WHICH OF THESE IS MORE EXPENSIVE? - The answer might surprise you.
“Great day! thanks so much for making it special and fun!”
Boudoir photography continues to grow in popularity year after year.
As excited as women are to try boudoir, one of the first questions for almost everyone (and rightly so) is how much does a GOOD Boudoir photo shoot cost?
This is a natural thing to ask, and today we're going to take a look at the mysterious world of boudoir pricing and what you should expect to spend on a successful (and quality) boudoir session.
Boudoir Photographers Don't Always Make It Easy...
One of the first things you'll quickly realise is that boudoir photographers don't always make it easy to see the prices for their Photoshoots and products... If you do a quick Google search for Boudoir Photographers in your area and then click on their websites, you’ll probably find it tricky to work out exactly what you’ll end up paying for your Boudoir Experience.
This can be incredibly frustrating, after all, we live in a fast paced world and expect "Instant Gratification" with everything. Some things just don’t work this way.
For example…. Go to a Porsche dealership and try and buy a new car and you’ll find the sticker price on the window. The problem, though, is that the ‘sticker price’ for your new car is never what you end up paying. Who wants a car of this amazing quality without air conditioning, or heated seats or sat nav? Who wants it in plain old white with fabric seats? If you want another colour or leather seats, you’ll probably find Porsche will charge you a pretty penny for them
A ‘basic’ no frills Cayenne is £70,400 but add those extras above and you’ll quickly add £10,000 to the ‘basic’ cost. (See HERE ). Get a premium body kit and Engine and you’ll blow more than £100,000!
Buy a computer from Apple and you’ll discover the price readily enough online but add some processing speed and storage and very quickly you’ll see the price increase..
A Boudoir Photoshoot, like anything custom made, will have a base cost, which is normally called the ‘session fee’ and this will cover the cost of the shoot itself and perhaps hair and makeup and some editing time. Each boudoir Photographer should list what you get included in the ‘session fee’. For example, at Madison Bou, we charge £189 for our session fee and that pays for full direction, hair and makeup, lashes, unlimited outfit changes and no time constraints. Every studio is different in this regard. Some charge per outfit change and per hour and some charge for set changes. Some even go so far as to offer a ‘FREE’ Print included. (Free, of course, after you’ve paid the session fee and it may well be the picture they give you rather than the one you actually want)
Generally speaking, The bulk of the investment in a Boudoir Photoshoot comes when you get to see the finished pictures and decide how you want to display them.
Here’s something that may surprise you… No matter how you decide you want your pictures, you will pay roughly the same amount of money no matter which Boudoir Studio you choose.
Those studios that operate a ‘conveyor belt’ style of makeover photoshoot with multiple clients every day and the same poses and backdrops for each client on a strictly controlled timeline, will charge around £1,000 if you want your digital pictures after the shoot.
A more luxurious, bespoke photoshoot experience which provides a more personal service will likely offer fully edited, fully finished, quality products, made to last for the rest of your life. They will offer digitals, just like the other studios, but will most likely offer more favourable packages of digitals with finished products such as custom made books and premium quality wall art that will enhance the most beautiful homes.
The take-away from this is that no matter which studio you choose, if all you want are the basic digitals, you’re more than likely going to pay the same for those pictures and the session so you may as well focus on choosing the studio that produces the kind of pictures you love rather than looking for a ‘deal’..
Some photographers may actually display some, or perhaps even all, of their pricing information, such as session fees, products, or package pricing, and have it freely available on their websites. This is may be helpful info, but many photographers don’t operate in this manner.
Why?
Well, there is a school of thought that this may not be a good idea, because drive-by shoppers are simply just seeing a number and not really quite understanding what they are getting for that number. For example, what if the price on the website is ‘per picture’ and you love all 100 pictures that you see at the viewing? That can work out expensive. What if the prices for packages include a book and you don’t want a book, until you come to your shoot, see the pictures and the books and absolutely fall in love with them? What if you normally hate your picture being taken and think that the pictures of you wearing lingerie will make you feel fat and unattractive and it takes every bit of courage to do the shoot in the first place? What if you love what you see at the viewing and now feel super confident about yourself? You’ll probably want something more. than the basic then, wouldn’t you think? What about those studios that charge by the hour and it takes you a long time to warm up and feel comfortable in front of the camera to the point where five minutes before the end, you begin to feel more confident and start to enjoy the experience? Isn’t this the point when you’ll regret only paying for the one hour session?
You see, the problem with studios displaying all their prices online in a long list of options is that we tend to be bad shoppers when it comes to things we don’t know and often just choose the lowest price we find without really understanding what we’re getting for our money.
We always say that a bad Boudoir Experience may make you feel worse about yourself than you did when you arrived and no matter how cheap that experience was and no matter how many ‘Frre’ pictures you get, it will feel like the most expensive mistake you’ve ever made. However, a good Boudoir Experience that leaves you feeling empowered and confident everytime you look at your pictures, well, that experience will feel like one of the best investments you’ve ever made.
It’s all about how much you feel you’re actually worth yourself.
Think of it this way... just like cars come in all different price points and levels of quality so do boudoir photographers.
People understand walking into a Mercedes-Benz dealer they are going to pay more- but they understand what they are getting. They are not mentally comparing a Mercedes-Benz to a used Hyundai and expecting them to be the same price.
Photography works the same way- there are good photographers, and lesser-skilled ones... but for the most part people don't know this and they assume all photographers are the same and make purchasing decisions solely based on lowest price.
