Join any Mums Facebook group and you’ll see regular posts asking about recommendations of “affordable” or “reasonably priced” newborn photography throughout Sydney. I’m always interested to read posts like these and the resulting comments. Posts like these really get me thinking though – just what is “reasonably priced”? And which photographers would be considered “affordable”? I fear that the people making these recommendations would not put me and my business in either of these categories!
Just who is an “affordable” newborn photographer?
I used to get upset, and perhaps even offended by these Facebook posts which would imply that any baby photographer that charges what I do is “unreasonable”. In fact, I have had potential enquiries tell me point blank that I’m “overpriced” and “unreasonable”. I used to get so upset by these comments. How could making a reasonable living from my profession be considered “unreasonable”? I have learned over the years that there are many reasons why someone would be looking for photographers like these. And it doesn’t always have anything to do with someone’s budget.
One person’s “affordable” or what they’re willing to spend, is not the same as another person’s value of photography. While people have different levels of budget and what they’re able to spend, I think a lot of the time it extends beyond this. Some of my best clients have not been clients who could have perhaps afforded to spend more. But rather clients who really value photography and understand the importance of it.
Does making a living out of photography make what I charge “unreasonable”?
In truth, there are so many newborn photographers out there – each catering to a wide range of budgets. This mostly has to do with the amount of experience that a photographer has. For myself, I used to charge a very minimal amount for all the digital files. When I was first starting out and photography was not my sole income – I could afford to do this. Now that I have been a photographer for over 7 years, and have continued to improve my skills, I can no longer charge so little. I have a family to support, school fees to pay, and professional expenses of rent, equipment and insurance to cover. On top of all this, I have spent almost a decade honing my skills. I deserve to make a living out of my profession. This is not my hobby. This is my job and how I earn my living.
There’s a baby photographer out there for every budget
There are so many baby photographers in the market these days vying for your business. A lot of people feel very overwhelmed by just how many there are to choose from! Choose the very best baby photographer that you can afford. However.. irrespective of how much you can afford to/want to spend, please remember to always prioritise your baby’s safety! Cheaper (and typically less experienced baby photographers) may not always understand or be qualified to work safely with your newborn. (You may like to read my post about How to Choose a Baby Photographer here or about the Certified Newborn Photographers accreditation).
Remember that these are moments you can never get back. Don’t choose someone just based on budget and later regret that you didn’t prioritise the importance of good quality newborn photos more. If budgeting is a concern for you, remember to ask if your preferred baby photographer offers interest-free payment plans to help ease the strain on your back pocket.
As a closing post…. please don’t post on Facebook asking for recommendations for a “reasonably priced newborn photographer”. All of us “unreasonably priced newborn photographers” might just cry a little ;)