“Charge what you are worth” seems to have become the universal advice on photographer pricing.

Facebook groups, ads, podcasts, some days no matter where I look, there is a conversation to be had on this.

My opinion? 

This is bullsh*t.

OMG! Did I really just say that?!

Now, there is very little that makes me happier - professionally - than seeing my clients doing what they love and enjoy being rewarded for their talent and hard work. I love seeing their confidence grow as they can finally stop worrying about paying the studio rent and their sales consistently increase.

But this has got nothing to do with charging what they are worth.

First of all, like a client of mine said today, it's a piece of advice that doesn't really give you a precise idea of what to do and how.

It has no practical meaning whatsoever.

The underlying idea is that if you are “not charging enough” (according to someone who is looking at your business from the outside) or not making the kind of money they deem “enough” then… you should charge more.

But here’s where things get sticky: what exactly are we’re talking about, when we say “charge your worth”?

Is it the quality of your work, the experience you offer, the kind of studio you have?

Then don’t get all itchy if someone around you charges less than you do. They are not undercutting you, they are charging their worth.

Also, who is to judge exactly?

We have “objective” parameters for your images (although what your clients see in your images is wildly different to what a panel of experts sees), but what about the rest? 

Are we going to let your clients decide how much the experience is worth? 

Your best friends? 

Your coach?

Yourself?

From a business perspective, the latter makes even less sense as it introduces an emotional element – your perception of your own worth – into pricing.

“I struggle with my self-esteem, I know I am not charging enough…

…but I have also just started, I look around and I don’t think my work is as good as other photographers charging as much as I do!

So am I too expensive?? Maybe I should charge a deposit instead of a session fee…

No! Maybe I should ask other photographers… but I know what they are going to say!

They are going to say I am too cheap!”

Should I even explain why this might lead to a slippery slope, making us more neurotic about pricing?

As if we were not already dealing with self-doubt, self-worth and self-esteem (or lack of it) on a daily basis.

In my experience as a coach, business owner and human, promoting the idea that our deepest worth as a person is in any way connected to the amount of money we charge - or make - does far more harm than good.

We already see and experience every day the effects of this way of thinking, both in our industry and in the World in general.

Want to know what is the first question I ask every photographer I coach, when it comes to pricing?

What is your ONE goal this year?

• Is your goal to increase profit? 

• Sell more wall art? 

• Increase revenue? 

• Work less? 

• Get more clients?

From there, we look at the current state of their business and build a pricing strategy that can help us bridge the gap from where they are and where they want to be:

What is their style, when it comes to selling (because let’s be honest, not everybody is comfortable pressuring people - and that’s OK.)

How aggressive do we need to be in our market to achieve our goals? Do we need to gain "market shares" (for example, if they are not established in the area)? Or is our goal to significantly increase the average sale and make more money without getting “busier”?

This approach inevitably results in a clear structure that my clients can fully embrace because it is built FOR THEM.

So, ready to be a (successful) rebel?

Stop charging your worth.

Instead of trying to put a price tag on your value, start asking yourself what price makes sense given the lifestyle you want to have, the amount that would feel good to you and where your business is right now.

Stay sparkly,

Gi