has more value, my skill is appreciated and I'm not being taken advantage of. It was a huge boost in my confidence as well. 

To address the comments that are "I don't need edited photos" and "your camera takes great photos" I have to go point you in the direction of my education. I have a bachelor's degree in photography. I started doing photography as a kid posing my sister and pets so I could photograph them with a disposable camera. I was on the yearbook committee for one year in high school and learned how to take photos for the yearbook. I was a photographer at Emporia State University's newspaper The Bulletin for 4 years. I took a specific class in photo journalism. I worked in the marketing department at ESU as a photographer. I was a photographer for the dance group E-unit. I was a photographer for the Topeka RoadRunners hockey team for 3 seasons. I worked at Sears Portraits briefly and then I started my own photography business with nothing but my skills and my camera. I don't mean to brag but I've been doing photography longer than I have pretty much anything else. It is the only thing that has kept my interest this long and still moves me. I'm such a distracted person that I move on to different things quickly but never moved away from photography. I collect old black and white photos, I have all of my family's photos and I am the family photographer. So when someone says my camera takes nice photos or someone wants photos but they don't want to pay me because they think the editing part is the only thing that costs money, I'm sorry but you are wrong. A nice camera is great but how many people out there have a nice camera but can't take a "nice photo"? I've taken specific classes on how to take a photo and how to set it up. I've studied techniques, poses and learning my camera settings. And no, editing isn't the only cost. My time is valuable. My education cost a lot of money. My camera equipment is not cheap. My computer and editing software were not free. And to be clear there is a big difference between me being at a birthday party and I already have my camera there and I'm taking photos of whatever I want then being told exactly what photos you want, being at a location I wasn't planning to be at and "working" when I'm spending time with my family. This situation has happened a couple of times and I've finally had to put my foot down and say no.

I don't mean to get on a soap box and complain about people saying something either mean or ignorant. Most people probably don't even realize they are saying something rude when they say these things. But I don't go to my doctor, banker, Starbucks, etc and say hey could you give me a discount because we know each other? How about I pay you this instead of what you're asking and then I'll tell all my friends about you so you get more customers? No because that isn't how a job works. You don't get to nickle and dime other professions. If it cost x amount of dollars then you either pay it or you move on. 

And it isn't just photographers either. My crafting business sees this also. I start charging just a little amount at first for a product and then realize I haven't even covered the cost of the supplies much less the time it took to make or the gas or shipping cost. I end up losing money. When I was taking shirt orders I would run to a store 2 or 3 times a week to get shirts and not factor in that time or gas into the cost and ended up losing money. When I first started shipping with etsy I was losing money every order because I wasn't factoring in the correct shipping cost. My husband finally had to sit me down and say either start charging more because your time isn't being factored in or cut back on your business because you aren't making anything. I have too much heart in my business and think only of being creative and making people happy. But if I'm losing money then that is a bad thing. I'm not looking to get rich by either business but I do want to make enough to cover costs and maybe have a little extra so I can pay for gymnastics for Easton or put money in for vacations. I put Kalynn in daycare twice a week so I could work on my businesses but if I'm not charging enough to cover that cost then there is no sense in sending her because that is another loss. 

So to conclude this blog, if you are looking for an artist for whatever project please look at them like an actual professional and treat them like one. Don't nickle and dime them. If they give you a price then ask what that includes and if it isn't in your price range then move on. Don't insult them by asking for less. Most likely they know what they are worth and what it costs to make something so they shouldn't have to devalue their work to fit to your needs. I'll leave this post with a final quote because I say this so often it is annoying but true. "Cheap photography isn't good and good photography isn't cheap."