When you hire a photographer you meet them for a few hours during the shoot and you think they charge $1000 for one day work. But there is so much work and expenses that are hidden from one's eye. He/she doesn't just come and click the button, go home, and transfer your photos. Most photographers do editing as well, some do very light and minor changes, others fully retouch every inch of your body. Either way it might take anywhere from a couple of hours to weeks of sitting in front of the computer.
My artistic portrait photography is one of those that involves full retouching and artistic editing to create a photograph that looks like a piece of art. But of course it starts way before the editing and even shooting - from the moment you contacted me the process of styling has already began.
Lets unwrap what's involved in the price of one photo shoot with Karolina Ferbei:
✅Firstly, actual expenses of session: dress hire if needed, up to $200 for hair and makeup, additional props (extra fabrics, flowers, jewelry) hiring, or buying.
✅Secondly, my actual time and resources spent:
✔️Time spent on negotiating with potential client until they complete the booking
✔️Time spent on correspondence after the booking - appointing time, discussing ideas, rescheduling if needed, consultation, viewing appointments (could be more than one, and it lasts at least an hour)
✔️Time spent on styling - finding dresses, putting together the colour palette, planning the shots and where I will take them, what props to include, lighting
✔️Finding the ideal location - sometimes visiting it before the photo shoot
✔️Discussing the styling with the client - finalising colour, dress, hair and makeup
✔️Picking up the dress, booking makeup and hair, discussing the style with them
✔️Going to store and buying additional props if needed
✔️Picking up accessories from rentals if needed
✔️Finally the day of ACTUAL SHOOTING - 4-5 hours on location, including preparation
✔️Post-production - EDITING for a week, including thorough selection and retouching of images for the viewing appointment with the client
✔️Returning the dress and other hired accessories, washing my own dresses
✔️Uploading final images, ordering prints
✅And thirdly, is the cost of running the business:
✔️Subscriptions to software (Photoshop, Lightroom), hardware (laptop, monitors, phone)
✔️Payment system, website subscriptions, professional memberships
✔️Expenses for ads and marketing
✔️Costs of fuel, car maintenance
✔️Camera, lenses, lighting equipment depreciation
✔️Power costs and home office expenses
✔️Accountants to do our taxes
I bet I missed some other things, but you get the idea why photo shoot costs that much.
Support authentic local businesses who are doing hard and honest work to deliver you a quality product and you will get 150% effort from us.
