After a decade behind the lens, I've witnessed a troubling shift in how people perceive professional photography. What was once considered an essential investment for life's milestones and business marketing has become, in many eyes, something that "anyone with a phone" can do. This devaluation isn't just frustrating—it's threatening the very existence of an art form that has documented humanity's most important moments for generations.
The Cell Phone Fallacy
Smartphone cameras have become remarkably sophisticated, but owning a great camera doesn't make you a photographer any more than owning a great oven makes you a chef. Professional photographers understand composition, lighting, color theory, and how to make subjects feel comfortable enough to reveal their authentic selves. We handle challenging lighting conditions, work with different skin tones, and create images that are both technically flawless and emotionally resonant. These skills take years to develop and cannot be replicated by simply pointing a phone at someone.
I once had someone tell me that all photographers do is "just press a button." Unfortunately, that's how many people view our work — they don't see or understand everything that goes into creating beautiful, high-quality portraits. Yet those same people would be offended if someone questioned their own salary or what they charge for their products and services in their businesses.
Why Other Professions Don't Face This Problem
Imagine asking your dentist to clean your teeth for free because "it's not like it's major surgery," or requesting that your accountant do your taxes without payment because "they're just putting numbers into a software program." Or, walking into an art gallery and asking the artist to give you their artwork for free because it's "just a painting." It sounds absurd, right? Yet photographers face these requests constantly.
The difference lies in perceived expertise. When someone needs dental work, they know they lack the expertise. But because anyone can take a photo, they assume the skill gap must be minimal.
Here's the reality: professional photographers often invest $10,000 to $50,000 or more in equipment, software, insurance, continuing education, and business infrastructure. We spend hours editing images that clients view for seconds. A two-hour portrait session might represent four to 12 hours of total work when you include preparation, shooting, culling, editing, and delivery.
For on-location sessions, add travel expenses: packing and unpacking gear, setting up and breaking down backdrops and lighting equipment, gas, parking fees; not to mention the drive time. These costs add up quickly. Would you accept it if your employer asked you to do your job and then refused to pay you for your time and expenses? Absolutely not.
The Paradox of "Free"
When someone invites me to an event and asks, "Can you bring your camera?", instead of: "I'd like to hire you to photograph my event," they're asking me to do my job and hand over the finished product without any compensation — something that would be considered absurd in any other profession.
Ironically, we live in an era where we take more photographs than ever before, yet we value professional photography less than we did in the film era. When people had to wait days or weeks to see their photos, photography felt precious. Now that we can take unlimited photos with immediate results, the perceived value has plummeted.
When photographers work for free or drastically undercharge, we don't just hurt ourselves — we hurt the entire profession. We reinforce the idea that our work has no value, making it harder for all photographers to earn a sustainable living.
Moreover, studies have repeatedly shown that people value what they pay for. Those digital files? They'll likely languish on a hard drive, never printed, never displayed, eventually lost in a phone upgrade or computer crash. Images you invest in, especially printed ones, become heirlooms.
The Digital Dilemma
Here's what most people don't realize: the digital file isn't actually the photograph. The digital file is what used to be called the "negative" — the potential for a photograph. What you're actually paying for when you hire a professional photographer is years of training, thousands of hours of practice, an eye developed through experience, professional-grade equipment, editing expertise that requires both artistic vision and technical skill; and the ability to read, create, and manipulate light, anticipate moments, and create images that will matter in 20 years, not just on Instagram today.
Honestly, like most photographers, when someone says, "I just want the digitals," my heart sinks. Why spend so much time, effort, and money for images you'll only look at once or twice on the smallest screen possible? You might be thinking, "But my files are saved to the cloud, so I have them forever!" Really? Forever? Remember floppy discs, Zip drives, Maxi discs, and video tapes? Technology is always evolving with each iteration becoming obsolete at some point. Long gone are VCRs and computer DVD drives. Even USB drives and DVDs are slowly being phased out.
And yes, the cloud is a great storage platform, but consider what happens when your storage fills up and you can't pay for more space, when tech company servers fail or the company goes out of business, when prices continue increasing beyond your budget, or when (not if) your digital files become corrupted. While these may seem like extreme examples, it's worth remembering that technology isn't infallible. As a photographer, I have to save all of my files on multiple external hard drives, a RAID storage system, and in the cloud, just to ensure that no matter what, I have at least one to two backups in case one or two fail, get stolen or lost. You may think that’s overkill, but trust me…I have had a computer hard drive crash, numerous external hard drive and USB drive failures, and files that suddenly became corrupted.
How many times have we seen families relieved that their family photo albums or framed prints survived fires or natural disasters? These items are almost always the first thing people want to save when evacuating their homes.
Many photographers, including me, will give you complimentary matching digital files of any printed images you purchase. Yes, albums and prints cost more due to the production costs, but consider what you're getting — tangible, printed keepsakes and heirlooms that will last for generations, along with the digitals. Take advantage of this because you’re getting the best of both worlds: beautiful prints for wall decor you and your family can look at and enjoy every single day, plus the digital files to share via email and online, and serve as backups. And trust me when I say, you will be absolutely amazed at how much better your images look in print versus on a small cell phone screen.
Photography as a Business, Not Just a Passion
I love what I do. But my passion for photography doesn't pay the mortgage or cover my ever-increasing bills. It doesn't replace failed equipment the night before a session, fund liability insurance, pay for health insurance, or contribute to my retirement. Reminder: photographers don't have employers offering health insurance and 401(k) plans with matching funds. We are simply trying to be able to pay ourselves a living wage and grow our businesses.
Every profession requires both skill and business acumen to survive. The idea that photographers should work for exposure or experience alone suggests that our years of expertise and equipment investments are somehow less legitimate than other professions.
Over the years, I’ve had quite a few clients who chose not to hire me because their perception of the value of my services and products was vastly different than the value I place on my work. I equate it to going to a Mercedes dealer expecting to pay Honda prices. Am I comparing myself to Mercedes? Absolutely not. But my work is worth what I charge. The prices I charge are not arbitrary and they are not unreasonable. They help ensure that I can continue getting better at my craft, providing a great customer experience, and creating high quality products and services for many years to come.
What You're Really Getting
When you hire a professional photographer, you're not just getting pictures. You're receiving a visual story of who you are and your life's important moments, created by someone who has dedicated their career to mastering this craft. You're getting images that will outlive both of us, becoming part of your family's legacy. You're also supporting a small business owner who chose to pursue artistry in an increasingly automated world.
Professional photography preserves the authentic emotions of your wedding day, the fleeting expressions of your newborn, the pride in your graduate's eyes, and the family dynamics that will shift and change with time. These aren't just images — they're time capsules.
A Simple Request
I'm not suggesting everyone needs professional photos for every occasion. Smartphone snapshots have their place in documenting daily life. But when it comes to moments that truly matter, there's no substitute for professional expertise.
What I am asking for is respect — respect for the craft, respect for the years of training, and respect for the fact that professional photography is a legitimate business deserving of fair compensation, just like any other skilled profession.
If you've benefited from professional photography, I encourage you to support your local photographers. Hire us for your important moments, pay our rates without negotiation, and share our work with credit. The memories we create for you are priceless — and the profession deserves to be treated that way.
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