I am not a fan of justifying pricing charged by photographers, whether it’s wedding albums or newborn shoots, but I want to write about it at least once before I put this subject to rest. In recent months, the price of newborn photography has been in the spotlight more than usual.
I could start by being argumentative (“When was the last time anyone asked their doctor/dentist/architect/lawyer/private tutor why they charge so much?”), but that would get us nowhere.
Instead, I’ll try to break it down to shed some light on the costs we incur.
Newborn photography, like wedding photography, is a luxury. It’s not compulsory and not everyone needs a massive canvas above their baby’s cot. We have phones and DSLR cameras are finally affordable for most households, so we can do it all ourselves, right?
Many of us do. But for those who decide to let newborn photographers take over, there’s usually the dilemma: “How much are those photos worth to me? What am I happy to pay?”
As photographers, we often feel shy about our prices, which leads to undercharging (most of us are guilty of this at some point). Not all photographers display their prices clearly. We see the amazing work of our competition and become acutely aware of our perceived shortcomings. But we do need to make a living, so we charge figures that rarely add up — just to make ends meet. From a client’s perspective, any figure given (unless it’s FREE) seems like a lot. “You’re only clicking. Anyone can do this. Digital photos don’t cost anything!”
There’s a reason there are never any photographers in the Forbes 100 richest people list.
Here’s what constitutes that “free” shoot:
Decent professional cameras start from £2,500.
There is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to lenses. Those cute close-ups of your baby’s lips and lashes? Macro lenses start around £250. General-purpose lenses cost anywhere from £800 to £1,800.
Camera and lenses require regular servicing, which adds cost.
Working in the UK, I can’t rely solely on natural light. I use a speedlight (from £200) or strobes. Batteries are an ongoing cost.
Studio rent, utilities — even if you work from home, your business uses additional resources.
Equipment, public liability, building and income protection insurance — all essential, especially when working with newborns.
Website design and hosting. A basic WordPress site might start from £500. Using an agency? Multiply that by 4. Ongoing maintenance adds further cost.
Hosting and support: around £60/month.
Marketing: business cards, brochures, social ads, SEO — the sky’s the limit.
Editing software: Adobe Creative Cloud is around £10/month for photographers.
Monitor calibration tools start from £90 — necessary to ensure printed colours match what we see on screen.
Mobile phone and wi-fi: essential for inquiries and communication.
Viewing galleries: start from £15/month, licensed music for sessions adds £8/month.
CRM software: if not using Excel, prices vary depending on complexity.
Bookkeeping: software from £25/month, accountant fees range widely.
Storage: Dropbox or similar around £10/month.
Work clothing: frequently replaced due to wear and tear (baby mess is a real thing).
Travel for training and trade shows.
Ongoing training: a single workshop or mentoring session can range from £400 to £1,200.
Stationery: envelopes, thank-you cards.
Personalised USBs: £30 each, not £3.
Professional memberships: BANPAS (£65/year), BIPP (£220/year), The Guild (£130/year).
Payment processing fees.
And lastly — PROPS: hats, scarves, mohair outfits, headbands, wooden crates, buckets, beanbags, backdrops, bowls — the list is endless. Many cost between £10 and £100 each. Beanbags alone cost around £120, with fill at £50. Paper backdrops? £40 per roll. Props wear out fast and need replacing.
Before you welcome your first client, you’ve likely invested thousands.
And all of this? That’s just the tangible expense.
Now let’s talk time:
Pre-session communication: 1 hour.
Session prep: 1–2 hours.
Cleaning studio and props: 1.5 hours.
Image selection: 1 hour.
Editing: 2–6 hours.
Gallery prep: 1 hour.
Viewing session: 1 hour.
Product design, ordering and packaging: 4+ hours.
Delivery/pickup coordination: 30 mins–1 hour.
Still not done. There’s also time spent working on your business — networking, partnerships, community building, social media, blogging.
Clicking is free. Creating high-quality, treasured images is not. 😉
