One thing I’ve seen debated often in the photography industry is whether we, as photographers, should be charging for photos on top of our session fees, or if the pricing should all be rolled into one. It’s a question I’ve been asked more than once.
My answer is always the same: make it all-inclusive. Here’s why:
I am not a businessperson by nature. (Probably a common story for a lot of us photographers.) I preferred to see myself as an artist, an individual. But it took a business point-of-view to see where I’d once gone wrong.
Think of a photoshoot from the client’s perspective. It’s about managing their expectations more than anything. If I’m a client, I don’t want to pay for the session and then buy the photos after — unless the session fee is already low. I’d rather pay for it all up-front, even if the cost is the same.
People want certainty. That, and they want everything included in the price. As humans, we’re not big on surprises — even less so when it comes to our money. The thought of “hidden costs” or “extra costs” can be a turn-off to customers. Again, even if the final cost is the same — we’d rather see it all at once.
Read more: How your photography pricing is losing you dream clients
Imagine you’re going on a mini-vacation. You’ve booked a great beach hotel for $500. There’s a bottle of wine in the room, free of charge, plus a hot breakfast every morning. There’s a pool and a sauna, and your package includes a massage at the spa. If you want to surf, the hotel rents surfboards. It’s all included with your booking.
Imagine the same vacation, same hotel, but you’ve found a $350 room. You want to celebrate. There’s wine in the room, but it costs extra. Breakfast is $18. The pool and sauna are there, but you have to pay extra for those too. Same with the spa and surfboards (both things you want to do). The only thing you’ve paid for is the room.
Which vacation would you rather have?
Before clients hire a photographer, the first determining factor is the work. The next question is “can I afford this?” If your pricing is all-encompassing, they know exactly what to expect.
On the other hand, if you’re charging for photos on top of your session fees, they’ll start thinking, “what if I want all the photos but can’t afford them? Maybe I’ll go with the photographer with the package deal.”
Package pricing eliminates uncertainty for clients, so they know what they’re getting. And if you feel like you’re underpaid for your work, you can raise your pricing for the next session.
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