I've heard stories of clients who said that. They feel the service of a certain photographer is way too expensive, as to them, it's merely clicking of a button. I tend to agree with many who say that.
Customer Is King?
The customer is always right. That's a business mantra and it's not always true. Yes, the client is sometimes right. They are paying us for a service or a product, and their rights are within our service or product policy. If they go out of the limits of the product or the service, they are not right.
Market Perceptions
You've probably been in a luxury cars showroom. Have you complained these cars are too expensive or you just accept it the way it is? Do you think you will be right if you demand these cars to be much cheaper? You won't be right. It's a luxury cars showroom. You've entered a place where they sell expensive products. If you want a cheap car, you should look elsewhere.
You've probably been in a dollar shop. Have you seen a ridiculously overpriced item? Not quite often, but sometimes there is one. You tend to complain about it, as it's a dollar shop. That item is supposed to be cheap and of low quality. Your complaint is justified then.
If clients see cheap looking visual work, such as photographs or videos, that is highly overpriced, they will complain about it. The worst way a visual artist answers to that is to emphasize on their expensive gear, the countless hours of retouching, the vast number of emails they write, the taxes, the rent. If someone's work looks cheap their high price is not justified; and the customer is right.
Conclusion
The moral of the story: If you want to charge more for your service, you have to present a high end looking solid body of work. High end service is expensive. The clients know that when they see it. They will not be interested what kind of gear you use, whether it's cheap or expensive. They will not care if you retouch a lot or just a little. When they see great results, they know it's worth the cost. Although customers understand great work is more than a click of a button, many of them may not hire you, but will not undervalue your skills and portfolio. You may haven't won a client, but you've created a potential loyal marketing agent who will tell others about your great work.
Nice article
Благодаря ти :)
I'll let the client press the shutter button and let him see that the job really doesn't simply end start and end with that.
I won't even try to plead for a job for a client that has no respect for my profession, some of you might disagree, but my work is my pride.
That's true but there are cases when the client is right that certain work doesn't justify the price.
There are projects where the results can't look so "high end" when there's nothing special to display but if the majority other projects of an atist have a high end look, that's OK.
Thumbs up!
Thumbs up on your thumbs up.
I think that often where photographers get into confusion is they look at their cost in terms of time, effort, equipment, expense etc and come up with a value for their work based on that.
Unfortunately, how hard it was to create a photo has no impact on its value to a given customer. If you need to earn $1000 per shoot to make a living but your customer only values the work at $50. The problem isn't the customer. It is your business model.
I could spend all day digging a big hole with a spoon and it would be a ton of work and I'd have to bill the customer for a day's worth of work. Meanwhile a competitor could come in with a backhoe and be done in 10min. Just because you work hard doesn't mean your work has tremendous value.
If your work costs significantly more to create than it has value to the customer you have 3 choices:
1. Increase the efficiency of your work to lower your cost.
2. Target customers who would associate more value with your work
3. Reconstruct your product so that the there is profit when comparing your cost to the value of the work.
Also we can't forget that thanks to easy access to cameras supply of eager photographers has skyrocketed while demand has remained the same or even declined.
The example with the spoon is spot on.
Yes, the value of the photographer/videographer as skills is underestimated, as well as the creative behind that.
I agree with the 3 choices too. I'd also add a 4th one: Do not accept every project that may decrease the visual value of your portfolio.
Well, I think that in regards to the 4th option, there is nothing wrong with accepting those projects. Gotta pay the bills after all, but only put work in the portfolio that is representative of the work you are aiming to sell.
I personally take only what I'd like to put in my portfolio (if the contract allows it). Otherwise they tell other clients I do the work I don't like and then I'm famous for something I don't like to do :)
Thats fair, I think for a lot of photographers, especially those just getting started that being picky often means not making rent.
