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In DEFENSE of Momtographers Everywhere…

Debate about momtographers the Improve Photography Facebook page
The momtographer debate. I liked these and other comments on the Facebook page. Many people had valid points.

For years, I've heard well-known photographers on the web (I'm resisting a strong urge to name names here) bash people–often young moms–who begin a photography business without the training and experience of seasoned professionals.  Today, on the Improve Photography Facebook Page, a mini-debate broke out about so-called “momtographers” and their place in the photography business.

Emily Straw, Erika Darcy, Mary Vogt, Erin LaSorsa, Mindy Woodford, Alexandria Wilcox, and other members of our community made valid comments on the topic which I appreciated.  But in this debate, I feel like I have to speak out a bit too.

Momtographer in action
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What I'm NOT Saying…

I am not advocating that someone pick up a camera, call themselves a photographer, and then advertise that they shoot weddings.  That is a fantastic way to ruin someone's wedding, and for the photographer to get sued.  I understand how important family photos are, so the thought of once-in-a-lifetime events being treated carelessly isn't a winning proposition to me.

If I were a beginner who eventually wanted to do photography as a business, I would take my time.  Take courses (I happen to know someone who teaches online photography classes….), practice like crazy, shoot casual family events to learn the ropes, get critiques, and then slowly dip your toe into the market.  It is possible to make a great living as long as you have good business sense.

Oh, and the last thing is that I'm using the word “momtographer” only because that was the word thrown around in the mini-debate on our Facebook page.  My wife is a stay-at-home mother of two young children, so please don't get the wrong idea–no one in our society deserves more respect than mothers.

What I AM Saying…

First of all, business means competition.  Photographers have watched competition in action as point-and-shoot camera sales have plummeted over the last few years.  Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Kodak, and other camera manufacturers have watched as consumers have chosen to use their camera phones as a substitute for point-and-shoots.  Consumers have decided that a camera phone is “good enough” because they don't want to pay for an additional device.  The manufacturers could certainly complain that camera phones don't capture good quality and consumers are idiots, but that wouldn't get them more business, would it?

A similar thing is occurring with momtographers (and dadtographers as Curtis Isaak pointed out on Facebook).  Inexperienced photographers, who flatly cannot deliver the quality of a seasoned pro, are offering cheaper prices.  Customers–hundreds of thousands of them–are choosing to purchase a $100 session with a new momtographer rather than spending many hundreds (sometimes thousands) more to hire an experienced professional photographer.

It is frustrating to be undercut.  As an entrepreneur and professional photographer, I can sympathize.  I support my family through photography, so the thought that someone would have the audacity to undercut me with virtually no experience is frightening to say the least.  HOWEVER, it's business.  And not just any business.  In this business, the customer looks through the photographer's portfolio, sees the price, and then signs up.  These startup photographers may not offer the quality of a seasoned pro, but for the most part, the customers know what type of quality to expect.

When I first started in professional photography, I advertised $50 for a one-hour shoot of any type.  It was completely unsustainable as a business, but we had recently moved to Florida, had a newborn, and I couldn't find a job anywhere.  There is no shame in doing the best you can to support your family.  I think that's what most momtographers are trying to do.  I didn't produce 5-star photos, but I was honest about my lack of experience as I advertised to potential customers and I showed my photos to potential clients so they knew what they could expect to get.

With time, I improved.  I worked extremely hard to learn the craft and my prices increased to match my skills.  Eventually, I was charging several thousand dollars for weddings and several hundred for portrait shoots.  I came to the point that I supported my family 100% through my photography.  I'm grateful for the success I had, and I'm also grateful for the lower-end of the market that allowed me to gain experience and build up my gear to be able to create a sustainable business.

If you're a professional photographer who likes to whine and gripe about momtographers–you need to face the facts.  Not every client is willing to pay $500 for a senior portrait.  If you don't like that, then offer a service to the clients that is so good that they won't be willing to accept the newer photographers.

