Cheap Photography ? Why good photography is NOT Cheap!
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Cheap Photography White Paper Series Revision 0, June 16, 2012
Why Good Photography is NOT Cheap !
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Welcome Welcome to our white paper series! At 6IXGUN, we love to help our clients better understand our market, our services and our technology / processes and so we dedicate some of our time to writing these documents. We hope you enjoy reading and that you may have a better understanding of who we are and how we work. So why did we write a paper on photography pricing ? To be honest, few truly understand what it takes to be a good photographer, and fewer know that most photographers despite what they charge, barely make a living at it. The mentality today is that anyone can go buy a digital camera and with a little practice they’ll be in business shooting weddings, head shots and products and real estate. Those photographers have saturated the photography market and it has sent the prices people are willing to pay - plummeting. Don’t get us wrong, there are some people out there who can pick up a camera and get good quickly - but that is rare. Even then, they raise prices as fast as they get good. Most cheap photographers are only good in their mind - when you compare their work with a seasoned professional you will see an immediate and obvious difference. You also will see it in their confidence. In this business, you do get what you pay for. We are not sure how it came to be - that someone who goes out and buys a camera is considered a photographer. Does someone who picks up a gun and a vest become a police officer ? How about someone who picks up a stethoscope ? Do they become a doctor ? The truth is that ALL of these professions (including photography) require an intense and expensive investment in time, financial resources, equipment and practice. Like doctors and law enforcement professionals, we are learning for life, nothing stays the same very long so we are constantly investing in new gear, education, software and computers. In - demand working professional photographers buy new equipment every few years to keep up with ever changing technology and competition.
The Film Days Back in the day of film, there was a general mindset that photography was expensive. It was perceived of as an art. The cameras cost a pile of money, the film was expensive and developing it was even more expensive. Photographers were highly trained artists, most of them going to art school or getting a degree in photography. Then came the “expertise” of knowing how to expose the film right and how to crop and print it. Most photographic clients just got it that hiring a photographer would cost them money. People were accustomed to paying good money for prints, enlargements and albums and they did not haggle too much over price. In short, during the film era it was a basic understanding that whoever took the images worked hard and spent money to get the results - and therefore, there was a lot of value in their work and it was worth the money spent.
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The Introduction of Digital Photography In the early days of digital, not much changed. Digital cameras were very expensive and not as good as film. You had to buy expensive software to “develop” the images captured and there were all kinds of new things you had to learn. It caused a lot of problems for legacy film photographers because no longer was photography just an art, it required you pick up extensive technical skills on the computer in order to get the most of it - or to be good. At first it was shunned by most professional photographers. Clients still wanted film because it was perceived as a better value. The jump to digital was so overwhelming, that many passionate film photographers simply did not make the change, or they retired because the learning curve or investment was not worth it to them. The Digital Age As digital photography matured, it started a technology arms race, very similar to what happened to the personal computer. As cameras got better, faster and cheaper - more people flocked to purchase them. Nearly all working professionals shoot digital now. As prices fell and image quality rose, soon, anyone could afford to take photos with high quality DSLR cameras, and they were processing them with Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, etc. As more and more people bought digital SLR cameras, some realized there was money to be made by selling their work. Some started doing photography on the side, advertising on Craigslist, or otherwise putting themselves out there - but since they had no experience they were offering to do the work insanely cheap, or even free to get experience. Soon, there was a deluge of hack photographers out there advertising rates well below those of the professionals and while their work was not nearly as good, it was cheap and that attracted a lot of clients. Pretty soon, the market for photography in general was diluted with thousands of amateurs. This altered the market and expectations of what people are now willing to pay for photography. The interesting thing is that the principles of photography did not change. This new wave of amateurs made photography about access to cheap equipment, when the reality is that light and knowledge are the foundation of a good photo, not the camera. That part of photography will never change. The Anatomy of an Amateur Photographer There is not one photographer out there that was not at some time, an amateur. We are in no way critical of amateurs, in fact, we donate time and resources consistently to help out up and coming photographers nearly every day. Quite often we ask amateurs to assist us in shooting our client jobs. That said, we do not think hiring an amateur for a paid shoot is a good option for most people looking for photography and here’s why: experience, expertise and results are all related. Amateurs usually have other jobs, and they have not made the investment in time, gear, lighting or education to really truly understand photography and the art that is behind it. Typically amateurs you hire will take 100 -200 shots so that they get one or two good ones. Copyright 2012, 6IXGUN, LLC Do Not Distribute
Why Good Photography is NOT Cheap !
