SO I have been trying to set permanent pricing. I would like to set my client pricing and just be able to keep it there for a good while. I have changed it so many times.

When I first started I charged only $25.00 and that was just for a sitting fee and I gave a CD of full sized images with. I just wanted to experience and portfolio work. And of course it was nice to practice.

After a while I started charging $55.00 for my sitting fee and have them a proof booklet in 4x5 size format that was spiral bound, copyrighted and have a small black border around each image. People seemed to like that format but I often got inquiries about my photography telling me how much they liked my work and asking how much. But I never heard back. My print prices were more than reasonable.

So I lowered it to $35.00 but after the proof booklet I make only $15.00 of that money. So with all my time, effort, creativity, time I don't spend with my kiddos and risk of them not ordering I have been making NOTHING. Not to mention any travel involved.

With that in mind I have been really working on pricing. Changing it over and over and over again. I just want something that is reasonable for the client and something that I can still make money with as well.

And I also need to learn I can't cater to everyone. I have this idea in my head that I need to make it cheap so people that plan to go to chain places can use me as an option. I know what its like to be tight on money. To struggle with wanting great photo's but not being able to afford it. So its frustrating to me.

I could keep the sitting fee low if I was willing to allow strangers in my home but that would mean that our liability insurance would go way up. And really I'd like to avoid that.

In some ways I have thought of offering services in only Pregnancy, Newborn Hospital, Newborn, Baby and Toddler photography. My true passion lies in that. I especially love Pregnancy, Newborn Hospital and Newborn. Ages for babies I like most are 5 months to 9 months.

My other concern is the business aspect of it... records, taxes and so on. John mentioned just doing it for free and they pay for the prints at print cost then we don't have to worry about the business part. I by no means make very much a year. I make very little. Then I would shoot just because I want to.

I usually want to shoot.. although it depends on what it is as to how much and how excited I am to do it.

I did a google search on other photographers in the Indiana Area and in the Northern Indiana area since I am in Northern Indiana and must say My pricing is in between them.. well the pricing I have in the photo's below. And of course pricing varies from photographer to photographer or photography franchise. Picture People alone charge $18.00 a sheet and sucker you in with no sitting fee.

So the prices I listed below are basically in between the photographers I managed to find in my area and the franchises.

So I posted two deviations in my scraps... I didn't want to make this journal entry so long it took forever to scroll down so I added images of things I am thinking of offering. I have not decided if I like offering packages with prints included. I've never been crazy about that idea.. I would rather make my own package than get stuck with photo's I have ni need for..

Anyways thoughts??


On the left is packages I am thinking of offering. Or something to that level. The photo on the right is print prices for extras and other things they could order..

Opinions please....