Why is your photography so expensive?

Why is your photography service so expensive? I get asked this a lot. But is it really all that expensive? Let's dispel a few myths.

•  JcPenny, Sears, and that place in the mall are only $50
• Yes they are. They are also cookie cutter. Same lighting, same backdrops, and the same props are being used to take hundreds of family portraits. And the advertised rate on the web site is a "teaser" made to get you in the door. If you want some wallet sized images, or more than 1 image, or a few 5x7's the price increases pretty quickly. And want a full res digital file? Good luck. If you want a unique location, or change outfits during the shoot, you need to call me.
•  My cousin just bought a really nice camera.
• While it's true that in capable hands, even the cheapest DSLR's are very capable of taking quality images, the key is "capable hands". Costs for cameras at the entry level will continue to come down. The camera is only part of the equation. Do they understand lighting? Posing? What about difficult scenarios like a poorly lit church that doesn't allow flash? It has never been about the equipment. It has always been about the person behind the lens.
• Regardless of what I charge you for your family portraits, you are still getting a great deal.
• If you book me to do a 2-3 hour portrait session, my job isn't over when you leave. I have equipment costs and upkeep, educational expenses, gas, insurance, etc. If we are shooting on location, I will have an assistant. I have left my house a 1/2 hour to an hour before the shoot to set up, and I will leave a 1/2 hour after you to tear down. When I get home, I will have several hours organizing, editing, archiving, and proofing your images. When the job is complete, I may only be making $25-$50 an hour. Does that sound like a lot? What would you pay yourself if you were running your own business? Again, we work with quality, not quantity.
• It's all about the post processing
• Yes, your cousin may have a great camera. You may even have one too. But DSLR's very rarely output perfect, ready for print images. They need some finishing touches, color correction, black & white conversion, cropping, blemish removal, etc. This takes time, and needs to be done properly.
• Experience
• Have an uncooperative child? Want to shoot at sunset on a beach? Want to change your eye color from green to blue? Want a family portrait taken at your family reunion? With all 150 family members? Yeah, we can do that.
• I don't compete on price. I compete on service and quality
• I won't compete with cost. So what do I offer? Service. I will help you organize your shoot. Need a make-up artist or want a hair stylist? I can recommend that. Don't know where to do your shoot? I have locations for urban, natural, beach, etc. They are MUCH better than the pull down screens at Sears. Need wardrobe suggestions? I can help there too. I will help you every step of the way. Getting married? I can help organize your day, give you suggestions, put you in touch with just about any kind of vendor you need. And if I don't have an answer, I will find it.

Many of us photographers still value our work, and the effort, experience, talent, and creativity that goes into it. There are customers that understand that, and also value those same things. When you find them, you need to keep them. Consistent quality, and great service does that.