Just 5 years ago, I was a shoot and burn photographer. I was NOT doing anyone any favors. That means, I charged a small fee ($500ish) and delivered an overwhelming amount of digitals to the client (too many) and left them high and dry. They were on their own. To this day, I still have people contacting me asking for their password to the gallery because they never did anything with their digitals. This makes me sad but let’s be realistic, we get busy and put that stuff off. Studies have shown that 95 percent of us (me included) do NOTHING with their digitals other than sharing to social media and then the images are lost. The few that do anything with the digitals usually end up purchasing cheap “Walmart/Shutterfly” type products with the photographers name all over badly printed images (ugh). The average amount spent with this model (assuming you DO purchase products somewhere) is around $800, with cheap non archival prints/Shutterfly albums. Those digitals that you were “given” become corrupt, lost, or technology has changed so much that you can’t even view them (negatives, CD’s etc). If you take a look around your room and focus on a photo on a wall, do you know where those digitals are? No you probably don’t. Sadly neither do I!
I am now proud to be a full service photographer. Full service photographers will charge a smaller amount for the photography session (somewhere around $150 to $300) which is for the photoshoot, all editing (removing blemishes etc) travel, park fees and the ordering session. After the photographer has carefully edited the images of the senior, the client will meet the photographer back in the studio to choose your favorite photos. This is where the senior and their parent(s) can order gorgeous senior books, images boxes, archival wall art or high quality prints. It’s a fun time. After the senior has chosen, the photographer will then do any final photo touch ups or album design before placing the order. I (unlike some) will deliver these products right to your door. This full service model is a lot more work for the photographer but it creates a great full service experience. This ensures that the client not only has a great experience and great photography for this milestone photoshoot, but also goes home with stunning, tangible products that will look nice in their home or sitting on their coffee table and they avoid the time and research it takes to only find out that high quality products/prints are only available to professional photographers and not consumers.
High quality professional, archival products will live on. They are archival unlike a digital file. This model usually results in the client spending more but it’s worth it. With the full service models, the average spent in Maine on Senior Portraits is $1400.
With the expenses of the prom (which can easily exceed $1000), possibly a senior trip and travel sports (also well above $1000), it can definitely add up. It just depends on what you value. People value different things and that’s ok. If you’ve hired a good professional photographer for your senior portraits chances are you do value your senior’s portraits. This is a milestone photoshoot. They next time seniors will be professionally photographed is most like their wedding. Senior portraits done the right way will not be cheap….which brings us back to the old saying “you get what you pay for”.
– Kim Chapman Dionne , Kim Chapman Photography
