A "Fair" Price for Your Photographer | Hampton Roads Business Owner

Hi!

The other day an old friend (he'll be upset I called him "old" but I really just mean someone I've know for a while now- so settle down, Jon!) asked me "what is a fair price for wedding photography."

Ok. This is a HUGE question and one I need a LOT more information to go on before I even begin to formulate an actual answer. And I told him so, too.

But it got me thinking: From experience I have gained the knowledge to better understand the little (and BIG) pieces that go in to developing package prices for photographers- but others (aka the non-togs) don't have that luxury. As you know I do not shoot weddings but this topic goes well beyond wedding photography; so I thought I might write a little somethin-somethin about it.

 

 

Things to consider when choosing the photographer for you:

 

1. First things first: did you notice I said "choosing the photographer for YOU?"

 

I can't express how important {I believe} it is to choose a photographer that speaks to you. Is it someone you've been following for a long time? Or someone you just recently happened to stumble upon in your search for your wedding photographer? No matter how long you've followed this person it's SUPER important they have a style that you like. Sure, price is a factor for almost everyone (and I'll get to that later), but believe it or not you actually have a preferred STYLE that you are drawn to (you just may not know it)- bright colors, high contrast, a matte look, film versus digital, black and white only, photojournalistic, etc.

There are tons of styles out there and photographers don't always know what their own personal style is for a while- but as consumers we have it a little easier: we either enjoy looking at an individual's work or we don't.

Take time to really find someone you LIKE and enjoy viewing their work. FORGET ABOUT PRICE WHEN YOU LOOK. Seriously! If you don't immediately know "this is the photographer I HAVE to work with" then come up with a list of 3 or 4 you like before EVER looking at price. It is far more important to be excited about and thrilled with your images than to invest in someone only to be unhappy with the results.

 

You need to be happy with your pictures- and choosing any ol' person to capture your memories will, in the long run, not make you happy- trust me.

 

 

2. Investment and End Goals

 

That's exactly what portraits are, right? An investment. We are investing our time, our money, and entrusting our memories with someone else and their skills behind the camera. Having portraits taken is an investment on so many levels so make sure you choose someone who can offer what you're looking for. Just like having a "style" preference we all have "end goal" preferences.

 

Is your end goal to have a big canvas above your fire place? Do you want to be able to send a 4x6 of your favorite image to all your relatives? Maybe you're really interested in a personalized wood keepsake box. Perhaps all you really want is access to the digital files with a print release so eventually you can decide how you want to decorate your new living room once it's finished being remodeled.

Every photographer offers something different- so decide (again, before looking at PRICE)- what your end goal is for pictures.


3. Price

 

Ok, yes, now you can go ahead and look at price- but be prepared to take the following in to consideration when deciding if it is something you can afford:

i. Are you looking at the photographer from step 1 who you MUST WORK WITH?! (in that case ignore anything else and book them! Lots of photographers offer payment plan options so don't be afraid to ask. If it's your dream photographer don't let price get in the way. Book far in advance and save save save!)

ii. Shoot time: this is time the photographer invests in working with you and ultimately time away from his/her family to work- just like you may go to work 9-5 your photographer leaves their family to come work with you.

iii. Edit time: all those hours spent with you shooting? More or less triple that for amount of edit time they will spend after leaving you to perfect your images to match that style you're so drawn to about them ;) This is also more time spent on the business and working and not with family (a choice we small business owners make, yes, but just showing you how much time goes in to each session.)

iv. Prep: Don't forget you're hiring a professional so they have spent time prepping for your session. This could include researching locations, finding poses that fit you and your vision, brainstorming unique ideas to give you a personalized experience, prepping gear, location scouting, oh! and don't forget they've probably been chatting with you a whole bunch to  answer your questions and make sure they know you well enough to give you the perfect experience!

 

v. Education and Gear: A professional is constantly looking for ways to better themselves and perfect their skills. I can tell you that I personally budget for classes and mentoring sessions every year in my annual "what it will cost me to run my business" budget.

