A big step – but an important one if you intend to grow a business.

The freebies of the past, as you say are worth the time you invested, as they were part of the learning and networking (they did get you a few paying jobs as well) but as with all professionals everywhere (whatever comes after that word photog/plumber/IT geek/lawyer) your time/experience/training is money and if ‘I can guarantee that in the end they will get exactly what they pay for.’ then that is what they are paying for and your business will grow as long as your customers agree with that original statement – Price is only an issue in the absence of value.

I don’t think you will have many question it.

Good luck

This is where I’ll be at for a while yet I think. Which is perfectly fine too.
I’ve only been shooting for about 20 months so I’ve got no expectations of making mega bucks.
Take the paying jobs when you can get them though.
The stuff I love doing there is generally no monetary value associated with shooting, but hopefully through this experience, getting contacts and being able to display quality work to a prospective client, I can pay for my gear that much quicker.

Good luck Matt, as others have said, I don’t think you’ll have many question it.

I actually started my business/charging about a year ago at rates that would help me establish myself in a crowded market (Weddings mainly and also Family Portraits).
I didn’t want to be one of those people who just got their first DSLR and ‘now I’m a pro!’. I considered it carefully and did my research before jumping in. One of the hardest things for me to decide at the start was pricing.

I knew of people who charge $2000 but I wouldn’t pay them $100 for the quality they deliver
I know others who are amazing ‘I wish had half the skill they have’ that charge $10,000+ (for a decent package) and I consider them absolutely worth it!
And then I know people with similar skill and experience to me who priced themselves at $7000+ … I may not rate them there but that’s the value they put on themselves and that’s what they get paid.

As I was just starting out, business wise, I decided to price myself at the low end of the market just to get the ball rolling and allow me to work out the kinks in running a business. Best Decision Ever (for me). But starting low has built a good base of extremely happy customers who are now spreading the word about me and my work. That is invaluable. (and that’s what you have built with your free work in the past)

Enter the tricky bit…
I’m now at a stage where I am no longer a new kid on the block. My products have more in common with the top of the market but my prices are still at the low end. I’ve done the math on what prices I should be charging and the numbers are scary for me. When compared to some other prices in the market they make perfect sense but there is still that wall I need to get over…

I’m still battling to value my own work like my customers do.
When my customers look at their images they see beautiful moments that are immensely dear to them. They absolutely love it. I’ve had customers say wow over and over for a full minute just looking at one image. But me being my own harshest critic… I see a good image BUT It’s overexposed in that spot, I should have had her standing on the other side of him so you can see the rings, I should have framed it a little differently to cut out that thing in the background. (I imagine you would be like that with your photos too)
I’ve found that being my own harshest critic is great for improving my work but it does get in the way of me putting a value on my own work.

Over winter I plan on spending some more time improving my business and utilising the lessons learnt over this past year to bring my business processes and client experience up to the next level… and of course updating my price list to take me out of the ‘new in town’ category and up to the “I know what I’m doing and I’m going to give you an awesome client experience and amazing pictures that you’ll love” category… Then I just have to trust that people will continue to see the value in what I do (easier said than done)

You said it right…”selling an experience rather than simply photos and while it’s going to be a hard road convincing myself that I am actually worth the values on my new price list I think in the long run I’m going to come away feeling accomplished and more importantly, better appreciated for the services I can provide.”

Seeing your images on this folder over the past 2 years, I know you won’t have any trouble. You do amazing work.
All the best.

Cheers,
JP