Family photographer

[Dulwichdame]

I am looking into getting some professional family photos and was wondering how much it is likey to cost. I have had a look around and it looks like it is around ?500 for 20-40 digital images. Is this correct? Seems a little steep per photo (around ?17 per digital image). Am I missing something or am I just too cheap??? (do not want to offend any photographers, just interested in why digital images cost nearly as much as prints)

[Pickle]

Eek, no, nothing even close! We had photos taken by Lorenzo Ali, all given to us on disk to do with as we liked, and it was around ?150 from memory. His username on the forum is lozzyloz and his work is brilliant.

[bobby's bear]

I would second the reccomedation for Lorenzo, he took some lovely natural shots of our family in P Rye park last year and we were delighted with them. I think with VAT it came in at ?180 and we got 5 large prints and a copy of all the photos on DVD included

[deborah.bruce]

Agree with above. My mother is a photographer and she charges ?150 for the session, then provides a disc with all the photos on included in that price. If the client wants to order prints, the cost for the prints is extra.

[The Nappy Lady]

Another vote for Lorenzo! He's fab!

[MelbyG]

Hi Dulwichdame

Thought I'd answer your question as a photographer, in the hope it might be helpful. Please don't think I'm getting on my high horse - far from it. I do think it's confusing for clients sometimes as photographers charge different prices and all offer different services. So, here are some thoughts to help you out on costings and to show how we all go about pricing things to help you make your decision. It may also help others who are considering the same thing. I wholeheartedly support all local photographers - fortunately there are plenty of great ones - all offering something slightly different and in different price ranges.

In the days of film, photographers would have printing costs to factor in. The expectancy was that you would have a session, then order prints that would cost more on top. Some photographers still do it this way - they may charge less for the sessions and then charge for each individual print.

In the digital age, however, there is an growing expectancy that photographers will give the images to the client on CD. Photographers, therefore, have to compensate for the loss of this side to the business and so, many of us charge more up front in the knowledge that you will then be able to make endless prints from your CD of images without having to come back to us.

There is a feeling that this has simplified the process for the photographer and therefore should not cost very much. However, our running costs haven't changed that much. If anything, they are higher, as we constantly have to update our equipment to ensure we are head and shoulders above other digital camera users. Our editing time and time spent on arranging sessions remains the same. The editing process is one which often gets overlooked but, it isn't just a case of dumping all the shots on a CD. Photographers use their editing software like an old fashioned darkroom; we sift through the shots, choose the best images and then make sure they are perfect in every way - altering contrast/shadow/hues, removing milk spots on babies, a scratch on a toddler's face, the spot that has just erupted on a teenager that morning.

Your session may only be an hour or a few hours but, for the photographer, the job is much longer than that. By the time we've emailed back and forth about the session, prepared our equipment, travelled to the session, taken and edited the shots, prepared a DVD or presentation gallery, the work for one session can turn into much more time in preparation.

Then there is the slightly more ethereal concept of the photographer's 'eye'. It is this vision that lifts our shots above the regular 'snaps'. It's really this that also separates one photographer from another and gives each person their own style and vision which is why you're drawn to them/their website in the first place. Add experience into that - the fact that a professional photographer will be able to repeat this standard every single time she or he picks up a camera, and you have something which clearly puts professional photography on a different level.

If you choose a piece of work of art for your house, you could spend ?80 on it or ?8000. What matters is that you liked it,and you valued it enough to want to buy it. If you have some professional pictures taken of your children, they may be in your home, on the wall or in frames for years and years to come. If you break down your fee as cost per shot for something that you may treasure forever and have the option of making endless reprints done from it, it doesn't seem a lot.

Yes, you can probably get someone to do your shots for ?50 but will you love them as much as the person who charges ?500? Photographers tend to raise their prices according to their experience or they are safe in the knowledge that they can command that level of fee.

However, higher prices aren't always a sign of quality and this is where gut instinct must come into play. Take a look at plenty of different photographers and work out what you are paying for. Is it a one-off fee? Are there hidden costs? Do you love the work they display on their site? How many photos will you get? Do them seem approachable and fun to work with?

I really hope this helps you makes your decision and shows you an insight into how we work. Above all, it's to dispel the myth that we're 'raking it in' on sessions like these. Above all, it's about accepting really good photography as an investment but it probably also does pay to shop around and make sure you're entirely happy with what you'll get for that price.

Best wishes and hope you get the perfect family shots!

