I get it, you’re used to having your portrait taken by traditional portrait photographers who create traditional portraits, and charge traditional fees.
So, in all fairness, you may be wondering Why do your Photillustration Portraits Cost More?
This article is in response to questions I’ve gotten about a previous question I answered, “How Much are your Photillustrator Caricature Portraits?”
While there is absolutely a market for traditional portraits, I have chosen the path of Creative Portraiture because I have found it to be the most fulfilling, and it’s what makes me the happiest.
Requiring more time and attention than traditional portraits, here are FOUR (4) reasons you’ll be investing more in your Photillustration Portraits.
4 Reasons Photillustrations Cost More
Rather than go the traditional route of portrait photography where capturing a physical likeness is the objective, I have chosen the challenge of creating portraits that Capture the Imagination through Creative Portraits.
CLICK HERE to view my Photillustrator Portfolio.
This, however, does take more time and attention than the average portrait.
Not Traditional (Different)
Early in my career as a Portrait Photographer, I worked for a studio in Kansas City called Strauss Peyton.
We shot almost exclusively the traditional portrait with the family lined up, all dressed alike, and all smiling at the camera, and we charged a lot for the portraits.
You can check out Strauss Peyton in Kansas City by Clicking Here.
Rather than taking the traditional portrait approach where most photographers are, and most consumers know, I chose to challenge my creativity and carve a new niche with my Creative Portraits.
I think it’s fair to say my Photillustrations are completely different, and you can’t simply Google photographers in your area and find my style of work.
Complexity
Traditional portraits are frequently created using only one image, with minimal Photoshop editing.
My Photillustrations are frequently created using between 2 images up to 30+ images that may require several photo shoot days, and require several hours of Photoshop editing.
I tell clients, “My work really starts after the photography is done.”
Because of the Complexity of my Photillustrations, I am limited in how many I can create at any given time.
Quality over Quantity
If I took a more traditional route with my portraits, I could create many more portraits at any given time.
Of course they would look nice, but they wouldn’t be different, and I’d be just like every other portrait photographer trying to get your business.
I worked very hard to create my Photillustrator style, hone my craft, and produce the best quality portraits I could possibly create.
You can consider my Photillustrations to be the Tesla (the car) of portrait photography.
Charities
I believe my Photillustrations are unique to the world, and I want to use my talents to help others in need.
Every year I donate several Photillustrations to local and national charities, which requires a great deal of time to produce and edit.
This, however, limits my ability to use my entire year to produce Photillustrations for income, so I naturally have to charge more to subsidize the work I do for Charities.
