It is a good question, as many photographers have different levels of expertise and equipment. The minimum cost to hire my camera and lenses would be about £300 at best. Not including education, the post-edits software or any custom-made items/props seen in the images, the cost would exceed £1000 to recreate just one of my images. Other photographers may use different set-ups and props, like plastic flooring instead of hand-painted wood, and maybe save money by making their props; we are different.
Time
Emails and calls 20 minutes
Session planning & prep 2 hours
Newborn Sessions are between 2-4 hours
Edits in Photoshop & Lightroom – 5-10 hours
Viewing & Ordering session in person – 1 hour
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Props
Hats, custom wraps, buckets, nest, wool, blankets, basket, a heated pad and a Baby sound soother. Props are sourced from around the world, these two images include props from the following awesome vendors :- JDVintage, Dolly Priss, Little Knitwitz, Sally Slack, PhotoPropsEU.
This is not an easy question to answer. While I have a price list for customers, it doesn’t convey everything that goes into creating such beautiful images. During a recent newborn session, my client was so impressed by the process that he said I have the “skills of a baby whisperer and patience of a saint”. This made me smile big. He was awed at the work it took to create a custom portrait of his beautiful newborn son. Most people only see the result and never know the cost of time, money and skill required to create such lovely work. It’s our job to make it look easy, but it isn’t easy, and while it is very rewarding work that I enjoy, it still takes time away from my own family.
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Equipment
Camera x 2, lens x 6, reflector, Photoshop and other software subscriptions, computers and monitors, Lightroom and insurance, thousands of pounds of investment over many years, including hats and wraps and headbands in all the colours.
Knowledge
Most importantly, my experience of 15 years and continuous focused education cost upwards of £10,000+. This time expenditure comprises reading book after book, dozens of online workshops, in-person workshops in the UK and abroad, and photography conventions. I must have an expanding knowledge of the ever-changing landscape of business, marketing, SEO, websites, blogs, branding, child psychology, selling, baby soothing, baby posing, safety, art and design, photoshop, and photography. Lots and lots of practice. (I know I have missed a few)
Thank you for reading, and I hope you keep this in mind when you book a newborn or family photo session. I am so grateful to all my wonderful clients who booked me repeatedly. They support all this learning, enable me to do what I love, and provide my family with a very happy photographer, Mum.
Celebrate your family in style and PUT SOME LOVE ON YOUR WALLS.
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Lorna x
