FAQs: Answers To Common Questions
Why does my session alone cost money? I don't get any printed images from it.
The session fee includes my preparation before a shoot, my time spent during the shoot, as well as the post-processing and editing required after a shoot (which is easily hours). This adds up to at least 5-6x the time of the actual session.
Will you do my photos for free?
No. :) Just as you would not ask a plumber to fix your sink for free, I do not provide free photography services. I run a professional photography business that has evolved over years, and I have invested time and capital into equipment, education, and overhead to make my product awesome. The only extremely rare exception to this is occasional bro bono work for charities and worthy causes I believe in, in which case I reach out to them.
I just showed up to my shoot, and brought along some extra friends/coworkers for moral support. Will you take some shots of them as well, since they're already here and like how you work?
Of course! For an additional fee to cover each person's session, I'm happy to shoot as many people as you like. And if it's enough people, you all may even qualify for the group discount, which saves you money. As they say, there is strength in numbers.
What if I only want a CD of my images from the session?
Not a problem! I am able to burn a CD for you of the best images from your session, for an additional fee.
However, take note: I have found this method of delivery to be the least valuable for my clients. Over the years, I have found that most people unintentionally end up leaving their CD of digital images gathering dust in a drawer somewhere. That is why I deliver your images via an online, private gallery.
Can I see ALL of the images that you shot from my session, as opposed to the select handful that you show me? I know there's more. I want to see more.
Because I understand that your time is valuable, I have found it most effective to go through the images from the session for you and weed out the misfires, duplicates, and photos where you are caught in mid-sneeze. :) I spend time curating the best images for you, so that you can spend more time doing what you do best: running your business.
Why do you charge what you do for digital files? It's not liked they are prints.
Despite a digital file being such a simple concept, a great deal of time and effort went into making that digital photo. In addition, the power of a digital file is widespread: You get many uses of it, such as a photo on your business card, brochure, LinkedIn profile, Business Facebook page, and even a billboard. Your digital file is an asset for your business that will eventually help you bring in more clients.
Why do I have to pay for the rights to use the images that you took for my business?
By law, the person that takes a photo owns that photo, and all of the rights to it. This is true in the case of professional photography, where the photographer takes the photo. Therefore, it is my job as a professional photographer to transfer a portion of those rights (depending on how you want to use the photo) to you, the client, for a fee. There is quite a bit of value packed into owning the rights to a photo.