Everyone hates talking about… pricing!
Pricing. Eeek! It’s something that most of us hate talking about. I remember, years back, purchasing a photo shoot for a few quid in exchange for our favourite image being printed as a 7*5 and a set of 5 christmas cards. Bargain. I thought it was great value for money.
One experience left me in cold sweats!
Along we went to the session, had our photos taken and had to wait just half an hour for the photos to be ready for us to view. We sat with a lovely hot drink waiting before we were ushered into a room to view the photos. A nice lady demonstrated the range of photos taken, commenting how amazing we looked. Now, if you read my blogs, you know how fussy I can be about having my own photo taken, I am very self critical. In reality, I didn’t like any of the photos, bar two or three. Furthermore, as she continued to scroll through the photos, I found my heart was beating faster as I felt the absolute opposite to the complimentary things she was saying.
I felt bad that I didn’t like many and assumed she thought I was being picky. It was awful. I gave my other half a look as if to say, ‘what should we do?’ and got a look back as if to say ‘I don’t know!’ Once we picked the one we wanted for our free image, the lady tried to sell us the other two prints (not the digitals!), plus a few extras thrown in for an eye watering £75. I found myself sweating whilst trying to justify why I didn’t want them. The whole experience was dreadful to say the least and I came away feeling terrible, vowing I could never go through that type of experience again. Not for me!
There is something for everyone
Like everything in life, if you take a category or item, businesses make a range of products to fill that need. For example, take cars. Some people prefer large cars with big boots, some want something that has the highest possible MPG. For others, price is not important as they want the latest top of the range motor from a particular brand. Others want every single extra that they can possibly add. Finally, some want to stay loyal to the car showroom that has looked after them for years.
It is exactly the same with photography. There is a product and service for everyone. Some people are fine with the experience that I vowed never to have again. Others want to know the exact prices upfront and what specifically you get for your money. These days, you can literally spend from a few pounds to a several hundred pounds on a photography session. There really is something for every budget, you just need to find the one that is right for you.
There is how I roll….
My approach is simple. I understand that photography is a considered purchase. It isn’t a necessity but a bit of a luxury. I appreciate that it’s a ‘nice to do’ that most people have on their list. Therefore, I work with your budget to find a collection that works for you and provides excellent value for money.
My style is not to sell to you but to provide a suite of options that may work for you, namely giving you ALL of the edited, digital images for you to use as you wish with all my collections. I work like this because this is how I would want to pick a photographer myself.
I believe hugely in transparency and I’ve always shared my pricing online but through my experience to date have found that everyone wants something different. All of my collections have the same core offering, then in comes the mix and match to suit your needs. (Wedding prices are available on request but follow the same principles!)
My approach to pricing
When I say I love to chat, I really do. I am so approachable and want to work with new clients to provide what you want at a price that works for you. A big part of Inspired By Joseph’s mission is to provide affordable photography that offers amazing value for money. I’m not the cheapest out there, or the most expensive, by a long mile but I know I can offer you something that won’t make you come out in a cold sweat like I did. The benefits with my pricing structure is that you can print your own canvases, photo books, prints etc to your hearts content. It really is a cost effective way for you to maximise the use of your photos.
For example, I’ve had a bride come to me for a quote. We met and she loved my approach. I put a collection together for her but it was too expensive for her needs. We worked on a solution that meant we could still work together albeit with a smaller offering. I did this because having listened to her, I really wanted to help. She was my type of lady… One happy client.
If you want to know what others think too, you are more than welcome to see their stories!
If I’m not right for you, let me help you find another photographer
If my packages aren’t right for you, please feel free to get in touch and perhaps I can suggest an alternative photographer for you. I’d be happy to help.
Other blog posts you might find useful:
Eight top tips for choosing a photographer
Answered: Your question on where to print out your own photos
If you don’t remind yourself to do this, you might regret it later