2 Things Professionals Have Done to Groom the Market for Momtographers

  1. Hanging on to the digitals.  I completely understand why professional photographers refuse to hand over the digital files.  In fact, I rarely sell anyone a digital file of my landscapes.  I want to control the original and makes prints for the customers so I can make money off the prints and assure they are printed properly.  HOWEVER, it's a digital world.  When my wife and I were engaged, we hired a professional photographer to shoot our engagements.  The photos were beautiful (I have it hanging on my office wall), but we were too poor to purchase more than one photo, and now the other photos are gone forever.  That once-in-a-lifetime photo shoot is gone forever, and I am MAD that I don't have the pictures of it.  It's frustrating.  Does that make me more likely to choose a newer photographer who would give me the digital files?  Absolutely.  This is one example of a practice by professionals that is driving away customers, even though it makes us money.
  2. Refusing to mentor newer photographers.  I often hear well-known photographers online advocating that new photographers “shoot second” for a while or assist pros before taking on a wedding; however, I hear from the newer photographers every day who would love that opportunity, but can't find mentors who are willing to help newer photographers.  In a way, that's the mission for ImprovePhotography.com–to be that online mentor for photographers everywhere.

So what's my point?

There's no shame in being a momtographer, who spends every ounce of energy she has to learn a new skill in order to provide for her family.  Everyone gets their start somewhere, and as long as they are honest about the service they can offer clients, they ought to be applauded rather than criticized.

What do YOU think?  Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts.
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186 thoughts on “In DEFENSE of Momtographers Everywhere…”

  1. I am willing to help newer photographers, but yes, I charge them. Why should I pass along for free what I have spent thousands of dollars on (workshops) and spent years practicing?

    Want my help? Pay me. OR join the local PPA affiliate organization where we share tips and techniques. Just don’t show up and expect tons of free information.

    It is true that there are many educational opportunities on the web. Some are very good, some are crap – but there is no substitute for in-person, hands-on training. There is also no substitute for critique from persons who are not friends or family. Someone who does not care if you like what your hear or not.

  2. Do all mom/dadtographers have business licenses?

    Are you declaring the extra income on your taxes? If not, isn’t that tax evasion?

    It’s just something no one mentions about these hobbyist photo sessions that charge a customer for the prints or digitals.

    Someone mentioned the BBB… If no one is complaining, and they don’t have a business license, they don’t have data.

    It’s public information at your city, county, or state level to see if a ‘photographer’ offering services has a business license. Anyone can check by making a phone call.

  3. I was interested in photography before I had kids & after popping out 4 of the two legged time suckers (love my kids) my time was limited, as was my money. I’m not a professional, nor do I state that I am. I never advertise but I have been approached by several asking if I would because they know I always have my camera in hand. Do I charge? Yes, only because my time is precious. Do I financially rape them? NO!!!!! I tell them to pay me what they feel they are worth. This is a good experience for me. But I have been given up to $1000.00 for my pictures. Do I consider myself a professional after saying that??? No, but I do have an eye for this & a heart that enjoys what I do when I have time to do it.

  4. good article!! pro photographers just relax… if people have thousands of dollars, they WILL find you and if they don’t, they WON’T. how easy is that! just except people can’t afford a $1000 session plus the price for the prints!! people who choose a momtographer over a pro, they KNOW what they are getting into and they know what pictures they are expecting. they are not DUMB!!

  5. Sounds like a lot of people feeling really threatened by momtographers, I’ve always believed a little good honest competition never hurt anyone. If you’re not willing to fill that gap then keep your mouth shut when others do..

  6. I am a momtographer. I have always had a passion for snapping pictures. I am not formally trained. I took 4 years of photography classes in high school. But that was 10 years ago. I started my business for the same reason Daphne said. I didn’t have money to pay a pro photographer for family or newborn portraits. I was so sad that when I did go to a professional that advertised a FREE session just to find out that the price of a single 8×10 was $100. I had to charge my credit card just to get one picture of my family. She did an awesome job but I couldn’t buy what I wanted because of me being a new stay at home mom of two girls. I made the photographer mad because I told her I couldn’t afford her $1,200 package deal. She said what you don’t purchase I will delete! How sad to know that you had these awesome pictures and that got deleted. Still makes me sad. So after years of being my kids paparazzi I got a nicer DSLR. I got serious, took classes and read every dam tutorial and book I could. I just got booked for my first wedding. I think I do a good job. I do do it for cheaper than a pro, because I am not one. But I do have enough talent to get the customer what they want and plus some. I offer professional printing but I also give them the option to buy the files from me. Encourage one another not bash. I will improve enough to be called a professional someday. But I will never forget where I started from.

  7. “..for the most part, the customers know what type of quality to expect.”

    Not necessarily. Customers won’t have the luxury of seeing side-by-side what a pro photographer _could_ have produced for them. Often times customers don’t know what quality is or how it looks. As Steve jobs once said “If we had asked customers upfront what they wanted in a tech gadget we’d never have produced the iPod/iPhone”.

