Thanks for the emails I have received from those saying they are enjoying this week with me very nice to hear! But don’t feel too shy to comment here!

Today is the topic of “If a 5×7 only cost you $1 why do you charge (insert amount)$$?”

This is something that I have been spending a lot of time on of late. As I have been redirecting the attitude and direction of Susan Wall Photography this has been on my mind a lot. It is the hardest part of this business for me personally. How do you know what to charge? I just want to take photographs – that is why I am doing this. In fact I do it as I CAN’T stop taking photographs, I love it! But, of course on the flip side this photography  takes up a lot of my time, takes me away from my family and is a very expensive business to be part of.

I like to compare it to a few things I have done/experienced this week in other businesses. On Monday I took both my girls to the dentist – a regular (6 montly) check-up. They were in the chair for say 40 minutes, and the cost was $96, and yet all they used was a tiny mirror and some air puffer thing on the girls. Why did they charge me $96 for an activity that gave us nothing but a bill (and also an indication of how their teeth were going). Their expenses is exactly what I had to pay for – oh and also the all important wage that makes the dentists turn up to work each morning. In that $96 are their running fees, the practice, the equipment, telephone, electricity, cleaning fees, advertising, business cards, pens, paper, uniforms, training and education, receptionist etc. It adds up very quickly when you think about it!

That my friends is why you have to pay a lot for a lunch out also! My husband and I went to a little eatery today for lunch. I got a (very delicious) sandwich and a can of drink, Don having a BLT burger and a milkshake. $25 later and we were very full. Why did we pay $25 for something we could have had a home for $8 if that. The experience, the location, the time together and the change is what made us go and spend the $25, and the food was very yummy I have to say again. We didn’t just pay the business owner $25 so she could make a $17 profit from us, she has to take her expenses out of that $18 remaining. You almost start to feel like you aren’t paying enough when you think about it!

Being a photographer is my full time job. I am not shooting full time, but I am always researching, reading, learning by attending workshops (that cost too). I do all this to better improve my skills and offer new things to my clients. This is time consuming, as is the time I spend preparing your gallery and the order for you. My girls laugh when they see me with a large mount up to my nose, checking every last millimeter has been well printed. When you pay a photographer for that 5×7 there is a lot of work that has gone into producing it to that level. There also once again are all the “hidden” cost to produce that piece of art.

I have been very fortunate to have clients that appreciate my passion for their photographs, for the passion I have to see them with an image that can be passed through generations to come. Some photographers call images an “investment” as they see the money you spend as an investment into your own, personal piece of art and history. An interesting way of looking at it for sure! This is why I am now offering mostly wall art (see day 1 for more information), I want you to see your images, large on your wall. Something to be very proud of.

I hope this has helped explain a bit about why there are costs to have your beautiful family photographed, and after all there is no price to put on freezing time in a beautiful piece of art. It  is timeless and priceless!

Chat to you all tomorrow x