Category Archives: Studio Portraits

I wanted to share an experience I had yesterday.

I first need to tell you I had a lady inquire about newborn portraits earlier this week.  As I was talking with her about pricing and the process on how I create the newborn portraits, she rudely interrupted and told me I was ridiculously too expensive.  This caught me off guard.  Most all potential clients who call understand we are not your typical amateur photography studio.  They recognize the quality and talent with our newborn portraits.

I apologized to this lady and tried to explain the importance of good quality portraits and they years of experience I have with newborns.  If my pricing was very inexpensive I would be working 50 hours a week and would not be able to give my clients the personalized attention they deserve.  Also the quality who not be at the standard I want my work to be at.  With my pricing marked higher, I am able to have clients who appreciate good portraits and are able to recognize the difference between amateur portraits and professional portraits.

This lady continued to argue and explain how she was a doctor and her husband was very wealthy.  I guess she was trying to tell me should could afford good portraits, but the cost was not a priority to her for her newborns portraits.

After hanging up with her I was a little shook up the rest of the day.

Yesterday I came into the studio and began to listen to my messages.  I had the most heart breaking message from one of my really awesome (and favorite)  clients.  This client had been bringing her daughter to me for the past 3 years since her daughter was just a few days old.  So over the past 3 years I became good friends with this client, her husband and 3 year old daughter.  When I listened to her message I broke into tears.  She had just delivered a baby boy last night and he was not going to make it.  She asked if I could rush up to the hospital to take some pictures of this little tiny baby and their sweet little family… before he passes.

Wow!  I have never had a photo shoot like this in the past 11 years of my career.  But there was no doubt in my mind, I was going to grab my camera and give this friend the best newborn photos I could possible create! I don’t remember the last time I cried so hard.

This experience reminded me of so many things…

I don’t care what your argument is, you can not put a price tag on portraits.  I was able to capture images for this sweet mom of her little miracle for the short time he was on this earth.  Do you think this women could put a price tag on these images of her baby? NO.  This is a memory I was given the great opportunity to create for her.

Next, I want to remind all you mothers, LOVE your children.  My heart truly aches for this mother.  No mother should have to go through this awful experience.  As I watched this family say good bye to this sweet little baby, It made me sooo grateful for my little ones at home.

I count my blessing every day and thank God for all he has given me…

tanya