  8. I am a Mom…&….I consider myself a semi-pro photographer. I have been taking photos “seriously” for a couple of years. I posted pics on facebook & such and people started requesting that I take photos for them. In the beginning I told myself that I would not advertise my services and if people felt that I was good enough to hire, then they would. People hired me to take their photos and were pleased with them. Then last October I lost my “real” job…..at the present time photography is the only job that I have outside of the home. I look at this as an opportunity to grow my photography into a “real” business. I recently increased my prices and people are still coming!!! I don’t understand why “pro” photographers feel so threatened….& yes I do turn the money I make in on my taxes 🙂

  9. Let’s be honest…
    No one hates momtographers. Everyone hates crappy photography. I’d be angry, too, if I seen someone charging the same prices (well, ballpark same prices) and their photography was just contrast. Please. It’s an insult to professional photographers everywhere, I think.
    Nothing to do with moms. It could be Joe down the street or my neighbour.. Anyone. I agree with you Jim, just be honest about your level of talent and experience and we’ll all be fine. But I know I personally hate coming across photography business pages that advertise “expertise” and “unique” products when a trained eye can tell the only thing you did was move a contrast bar.

  10. I don’t know what to call myself.

    I’m a dad with a degree in communications, which means I took all sorts of photojournalism classes in college, I studied fine art photography for two years prior to that, but that was all back before the digital era. (I’m dating myself now.) I definitely know my way around my camera, it’s the software that I’m still working through. Because I’m still learning Lightroom, I don’t want to overcharge for my work. I’ve been shooting photos for nearly 20 years, but mostly for fun. People pay me on occasion to shoot their portraits and I have repeat customers. I have a small photo studio in my home, but it’s nothing like the studios of photographers I’ve shadowed. I am so aware of my limitations, I would never dream of charging what the full-time photographers charge. Yet, I don’t feel like I’m undercutting them at all. I offer the best I can, which is pretty darn good, but I don’t claim to be able to do more. I’ve shot a total of 4 weddings in my life and every client knew that I was still new at it. I have an hourly rate that most photographers would laugh at. But it’s enough for the people who come to me.

    I’ve seen “professional” photographers with far less equipment and clearly less of a skill set than me who charge more than I do, but I’ve never felt like they were taking away my business because I’m barely in the business.

    I wish I could step out and shoot full-time, but honestly, I couldn’t if I wanted to. I have a child with special needs and I would never qualify for insurance on my own. So I work in marketing and shoot an occasional photo now and then to support my habit.

    I wish I had the time to devote to improving my skills so that I could justify raising my prices, heaven knows I could use the money. But even after all these years of shooting, I still feel inexperienced and a little nervous about misrepresenting what I am and what I can do.

  11. Thank you! I’ve heard way too many negative things about “momtographers” (that’s a new term to me). I just see it as there is a market for everyone. Same market as engagement ring shopping, there will be the people looking at the $300.00 rings and people shopping for $30,000 rings. I’ve been doing photography on and off (mostly off) for about 18 years.
    I actually do a donation system with my portraits. (I don’t do weddings, that’s a special day, a seasoned professional should probably be doing those). I look for low-income people with kids who just want some nice looking photos of their little ones. Kids change so quickly and I know too many people who are concerned about having to come up with several hundred dollars for a pro-photo session! I have referred people to real professionals at times when I feel something is out of my league…but I’ve also read on some of their websites how annoyed they are with these momtographers. Can’t we all just get along! Lol.
    Sorry to ramble! Thanks for your fair article regarding those who just do it for fun, and in my case, to give back to the community!

  12. You have no idea how much I appreciate this article! I am a proud “Momtographer” and this article really put into words many things that I’ve been feeling or frustrated with. I chose to go to school for a Dental Hygiene degree – not photography. I have a small child and a small budget, so taking a lot of “formal” education is not an option. But I do read a lot (I’m here aren’t I??HA!), watch a lot of tutorials, and ask a lot of questions. I do photography for fun and to capture those quickly passing moments of the ones I love. One of my BIGGEST frustrations is that no one will mentor me. No one will take me along on a photo shoot just so I could observe more closely what they do, and write down questions to ask once the shoot is over. My observation is limited to when I’m IN FRONT OF the camera as a paid client, and lets face it – when trying to wrangle a two year old for pics, that’s where my main focus will be. If I EVER get to the point where I have my own business, I WILL make it a point to be a helping hand for someone who is at the point I am now. Not look down on them condescendingly and tightly clench my beloved Canon to my chest in fear they will steal my business.

