Stop Pricing Your Services Like This | 75

I want to start by addressing a common misconception among photographers - the belief that charging high rates is justified because of expensive camera gear. The truth is, the market decides your rate, not your gear. You can charge a lot of money because you deliver value to the client, not because of your expenses.

Have you ever seen these posts on social media?

“Why photographers charge so much”

Camera $3,000

Lenses $4,000

Computer $2,500

Software $200/month.”

Too many photographers make the mistake of justifying their high rates by pointing out the expensive gear they use. They think that the high-end cameras, lenses, and software they use give them the right to charge a lot for their services.

Your clients don't care how much you spent on your gear; they care about the value you provide to them.

Trying to justify your rate by pointing out your expensive gear is like a coffee shop trying to justify the high price of its lattes by listing all the expenses.

If you saw a coffee shop justify it's 6 dollar lattes by pointing out that they have a $10k espresso machine, you'd be appalled. Why should you care they spent 10 grand on an espresso machine. The coffee probably tastes the same coming out of a $1000 machine, right?

This is exactly how clients react when you try to justify your prices based on the expenses you take on. 

You chose to take on those expenses. It's your fault, not the client's. The client shouldn't feel like they're paying extra because you took on business expenses. 

No legitimate business tries to justify its prices in this way. They simply calculate what they need to charge to make a profit and charge it.

You shouldn't try to make clients feel bad for you because you took on expenses. Every business takes on expenses, and your photography business is no exception. 

You should focus on delivering value to your clients and charging a rate that reflects that value. Value is the name of the game, not your gear.

As a photographer, you provide value in different ways, depending on your niche. Product photographers, for example, provide tangible value by helping companies sell more products through great-looking product photos. 

Wedding photographers provide value by capturing happy memories for the couple. 

Headshot photographers provide value by helping models and actors land gigs, or by helping people improve their online dating profiles.

But value is not just limited to these examples. There are many other ways you can provide value. You can start offering a quick turnaround time, providing bonuses like a mood board or an unlimited commercial license, and more.

The key takeaway here is that you should price based on the value you provide, not on your gear expenses. Clients don't care about your gear; they care about what you can do for them.

So, if you're still struggling to justify your high rates because of your gear, please stop. It's up to you to demonstrate your value to your clients. And if you don't, someone else will.