The same goes for gear: most folks budget for better gear each year to give their clients the best possible images. From camera gear to editing software to new and fun ways to deliver your images- all of this costs money for your photographer.

vi. Insurance: Yep, it's true- photographers and business owners have to have insurance just like your job. In lots of cases certain locations require proof of insurance up to $1,000,000 (yes that says 1 million) in order to shoot there- this is something that has to be maintained and therefore a cost your photographer is paying.

 

There are lots of things that go in to a business model and in to the price of your package; and there is no right way to do it- each photographer has spent time calculating what their cost of business is and also done market research to determine what their clients want most: digitals vs. products vs. hair and makeup vs. amount of shoot time etc.

 

So in short, when figuring out what a "fair price" for your photographer is the answer is simple: if you've first done steps 1 and 2 and determined that the 2 or 3 or 4 photographers on your list are the ones you'd be thrilled to work with, then just book your top one- you'll be happy with your choice, I promise :) And if you're not sure about it because of their price: remind yourself of step 1 and 2 and then take in to consideration step 3.

You're choosing YOUR photographer, not "A photographer."

Best,
Sarah

 

My First Time | Hampton Roads Personal Blog

Hi!

It's 8 days in to the new year and with all the holiday's and family time and irregularity of my schedule I realized it's been way too long since I wrote a personal blog post to you all! (almost three weeks too long, in fact! In case it's been too long to remember my latest personal post can be found here.) So I started thinking about what I could write about and what was going on with me that anyone would want to hear about. It hit me that maybe what you wanted to hear about was a little less on my mind than what I NEED to get out into the universe. So here goes...

 

You see, over the holiday's (right before we left for Christmas, actually)we learned that my husband's car is... how do I put this gently... on its way out. :(

 

The day before we were set to leave to see family for Christmas my husband took his 16 YEAR OLD Honda to get an oil change. That's how these things always start you see.... it's something normal, and every day, and nothing unusual and then BAM they tell you that you need $1200 worth of repairs or you have to give up your first born or something dramatic like that. The catch here was that back in July/August my husband's car needed $1,000 in repairs and at that time I made the FATAL MISTAKE of saying "Ok, we'll fix it this time but if it needs another large repair like this I think it's time to just buy a new car."

 

WORDS. OF. DEATH!

 

So here we are, 4 months later, and I'm eating my words.

 

Dislike.dislike.dislike.dislike.dislike.

 

The realization that we will be buying a new car triggered some MAJOR ANXIETY in me- anxiety I haven't felt since ooooh maybe my wedding day? Haha Yes, it was that momentous of a feeling for me. We haven't had a car payment in a number of years- since college, I think- and to be honest with you I have NEVER purchased a car in my life. My first, and only, and CURRENT car was my grandfathers and was handed down to me when he passed. So to think about 1. Financing a car and even worse 2. PICKING a car felt like just too much for me.

 

Picking my husband was easy. There was no choice in my eyes- he simply is and was the man for me. No question (some anxiety, sure, but weddings and marriage hold a lot of pressure and that's a lot to put on yourself...but I digress). But buying a car? PICKING a car?! There's a bagillion and two options out there and once you narrow down which KIND you want (SUV vs. sedan vs. GIANT TRUCK) you then have to choose which size you want. Four doors? Two doors? Butt warmers (totally want those, by the way!)? Navigation? Chrome wheels? V6? V8? (Who even knows what those mean???) Mid-size SUV? Giant, take-the-whole-soccer-team-to-tryouts SUV?

 

The. Options. Are. ENDLESS.

 

And, at least for me, that's completely nerve-wracking. I don't know enough about the car world or car parts to truly understand everything I'm looking at and that makes me nervous. Nervous because when talking to a sales person I don't know enough- I'm not knowledgeable enough- to refute or agree with what they're telling me. So I'm not a fan of this whole process.

