Kansas City Infant Photographer | Covid 19 & The Newborn Photography Industry
Have you ever seen someone post looking for a Kansas City Infant Photographer in a Facebook group who doesn’t charge an “arm and a leg” or who is “reasonably priced”? Or have you ever inquired with a small business, received the prices, and asked for that small business owner to take less and not get paid properly for the work they have done? Have you ever contacted your photographer friend and asked them to shoot for free, because taking photos of your family doesn’t really cost them anything? You have seen it or you have done it.
The reason that photographer has the prices she has is because of her skill, her professionalism, and the fact that she runs her business to be profitable and pays herself a salary to help support her business and her family. She pays taxes, rent and utilities on her studio space. She purchases things she needs to aid in her craft and the basics to run a business. And just like you, once the government and the business take their share she is taking home the remainder to support her family and contribute to the household.
She doesn’t get sick days, paid vacation or a retirement. If she takes time off she doesn’t get paid. Let me say that again for those in the back, if she takes time off she DOESN’T get paid. So currently under federal and local restrictions every photographer (in this area) you have ever worked with should NOT be working. Their studios sit empty. Their sessions are postponed, some to never happen due to sensitive timelines. They are not making an income. They are not creating the revenue needed to pay their bills during an extensive stay-at-home order.
So let’s add the pandemic to the reasons a photographer should charge a living wage. This situation we are currently in was unforeseeable. I would have never thought I would be out of work for a reason like this. Do I hate hearing I charge too much? Or when people inquire with me and then tell me they will find someone cheaper? Yes, I hate it! But right now I am thankful that in the past I have not sacrificed what I feel I am worth to book a client who really doesn’t care about working with me. I am thankful I have never worked for pennies or less than minimum wage. I am thankful I didn’t bend, even when it was hard to see a client go to another photographer who charged less than me. I have some cushion and some room to wait it out. It’s going to be tough, but I have some time left in me to survive.
I am praying those decisions I have made along the way will allow me to be one of those small businesses that survive this trying time.
I am in local photography groups and in the beginning, I watched as so many of my fellow photographers looked for loopholes and grasped at straws. Ways they could keep working through a technicality. They were willing to potentially sacrifice their business license and their health to continue to work. I understand the desperation and how out of control everything feels. Hello, I am right there with you. What I don’t understand is how an individual can think they are any different or should follow different rules than everyone else. Or say they didn’t know because it is confusing. I am not even going to get started on front porch sessions. Insert face in hands emoji right there.
I am doing my part as a nonessential business to abide by the guidelines of the lockdown. I know there are photographers out there who are not. And there are people out there who are pretending to be photographers who aren’t. They continue to work and disrespect their fellow artists who choose to do the right thing. And they continue to work and be socially irresponsible. That is poison to the industry. It teaches others that everything is negotiable.
The good of our country is negotiable. The health of our weakest citizens is negotiable. And the law is negotiable. So if all those things can be negotiated why should we expect clients to not ask us to take less than what we are worth? Why should we expect to not be bartered and bargained with? Should we be confused when we see the industry being run into the ground?
I have heard talks of photographers who plan to offer their photography services for pennies as “Specials” and limited-time “Sales”. And those who even plan to work for free just to get business. That is not real business, those are not real clients. You are only devaluing yourself further.
I would ask you to think about how you are going to come back from that. How do you lower your prices dramatically and then expect people to pay your regular prices when this scary time has passed? I hope you do what you deserve and charge what you are worth. Your skills, art, and experience aren’t worth less now. You, the small business owner have suffered greatly. You do not deserve to take a penny less than what you need to pay yourself a proper salary. Charge to be profitable and pull yourself out of this. It is going to be a struggle. It may take some time, but you can find your way back.
Yes, I know it’s not simple. It’s complicated and it is different for everyone. And if you are reading this saying “She doesn’t know me”. You’re right, I don’t know you. I am only writing from my own perspective. The world is too vast and families are too complicated for me to put myself in everyone’s shoes. What I do know is that there are so many people just like me. And those are the people I am writing to. Those who never saw it my way, to begin with, will find ways around any truth in what I have to say.
But what I do know for sure is that to run a successful business you need to charge the appropriate amount of money for time, service, and product to be profitable. And that isn’t up for debate. That’s just the way it is. Those are facts. And that is the truth during a recession or recovery.
To all of you who are sitting tight, doing the right thing, staying home, praying, and who keep working on your business behind the scenes through this madness I hope to see you on the other side of this. I want us all (yes, every last one of us) to make it through this and get back to doing what we love.
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