From Lauren Bowman:

In my much wasted time on Facebook, I have seen quite a few people complaining about the quality (or lack thereof) of the photographers that they have hired. So for those of you who care to indulge me, here are a few tips to keep in mind when hiring a photographer.

1) First and foremost remember that you get what you pay for. Yes, photographers are expensive. You may think that the session begins and ends with your session time, but that isn't so. Editing and post processing is a very time consuming process. That along with the time and talent of the photographer is what you are paying for. And don't forget about your ordering sessions, your pre-session consultation, the space on the photographer's website, the time they take writing a blog post for you. Photography is a very time extensive profession.

2) ALWAYS check the photographer's credentials. Check out their Facebook and website. Check out their reviews and testimonials. Check out their portfolio. Make sure they are operating legally. sunbiz.org is a great resource.

3) ALWAYS sign a contract. It protects both you and the photographer. Information such as what you are receiving, what you are paying for, and turnaround time will be included. A model release will be included. Information such as the restrictions (if any) of the print release along with pretty much anything you need to know will be on there. Even if it is a free session, a mini session, or you personally know the photographer- you should always sign a contract.

4) I've seen a lot of complaints about the price of prints. Why should you pay $25 for an 8x10 when you can go to Walmart and get it for $1.99? The answer is simple; quality. As I said in point #1, you get what you pay for. If you were to compare a print from Walmart, CVS, Costco, or any of the other multitude of places you can order prints from and compare them to prints from a professional lab, you would be stunned by the difference.

You can also cook; however, that doesn't mean you should pay a chef for only the ingredients he uses. You may be able to sew but it doesn't mean you can go to a department store & buy jeans for the price of the fabric. You may be able to cut your own hair but it doesn't mean the stylist should do it free. You pay for the equipment used to make the product, the time included, the artist, the art, and so much more.

5) I've also seen a lot of people complain about the cost of CD's and USB's. Why are they sooooo expensive? This ties into the above answer. Have you ever gone to Sears or JC Penney for pictures? CD's there cost $149.99 and people pay for them all the time. Now look at what you actually get on that CD. You get 6-8 poses. Your CD will have those pictures in color and then again in black and white and again in sepia. Maybe they'll have some writing on them. You'll get a couple of collages, and if it's close to Christmas or Valentines Day, there will be a card or two on there.

Now let's look at what you get with a personal professional photographer. Let's say a CD is $300 and comes with 20 pictures on it. That is 20 separate pictures, not the same pictures 3x over with different textures. The photos will actually be edited. Teeth whitened, blemishes removed, flyaway hairs fixed, etc etc.

That CD from JC Penney doesn't look like such a great value anymore does it?

6) You should not have to provide your own props. Photographers have them, and if they don't, they should have a prop budget to run out and get it (this is within reason of course)! If there is something special to you that you want in the picture, then that's great! Absolutely bring it with you! But you shouldn't have to go and buy a bathtub for your photo session, or a fancy chair, or even bubbles. Remember, you are paying for these pictures so leave that up to your photographer! In your pre-session consultation, go over that stuff with the photographer so they can plan your session and bring everything needed.

7) I've noticed a lot of people with what to wear questions. Based on the time of day (lighting), location, props, etc. your photographer should be able to provide you with a what to wear guide or at the very least, some great advice on color choices! Most photographers even have pinterest boards just for this very purpose!

8) While it is the job of your photographer to get amazing pictures, some help is also required on your part. Schedule a session based around your child's schedule. If photo's are taken during what is normally nap time, don't be surprised when all the photographer is able to get are sad, cranky, crying pictures. The same goes for meal time. Make sure tummies are full! Bring a snack with you just in case. It's not fair to get mad at the photographer if your kids aren't cooperating because they are tired or hungry.

There is of course a lot more I could say, but I think this covers the basics of what I've been reading lately.

From Arden Pruca:

Portrait Pricing i$300 Includes a 60 minute session, an online viewing gallery with 50 images, and a blog post featuring the artist’s favorite images. Portrait sessions are geared for children, family, couples and just because. Prints, digital files, books, canvases, are purchased separately. - See more at: http://www.ardenprucha.com/info-for-clients/pricing/#sthash.AgNLN5CF.dpuf

Senior sessions start at $500 Includes a 1 hour session with two outfit changes and five digital files. *multiple packages available to fit your needs. - See more at: http://www.ardenprucha.com/info-for-clients/pricing/#sthash.AgNLN5CF.dpuf

Maternity and Newborn Package is $1200 This package includes one 30 minute maternity session featuring the glowing mom and dad to be, one 2 hour newborn session within the first 10 days of life and digital files from both session. Package can be paid for in two installments. Includes time and talent of photographer plus a minimum of 30 digital files per session delivered and in an online gallery for up to 30 days. - See more at: http://www.ardenprucha.com/info-for-clients/pricing/#sthash.AgNLN5CF.dpuf

Newborn session is $375 Includes 2 hour in-home session, an online viewing gallery with 30 images to view, share and order, along with a blog post featuring the artist’s favorite images. Our newborn photography is geared towards lifestyle photography capturing your precious bundle in their nursery space, snuggling with mommy and daddy (and siblings/pooches) as well as some beautiful portraits focused on just your new baby love! Prints, digital files, books, canvases, are purchased separately. - See more at: http://www.ardenprucha.com/info-for-clients/pricing/#sthash.AgNLN5CF.dpuf