Many photographers fail to understand that a customer’s budget determines their work. In an ideal world, it would be the other way around. But sadly, the ideal world and the real world don’t often intersect.
Don’t confuse “work” with “effort” or “creativity”. The latter two should be independent of the customer’s budget. Whether the budget is $1,000 or $10,000, the photographer should put forth the same effort and creativity.
When you go to a grocery store, that store wants you to buy a full cart of products. But if your budget is $20, then the grocery store can’t afford to sell you more than $20 worth of products.
A camera store would love to sell you a $5,000 new camera. But if your budget is $1,000, then the store simply can’t afford to sell you more than a $1,000 camera.
All businesses operate this way.
Let’s say a potential customer requests three business portraits. Of course you’d love to sell them your $6,000 corporate photography package which includes three hours of photography, lots of studio lighting, several background choices, five looks per person, fantastic retouching and many years of usage rights.
But if the customer’s budget is $1,000, then you cannot afford to sell them $6,000 worth of photography. If you did, you’d be losing $5,000 and your original $6,000 price meant nothing.
To meet this customer’s $1,000 budget, you might offer to shoot the business portraits with one hour of photography, a small flash, one background, one look per person, minimal retouching and limited usage rights.
The customer’s budget determines the work. Just like all other businesses.
