09/15/2026
I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but I feel like it needs to be said.
I keep seeing posts looking for photographers, followed by offers for $60, $100, or $150 for a one hour long session.
And while everyone has to start somewhere, please remember that with photography, sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
Before booking someone solely because they’re the cheapest option, LOOK AT THEIR WORK.
Is the type of session you want actually represented in their portfolio? Is their editing consistent? Do you like their work across multiple full sessions, not just their best five photos? Do they know how to pose different body types and find flattering angles? Do their poses look natural and relaxed? Are they insured? Do they have a contract? What happens if something goes wrong?
I try very hard to keep my sessions accessible while still charging enough to operate a legitimate, sustainable business. Unfortunately, I hear way too many stories from clients who previously booked based primarily on price and ended up disappointed.
Some never received their photos. Some received galleries they weren’t happy with. I’ve had moms tell me they were in tears when they received their images because they didn’t look good in a single photo. Others had photographers cancel last minute, never show up, or simply disappear afterward.
One client told me about a newborn session where the photographer completely ghosted them and they never received their baby’s photos. By the time I did their shoot the baby was 3 months old. Another told me their newborn photographer actually yelled at their one week old baby during the session for not cooperating.
That doesn’t mean every inexpensive photographer is inexperienced or unreliable. There are talented photographers building portfolios, running specials, or intentionally charging less. You might book someone for $100 and absolutely LOVE your photos.
But please do your research first.
A one hour photo session is not one hour of work.
Between communication, planning, travel, the actual session, culling, editing, uploading, gallery delivery, bookkeeping, and everything happening behind the scenes, one session can easily represent 6–10 hours of work.
Then there’s professional camera equipment and lenses that cost thousands of dollars, computers, backups and storage, editing software, gallery hosting, website fees, insurance, taxes, equipment maintenance, credit card processing fees, studio rent, venue fees, marketing, and all the other expenses required to operate a legitimate business.
At $100–$200 for a full one-hour session, once all of those expenses are accounted for, there isn’t anything left to actually pay the photographer.
Photography is also one of those purchases you can’t redo later.
Your newborn won’t be 10 days old again. Your toddler won’t be this little again. Your kids won’t be exactly this age again.
So absolutely work within your budget. Just don’t make price the ONLY thing you look at.
Look at the photographer’s portfolio. Look for consistency. Read reviews. Ask questions. Make sure you understand exactly what you’re receiving.
Cheap doesn’t automatically mean bad, and expensive doesn’t automatically mean good.
But whoever you choose, make sure you’re choosing them because you trust them to document something you can’t get back. ❤️
