What is a sitting fee - explaining photography pricing
What is a sitting fee, anyway? And how do you know how much a photo session is going to cost when all is said and done? Every service industry has a different pricing structure and industry specific jargon. Each business also structures their pricing differently. To help you cut through it all, I am going to review terminology and pricing structures in this post.
What is a sitting fee?
A sitting fee is also known as a session fee or creative fee. It is the payment a client makes to cover the costs of photographing a session. It only covers the actual service and not the product. That means that sitting fees don’t include digital image files or print products of any kind. Upon seeing the images, a client can decide what type of investment they’d like to make.
Benefits of this structure for you:
Seeing the images first means you only pay for what you want.
The initial investment is lower for you. So the risk you’re taking to try out a new photographer is less.
Since sitting fees only include the service and no product, sales tax is not applicable. Under Colorado law, once a fee includes print or digital products, sales tax is applicable. Separating the service from the products, saves you money.
Downsides:
You don't know what your exact investment will be at the beginning. It depends on how much you choose to buy after the session.
Some photographers have an in-person ordering session after the session. This means you spending more time on your photography.
What to watch out for:
Make sure that you know the photographer’s full price list before booking. The photographer should provide a copy for your reference. Look over this price list carefully and make sure that the products you plan to purchase are going to be within your budget.
Also, make sure you know the ordering process well. When in-person meetings are involved, often product purchases can only be made during this meeting. This means that you need to be familiar with the price list and have a set budget before walking into the meeting, because this will be your one and only chance to order.
Typical Price:
Sitting fees typically range from $100 - $1000.
What is all inclusive?
The opposite side of the pricing spectrum in photography is “all inclusive.” This can take many forms. The way I see it most often is including the sitting fee and all the digital image files from the session.
Benefits of this structure for you:
You know your entire investment at the beginning.
Downsides:
Your initial investment can be steep.
You don't see the images before making your decision about products.
The entire session is taxable. With some Colorado sales tax rates going beyond 10%, this can add on to the investment.
What to watch out for:
If dealing with image files, make sure you know these details:
The amount of files you're getting matches the amount of images taken during a session. It may seem like the pricing is all inclusive, because it says you get 20 image files. But when you get your gallery, you actually get 40 images and you have to choose which 20 you want.
The resolution of the files is what you're expecting. Make sure that it is clear what the resulting resolution will be. Standard terms for this would be high-resolution, web resolution, or low resolution.
If the image files have a watermark or not.
If dealing with print products, make sure you know these details:
Who chooses the images. Are the images for the products chosen by the photographer or by you.
Typical Price:
All inclusive costs can range from $500 to $1500 for portrait photographers.
All inclusive costs start at $1500 for a wedding photographer.
All inclusive costs for branding start at $500.
Hybrid
The hybrid model is exactly what it sounds like, a hybrid of the two models above. It usually means paying a sitting fee and for some products up front. You then have the option to buy more products after seeing your images.
Benefits of this structure for you:
The initial investment is less steep than all inclusive.
It can mean not investing any further after the session.
After seeing the images, you can decide if you want more digital or print products.
Downsides:
The initial investment is steeper than a separate sitting fee
You may still end up with product you wouldn't normally have purchased.
Sales tax will be applied to the entire investment.
Your entire investment is unknown upon booking.
What to watch out for:
Make sure that you know exactly what is included with the initial investment. Pay particular attention to the section under the "all inclusive" section of this post. And make sure that you know and have access to a copy of the photographer's full price list.
Photographers often do have in-person ordering sessions with a hybrid model as well. So make sure you're familiar with the full price list and have set a budget before entering that meeting. And make sure you know when, where, and how you can buy products. It may be only at the ordering session.
What to expect
Photography companies will typically use one of the systems above. Some may use more than one, especially if they offer different types of photography. There isn’t one used more than the others in this industry. Although certain types of photography will usually gravitate towards one or the other. The all inclusive or hybrid models are common in wedding photography. Portrait photographers that are starting out tend to use all inclusive. And corporate or branding photography often use all inclusive. With that said, it still depends upon the photographer you’re working with. There is no rule that one type of photography should use a certain kind of model.
The pricing structure terminology above isn't usually included on price lists. But there are ways for you to figure out which one is being used. "Sitting fee” (or the derivatives session or creative fee) indicates the first model. Almost always a sitting fee only includes the service and no products. If a fee does include products, it should always specify how many and what. It is best to not assume anything. Determining pricing for a company is complicated. Photographers make a series of decisions that result in their final price list. That means that any of the above models can be at play, as well as variations upon them.
At what time a photographer divulges full pricing information may also vary. Some photographers include all their pricing information on their website. Others don’t include any information on their website. While others will include only starting prices on their website. You should always have full access to a photographer's full price list before booking.
Conclusion
Always ask questions. And ask all the questions you need to ask in order to feel comfortable before making a purchase.
Sara Herkes is a maternity photographer based in Longmont, CO. She serves the the Denver Metro Area, the Colorado Rockies, and the Northern Front Range and captures your pregnancy amidst the Colorado wilderness. Learn more about her services here.