    My other beef has been just as your first point stated on hanging onto the digitals. When my daughter was born I searched high and low for someone to take her newborn pictures that would also sell me the CD. I found someone alright…they wanted to sell it to me for $300. And that was after a $200 sitting fee, minimum $110 print order, and some other fee I can’t remember. It was going to be close to $700…and I didn’t really think her photos were that great of quality. So I did some more searching and have found two great gals who do photography as a hobby on the side – one’s a nurse and the other a teacher. Both include a CD with the images for no additional fee. And not only were their images better than the more expensive ones, but I have used them NUMEROUS times and have sent them MANY referrals – including a wedding.

    Like the poster above me, I want to be an option for people that maybe can’t afford hundreds or THOUSANDS of dollars. Just because you can’t spend a ton of money doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to get some quality pictures. I will never do this to support my family (that’s what my DH degree is for if need be), but photography will always be a passion and hobby to me…part of who I am. There’s room for everyone on all levels and tiers….and there are people willing to pay for all those niches! We need to grow up and learn to share and play nice! 🙂

    Thanks for a great article and sorry to be so wordy!

  13. OMG. Happened on this site by a facebook referral. This was the first post I read — and it is RIGHT on. Everything from the inability for many pros to adjust to the change in the market (competition, consumer needs, etc.) to the perfect idea that there is room for every level of photographer — provided we are authentic with our work and up-front with our clients. It’s not undercutting – there is room for Honda Civic’s and BMW’s out there.
    Thanks for this – looking forward to reading more.

  14. Not a pro or momtographer but I appreciate people who know their limitations and don’t pretend to be the pro they are not.

    When my husband and I got married we were on a tight budget for our photographer. Her fee was $250 for about 3 hours on site. The photos she posted on her facebook looked decent for the amount we were paying. Not amazing but I wanted somebody to be able to capture all the special moments. When we got the pictures many months later (it was a huge struggle to get even unedited copies which if after you had seen the pictures you would realize why she was holding back) I wanted to cry. This girl had no clue what she was doing. Most of the pictures were trash. The most important two pictures to me of our first kiss and walking back up the aisle together, BLURRY! Many of the photos were out of focus and had exposure issues. She might as well have taken the photos on her cell phone camera because she didn’t know how to use the camera she had.

    Basically what I am saying is even if your a momtopgrapher, just starting out, what have you, even if you able to charge a lower fee, please be realistic of what your capabilities are and leave the special occasions that you cannot recapture to the seasoned pros.

  15. I think the main reason people look for non-professional photographers (non-pro) is that pro photographers charge a LOT!!

    In my humble opinion all of the pros are overpriced and they usually claim “my work speaks for itself and it is 100% worth, it cost me 30 years of experience and tons of money invested in fine gear plus I have an advanced degree in fine arts plus update courses in visual arts and have attended Canon workshops and Nikon contests and so and so”. Guess what, customes care nothing about 30 years of experience nor about tons of money put into the finest gear on the market plus serious courses or advanced degress in fine arts. Customers only care about photos they like, period.

    If we were talking about celebrities that’s another story as they may really care about your resume as a pro and that’s because celebrities make money out of their image. But the average John in the street marrying the average Jane in the street couldn’t care less. They just want a memory and they usually think “why pay $200 or even thousands for a few photos I can not even have control of, while my dad or my brother can take literally hundred of photos with their compact camera for me to choose which ones I like then print them at wal mart for a few coins?” People want memories. Common people are nnot celebrities. If a pro wants to make lots of money, he/she should be focus on celebrities, they have the money and the will to pay for it. Not only that, celebrities NEED photos as it is a world that lives out of visual stuff. Going back to John marrying Jane, I guess they should get what they want: good quality pictures for fond memories.

    Not only do pros charge a lot of money, I mean, more than $300 and usually more than $500 for a small bunch of photos?

    And what is worst, pros want to keep control of original files.

    It would be nice a pro handed you the raw files so you as a customer are able to edit it for fun or have another person to edit it for you at your will and print it at will.

    It is ufair that pros want to keep everything.