 

My husband loves it. John is all for researching and all for going for test drives and all for ME being a part of the process. We've already been to two dealers and we're nowhere near finished. Don't get me wrong: I absolutely appreciate that John wants me to be a part of it and wants me to be involved in this big decision but let's face it: I am not a fan of this! Haha

 

So, if anyone has any SUV's they LOVE (yes, we've at least determined we're headed in the SUV direction) and absolutely would encourage their mother to buy, let me know! And even more important: if you see me out at one of the 1,000 dealerships in the Hampton Roads area, STOP BY AND SAVE ME!

 

Wish me luck!
Best,
Sarah

p.s. I'm sorry, for some reason the internet doesn't want to let me post a picture with this blog today :( So lots of pictures next time!

Models, Mentors, Bridges, and Idle Cars | Hampton Roads Mentee

Hi!

On Friday I fought the JRB and had my first mentor session with Sharon Elizabeth Photography. No joke, I had my mind: BLOWN! I barely slept that night after I got home because so many new concepts, poses, editing techniques, workflow approaches, and overall shooting techniques were zooming through my mind. I even woke up on Saturday at 6:30 just because I couldn't fight it anymore and HAD to get some practice!

I'll admit, I'm still a little overwhelmed with it all and am still getting little triggers that remind me of something Sharon told me and immediately my brain goes, "oh yeah!" But I've been practicing and starting to slowly bring these new things in to Sarah Elle Photography. It's been SO interesting to see how Sharon's suggestions have a place in SEP and how I can use them and incorporate them in to my own way of shooting, editing, and running Sarah Elle Photography. Bless my husband's heart because he has certainly been getting a non-stop earful! hehe Oops!

Ok, so enough about that, let's talk about how incredible the model for the day, Meredith, was! Oh my goodness!  Immediately I felt like we *clicked* and after I found out she drove 3 hours (one way!) just to help us out I about died! She's my car-soul-mate! She's not afraid of the bridges or long drives (for the record I had to practice driving the JRB on TWO separate occasions to get ready for my personal trek across...it's no joke).

The biggest kicker? Meredith is also a photographer (check her out at Meredith Sledge Photography)! Talk about intimidating! Now I had not only Sharon watching me work but I was trying to pose and direct another photographer! But Meredith and Sharon are both so approachable and fun that *eventually* I was able to be a little less self conscious ;)

 

Thank you, Meredith, you gorgeous girl, you!

I can't even imagine what the second part of my mentor session will bring after Sharon has her little baby girl, Ava!

I canNOT wait!

Best,
Sarah

p.s. Did you notice the title of the blog says, "idle cars?" Nothing like mid-session helping a stranger get their car out of the road with 5'2" me pushing and 9 month pregnant Sharon steering. Oh yea, and the car didn't have power steering... that sure is one part of the session I will NEVER forget! ;)

I have an irrational Fear. Anyone else? | Hampton Roads scare-d-cat

Hi.

I said that I would be honest with you all and one of my goals it to get more personal in my blogs; so I think it's time you all know: I am afraid of the bridge tunnel.

 

Like...have NEVER DRIVEN IT kind of afraid. When we moved here I checked out  mapquest prior to our arrival (even though we have a GPS) and informed my husband we would be driving ALLLL the way around to the JRB in order to avoid the HRBT. It's that serious.

 

Unfortunately it appears I'm also nervous of the JRB :(

 

I don't know what it is! I mean...I do know... but it's silly. I'm afraid of there being an emergency or my brain deciding to miraculously stop knowing how to drive (I know, I know, this doesn't happen- I said it was an irrational fear!) and me not having anywhere to pull off in this emergency situation. 

 

And the counselor in me knows exactly how to fix it. Ever try to fix yourself? It doesn't work. For whatever silly reason we need others to tell us how to be better. I get it. I live it. I AM IT.

 

So there you have it. My admission for this week.

