An investment

When I first started SmartAz Photography, I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do, or who my customers would be. After 20 years in the news biz, I certainly didn't know anything about pricing my photography. One thing was certain however, I didn't want to simply pluck numbers out of the air when giving a quote. That method seemed far from fair — and certainly not professional.

The first thing I did was establish my Cost of Doing Business and from there established a Day Rate. I then broke it down into an hourly rate. A few of my photographer friends adopted this way of doing things as they recognized that this seemed to have more integrity. After almost three years, I have to say, that having an hourly rate was less than favorable.

The problem with that method is that it put me and the client at odds. While I'm working through the job, they see it as an open checkbook as they are thinking, "Dude, hurry up!" And I would be thinking: "I'm a photographer, not a plumber. Creating art takes time."

My current pricing structure is based on: My talent and what personal style I bring to the shoot + the shot's complexity + production costs + your actual usage. My goal with this pricing strategy is to deliver to you, the best possible image. Period. You won't be hoping that I hurry, and I won't be hoping to drag this out (not that I ever did).

After almost three years, I'm a little more aware of what I want to do and who I want to do it for. In the end, I see that the photography I will create for you will be an investment for your business. My pictures will have a return on your investment. And to quote Leslie Burns-Dell'Acqua, "Creativity ain't cheap." Invest wisely.