The great thing about having a blog is that I can totally add an addendum to something. You know, ‘cuz sometimes I learn new stuff. This also means that I can retract something I’ve written before (with a good explanation, of course … ahem, Pinkberry). But in this case, it’s an addition to my previous blog post about pricing for photographers. ‘Cuz you know … I’ve learned some new stuff.

1. Read THIS.
A while ago, I read Stacy Reeves’ Photographer’s Pricing Guide. And it completely revolutionized my pricing. COMPLETELY. All of a sudden, every single thing made sense. I cannot tell you how invaluable that was to me. I was no longer halfway embarrassed to show my pricing because I could finally put a price on my worth.  I could actually justify my prices. And feel good about it. I’m not going to go into detail about her pricing guide because I would totally butcher it, but if you haven’t read up on Stacy Reeves, I highly recommend that you do so. She has fantastic input on the business side of things, and it will set you up for success.

2. Know your target client.
What does this have to do about pricing? Um, just about everything, actually. Your target client actually has everything to do with your business: what your brand looks like, how your edit, how you shoot, how you dress, how you converse with your clients, and how you price. Everything you do should be geared towards them. So again, if you haven’t thought much about your target client, sit down and write out who they are. And don’t be surprised if they are a lot like you.

3. Don’t let your cheap-o pricing drag down the rest of the industry.
Yeah, isn’t that harsh? I heard that at the Photog Shootout dinner, and it was an incredible piece of advice. Who, me??? How could I affect the rest of the industry???? Well, actually, I can. And I am. Charging ridiculously low prices just to get more business is unfair to my peers. It’s not their fault I’m insecure about my worth. And I guarantee you, 9 out of 10 photographers out there are not charging what they are really worth. We need to keep the industry alive and profitable by supporting one another. And you know what else? When people pay more for something, they’re bound to cherish it more. And I’ve found that people take you more seriously, and they treat you better.

To end this post, here’s a video of an unhappy bride suing her wedding photographer. Yikes! I’m not showing this to mock anyone, but I think it’s important to note how much the photographer charged in comparison to the quality of her pictures and the calibre of her equipment. Kinda makes you think.