Well commercial work makes more sense... non-commercial though, unless its a famous person, what's the likelihood it'll become famous? Now granted I'm super paranoid too, heck at times I did tell clients who knowingly wanted a lower production value package, to not mention my name. But its not a big deal anymore since its only a a huge difference to certain people, like for example shooting modeling portfolio images without advanced retouching (d/b, skin retouching etc), which isn't a huge deal on full body environmentals unless its being seen by an Art Director or such people of course.
Bare in mind, when someone sees an image whether it's retouched or not, they ask "who shot that" (which includes the retouching perception). When they say my name, I have to be sure I delivered a decent product. If they don't need much retouching, one has to make sure the make-up and lighting is spot on.
Non-commercial clients are people who want beautiful images. No doubt about that. They like to see themselves as on a cover of a magazine, so it's a good rule of a thumb to create some commercial vibe in the images rergadless of their budget. Even a certain pose is enough to make them feel as a celebrity.
Exactly. Also people today would prefer investing in someone they personally know. So if you're friends wit ha CEO or VP of Marketing they'll call you first for their commercial gig. So its no longer about photography craft its about becoming an extrovert (pretend or not) and making genuine relationships with people who can help you along to building a solid clientele.
Only other crappy options is devaluing yourself, compete on price, hurt the market, and heck work a high volume low cost model which we all know real artistic photographers will not do if they value the art than the money. That's me. I rather have higher production value than knowingly produce crap on a plate just because a client can't afford better...and if I need to I'll do it but will not put my name on it and spotlight the project and embarrass myself.
Interesting read, it is like any other business out there, you build your portfolio, pitch why your idea is best, and address concerns about budget. Sometimes the work speaks for itself and other times you have to give transparency to why things cost the amount they do. When you show them past work on that same budget and the breakdown to the costs the client normally comes around. If not then it might be best that they don't turn into a client.
It's true that even if the visuals are great, there could be clients who don't know the cost behind that. I've been there, I still have clients who think certain pictures are just a matter of an "expensive camera".
Sometimes BTS videos or pictures work for such clients. People love BTS. Other times it's just telling them it's not that simple and accessible to everyone with just a camera. But these are rare cases when the portfolio is solid.
Ah yes, sometimes its good to understand when you really don't want that person or company as a client & then have the "where with all to not accept them " Or a PITA tax comes in handy as well.
Yes, sometimes not accepting a project is the right way to go. There was an article about a week ago, I think, where a fellow FStoppers writer discussed that the client may come back to you after they go to other artists, see that's the normal market price, and then come back to you.
Agree
The most frustrating thing about being a photographer, particularly a portrait photographer, can be how little the perceived value of your work depends on the quality of your work and how much it's about who you are. I'm sure that most of you are familiar with Kevin Abosch. He's the one who sold a photo of a potato for $1,000,000 dollars and charges $150,000+ for portrait shoots that last a few minutes. There is absolutely nothing special about his work except that he was in the fortunate position to get to shoot with a bunch of rich people. Because a lot of rich people spend their lives worrying about someone else having something that they don't have, it becomes a status symbol to be photographed by someone like him. For any of you who think I'm writing a bunch of jealous, unfounded junk, my mother was an artist with clients all over the world. I grew up in this environment and know how it works. You can get a long way in life by spending a lot of time marketing yourself well, but there will never be any substitute for simply being lucky enough to have the right social circle.
The article is not about being a rich artist. It is about being good so clients see that without the need to tell them under the hood there's a lot more.
The example with the potato photo is one of a kind thing. I, personally, am not interested in such artists, neither would I ask for $150K for a few minutes portrait session.
There will be always exceptions but in general the client sees what's good and what's not even without having to tell them the details.
Not sure if I believe a non-commercial client who constantly surrounds themselves with cell phone photos see a true difference in professionally produced photos, heck if they see a non-commercial portrait photographer producing that, in my experience, they'll perceive it as expensive photography and not bother asking for a price/consult or going to the website (if prices are listed). It's 2 extremes, cell phone photos where a non-photographer shooting the photo and a seasoned photographer whom produces high production value photographs. As I mentioned in another comment, in my market they believe everyone should be equally priced, again my experience. No matter how much more I provide in the service than everyone else. So it'll take me years to inform and educate that to the market and hopefully will pay off with marketing and networking.
