Like all photographers my packages and prices have evolved as the years have gone on. In part because my skill set and abilities have grown, and my equipment has grown, as well as the demand on my time. From that growth is where I have judged and valued my skill level to determine what fair pricing would be.

My day rate didn’t evolve as an arbitrary number picked at random but rather from years of hard work and an ability to understand how much much of my skills and time I have invested in each session. Also it has evolved from the events and sessions that warrant booking a day rate such as weddings or corporate event.

It is safe to say that usually anyone who is hiring a photographer for their event are not themselves professional photographers and that is completely understandable. However because you aren’t a professional you wouldn’t necessarily understand the ins and outs of an event photographer’s work which is only natural. Just as the photographer wouldn’t understand the nature of planning, organizing and hosting an event. There is a give and take and you are each qualified in your own areas therefore pricing would reflect said qualifications.

Beyond the arriving and photographing your event the prices tend to reflect retouching which adds a significant amount of time to the project. For me and my business the manner in which I take my photos requires a basic level of retouching to make them viewable on other devices which is something I have to account for and is a time I include within my prices. For me as a photographer I will never give a client the unfinished images, simply because of copyright ownership, and my own brand image being presented. I offer a full service event shooting and therefore charge reflective pricing, my images come ready to do the work needed be that advertising, print, and social media.

Something to keep in mind is U.S. copyright law. Photographer’s retain the rights to the images they take unless you explicitly purchase them. This means that, while you can use them for personal use, you can’t sell them or use them commercially without purchasing a license— within my day rates I offer a specialized 1 year commercial license for images taken. If you want to own the photos outright, photographers tend to charge a hefty fee to sell their copyright— I have only sold my copyright a handful of times and it is always something that involves a conversation and a contract.

It is also important to remember that my day rate package only applies to a certain subset of clients. I have many, many packages that may be a better fit. When in doubt also contact me or the photographer you are thinking about hiring, we are open to working with clients and creating custom packages that meet their needs.