Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a great week.
Now we are going back to our series of how to choose a professional portrait photographer. So far we've discussed, your need and genre. Today we discuss your budget and what is available out there.
Part Three: Budget
The price range is pretty big. Photographers are considered as artists. But once you start being commissioned to create portraits for the public, not only are photographers artists but also artists with a business!
As with any business, the expenses will start stacking up. To start, we have a camera and a lens. They are not cheap, however the price will vary. Of course, the equipment will not limit art. However, if you are wanting a wall print, amazing bokeh (blur) or the ability to take portraits in low light, the photographer will most likely invest in a high end professional level camera and lenses. The end result is just beyond beautiful (especially with your family as the subject). I digress...
There are registration fees, software, computer, education, traveling, any print products and so go. We also need to take into consideration the amount of time spent on the meetings with the clients and the time spent on designing and creating and delivering. There is a long process and everything takes time. There is a saying.. "time is money"
As I mentioned earlier, there is a range of creation fees. You have to wonder, how are you contributing so that your favorite photographer can sustain their business? Are you really paying a fair price? Do you think maybe the budget you have in mind may encourage a photographer to cut corners and not be able to provide you the best service you need?
If you appreciate the photographers creation, have you considered how much time she/he spent to create it? Even if all you are getting are digital portraits. When you commission an artist, you are not just paying for the material used to deliver your product. You are paying for their artistry, creation, their vision and interpretation of how they envision the portrait to be the final product.
How was the service? In these days, quality of service is so important. It will make or break the business. Will your budget cover the time and energy required to give you that service you seek and deserve?
If you are in the market to purchase a lasting memory, I highly recommend an album or wall portraits. These will be readily available and your investment will be paid off as you walk by the wall portraits daily to enjoy your family. Your children will be subconsciously reminded of the unity and know that they belong.
This article from Huffington Post describes it well.
Recently I have had a huge scare as my external drive failed on me. I had 15 years worth of personal photos in there. Digital files are not archival. I recently posted a photo of my parents on their wedding day. Still perfectly in tact and beautifully framed. That is something I can enjoy years to come and also hand it down to my children as part of their history.
YCP provides digital portraits along with any purchased album or framed portraits. This will help you retain all your memories on print as well as enjoy sharing your images digitally with your friends and family. You will have the best of the both worlds.
YCP clients love albums and wall portraits. It's been a couple of years since the below album has been produced and I bet you that they are not regretting their investment. Not now, not ten years from now, not ever. These can be handed down to their children and their grandchildren. It's forever!
Mother - Daughter Album spread - McLean VA, Fairfax County, Northern Virginia Photographer
Yon Chung Photography is a Fairfax County and Loudoun County portrait photographer and is ready to make your home be full of memories.