 

Maybe having written about it I will no longer have my fears. That's how it works, right? Goodness I hope so because I'm going to face this fear tonight and practice driving the bridge because I HAVE to get to Smithfield on Thursday for my mentor session with Sharon (if you don't know what I'm talking about check out the business birthday post here). How silly would that be to call her from the Hampton side of the bridge and have to say "Sorry, can't make it over the bridge. Can we do this whole shooting thing over the phone? I'll describe what I see through my lens to you..."

Wish me luck! And maybe a little double luck for good measure, too....

Sincerely,
Timid and irrational

I feel like this is what I look like driving over a bridge:

*I did not take this image*

 

C. Family Preview | Hampton Roads Portrait Photographer

Hi.

Did you see the post on Facebook that said that I'm headed on a completely UNPLUGGED vacation starting this weekend? That's right, completely unplugged: no computer *gasp!* and no phone either until September 8th! I'm pretty excited about it but also a little bit anxious- NO facebook?! NO e-mail?! Seriously?! Yep, seriously! But to be honest I'm more excited than nervous for this chance to truly relax and focus on life in the moment- so bring it on vacay!

Before I go I thought it was only fair to leave my recent family session with a few extra previews to tide them over until I get back. 

 
Aren't their red, white, and blue outfits just the BEST?! I loved their patriotic themed session- it was too cute!
More of this creative and oh-so-sweet family when I get back!

PLUS when I get back maybe we'll start the second edition of "Where in the World is Sarah Elle Photography!" What do you think?!

Best,
Sarah

In-person Consultations | Hampton Roads Portrait Photographer

Hi!

Tonight I had the fantastic pleasure of meeting up with one of my newest Seniors, Cait, and her mom, Lynne, for Cait's in-person consultation.

 

In-person consultations are included in EVERY SINGLE Senior portrait PACKAGE- they're that important! Being able to meet my Seniors ahead of time enables me to not only get to know them but for them to get to know a little about me, too! But even more important is that we get to meet at Starbucks!

Ok, so not really the most important part- but it's true, I super enjoy meeting at Starbucks because otherwise I don't really get a chance to go there :)

But the real reason I automatically have in-person consultations as part of each Senior session is that it gives you and me a chance to brainstorm, throw ideas out at each other, discuss what you truly envision for your session, and the BIG ultra-super-mondo reason I highly encourage participating in the in-person consultations: it means that the day of the shoot you and I are no longer strangers! :)

You wouldn't believe how LESS scary it feels the day of the shoot since you already know a little about who I am and will already have a sense of what to expect from me the day of the shoot. Plus you will know what I look like by that time and won't have to be nervous about wondering if you'll know how to find me when you show up for the session! 

Being comfortable with me will help you be comfortable in front of my camera (which I know can be difficult if your mom or dad is really the one who booked the session); so having an in-person consultation is key to your comfort- and is the whole reason why I include them in the Senior session packages.

That and my need for a little bit o' Starbucks ;)

***Side note: you seriously will want to stay tuned for Cait's session later this Fall- after tonight's meeting I can guarantee you that it is going to be AWESOME!
*UPDATE: Cait's session really WAS awesome and seriously did not dissapoint! I can prove it! Check it out here.

LAUNCH PARTY!!

Wow.

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to be writing this post. My BRAND NEW SITE is officially live!!! You can see it in all it's beauty at (drum roll please!).................................. 

 www.sarahelle.com

I have been working on this for over 2 months now and slowly but surely was able to tweak it just right and now it is live for all to see! With the new site comes new colors, new logo, new branding, and lots of excitement! Take a look at it and see what different things you notice! :)

Along the way I had help from my friends, from my family, from photog folks, and from YOU. That's right, I was even able to get real feedback from you guys and I can't express how grateful I am for that! You guys ROCK!

To celebrate this new chapter of Sarah Elle Photography I've decided to throw an AWESOME launch party complete with super great prizes: Free mini-session, free Starbucks, a gift certificate to Timeline Designs, AND free hair and makeup to add to your next session!

