claire pinder photography : BLOG

Sitting fees are not hard to explain. Sitting fees might sound unnecessary, but they cover hours of behind-the-scenes work, plus the actual stuff you see. I am always being asked what the sitting fee is for. It’s a fee that I charge for the behind-the-scenes work. It’s the deposit that you pay, when booking your session, to secure your date. It’s also non-refundable (as outlined in our Portrait Agreement that you sign before your session), meaning that if you decide for some reason after you’ve paid, that you want to cancel your booking (and I’ve already done the legwork, or worse, already done the shoot!!) – its ok, you walk away, but I still get paid for my efforts. So, here’s just a few things that goes on “behind the scenes”, that explains what really goes on.

The stuff you don’t see :

– The paperwork : Emails / phone calls / invoices / filing / organising boring paperwork stuff into pretty Ikea shelving and Typo boxes 🙂

– The fun stuff : Organising your session. Writing down the particulars. Location – I want beach/bush/park/paddock/home/studio – check. Props – balloons/bed/bubbles/picnic rugs/colourful mats/teepee’s – check. Wardrobe – what will we wear?? – check.

– Location check (I “location-stalk” before every.single.session. I do not leave anything to chance. I scout the location, check it before your portrait date, and find the best areas for lighting/backgrounds. I check for back-up locations and I have been known to knock on stranger’s doors to ask if I can use their backyard/field/paddock/driveway for your portrait session (I send thank you cards afterwards). I have had cancellations of locations due to floods, RAIN!!!! argghhh, closed parks, and kids participating in triathlons, running down boardwalks at the beach, and closing nearby roads! (this week’s location dilemma). But don’t worry, I will always find an alternative for you 🙂

– Backing up all my cards with your precious memories. Backing up again. And again. Putting them on 3 external hard drives (2 at home, 1 at an external location), 2 computer hard drives, and again on DVD. Your images are so precious, and they are safe.

– Editing. Post processing. Whatever you want to call it. I call it hours/days sitting at the computer, culling images, rating them as different stars so I can find them easily, renaming, editing, logo’ing, saving. Uploading sneaky peeks onto Facebook. Making client galleries online. Assigning passwords, writing a little blurb about how lovely the session was and how much fun we all had (that’s the easy part!), emailing clients with logon details.

– Now that the client has seen them – Selecting some and uploading them onto my Website. Email clients again.  Send another invoice. Talk about products – Albums, prints, Art Mounts, Canvas….. Spend hours/days assembling albums. Email companies and follow up your products. Argue about shipping fees. Check and double-check before I send it off to my happy clients. (And don’t get me started on lining up at the Post Office!!!! Grrrr).

The stuff you do see:

– ME – I drive and meet you at the location. I spend 1.5 hours with your family. We have fun, we blow bubbles and tickle the kids. We spend 3 hours curling your newborn into cute poses, add hats/blankets/headbands and snap from every angle. I photograph away as you hold hands and skip through the fields with your family. I watch as you slurp ice-creams and laugh when it drips down your arm. I dress you in fabrics that show off your beautiful baby bump. I smile as you cuddle your newborn and wonder in amazement at the little life you have created. I share in your special moments and I am eternally grateful that you have asked me to be there with you.

A sitting fee doesn’t cover the hours/days of background stuff, but it’s there anyway. It might sound unnecessary and a bit expensive, but now you know what it’s used for and why I charge it. I might only spend a few hours with you, and I might only meet you face to face once, but I am a wife/mum/person too, and I charge for my time. I want the best for my family, and I want memories and pictures captured every step of the way. I want the best for YOU, too, and I work and plan and chat with you along the way, to ensure big smiles on your face when you see the end result.

Here’s something to make your next portrait session a little more affordable – Have your portraits done on a WEEKDAY!

You may not realise that I hold the majority of my portrait sessions either in the early morning (8am – 8.30am) or late afternoon (4.30pm) when the light is at its best. This also makes it a teeny bit easier to leave early from work, or fit it in around other daily commitments. My weekend sessions book about 4-6 weeks in advance, however my weekday sessions are readily available, so why not consider a weekday portrait session? Simple, easy, and leaves your weekends free! And a saving of $40?? Don’t pass that up 🙂

Use the Contact tab on my Facebook page, or email me at claire@clairepinderphotography.com.au to grab the Weekday rate and schedule your portrait session.

Claire x

Brisbane Family Portrait, Pregnancy and Newborn Photographer : Servicing North Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast.

Murrumba Downs, Kallangur, Pine Rivers, Strathpine, Mango Hill, North Lakes, Redcliffe, Petrie, Scarborough, Griffin, Caboolture, Morayfield, Dakabin, Warner, Rothwell, Narangba, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Stafford, Bald Hills, Bridgeman Downs, Brendale, Taigum, Chermside, Chermside West, Mitchelton, The Gap, Ferny Hills, Ferny Grove, Kurwongbah, Wooloowin, Kedron, Kelvin Grove, Gaythorne, Ashgrove, Bardon, Lutwyche, Samford, Everton Hills, Everton Park, Aspley, Banyo, Wavell Heights, Alderley, Upper Kedron, Eatons Hill, Cashmere, Clear Mountain, Whiteside, Deception Bay, Dayboro, Burpengary, Wamuran, Ningi, Bribie Island.