What Makes Professional Photography Expensive?

This photo was taken May this year in one of the sought after beaches for engagement shoots in Bawing, General Santos City.  After months of hard work and experimentation, I'd say that this was one of the most brilliant captures I had ever made which really satisfied my hunger for perfection.  But how much does it really cost to produce this image?  $1,000? That's way too low. $5,000?   Still not a good guess. I may sound unbelievable but this photo is worth almost Php700,000 or USD 15,000!

Oftentimes, we praise photographs for their creativity and impact that nurture our vision.    We look straight into significant details that caught our attention and try to uncover what unique story it is trying to deliver our imagination. Still, despite all these, the price of a photographer's tools and education is sometimes overlooked.  We keep on demanding for a good output at a lower cost.  Maybe it's time to dig into a pro's toolbox and understand the real value of his work of art.

Equipment:

Nikon D4 (bought 2012) - PHP 337,500

Nikkor lens 14-24mm 2.8 - PHP 93,800

Profoto B1 (1 pc) - PHP 93,750

Profoto air remote TTL (trigger) - PHP 17,500

Profoto zoom reflector - PHP 10,485

Profoto Honeycomb grid for zoom reflector (10 degrees grid)- PHP 6,110

Profoto OCF Color gel - PHP 4,650

Nikon SB910 - PHP 25,000 x 2 - PHP 50,000

Sekonic L-478DR Light Meter - PHP 16,800

Light Stand (2 pcs) - PHP7,000

Macbook Pro 17" (bought 2011 at Best Buy) - PHP127,000 

Total - PHP 637,595

Buying a top of the line DSLR and becoming an instant professional isn't enough to yield stunning portraits you desire.  On my end, I have also invested years of training starting with a 32 hrs basic photography course in Lightform International Filipino Photographer's Guild in Dubai amounting to PHP 15,000 (1,200 Dirhams) followed by an another 32 hours advanced class in flash photography  and panoramic worth PHP 15,000 (1,200 Dirhams). Other workshops attended included product and studio lighting worth PHP 18,750 (1,500 Dirhams) and seminars from international photographers like Lindsay Adler, Matt Armendariz, Gregory Heisler, Bobbi Lane, Steve Simon, Louis Pang, Andrea Belluso, Parc Cruz and many others I have attended.  Moreover, starting from 2010 when I first had a DSLR it was only now that I had completed my gears.  So see? It is a mix of talent, time, money, and perseverance to build a respectable career in this field.

With this, it is undeniable that a photographer's masterpiece should never be underestimated in value.  One's true worth is beyond words.  Besides, our learning does not end here.  These types of equipment get outdated and depreciate over time. Additionally, upgrading is a must to catch up with the latest trends.  Be complacent and passive then you'll be left behind missing opportunities.  

In conclusion, if you are a photographer love your craft,  do not be afraid to show what you've got and strive for excellence always. To our dear clients, maybe it's time to recognize not just one's wonderful product of this profession but nonetheless, his journey and sacrifices  and finally understand the real price of photography.

Basic Photography for Kids by Leonida Academy Batch 1

          Teaching was not part of our initial plans until one day somebody called us and asked if we can do a workshop on basic photography for kids. Oh! Why not?! That would be very interesting and refreshing!  This kind of workshop is not common in our place since most seminars are for adults and are one-day crash courses.  So we accepted the challenge and my husband dug in his files from his previous workshops and from there we formulated our own outline.

       Our very first students were Apple and Nicole who were photojournalism representatives of their school during press conference contests.  Their objective is to learn how to shoot in manual in their DSLR in order to have that edge among other contestants.  I definitely think they made a good choice in learning it firsthand from photographers.

        The course ran for 5 sessions at 3 hrs per session (every Sunday at 2-5PM).  Discussions were intensive about camera body parts, handling, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, white balance metering, composition and so much more.

During our first meeting.  The kids were still very shy then.

Trishia was being asked by Ramil on how to change her aperture settings.

       
               Finally, they finished the course with happy smiles not expecting to receive a certificate on their graduation day for that.  On our end, we felt fulfilled to have contributed our knowledge to young and innocent brains.
                For us, this was the beginning of something bigger.

           

How We Started

           

       

          Leonida photography was created by a couple who loves to take photos of their adventures.  In their goal to improve, they attended workshops and seminars here and abroad.  It was not long enough before they decided to take this hobby to a new level and share it with others.  Since everybody was not born to face the camera, their mission is to help clients discover their confidence to look at their best  as they embrace some of the  most unforgettable moments of their lives. So make those memories last since they can never be replayed.  Amaze yourself! Partner with us.  Discover your confidence with Leonida Photography.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                — Jeany Leonida