You all know my gal Rylee, of Dolled Up by Rylee (check out her facebook here) and how awesome she is; well I am pleased to now also be working with another super awesome lady: Tiana of Tiana Marie Artistry. Now there are TWO fabulous gals to choose from for your hair and makeup! To jump right in with Tiana and give you all a sense of what she can bring to a session she has graciously offered up herself as one of the fabulous prizes!  

 PLUS, I am so pleased to be partnering with another military spouse for one of the fantastic prizes: a gift certificate to Timeline Designs. Be sure to check out her facebook and leave some love for my friend Alexis as you start to dream up the unique look for your custom sign. She makes all those cute "home is where the military sends us" signs and a lot of other really cute and unique things to really add some personal touches to your home!

So go on and scope out all the prizes below, decide which one you really hope to win, enter, share with friends, and get super excited because the new website is finally HERE!!!

Welcome to the party! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Little Bit of ME!

Hi!

I made the decision a while ago that I wanted to do a weekly blog post to keep you all in the loop-MY loop- and made the random decision that that day would be Thursday. Well...today's Thursday! All day today I contemplated what I wanted to write about and it finally hit me: I should tell you about ME. If you're reading this then that means that you follow me on facebook; so you already know that:

1. I have the sweetest little Yorkie named Charlie {Dog}

 

 2. I am a military spouse (yay mil families!)

3. I'm obsessed with my mustard yellow camera bag. I mean seriously...who takes their camera bag out for its own photo shoot??

and 4. I currently live (and shoot) in Virginia. But did you know that I'm also a licensed counselor? Or that I'm from Pennsylvania? Or that I have family members that live all over the world (it's true! Ireland, California, France, Michigan, etc.)? Or that my relationship with photography started 8 years ago?!

It's that last part I really want to tell you about: me and photography. 

When I was in High School I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life- to be honest, most days I'm still not sure what I want to do with my life (but that's what makes being a mil spouse so great, right? I get to change locations and goals every few years!). What I do know (and knew back then, too) was that I love photography. I love growing and creating and experimenting with different looks, editing styles, angles, lenses, etc. Ok now I'm getting off track....

So back to High School: At the time I was in a photography course and was in love with being able to tell the stories of the world around me through images. I decided to apply to a university known for their photojournalism program. I'll never forget the photography teacher I had at the time telling me "don't be surprised if they don't accept you; they're a really good program." Exactly what a kid needs to hear, right?

Well that only lit a fire under my behind and I was now more determined than ever to be accepted. I showed up for my interview equipped with my "portfolio" of images printed in 5x7's from my dad's computer to a room filled with super "artsy" looking kids with giant prints and official looking carrying cases. 

WHOA was I out of my league. 

But you know what happened? I got in! I guess that day it was my story that was told through the images: my story as a budding photog with some serious dreams.

Fast forward to now. Now I shoot with the very same camera body (I've upgraded to some super awesome lenses in the mean time); I shoot portraiture photography and not photojournalism; and through the help of some awesome photog friends I'm learning and growing and experiencing the business side of things. I like to think that I still tell stories through my images, though- the story of a person, a family, a relationship. 

I think from now on I'm going to call my style: photojournalistic portraiture. :)

What do you think?!

Best,

Sarah

Life: As it is.

Hi!

I have a new project; maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s called “Life: As it is.” This project is very close to my heart as it attempts to illustrate my philosophy behind portrait photography.

Photography, to me, is about capturing life’s moments- carving out that moment in time and documenting the way you smile, your chosen hairstyle that year, the way Uncle Bill crinkles up his nose when he laughs after telling a joke, or the way your daughter stands on her toes to be bigger than her brother. It’s about truly capturing your life as it is in that very moment- a moment we never get to relive- except through those photographs we took to capture them.