When I happen to shoot a non-commercial client, I always try to deliver portraits as if they've been celebrities. A beautiful girl in the park with a blurred background is classic and always looks nice, but thinking about something different can be of great advantage for future clients.
For example, this image was done as part of a non-commercial photoshoot. This client of mine wanted a few nice photos and I decided to shoot create this one too.
That's why I never separate "commercial" from "non-commercial" work or "personal" from "commissioned" as, in my opinion, they should not have much difference and should reflect my style.
Honestly doing those big giant figure gigs is knowing the right people. Same reason why agents exist. They know people, know how to network and speak to them. Powerful people especially. I'm sure that's how Kevin Abosch sold it for that much. If he tried to sell it as a nobody or had no powerful/connected friends he wouldn't sell it more then $50.
I think what derails many photographers is that an inquiry by someone does not mean they are a customer. THEY think they are a customer but in fact they seldom, if ever, have purchased professional photography.
Trying to educate someone as to why your work is worth $X is generally a waste of time. Now you have someone who knows why the work costs what it does but they still have no intention of buying it.
I work with commercial clients whose job is to make their boss look good. If the result makes their boss look bad, their boss will not care how little they spent. Thus, they are willing (generally) to pay proper prices.
Another factor is that employees are far more familiar with invoices with lots of zeroes for work while a $6 coffee for themselves sends them into palpitations.
I completely agree educating people why your price is a certain number is a waste of time. This is the choice of the business owner.
You are right about the coffee thing too :)
Love that photo, took me a second to see the reflection. Beautiful and ghostly all in one, well done.
Thanks Byron
"High end service is expensive. The clients know that when they see it."
They don't. 99% of clients are like 99% of normies, they have no idea how to create something and which skill level is needed for a certain look.
If you want examples, here:
99% of people can't see the difference between proper high end retouching (micro d&b etc.) and some amateur running a frequency separation action and painting on the "low" layer.
99% of people like what Serge Ramelli does, even though his work is terrible.
Clients suck. If they don't see the value in your work, get BETTER clients.
I call "high end" something that looks high end from birds eye perspective, not on the micro level. I wouldn't compete on retouching level UNLESS I am a full time retoucher as people can't tell the difference on low resolution images they see on the internet.
When people see only mediocre work, they tend to think the "better mediocre part" is the norm for quality work. Also when they look for a quality service provider, they check if they do work like the "better mediocre" ones they see. But when they see something better, they tend to adjust their quality meter.
Believe me, even if people don't know what is a good quality product, they will make the proper evaluation if they see it.
How about the other factors of not finding or marketing to the right clientele? I know my leads complain of high prices, but they tell me my work "looks expensive" before even bother contacting me knowing they can't afford me in their mind. So for me, its more whom I'm marketing to and getting that right clientele who does value the expensive things in life or just values photography a lot even.
That's correct.
In the era of cell phones and cheap DSLR cameras everywhere, if a photographer wants to get hired, they have to offer something more the client can afford to do it themselves (like shooting a portrait with a shallow depth of field).
Think about what they can't do: directing, posing, lighting, composition, post processing, etc.
I, personally, am against the ultra high priced business model for simple stuff. Price has to be fair but not ridiculously high UNLESS the project demands for a higher figure.
Well "simple" is subjective. A wedding isn't simple even though it is an expected expense to invest into a photographer... but as for other important life events it should be treated equally or as much or maybe more important than a wedding to capture at high quality, high production value to the style you produce. I, myself, provide high fashion experiences to high school seniors. This does not come cheap. Of course, others in the area can take generically posed and have a cheesy theme with rail road in the background in every client's photos... I want to provide something more meaningful to the senior's personality and make it a high fashion shoot. Can that be shot in a "simple" way, when you compare it to big budget fashion shoots yes, but compared to other senior photographers, ehhh not really. But I do provide a simpler option for their experiences yes, but still shot with my high fashion style.