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Amateurs, cont’d They take a trial-and-error approach to lighting and exposure setups because they do not understand the fundamentals of good photography. Amateurs don’t always know how to pose subjects, and overall they waste a lot of valuable time. During a photo session, you will usually see an amateur fumbling with equipment, or making excuses why some things work or some things don’t, or complaining that the light is not right. In general, an amateur may not have the confidence they should to take the shot so they may take 40 shots of the same pose, hoping to get one good one. Back in their home office (they won’t have a studio) - on the computer, they probably just have a very basic knowledge of Photoshop or Lightroom, or they may not even own it and they may be using Elements or some other hobbyist software to render the images. They don’t understand color correction, because they did not yet invest in the software needed to profile their cameras, monitors and printers. Since they are not highly experienced, they may not catch small issues like keystoning (distortion) , rotation, and harsh shadows so the end result will suffer. Your walls won’t be straight and your faces will look bulbous, but at least your photos will be cheap!
Anatomy of a Professional Photographer There is a gross misconception that professional photographers are wealthy and they overcharge their clients for the work. The hard truth is that the majority of professional photographers barely make $40K a year - and that’s only if they work very hard and really promote themselves. There are some who make more, but most make less. Most in fact, barely are making it but they are passionate about their work and they would rather do what they love then sit in a cube. Even a low budget professional photographer owns $15,000 in camera gear, software, computers, and lighting equipment. Most of us own $50,000 or more, and it needs to be maintained, updated, and replaced - somewhat often - to remain competitive in this business. We also have websites, insurance bills, printing costs, payroll, etc. The average professional charges $100 per hour. You may see him or her for an hour or two, but for every hour we spend shooting, we spend 3-4 in overhead (travel, computer time, printing, prep, and continuing education). $100 an hour to you looks more like $15- $20 per hour for us - and we pay taxes too. Where professionals differ however, is we are confident, experienced and we know how to solve lighting problems. When we walk into a shoot, we take charge, we are efficient and we don’t waste time. We are very experienced in working with people on all levels, we take the shots we / you need and we get out. Once back at the studio we produce color-accurate, highly professional work in the expected period of time and we deliver them promptly within budget.
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The Professional Difference So why pay more for a pro ? Are the photos really that much better ? YES ! Professional photos sell products, they sell homes, they move people emotionally and they convey value. Our commercial images consistently move clients to purchase. Our portraits bring memories to life many years after we create them. Our event images capture that “one time” moment like a wedding or an engagement and its captured correctly and passionately. Hiring the wrong person for the job may lose you the sale or even ruin the moment - so the question really is not what is the difference? - but rather, can you afford NOT to have that difference ? We run into clients who spend more money on their morning coffee than they do on the images on their website, real estate listing or advertising. Is it a wonder that they are not getting the results they want ? On the following pages are some specific examples of typical photo work you might see from a budget photographer, and then followed up with similar images by a professional. You will notice one thing across all disciplines - a pro’s work is consistent, lighting is beautiful, and the final result is exceptional. Which would you rather have ?
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Scenario #1 - The Business Portrait A client decides to have a head shot done for their website. They call a professional photographer and he wants $150 to shoot on location. The client remembers seeing an ad on Craigslist for $50 headshots and decides to save the money and hire the cheap photographer. Amateur Workflow: The photographer sets up, then poses the client against a background (usually a wall), then they shoot the photo with an on-camera flash or strobe, and almost always head-on. Once back on the computer, the photographer will make some basic adjustments to the brightness and contrast but since the color was not accurate in camera skin tones may be off. The final “product” is pretty typical of what you’d see on a driver’s license - a mug shot. OK, its better than that - but not by much. Notice the squinted eyes, the shine on the forehead. This is not a flattering shot of a medical professional. Professional Workflow: The photographer evaluates the light, takes a test shot to set white balance in-camera so that skin tones are good - then s/he poses the subject in a natural manner. Lighting is always off-camera so its even and consistent with no shadows. The photographer then reviews the shots with the client. Once back on the computer, the photographer crops and sets color tones, and edits any distractions out of the image via retouching, and then color proofs the image for print or web depending on where the photo is going to be used. Client image data is backed up and stored for one year.
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Scenario #2 - The Fashion Headshot A young model wants to submit her head shot for consideration in an upcoming model shoot. A pro photographer will cost her $200 so she decides to go cheap. A friend has offered to do her head shot “free” in exchange for her time in front of the lens. Amateur Workflow: The photographer heads outside and does what s/he can to capture the beauty of the model in natural light. Many shots are taken but it produces only a few useable shots. The photographer lets the model do the posing, as s/he is not experienced in fashion photography so the poses are awkward. On the computer, the photographer will then make some basic adjustments to the brightness and contrast but since they did not set the white balance in camera and the exposure was not quite right, the image has more contrast and the color is not quite accurate. Our model has yellow teeth, darkish eyes and little dimension as a result - not flattering ! Professional Workflow: The photographer evaluates the light, and puts the model in the best light to make the image. S/he’ll pose the model, and use reflectors, supplemental lighting and off-camera flash to produce that “perfect” light to bring out the best in her features. Back on the computer, the photographer will crop the image and set color tone, then edit out any distractions via retouching. The image proofs will be posted to a website so client can proof and select images prior to final processing. Selected images will be processed and printed on standard industry submission cards, not flimsy inkjet paper.
