Why do we charge a session fee or creative fee???
Since professional photographers usually shoot digital negatives, called RAW files, a creative fee includes time spent on all parts of the job, including processing the images- just like in the days of film- only it happens on the computer instead of in a darkroom. Just like a chemical dark room, anyone can have a digital one, if they are wiling to pay for the expensive software and learn to use it properly over a long period of time, but that’s how professionals get those creamy skin tones and deep, rich colors that drip off the page. It is a tedious process requiring skill.
The creative fee also includes: client contacts, backing up data from her memory cards, uploading RAW images {digital negatives}, culling {choosing the most flattering images}, converting RAW to JPEG {images that can be read and printed without the aid of specialized software}, retouching, resizing images for proofing and uploading to the web directory or gallery.
The fee can also cover cost for photography equipment, self employment & sales taxes, set up and breakdown for the photo shoot and travel- in other words "the cost of doing business".
Since professional photographers usually shoot digital negatives, called RAW files, a creative fee includes time spent on all parts of the job, including processing the images- just like in the days of film- only it happens on the computer instead of in a darkroom. Just like a chemical dark room, anyone can have a digital one, if they are wiling to pay for the expensive software and learn to use it properly over a long period of time, but that’s how professionals get those creamy skin tones and deep, rich colors that drip off the page. It is a tedious process requiring skill.
The creative fee also includes: client contacts, backing up data from her memory cards, uploading RAW images {digital negatives}, culling {choosing the most flattering images}, converting RAW to JPEG {images that can be read and printed without the aid of specialized software}, retouching, resizing images for proofing and uploading to the web directory or gallery.
The fee can also cover cost for photography equipment, self employment & sales taxes, set up and breakdown for the photo shoot and travel- in other words "the cost of doing business".
I had to reblog this because soo many people wonder why professional photography is so expensive. This is just the majority of things that are factored in - not to mention rent for a studio, hard drives, computers, cards, monthly fees like web hosting, organization memberships to separate us from the rest of the crowd and continuing education.
