the Price of Family Portrait Photography

I was charged a $350 sitting fee to have professional portraits taken of my family and new baby. Purchasing prints after the fact, is an entirely separate expense.

The photographer was very good and brought a great deal of equipment with him. We wanted the portraits done in our home instead of at his studio and he had no problem with that. The entire session took him almost three hours but he does not charge by the hour or for over-time; the $350 is a flat fee. These photographers make a great deal of money on prints of the photos, however, so chose carefully when ordering.

If a photographer offers you a "free sitting fee" be wary of hidden charges for over-time and for extra people in the portrait. Also, make sure you are aware of the cost of prints before you order. Some enlargements (5x7 and 8x10s) can run close to $20 or $30. See if it is possible for you to purchase the proofs from the photographer, that way you have a full set of 4x6 prints that you can keep or give as gifts and so you won't have to order too many reprints. Also, inquire as to if your photographer will release the photos to you on a CD (so that you can make your own prints/copies). Make sure you discuss all these details with the photographer a head of time.