Simple, complex, expensive, cheap in the area of crafts in general should be defined per craftsman. For example, a photographer may look cheap for other fellow photographers but the income may be more than enough for them.
People should put price on their skills first, while gear and business expenses should follow and not be the main thing.
"Although customers understand great work is more than a click of a button, many of them may not hire you, but will not undervalue your skills and portfolio. You may haven't won a client, but you've created a potential loyal marketing agent who will tell others about your great work."
I disagree. Some people who find you on google to solve a problem quickly and cheaply. Just like fast food. Quality is not a factor to the masses, which also varies in genres, and geographic markets. Most leads coming to me expect me to compete in price and provide what others provide even if I am providing a lot more value to the service (white glove full service studio) than providing what the majority is providing (S&B). If I did, then I'd be stuck like most of them are, part time hobbyist and using the cash to pay my gear. It's not my goal. I want to be a full time photographer running full time and unable to do so at competing prices. My prices are at best a break even to all my costs of doing business, which is a high cost cause I provide a high production value.
If one targets these types of clients, who need cheap and quick work, that's somehow true. Masses may not need the highest quality, but they like high quality.
I can't afford a Porsche, but I like it and I may share commercial websites where Porsche is advertised/sold. I am becoming a marketing agent this way. Not having the budget doesn't mean not having the eye. Yes, I will look at cheaper Toyota and will compare one model with another saying "this one is better", but this doesn't mean I don't know what luxury quality is.
Quality is a factor for the masses all the time. Even in the dollar shop people buy a better product for $2.50, than a lower quality one for $0.99, but they know what quality is.
Even though I don't have the high budget for expensive goods on a daily basis, I sometimes make expensive purchases that I know will do a better job in the long run. The same for clients who need something specific they know a certain photographer or videographer can deliver.
Thing is in certain areas "high quality" is offered by the supply (photo studios) at all price levels making the market see quality easily available at all price brackets and devaluing the market by accepting. Which this can be done with certain models and still "profit" even by tiny margins... just like how McDonald's and Walmart earns their profits, volume. Yea usually it does hurt quality, but honestly with cameras and other gear getting more cheaper and more available it does make certain productions can be produced at lower budgets, with or without experience even. I know in my area students and part time/weekend warrior/hobbyists are the kings of the market than full time photographers where they're less than 1% of the market unless you count high volume.
When the competition is based on directing, posing, and lighting, gear competition is out of question no matter how cheap and accessible it is. A good photographer can beat lots of beginners just using a phone and bunch of lights or light shapers.
Although cheaper brands profit from volume, the boutique brands are rarely out of business. Most of the times the cheaper brands bankrupt.
This is funny :) Ryan wrote something about one picture for 50$ like it is cheap or poor price. But I work in Czech republic and here the price 60$ for WHOLE photo session is expensive for people :))) So I have to move to another plalce in the world.I would like to sell one my picture for 50$!
I live in Bulgaria and there are lots of photographers who shoot fo $30 (non-commercial work of course). My photoshoots are several times more expensive and I also have non-commercial clients. But my prices are not $3000-$5000 for a 1 hour family photoshoot delivering 10 large prints. To my country standard that's ridiculously expensive.
This is so RIGHT on! Customer perception is very important. However, since we all each have a cost of doing business, it can't be dismissed when the photographer may want to use their CODB as a justification for their price. After all photography equipment is genuinely REALLY expensive, even more if the photographer has their own studio.... But I guess in the end, customer perception is the most important aspect of price validation. Painful truth.
The price has to be CODB + skills, where CODB is negligible in relation to the skills value. When CODB is much more than skills, there's something wrong with the skills of the photographer :)