So, this is why many photographers do not show much, if any, pricing information on their websites.
They prefer a chance to chat with a client and make the point of what separates them from others.
After doing this for 20 years we’ve established a reputation where people find us by recommendation or web search and understand that our prices won’t be ‘Primark’ cheap and will be more Louboutin or Honey Birdette so we’re less afraid to list some of our costs online. On our website you’ll find a pretty good idea about your investment on this INVESTMENT
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Don't blindly shop by comparing prices.
Although in this post we're focusing a bit more on the pricing aspect of a boudoir session - one thing to keep in mind when shopping for photography (and something we’ve talked about many times before such as in this post - 5 Tips To Help Yorkshire Women Shop Smarter For A Boudoir Photographer is that Boudoir Photography isn't a price comparative business. Unlike a Tube of Toothpaste or Litre of Petrol, Boudoir Photoshoots are wildly different experiences from photographer to photographer.
Comparing the prices between different boudoir photographers is a somewhat meaningless exercise. It's a bit like trying to make a buying decision between two houses and knowing nothing about them other than the price. How many rooms do they have? what’s the condition? Location? How much land? etc….Which is the best value? There is no way you can know! More details are needed to make the best decision. Similarly, taking the prices of two boudoir photographers and simply comparing them to make a buying decision is a really bad way to shop. How do you know what you're getting or even if you’re going to like the final result? .
We spend a lot of time coaching the nerves out of our clients. The result is relaxed looks on camera and comfortable, yet dramatic posing everytime.
Remember also, that the real value of boudoir sessions isn't entirely financial.
This experience is a personal journey of empowerment and self-love and while this kind of statement can sound a little ‘preachy’ to many, it’s easy to see this experience as a rare opportunity to celebrate yourself in a truly unique way.
The images captured are not merely photographs, they are timeless illustrations of your beauty, your strength, and your individuality.
Consider them as reminders of a moment in time when you chose to celebrate yourself.
Therefore, when comparing prices, don't lose sight of the inherent value of this transformative experience.
Try and find a Boudoir Photographer who understands your vision and will guide you through this empowering journey, not just someone who offers a lower price.
After all, boudoir photography isn't just about the end product; it's about the entire experience, and that's priceless..
This is what you call… lounging with attitude on the settee of a designer apartment during a Leeds Boudoir Experience
Identifying a Good Investment
Now, when thinking about the cost of a boudoir photoshoot, it's also important to consider the value you are getting for your money. Remember, this isn't just about having some photos taken; it's about the entire experience….
In life, pretty much everything can be seen as either an ‘expense’ or an ‘investment’
Food and heating, for example, are obvious monthly expenses (Though they also keep us alive so are also a form of investment )
Houses, courses for qualifications and time spent with our families, in general, can be viewed as ‘investments’ because they increase in ‘value’ over time. This value comes in a form of financial value (Houses or courses that lead to jobs that lead to more pay) or memories (time spent with family) but an expense is a different thing entirely. An expense losses value straight away. Buy a car and you’ll lose money immediately after leaving the showroom and that money will never come back (Unlike an invetsment that gains money over time)
A holiday is one of our biggest expenses every year and as soon as we come home and the tan starts to fade, the money we spend on the holiday will never come back.
We would argue that a Boudoir Photoshoot can appear to be a luxury expense at first glance, however, after the Photoshoot is over, the feeling of increased self confidence and empowerment many of our clients experience will make the Boudoir Photoshoot seem like more of an investment. That investment will only increase over the years as you continue to enjoy the pictures and the feelings the pictures invoke everytime you view them.
So, depending on your personal viewpoint, a Boudoir Photoshoot can be viewed as an unnecessary expense to some and a worthwhile investment to others… An investment in an experience, a journey of self-discovery.
When you're evaluating the cost of a boudoir shoot, remember to consider these elements. Look beyond the price tag, delve deeper into the experiences and outcomes you're likely to gain, and you'll begin to see the real value of this personal investment..
So, finally, to answer our original question from the start of this piece.
Which is more expensive?
A Winter Sun Break, an iPhone or a Boudoir Photoshoot?.
The short answer is that they’re all about the same in terms of cost (give or take) … but in terms of value….. Over the years, The pictures showing the results of your Boudoir Photoshoot will last for many decades. On your 80th birthday, the beach holiday and iphone will barly be a memory but the Book of stunning images of you looking (and feeling) like a Goddess will be with you forever) .
Regardless of what you’re wearing or not wearing, our aim is to make you look relaxed and full of confidence at all times.
Budgeting for Your Boudoir Session
When budgeting for your boudoir session, it's crucial to consider not only what you can afford but also what you're willing to invest in this experience. Here are more details...
Expect to pay anywhere from around £500 for a basic Boudoir Experience to upwards of £3,000 for a Luxury Boudoir Experience complete with Physical Products and Digitals. Experienced Photographers will likely charge more than newbies or general photographers who don’t specialise in Boudoir.
Obviously, once you’ve chosen your ideal photographer you’ll need to consider your budget if you feel it’s too much of a stretch for you right now, then consider saving for later (like you would for any high ticket item) or ask if the photographer has a payment plan. (Many do)
Always keep in mind that Boudoir photography isn't just a service, it's an experience, an investment in yourself. The return on this investment can be remarkable… Confidence, empowerment, self-love - these are the intangible returns which you will consider to be invaluable over time.
The right boudoir session will be more than worth it..
