Can We Do It A Bit Cheaper?
Photography is not cheap. That's true.
"So could we do it a bit cheaper?"
Well, let's look into that.
What would it look like to "Do it a bit cheaper"?
Firstly, we would need to cut corners and the end product would no longer be premium.
At Family Photography by Natarsha March, premium isn't an upgrade, it is standard.
If we tried to go cheaper, we could lower the quality of the products, from fine art, archival prints that will last for generations in your family home, down to the cheap consumer-lab prints that look terrible the moment you get them and just degenerate from there. But, what's the point of photography that doesn't last? Doesn't it make more sense to invest a little more into something high quality than to pay less for something that looks mediocre to start with then gets thrown in the bin a year later along with last seasons Kmart t-shirt?
We could "Just give you the digitals" and leave you to find the time to print through those cheap printing places yourself. If you ever get around to it. And they would never look like they deserve to.
There's something so disappointing and heartbreaking about an ugly print of a beautiful photo.
Or perhaps you never intended to print, just have those family memories floating around on a drive or a cloud, a bunch of data that never makes it to the real world and is never looked at again. Gees though, that's a sad thought for your precious family memories.
It takes the same amount of time and skill to create an image, regardless of what it is printed on - or not.
Theres a saying for trade-based businesses (like tradies and hair stylists) that goes "Good, Cheap or Fast? Pick two." The fact is, good isn't cheap, cheap isn't fast and fast isn't good. Here it is laid out in a diagram:
With over 10 years experience in family and newborn photography, I am now very fast at what I do. I can capture an amazing family photoshoot in under an hour (newborn session in around 2 hours) and have your high resolution digital files from your shoot delivered to you the day after payment. Sometimes even the same day, and the prints arrive around two weeks later. So, you have to lock in Fast when you come here.
Also, without sounding braggy... due to those same 10+ years of experience, I also create consistently high quality images without missing a beat. So, you see, my work has to sit in that fast/good zone.
Quantity vs quality
Another option to "Do it Cheaper" is to shoot more sessions for lower prices. Like Santa Photos at the shopping centre.
BUT: Your photography experience would be rushed as I shuffle a high volume of clients through the studio to keep the business viable.
You see, every business needs to earn more than it costs to be in business. Insurances, taxes, wages, equipment, licences, it all adds up. This can be done by volume sales like Kmart does, or by quality sales like a luxury brand does. Think of mini photo sessions. Yes they are cheap, but photographers need to book 30+ sessions for it to be worth running them.
If you run high volume, the clients tend to become just another number in the system and I like getting to know your family personally, to have great conversations and connect with you so that your experience is the most enjoyable possible and I can customise your shoot just for you.
If I charged less and photographed more people in the same amount of time, the quality of your images would be lower as we wouldn't have the time to customise your shoot and accommodate your requests.
A full-service, personalised and relaxed experience with stunning fine art print products does cost more. But the value of that investment is worth much more than the price tag.
I am here to help you understand what's included in your photography experience before you book in. There are no surprises or unknowns.
I am here to design your ideal print products and customise your photoshoot for those products in your home.
I am here to guide you through the selection process and help make the decisions easy.
I am here to create family heirlooms, prints and albums that will be handed down from generation to generation and fill multiple family homes over the years, like our ancestors did for us.
I have snacks and chilled drinks for you to enjoy during your shoot and gifts for kids at the end.
I am here for real life. To print photos for the real world. Not some line of data on a USB drive, not some quick share on social media for a few likes or a phone screen wall paper for this month. These services and products are for your future, to always remember how special your life is right now.
Photography is not cheap, and you shouldn't want it to be.
Your family deserves the best quality experience, the best images and best products. Photography is not a disposable item or a cheap impulse buy, it is an investment into your family heritage for your children and their children to look back on for generations to come, just like you look back on your parents and grandparents photos.
PS - With packages starting from $890 and payment plans available so that you can have an all-inclusive package from as little as $38 a week over 12 months, professional high-quality photography can be affordable for almost everyone. It costs less than a cell phone that we replace every few years. I wanted to share this blog to start that conversation around moving away from cheap digital-only experiences and instead, investing into high quality family photography for your home and your legacy.
Family Photographer Brisbane | Newborn Photographer Brisbane
