Pricing for a photography session can be confusing. It can seem unclear what exactly you are getting for the price of the session. Something that is often included in my session fee is a print credit. This is where some people get confused. Let me explain.
One of the greatest joys for me as a photographer is to see the images I create come to life in print. Not only do the photos look about 5x more beautiful in print (I've done the math), but it also means that my clients now have an incredible piece of art that they will enjoy for years to come. How many of us have phones and computers that are absolutely rammed with important photos and files? Hands up over here. It is so easy for files to get lost in the dog pile. A physical print is something that can be displayed in your home. It is artwork in the same vein as an original painting (said with the authority of someone who has sold my own paintings). Alright, so you understand that I like my photos to be printed, but what's the deal with the credit?
I build a print credit into my session fee so that when you see your images for the first time and you get to see and touch the product samples, you already know that you have put money towards purchasing an art piece of your own. When you see that print credit included in your session fee, consider it to be the equivalent of a coupon (but like... a classy coupon) that you will be able to use during your Viewing Session.
At the Viewing Session, you see your photos from the shoot for the first time. You also get to see the product samples in the papery flesh for the first time. Should you decide that you would indeed like to have an art piece of your own, you can subtract the value of the print credit from the price of the product that you decide to purchase. Maybe you decide that you aren't interested in print product, but you want more digital files. You can put that print credit towards purchasing additional digital files as well. Whatever you choose to purchase, the print credit will be put towards the total cost of all the items you are purchasing, be they print or digital in nature.