Photographer Pricings
Ever wonder what and why your paying the prices you are paying for sessions, images and prints? Here is some explanation for mine and probably other photographer’s pricing.
*My Main goal as a Oklahoma Photographer is to produce a flawless product for you. This is a captured image that you use for marketing, blogs, websites, or personal use. You also present these images to others on social media or display them in your home. I want this to be a perfect representation of you or your family!
First, there is a preparation for your sessions. We communicate back and forth about your specific details that you would like to capture. We discuss locations, props and other fun details to make it special. Dates are then set and times. Preparation includes finding the perfect spot at the discussed location (mainly mapping and timing the perfect lighting), travel time (back and forth) and camera/lighting and prop set up. Oklahoma has some amazing locations around the entire state. Finding the perfect spot to capture all personality is very important! Favorite locations include personal Oklahoma Dairy Farm, Downtown Oklahoma City, Wichita Mountains and even the University of Oklahoma campus! Wedding and or Events take more time planning and prepping. For weddings- I meet with you for your first consultation and take you through all my tips and give you lots of information, we then book your date, sign contracts and set dates for engagements, bridals, etc… There then is 2 or 2 more meetings about 1 month from your wedding date for finalizing your wedding day timeline and your shoot list! This is super important to capture everything you plan!!
Once everything is prepped it is time for your session. I try to help with anxiety, meet and make your beautiful children comfortable and help the have fun, hoping to get exactly what you want to capture (their cute personalities!) Watch out- I may spoil your children a bit and bribe them if you allow hehe! I take hundreds of images good and bad! We pose, smile, giggle and work during your session lol but its all in FUN and I love bringin out everyone’s personalities.
Right after your session I upload all your digital images from my camera to my computer and make sure they are saved to multiple locations. (I am a bit paranoid and want to make sure they are in multiple locations until you have your selected/purchased images!) After saved I then filter through hundreds ((really hundreds)) of images (good and bad). I favorite all good images (every image where you eyes are open and looking at me, good angels etc.) This takes one to 3 hours depending on session.
Then comes the editing. This takes four or more hours depending of session. Sometime a total of 12 hours can be spent on editing images. Editing images include light correction, color corrections, and retouching whatever is needed to make your image presentable and according to my photography style. Newborns sometimes are a bit more demanding due to their skin tones, birth marks and blemishes. Newborn composites take some time. Those cute poses you see where the newborn is resting on their hands while on there cute little bellies… Yeah they don’t just hold that position and it is very unsafe without a helping hand holding their arms and heavy little head!
Uploading images take another 2 hours. Images are large and take more time to upload to your online gallery. Delivery with specialized email, gallery link and setting up our viewing= time. Viewings take about an hour or so. This is where we view your gallery, make favorite selections and order your personalized items! After we finalize your order I then personally order with my professional print labs. Each image is touched up to perfection, sharpened and ordered. Books, collages and other fun products are customized and sent to you for final check and then ordered. Once ordered images come to me and I inspect all orders before delivery.
If you added up this time- image production can be 20 hours or more from start to finish. If you did the math for this for a general session the cost per hour is lower than you pay for other
On top of just this little section related to your personal session, photographers are continuing their education and learning to make this art perfect or better. Classes, certifications and so much more are their investments to provide you the best products!! I strive to safety and perfection!!
In addition we have lots of fees. Programs for editing, storage accounts, equipment, TAXES!! the list goes on and on the just keep our business function able and legal!
Thanks for reading and please Thank your photographer for their hard work and dedication. We absolutely love our jobs and providing memories. This is just a little education about how prices are based but clearly there is so much more to cover.
Photographers pricing structure is based on the behind the scene, after the session and all the overhead to help produce the best images for your home and memories that last a lifetime! Laci James Photography works hard at producing remember-able images for you and others! Based in Newcastle, Oklahoma, Laci James Specializes in Newborns and Weddings! They are her all time favorite lifetime events!!