Photography Session Fee
If you have never worked with a professional photographer you may find yourself asking two very reasonable questions, "what is a session fee? and "what does it pay for?".
What is a session fee?
The first question is answered relatively quickly - a session fee is the fee a photographer charges for the service of actually taking photos. Some photographers refer to this fee as a 'sitting fee'. There, of course, is a lot more to this than simply pointing the camera and snapping a photo but in the simplest terms, you are paying for the photographer to take a photo. Fees for professional family photographers typically range anywhere from $200 to over $1000. At The Shelby Studio our portrait session fee is $300 and our newborn session fee is $400.
What does a session fee cover?
The question of what does a session fee pay for is much harder to answer. And it's one of our most frequently asked questions. For some photographers, it's as basic as you getting one photographer in a park with your family - a no-frills option that works for many. For those who have higher expectations or needs, there are photographers who's session fees cover a wide range of services.
At The Shelby Studio, our session fee covers the following
- in-person consultation
- the photographer
- an assistant
- a 2nd assistant (when needed)
- on-location or studio shoot
- props and clothing (newborn session)
- hair styling (maternity sessions)
- makeup (maternity sessions)
- professional in-home wardrobe styling (family sessions)
- in-studio viewing and design session
Not included in the session fee
What is not covered in our session fee is deliverables. These are the prints, digital images, albums, wall art, or cards. We pride ourselves on an impeccable experience and amazing photos and products, but more importantly, we are proud that we offer a truly unique and personalized experience for each of our clients, and this includes their purchases. We have no minimum purchase and customizable packages for a wide range of needs.
Why we offer so much
The reason we offer so much with our sessions is that it takes a lot more than just showing up in order to get the very best portrait. Making real connections with the families we work with is an important part of our work but at the end of the day our goal is to deliver beautiful and emotive family and newborn portraits and sometimes that takes a full-on production.
Having assistants that pay attention to the details of posing and outifts and that can make adjustments to lighting allows the photographer to focus on one task, getting the best shot.
I can not stress enough how important it is that you be styled for your shoot. Looking your best, which includes being coordinated with your family is a large part of the success for a photo shoot. When you look good you feel good and when you feel good you're confident, and confidence is very photogenic.
If you're interested in booking a session with us or just have a question please contact us below.