Almost 100% of the time I get inquiries for portrait sessions from individuals and families who want to document a particular milestone (an anniversary, a birth, a homecoming, etc.). Don’t get me wrong, I think these are fantastic reasons to hire a photographer and I hire photographers when I have a milestone, too (we take pictures on our anniversary every single year and I’ve already planned out who I want as my homecoming photographer and my husband doesn’t even have orders yet to deploy!)! But with these inquiry’s I also often hear that people “haven’t had pictures since [their] wedding” or “I’m always the one taking the pictures; it will be nice to be in front of the camera for once” or even “oh no, I’m only interested in pictures of the kids;  I don’t like to have my picture taken.”

 The goal behind Life: As it is is to encourage people not to wait for milestones or wait to “lose a few pounds” before they get in front of the camera. Life is now. This is a moment you will never get back…it is who you are and is a part of who you will become. Don’t wait until your hair grows back out or you fit into those jeans from high school or you wake up and realize it’s been 7 years since you last had photos. Today is your life. Today is your chance to capture it exactly as it is and keep it forever.

With that mentality I have set out to document the life of individuals and families in the area who deserve to be reminded that this part of their life is worth capturing on camera. My hope is to do a segment of Life: As it is every season and in doing so document different portions of life as it is in this world. To do that I needed help….

So, to get the project rolling I opened it up for nominations and I was extremely humbled by the response. It was great to see others nominating people they felt deserved to be featured and it was even cooler to see people nominating themselves and admitting that perhaps it was time to get back in front of the camera. I am so very pleased to announce that the chosen nomination for the first installment of Life: As it is is...........


 actually it's two people!

In one case it is a mother nominated by her daughter and in the other case it is a daughter nominated by her mother. So join me in my excitment as I am honored to announce that Mary Tigner (nominated by daughter Rebecca) and Lauren (nominated by her mother Marie Banner Lewis) are the first two individuals who will be featured in Life: As it is. I am sincerely looking forward to getting to know them both and am eager to document their life as it as and share it with you all this Fall.
  
Stay tuned to the blog because I want to make this project into something BIG and I hope to be able to showcase each individual/family that was nominated.

Best,
Sarah

p.s. new to the blog? be sure to check out my first "welcome" post here or my crash course to Sarah post here!

*for the first installment featuring Lauren, click here !

New Beginnings.

Hi! 

And welcome to the brand new blog! Since today is the first day of a brand new month I figured it was the perfect day to break in the blog! I am so excited to begin to be able to share my sessions and thoughts with you on a regular basis :) Yay for the new blog!

If you follow me on facebook (and if you don't you totally should- really...go to the page and click "like"- you won't regret it!) then you already know how important this new phase of Sarah Elle Photography is to me. With this new beginning comes a lot of different emotions. First and foremost I am definitely EXCITED! :) But I'm also nervous and on completely new ground; which can be scary! But you know what else comes with all of those emotions? Growth. I am growing. I'm growing as a photographer, as a business owner, as a person. And that in itself brings with it a sense of peace and hope and determination. I know that through this growth I will learn and continue to carve my way into the photographer I want to be- the best photographer I can be!

 But if you've gotten this far with me then I know already that you're behind me- and that's the best thing I could ask for! There's nothing better than having the peace of mind knowing that you're family supports you in all that you do. So, with this new chapter of Sarah Elle Photography starting to unfold I want to say hold on tight, Sarah Elle Photography family, it's about to get fantastic! Stay tuned for the great unveiling of the brand new website (the link above is the old one-couldn't release the new one early, you know), new session guide(s)-yep, more than one!, and new business focus. First up? A self-developed project that is dear to my heart called "Life: As it is." But more about that in the next post ;)

 And since a photographer can't have a post without images I thought I'd leave you with one of Charlie Dog. :D

 

Charlie Dog is always trying to come on the shoots with me and thinks hiding in the camera bag is the way to get a free pass to come along.... silly puppy.

Best,

Sarah