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Scenario #3 - The Real Estate Listing If you were selling a home and you want to get top dollar for it - who would you want taking the photos - the Realtor, or an experienced professional photographer ? Sure the Realtor won’t charge you, but you are paying him/her a lot of money to sell your home. Are you sure you want cheap images promoting your home, or would you rather have beautiful ones ? We scratch our head every day over this.... a good set of images is quite simply the best money you’d ever spend to sell something, it is the first thing people look at when they visit an MLS listing. Amateur Workflow: The typical Realtor, homeowner or the “cheap” photographer they hire will use a point and shoot camera or inexpensive DSLR. They will use existing lighting only and as a result - the images will be “out of the camera” and have nasty shadows, blown out white windows, crooked walls and distorted edges. Colors will be off due to the fact that there are incandescent lamps inside and natural light outside. Do these photos look familiar ?.. this is what you see on 90% of MLS listings.
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Scenario #3 - The Real Estate Listing, cont’d Professional Workflow: The price for a professional home shoot starts at $200 Some balk at paying that cost, but its the absolute best money you can spend when selling a home. We have proof that good images sell homes and bad ones do not! You will notice the professional difference the second we show up. We take charge, turning lights on / off, opening /closing blinds and curtains. We move distractions out of the way and we set up the scene for the very best capture. We bring strobes to fill in shadows and we balance lighting for amazing results. Our cameras use expensive full frame sensors and wide-angle tilt-shift lenses, so walls are straight, round tables look round, not oval, and windows are square. When we are done your home will shine and show its very best online. THAT is why you want a pro shooting your home. See for yourself below or visit our sample gallery at: www.6ixgun.com/photography
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Why Good Photography is NOT Cheap !
Scenario #3 - The Real Estate Listing, cont’d Additional professional real estate image samples:
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Scenario #4 - The Group Photo Lighting groups is one of the biggest challenges photographers face. If not lit or posed correctly the group shot will instantly take on a snapshot look instead of the desired portrait look. We see this often at weddings and other events when amateurs are left to do a professional’s job. Amateur Workflow:
The amateur will allow the group to form naturally and in the process of rushing, will usually end up with heads overlapping and some faces will be cut off. Since s/he will not have the proper flash, there will be shadows and dull spots and the scene will not be evenly lit - even outside. Notice the tree branch and cut off hands ? On the computer, s/he will try to save the shot by spending an hour or more in Photoshop, but there will be areas of too much contrast and the image will not look professional. Professional Workflow:
The pro, confident in his/her job will take charge and lead the group into the best area to shoot and will pose everyone to get the best shot. S/he will work with the clients to bring out their best and get them all looking great and relaxed. The pro will have brought several different lighting methods with them to overcome any difficult situation and always use fill light to evenly light faces. On the computer, s/he will only need to make minor adjustments, correct color for the conditions and then send the proof link to the clients. Copyright 2012, 6IXGUN, LLC Do Not Distribute
Why Good Photography is NOT Cheap !
Scenario #4 - The Group Photo, cont’d Additional professional group photo samples:
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Scenario #5 - The Product Shot Here’s another one we really scratch our heads on. If someone was in the business of selling products, would you not want to have the very best images doing the work for you ? Time after time we visit websites or look at print advertisements that are using horrible images of the product being sold. Color is off, backgrounds are distracting, the part / product is not posed right or the lighting is terrible. Product and food photography is difficult. Only the pro will know how to best light it and present it. Amateur Workflow: The amateur will show up with the same equipment s/he uses to shoot interiors and portraits. If they do have a macro lens, they usually won’t have the lighting to go with it and so they use natural lighting or a on-camera strobe. Images will have no dimension to them and they will be distorted as well as constrasty. White backgrounds won’t be white and black backgrounds will look gray.
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Scenario #5 - The Product Shot cont’d Professional Workflow: We know what it takes to make an exceptional product image. We know how to light it, we know how to pose it to make it look best for the website, or print or even trade show display. We shoot on location and in-studio, with a preference for the latter where we can control light. We will use up to 4 strobe lights and various filters to bring out the dimension of the product. Our camera is a 24MP studio camera - one with incredible color resolution. We use a high-end professional macro lens specifically made for product photography, as well as color gels and other accessories needed to bring out the absolute best in a product. We also will make absolutely certain there are no fingerprints, dust or other distractions that could effect image quality.
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In Conclusion Well we hope we gave you a good understanding of some of the more obvious differences between a professional photographer and someone who is not experienced. Who would you rather trust your wedding, business portrait or product photography to ? In addition to the elements discussed above, we are constantly investing our time and energy into new techniques and processes. We spend on average $4000 per year on software and education updates. That’s a lot of headshots just to pay for our learning and training. We know that money is always an issue, but we ask you to consider using a pro photographer for your next shoot. We are not as expensive as you might think, when you think of the consequences of missing a shot or not putting the best light on the product or home for sale, can you afford NOT to hire a pro ?
Mark Kilian President, 6IXGUN, LLC A Phoenix, Arizona Company 6IXGUN.COM 480-216-3815
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