Yeah, how about those crazy fees, right? Well, the simple answer is expenses! A professional photographer is immediately hit with some pretty hefty expenses for equipment, something which never really ceases and new gear is introduced each and every year. I personally have well over several thousand dollars invested in photographic gear at the moment, and there are still many pieces that I could use… it’s never enough! Below is a pic of just some of my gear at this point…
This doesn’t begin to show all of my gear at this point, which includes tripods, light stands, diffusers, strobes, all assorted gadgets, and bags… oh, I have three bags I work out of! And believe me, they all have their purpose!
Then there are memberships, like to the Professional Photographers of America which covers my insurance, to other organizations like KelbyOne, where I keep up my proficiency training in the latest techniques and business affairs. There’s the mundane like business cards, and a computer to edit and editing software. And then there’s advertising… I presently advertise through only one site, Thumbtack, and it costs me upwards of $400 a month alone. It is my main lead generator, and is just now beginning to pay off.
My point is not to complain about business costs, because I knew what they were when I started this little enterprise, but to share with others some of the realities of taking photos professionally; it’s more than an iPhone for sure!