Family Photographer in Indianapolis | How Much To Invest On Newborn & Family Photography

WHY IS THERE SUCH A LARGE PRICE RANGE BETWEEN PHOTOGRAPHERS IN INDIANAPOLIS?

When you have been in the photography business for a while, you hear all the opinions about how much a photographer should cost: the good, the bad, and the ugly. As a luxury family photographer in Indianapolis myself, I’m certainly aware of all the opinions. So how do you know how much to invest in newborn and family photography?

The quick and simple answer is that there are photographers for every budget, and we do not all offer the same services. So how do you decide what to invest in?

Today, I’ll highlight what to consider when planning to invest in a newborn or family photographer in Indianapolis and why it matters.

FIRST, CONSIDER WHAT YOU VALUE AND HOW MUCH YOU VALUE IT

How important is it to you that your family photographer in Indianapolis can:

• Handle various lighting conditions and has all of the necessary equipment to handle an overcast, rainy Indiana day
• Is a professional who is also a mother and understands the challenges of motherhood, with experience working with young children, babies, and toddlers and has many tricks up her sleeve 
• Has expertise in posing the pregnant and the postpartum mothers for a flattering appearance, providing wardrobe assistance and knows quality professional hair and makeup artists
• Provides an experience that removes the stress and pampers you when you’re in such a vulnerable time right after having given birth and as a busy mama to young children
• Delivers a gallery where all of the photographs feel cohesive and like a magazine spread, with both consistency and variety
• Offers assistance with choosing high quality prints and has experience and expertise in custom framing and gallery wall design to take the printing and framing process off your plate
• Is able to create a physical album of your session so that you can build a library of your family’s memories through the years
• Runs a legally sound and thriving business with close ties to other small businesses and is involved and known within the community
• Provides a timeless, light and airy style that is well regarded, respected and trusted by other professionals within the industry 
• Has a reputation for providing only the best for clients when it comes to quality

 

Family photos notoriously have a bad reputation for being stressful, hurried events that everyone feels they just have to get through. When you are looking for a photographer for your portraits, consider what peace of mind costs. Look back over the list above: how much stress does all of those things alleviate?

 

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE WHAT A FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER IN INDIANAPOLIS CHARGES:

• Number of clients: The amount of clients your photographer works with per month will change how much time and energy they put into each client. Cheaper and higher volume photographers will offer less individualized time and services. 
• Services provided:  Luxury photographers will have more services included like detailed session guides, styling assistance, and custom artwork.
• Location and cost of living: A photographer in LA will have a much higher cost of living than a photographer in Indiana 
• Quality of products being offered: Trendy products can be good for aesthetics, but will they stand the test of time? Heirloom albums & quality artwork will last for generations
• Cost of running the business:  Marketing materials, insurance premiums, editing software, subscriptions, equipment, repairs, rent, park passes, etc. are all expenses that a professional photographer has to budget for. Also, state sales and income tax (if applicable) and federal taxes. 
• Continued education: Every professional photographer is constantly looking for opportunities to grow in knowledge through courses and mentoring programs.
• Years of experience, which leads to…
• Expertise in all things running a sustainable, profitable business, elaborated on below

 

 

 

WHY DOES ONE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER IN INDIANAPOLIS CHARGE MORE THAN OTHERS?

 

Running a professional, profitable photography business requires more skill than just taking pretty photos.

Ultimately, it comes down to how each business owner values their time & what they invest into the business. A seasoned photographer has gained the expertise to charge what they value their time and resources to be. That expertise extends into:

Business skills – The key to growing a successful, thriving business begins with consistency. Software, management systems, and applications all help an owner provide a consistent client experience, and ensure no steps are missed. That includes sending a contract to protect both the photographer and you as the client.

Personal skills – This makes a huge difference in your experience during the session when your photographer knows how to wrangle toddlers, soothe infants, crack jokes for dad, and make mom feel at ease in front of the camera.

Photography skills – Lighting, focus, and editing are just some of things a photographer must master to produce quality art. I’ve spent countless hours taking courses, studying professionals, and learning everything I could about how to use my camera, how to edit, how to pose, how to wrap a baby, and so much more. And more hours practicing, tweaking, and practicing some more.

Design skills – Understanding what texture, colors, and patterns photograph well together is a special skill in photography. True professionals also know and understand how to create the custom gallery wall or album of your dreams, and can successfully bring it all together.

 

I hope this breakdown of what experience different photographers provide is helpful in determining what you want out of your newborn or family photos. These precious moments deserve to be documented authentically and held dear. Although it can be difficult to know how much you should invest in newborn and family photography, this information will hopefully make that decision a little easier.

THE REAL QUESTION IS: WHAT VALUE DO YOU PLACE ON YOUR FAMILY’S TIME AND LEGACY?

 

 

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