“Free-Flowing” Prices Will Kill Your Photography Business

OMG so back in 2021 my partner found a photographer who wrote an article that talked about me. It was about the Best Headshot Photographers in Los Angeles and his “thoughts.”

😅Thank goodness my partner emailed me a copy of his “thoughts” so I have it word for word today. I’ll tell you why this matters in a second.

But read this first.

“Thoughts:

I have a great deal of admiration for Vanie’s work… Her portfolio contains a good number of actors who have built entirely different “types” by using different clothes, hair, and facial expressions.

I think (and this is my own professional guess) that she also shoots with a slightly wider lens than many other headshot photographers do…” [AND HE’S RIGHT!]

“I can imagine someone doing very well by using her acting headshots to apply for television and commercial roles.” [HE’S RIGHT AGAIN, MY CLIENTS SAY SO HERE ON IG]…

[BUT THIS RIGHT HERE👇 IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO]

“My one real reservation about Vanie is that I am not a fan of prices being concealed until the client gets in touch.

This is generally a tactic to get someone on the line and to pitch to them more assertively than would otherwise be possible.” [YUP!]

“I’m completely and totally in favor of free-flowing information (as you can tell from this list linking to all of my serious competitors….), and this practice goes against my own.”

He goes on… and guesses my prices are high based on my reviews but also says this.

“– and I would guess that her time is a big part of what you pay for.” [WRONG]

For the record, nope, I’m fast and don’t spend hours and hours shooting.

Clients aren’t paying for my time.

They’re paying for my expertise. But I digress…

So the reason I’m bringing this up now is because I was doing some organizing  to see what I can showcase on my site and low and behold the link to this article is gone.

Kaput. Gandi.

In fact this photography studio is no longer in business.

I’m gonna make a bold statement.

I can’t prove it.

I have 0 evidence and I can’t say it for sure BUT I’m willing to bet that ONE of the BIG reasons this person never “made it” is because of his “free-flowing” philosophy.

Free-flowing for whose benefit? Yours or the client??

Here’s what I steadfastly believe and preach.

I’ll die on this hill.

UNLESS YOUR WORK IS SO UNIQUE THAT IT IS NO LONGER A COMMODITY,  as in no one can easily copy you, if you leave your prices up on your website, you’ll race💨 your way to the bottom and be out of business sooner or later.

When you’re coming up, the reason you don’t feel this is because you’re intentionally charging very little to build your portfolio and to gain experience.

You probably have other income.

BUT if you want to get to a place where you make a comfortable living as a headshot photographer OR if you’ve gotten there and you want to stay there, you need to stop competing on price and start selling your value.

That’s how I’m able to charge $900 when two of my competitors who came up after me and copied me, are charging $300 (still, after years of being in business.)

And I don’t know about where you’re at, but here in LA, charging $300 a shoot in 2025 is not thriving.

It’s surviving.

Don’t fall into the “free-flowing” trap my friend.

Remove your prices and learn to sell you value so that you then get emails like this. 👇

I close more than half the calls I make. And as you can see my clients are grateful that I called them.

I promise you it works and it’s worth it.