The number one question I see pop up in every forum, on every Thread, and in every photography group I’ve ever been in is the question on every new photographers mind:

“What do I charge?”

Whether you’re a new photographer pricing your services for the first time, or you’re a seasoned photographer pivoting into brand photography for the first time, getting your prices right is foundational to your success. But before you can structure your packages, you need to know your numbers.

If you haven’t already, check out my post on how to price your photography for profit to ensure your rates are covering your costs and supporting your goals

You don’t want to charge too little and leave money on the table, because that means that eventually you will have to come out of your own pocket to run your brand photography business

And you don’t want to charge too much for what you’re offering and scare away potential clients.

But don’t worry, I’m here to tell you that pricing and packaging your services doesn’t have to be a guessing game. There’s a method to pricing your work that ensures you’re profitable while making your packages more appealing to your clients.

The Power of Strategic Pricing

Once you’ve determined your baseline pricing, the next step is structuring your offers in a way that makes booking a no-brainer. Not all pricing structures are created equal. Too many options and a la carte add-ons can be confusing, while not offering enough might send your clients looking for a more streamlined, easy-to-understand option.

You don’t want your clients to be so overwhelmed (or underwhelmed) by your offer that they struggle to make a decision and ultimately go elsewhere. It’s a balance, that when done right, can be the key to closing more leads, more often.

When your packages are structered in a way that makes the cost difference easy to understand, while including options that are juicy and enticing, the buying decision becomes less a matter of “what do I get?” and more about whether you’re the right person to capture their vision.

If buying decision is a no-brainer, you can focus on connecting with them on a personal level and establishing their trust instead of educating them on your packages and trying to convince them to invest in add-ons.

One way to do this, which I teach in my Pricing & Packaging For Brand Photographers workshop, is to center your packages around an option that is meant to be the most appealing when compared to the rest. This subtly nudges clients toward the price point you actually want them to book, rather than making them do too much math.

Think good-better-best when creating your packages.

More Than Just Hours—How to Create Value-Packed Offers

One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that, when creating high-ticket service based offers, it’s less about the dollar amount and more about the experience. At a certain level, and for certain services, clients expect to invest a pretty penny for quality and deliverables, so relying on your offers alone won’t do much to tip the scales in your favor.

What shift a potential client from a “maybe” to a “hell yes” are the intagible things that create a swoon-worthy experience. And for you, these things can be services or bonuses that don’t add to your overhead, but that do add value to your client.

For instance, an in-person brand strategy session in your studio or in your clients place of business can feel like a high-touch, essential part of a photoshoot package, but this requires you to go beyond the scope of “photographer” and to lean into your strategic creative director role.

Or maybe you know an amazing makeup artist who is willing to offer you a discounted fee for using them exclusively on all your photoshoots.

It’s not about stuffing your packages with unnecessary bloat, but about anticipating your client needs and considering what would make the photoshoot experience more enjoyable and more successful for them.

If you want a step-by-step breakdown of how to price for profit (without guesswork), you can join my Pricing & Packaging for Brand Photographers workshop.

At the end of the day, your packages and pricing shouldn’t feel like a mystery, it should be a system that works for you while creating the most luxurious experience you can for your client.

xoxo,

Victoria