    That’s another point. Not only pros charge a lot, buut they also limit you too much on the amount of photos, the time, the size, the schedule, the editing time. Ive seen pro’s ads stating “editing increases costs”. Oh man! It seems to me that pro photographers have missed the point that, as Canon’s CEO have stated “today, everyone is a photographer” and that manual modes and fancy digital cameras allow you to shoot literally hundreds of photos in an hour then just choose the good ones and that’s what customers want, they want what they like, they don’t want nor care about a proud self paid guy bragging about decades of experience with advanced degrees and a portfolio of literally thousands and thousands of excellent outstanding photos.

    Customers are not hiring a neuro surgeon, not hiring a rocket scientist, not hiring a plastic surgeon, not hiring a civil engineer to build their house. Customers just want an ok memory. They are not celebrities worrying about their public ratings.

    Well, lets face it, pros, by charging lots of money, you are just shooting your own foot and doing a disservice to photography. You just open the door to unskilled uneducated non-pro people who ruin an otherwise unforgettable moment. Some of these non-pro people are really excellent photographers and have invested time and effort and are even much better than pros. That’s usually not the case, but it happens.

    Pros complaining about non-pros should accept the fact that technology has desacralized many activities. Photography is one of them. The once sacred niche in which pro photographers have lived as in an ivory tower has just vanished and pros can not accept it, for their own bad.

    Ours are the times in which photography is just another merchandise in store, not a sacred activity in which only fine artists deserve to be called “pros”

  16. I read this article a long time ago and came across it again tonight. It is a very good read.

    I am definitely one of those Momtographers out there that busted out a DSLR and started calling myself a photographer. BUT, I was honest about it. I was offering my services for free for the first 5 months of my “career”. My “clients” KNEW what they were getting, they knew what they could afford and hired me because “something is better than nothing”. I befriended photographer friends and asked to learn from them. I second shooted for professionals that have been in this business for years and was able to nurture my own skills by doing so. I practiced and practiced and practiced. I shot, I experimented, I played with every single setting, I played with the light during all times of the day, indoors, outdoors, indoors with sunlight, outdoors with shade. I chose to advertise to a market that could not afford $$$$$ professional quality. Why? because I was(and still am) one of them. When I wanted maternity photos done, I had friends who were not professionals do them for me for free. When I wanted a birth photographer, I looked on craigslist for one that was just starting out and looking to build her portfolio. I had that mentality. I can’t afford the good stuff so I’m willing to pay for whatever I CAN get, even if the quality of my photos are not top notch. There is NOTHING wrong with clients wanting this, and there is NOTHING wrong with a new photographer advertising in this form.

    My skills have improved, my photos are better in quality, and I spend 5 times as long editing photos than I used to. My prices are still extremely reasonable and clients keep telling me that I need to be charging more. I hesitate. Why? Because a part of me still feels like I’m not good enough. Which is true, I’m not. But also because my heart belongs to those who cannot afford it. The military wives that want to capture their husband’s homecoming but can’t afford more than $100. The stay at home mom that hasn’t had family portraits done in 7 years because she is always always always keeping a strict family budget. The newlyweds that are so in love, share one car, and live with their parents because they are saving up for a house. These are the people I do this for. These are the people I reach a hand out to and say “Hey, don’t worry, I would be HONORED to photograph for you.”

    How did I begin my journey, you ask? Well, I did not become a photographer so I could just have something to do while being a SAHM. I didn’t just one day wake up and say, “Hey what can I do that is easy and fun?” NO. Never in my life would I have imagined myself a photographer if it had not been for my Mother in Law. After I had my daughter, I was taking photos of her like the new mom does. I was snapping photos of her with my point and shoot, with my phone, with my dad’s phone, with anybody’s camera I could get my hands on. I was sharing these photos, I was showing them off, because I just couldn’t imagine not being able to share the new love of my life with anybody and everybody. My mother in law being one of those people I showered with photos, sat me down one day and laid it all out for me. She told me she saw talent in my pictures. She said I had an eye for it. She said I needed to do something about it or my talent would go to waste. So I did.

  17. THE BEST WAY TO SORT THIS OUT IS THROUGH THE MUMS PICTURES. SO POST LOTS OF YOUR PICS MUMS AND THE PROOF WILL BE IN THE PUDDING. GOOD LUCK

    IN ANTICIPATION GRAHAM

  18. All though I appreciate that everyone out there has some skill or talent that they are proud of in this very competitive market.
    But please charge fairly for your work so that you are getting what your worth.
    Many of you wouldnt even wash dishes for the hourly rate your paying yourselves .
    Figure it out people ,
    Just because you enjoy what you do , don’t give it away.
    If your not comfortable taking someones photos because you dont think your good enough , then don’t .

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