What goes into my pricing (and why it’s not just about being “cheap”)

Let’s be real for a minute: talking about money is awkward. Especially when someone drops the classic line:

“Oh, I know someone who can do it cheaper.”

I get it. Budgets are real, and yes, you can always find someone cheaper. But when you hire me as a designer and photographer, you’re not just paying for a few hours of work. You’re paying for years of experience, hard-earned skills, thousands of pounds invested in gear and education, and a whole lot of thought, care, and creativity that goes into every project.

You’re paying for more than just the end result

Here’s what’s actually behind my pricing:

• Experience that counts: I didn’t wake up one day knowing how to light a scene perfectly or make a design sing. I’ve spent years learning, practicing, experimenting, failing, and improving. Every photo I take and every design I create comes from that foundation.

• Problem-solving on the fly: Things rarely go perfectly. Lighting shifts, files crash, timelines change. That’s where experience pays off - I know how to adapt and still deliver something polished and professional.

• Communication and service: You’re not just hiring me for visuals. You’re hiring someone who’s organised, reliable, and ready to answer your questions without ghosting you. I do my best to make the process smooth and stress-free.

• Time you don’t see: Every hour of shooting or designing is backed by hours of planning, editing, researching, and refining. That behind-the-scenes work is what makes the finished product shine.

• Gear, tools, and overhead: Cameras, lenses, computers, software, hard drives, backups — all the expensive stuff that makes it possible to do my job at a professional level. Quality tools mean quality results.

“But I can get it cheaper…”

Sure, you can find someone cheaper. But cheap often comes with trade-offs: lower quality, slower turnaround, frustrating communication, or work that needs fixing later.

When you hire me, you’re paying for reliability, skill, creativity, and a partner who genuinely cares about your project.

Why I have strict policies

This is also why I have clear policies around deposits, timelines, revisions, and cancellations. They’re not there to be difficult, they’re there to protect your project, my time, and the quality of the work we create together.

I do my absolute best to give every client a personal experience and to be available for them - with healthy boundaries. Those boundaries aren’t restrictions. They’re what allow me to give your project the attention, care, and creativity it deserves.

Knowing your value

As a freelancer, it’s easy to feel the sting when someone questions your price. I’ve been there, thinking, “Maybe I should just lower it…”

But here’s the truth: my prices reflect the value I bring, not just the hours I spend.

I’ve poured years, energy, passion, and money into becoming good at what I do. That value shows up in every photo, every design, and every interaction. I know my worth, and I want the clients I work with to value it too.

When you work with me, you’re not just getting a design file or a photo shoot. You’re getting skill, experience, creativity, problem-solving, and care , all packaged with a personal touch and professional boundaries.

Good work thrives when there’s structure, trust, and respect on both sides. That’s the experience I aim to give every client. And if that’s what you’re looking for, we’ll make something great together.