Affordable Payment Plan Options with Houston Newborn Photographer Sarah Borchgrevink
When photographing a new baby in my studio, I often spend around an hour setting up for your sessions. I pull many beautiful items that are typically handcrafted and are from other local businesses such as wraps, tiebacks, textiles, and antique shops such as buckets, bowls, and all the props.
I also spend 1-2 hours photographing your sweet cherub and then around 3 hours retouching the images before sending you the gallery. Afterward, the images are yours for a lifetime. They'll be loved, treasured, and displayed for years to come. You'll see them throughout their childhood, at their wedding, and passed down as a family heirloom. You're not taking these images just for yourself: but for your children.
What You're Investing In: Art & Talent
As a full-time small business owner, there are expenses professional photographers have to upkeep. For instance, just a few of monthly expenses your photographer is responsible for is a 30 percent income tax, the rent or mortgage for our business space, health insurance, utilities, business insurance, vehicle usage, supplies, professional website maintenance, subscriptions to editing software, meals, training and mentoring, our bookkeeping or CPA services, attorney on retainer, gas and mileage, etc. The list is never-ending. This why professional portrait artists charge the rates we charge: because in order to run a successful business we have to be responsible owners. It's all part of our cost of doing business. I say this in complete transparency so clients see there is a reason behind the rates you see listed on a pricing or investment guide.
Also, as a Houston Newborn Photographer, I've invested in my own newborn photography education through safety workshops, newborn mentoring, and classes on lighting, equipment, the styling of your sessions and post-processing of images. I use top of the line camera equipment as well as a custom-built super PC so your sessions are edited efficiently. I am still mentoring and will continue to do so because being stagnant is not an option.
Why Flexible Payment Plans Are An Option To All my Clients
A few days ago, on Facebook, a close friend told me the following, " I really wish I had budgeted and planned ahead so I could do newborn sessions for my daughter! Worth every penny but sometimes pennies are hard to come by." Another friend also relayed, " I am so sad that we couldn't afford newborn photos." Hearing this made me feel like I had done my friends a disservice. While they did not inquire into my professional newborn photography sessions, they also did not know that payment plans are always an option with my studio. Professional newborn photography is an investment, one of which you'll never regret making, however, I also understand sometimes parents have many other expenses during their pregnancy. Photography is a luxury.
With my friends explaining this to me, I feel compelled to write a post explaining that I offer payment plans year around to everyone. Don't be afraid to ask. You should not miss out on these precious, fleeting images. Newborn sessions take place in the first 14 days of life so this allows you to capture this brand new milestone with affordable options.
How My Payment Plans Work
If a payment plan is a way you'd like to book, let's get this process started! I have a few options for you to select from. You may select 1, 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. There is a $100 non-refundable retainer to secure the payment plan. The rest of your balance is broken up into your selected time length. Many parents are excited to still be able to have the session with smaller upfront investment. Then, you have the time needed to pay for your session.
How Are Payment Plans Setup
Clients have two options for setting up a payment plan. They may pay through credit or debit cards of their choice. You may also use personal checks. You are invoiced according to your payment plan preference (1, 3, 6, 9 or 12 months). There is no interest so you will not incur any additional charges other than your flat rate listed on the pricing guide.
When you receive your images or products
Ten business days after your final payment has been made, you will receive an online digital gallery filled with your perfected and retouched high-resolution digital files. There will also be instructions on how to order the heirloom prints that come in your collection. The digital files are yours to download, share, print, enjoy, etc. You may treasure them forever! While I do not release any final copies without payment in full, your photos are backed up onto two different hard drives as well as a cloud subscription so they stay safe while they wait to be retouched.
Option to pay off your payment plan earlier
Many times, the clients I have done payment plans to have chosen to pay their session off earlier than expected. While there is no rush to do so, this is an option if you choose to complete your final installment at an earlier date. Parents are excited to receive the images and often cannot wait to have the gallery.