Sally

family.sallymaisphotography.com

[lorraineliyanage]

Another recommendation for Lorenzo, he has taken our family photos yearly for the past four years and has photographed many of my friends' families and also weddings. We didn't pay anywhere near ?500!

http://www.lorenzophotography.co.uk/kids.php

[lozzyloz]

Thank you everybody for such lovely words. I really appreciate your comments but remember it took you and your little ones to make such great photo's.

My starting package price for family portrait sessions is ?200 (inc vat) and includes:

* One hour photo session

* All processed images (at least 25) supplied as high res images on disc or USB memory

* A personal password protected gallery

* 10 lab prints @ 7"x5" OR 5 lab prints @ 10"x8" (Additional prints from ?2)

I insist on meeting families before the day of the photo session. My style is relaxed reportage (no cheesy studio poses) and I like to work either at your home or a local park. Other destinations like Brighton are welcome but I will need to charge travel on top.

Thank you, you've just made my day even sunnier!

Loz x

http://lorenzophotography.co.uk/clients/

[Shutterbaby]

Hi Dulwichdame

I am a professional baby and child photographer, and also don't charge an overly high price for my services. A standard session (one and a half hours) costs ?75 which includes a 10 x 8 print. You then get an online gallery of photos and can choose to buy the CD (30 images) for ?200 or just pick the prints you like. Prints start at ?7.50. I love kids, so my style is fun and relaxed, which puts your children at ease and allows their personalities to be captured in beautiful pictures. I believe in taking photos of children when they are relaxed and happy in familiar surroundings - so come to your home rather than work out of a studio.

Please take a look at my website http://www.shutterbaby.co.uk for examples of my images and previous client testimonials.

Thanks

Sara-Jane

[mcarey]

Hi DulwichDame

I am an experienced documentary style photographer and I believe my style offers something a little grittier than is the norm. I offer documentary family shoots for ?250. This usually involves me spending a a couple of hours with you, in your home or out and about ( eg a a trip tho the park) The images are then edited and processed in colour and black and white (a full set of each)

95% reportage with and at some point a few straight forward portraits.

An example of a short shoot that involved the kids cooking dinner can be seen here.

http://www.markcareyphotography.com/clients/

Please scroll down and find the album is Selena and Jon.

You can expect to receive about 100 images for that duration of photography.

Best wishes

Mark

[Running Ellsbells]

Another for Lorenzo...

For my *0th birthday last year my husband arranged for us to have some family shots done by Lorenzo at www.lorenzophotgraphy.co.uk. Our twins were only a few months at the time and I had/ have thousands of iphone snaps so I wondered if we really needed MORE pics but it was BRILLIANT- thoroughly recommend him!

Lorenzo comes to your house beforehand to see the setting and meet the children and then on the day it's very relaxed. He's great with babies and it wasn't embarrassing or awkward at all (my other worry!)

We got the pictures less than 2 weeks later and chose our favourites to print and then you can guess what everyone got for Christmas from us!

[birnehelene]

Hannah and Adam are fantastic - they took wonderful, very natural photos of my partner, my daughter and myself. ?200 for a session.

http://www.adamandhannah.co.uk/p/prices-and-packages.html

[SarahG]

I would like to second Sally (MelbyG), I've photographed a couple of wedding and done some freelance photography work with Neilson Active holidays in Egypt and the editing process of digital photography is often massively overlooked. Price does not always equal quality but I'd look into what the photographer is offering quite critically first as well as making sure you see the results from a complete photo shoot, not just a general 'best of' type album.

Sarah x

[lozzyloz]

Thank you very much Running Ellsbells! Looking forward to the follow up session with your boys! x

http://www.lorenzophotography.co.uk/rates.php

[Annien]

Hi all,

I offer family, bump and baby sessions for a ?120 flat rate and this price includes all the edited high res images on a CD.

Please check out my portfolio and testimonials on my website - www.TwentyNineDesign.co.uk

Warm regards,

Annie

[Adam and Hannah]

Hello! Thanks for the recommendation.

Different photographers charge in different ways. Adam and I prefer to have one package to make things simple, and you get all of the best high resolution photos from the shoot (so you don't pay per image).

Please feel free to get in touch if you're interested. I was hoping (perhaps a bit optimistically!) that spring was here for some pretty outdoor blossomy photos, or we can come to your home - we're flexible! Let me know if you're interested.

www.adamandhannah.co.uk

All the best

Hannah

[email protected]