• The last day or two has been- total existential crisis mode. I feel like that’s not what I’m supposed to say on social media. It isn’t “professional” to write anything other than “I’m excited to share...” but running a portrait business is messy AF (sometimes.) Every one of my client interactions involves money and self image. That’s a handful by itself. Now add a value exchange based on something as unquantifiable as art. A client recently asked me what I think the value of the images she received is, there’s a part of me that’s like “well, let’s see, kit fee is $86.35 plus software to edit and deliver is...” and another part of me that’s like “each one is worth the sum total of my entire education, life experience, skill set and assets to date... which, gimme a minute to put that into my calculator.” For those who are curious, I use the first algorithm to determine my pricing. It’s an excel spreadsheet that identifies how much money I need to make to stay in business, after subtracting my costs of doing business. It’s tedious but night and day easier than approaching the second one. To be honest, I hear “you’re out of my budget” a lot. Like, multiple times a day on some days. I wish that was because I’m the most expensive photographer in California. Or even, like, on the higher end? Truth be told, I’m priced extremely middle of road. I know this less because I’ve surveyed every portrait photographer in the world, and more because I’ve done the math and determined how much it costs to run a business + pay yourself a totally unfancy wage. But I’m often speaking with someone who decided how much they *feel* like spending on photos rather than what it would actually cost, to run a business where you make photos for other people to earn the money with which you live. Not a criticism of them, by the by, running a business is a WHOLE WORLD of education you don’t even know you don’t know— until you do. And there’s also folks who have been confused by hiring a photographer in the past who doesn’t pay themselves (a weird aspect of doing any business that some folks do as a hobby.) (Thoughts continued in the comments) 📸 @jessiclarephoto
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    The last day or two has been- total existential crisis mode. I feel like that’s not what I’m supposed to say on social media. It isn’t “professional” to write anything other than “I’m excited to share...” but running a portrait business is messy AF (sometimes.) Every one of my client interactions involves money and self image. That’s a handful by itself. Now add a value exchange based on something as unquantifiable as art. A client recently asked me what I think the value of the images she received is, there’s a part of me that’s like “well, let’s see, kit fee is $86.35 plus software to edit and deliver is...” and another part of me that’s like “each one is worth the sum total of my entire education, life experience, skill set and assets to date... which, gimme a minute to put that into my calculator.” For those who are curious, I use the first algorithm to determine my pricing. It’s an excel spreadsheet that identifies how much money I need to make to stay in business, after subtracting my costs of doing business. It’s tedious but night and day easier than approaching the second one. To be honest, I hear “you’re out of my budget” a lot. Like, multiple times a day on some days. I wish that was because I’m the most expensive photographer in California. Or even, like, on the higher end? Truth be told, I’m priced extremely middle of road. I know this less because I’ve surveyed every portrait photographer in the world, and more because I’ve done the math and determined how much it costs to run a business + pay yourself a totally unfancy wage. But I’m often speaking with someone who decided how much they *feel* like spending on photos rather than what it would actually cost, to run a business where you make photos for other people to earn the money with which you live. Not a criticism of them, by the by, running a business is a WHOLE WORLD of education you don’t even know you don’t know— until you do. And there’s also folks who have been confused by hiring a photographer in the past who doesn’t pay themselves (a weird aspect of doing any business that some folks do as a hobby.) (Thoughts continued in the comments) 📸 @jessiclarephoto
  • This morning, love; I’m tired and grave; I can barely hear the wintered bird’s small song over the hum of the central heating. We must trust, I suppose, to the song’s bare minim: that spring will be a green havoc as the trees burst their slums and the dirt breaks open to admit crocus-spear and cyclamen; and though we can’t get feel it earth’s already begun her slow incline, inch by ruined inch, easing you back from the brink. - Almond Blossoms by Fiona Benson Only 2 spots left for almond blossom minis on Sunday. Book at the link in my bio. #almondblossom
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    This morning, love; I’m tired and grave; I can barely hear the wintered bird’s small song over the hum of the central heating. We must trust, I suppose, to the song’s bare minim: that spring will be a green havoc as the trees burst their slums and the dirt breaks open to admit crocus-spear and cyclamen; and though we can’t get feel it earth’s already begun her slow incline, inch by ruined inch, easing you back from the brink. - Almond Blossoms by Fiona Benson Only 2 spots left for almond blossom minis on Sunday. Book at the link in my bio. #almondblossom
  • The almond blossoms are starting to bloom! Link in bio if you’re interested in a mini portrait session in the blossoms 🌸
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    The almond blossoms are starting to bloom! Link in bio if you’re interested in a mini portrait session in the blossoms 🌸