We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kourtnee Wade a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kourtnee thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Some of the most interesting parts of our journey emerge from areas where we believe something that most people in our industry do not – do you have something like that?

As a photographer, I’ve noticed a considerable disparity in pricing within the industry, with costs for a basic session ranging from $50 to $500. Some photographers assume that lower pricing indicates inferior work, but I disagree. I believe that photography services should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their budget. To achieve this, I maintain low costs without sacrificing quality. Notably, I’ve observed that photographers who charge higher rates often struggle to secure bookings, whereas my schedule remains consistently full. I attribute this to the high pricing strategies employed by some photographers. I’ve been told by other photographers that they can’t book because other like me are low balling them. Charging $500 for 15 photos, for example, works out to $33 per image, which is a substantial expense. In contrast, my pricing is under $200, and often under $100, with a minimum of 20 photos delivered. I firmly believe that expecting clients to pay over $300 for a photo session is unrealistic, particularly in the current economic climate. The idea that ‘you get what you pay for’ oversimplifies the relationship between pricing and quality. As photographers, we should strive to provide excellent services at all rates, making photography more accessible to a broader audience.

Kourtnee, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always loved photography I took classes in Highschool for it. I ended up falling in love with the idea of being a photographer from watching another photographer based in North Carolina her name is Lemon + Lily photography.. I started doing film photography but quickly realized the expenses in getting the photos developed and switched to a digital camera. From there I started with model calls, coming up with ideas and asking people to model for me. Through that I grew my social pages. I’ve used mom groups on Face book to post sales and have recieved tons of booking through that. I offer all types of sessions maternity, family, engagement, newborns, weddings and so much more. I think what sets me apart from others is my ability to take it slow and get the children comfortable. Instead of perfectly posed photos I opt for a more playful vibe. Let those kiddos play and I can capture their true personality. I want everyone to know when booking with me I take my time I don’t rush the session and I’m always open to hear your creative ideas, your wants and expectations. I’m big on using nature and natural light to my advantage. Sunset photos are my forte I love a beachy golden hour session and I have no problem getting wet or dirty to get those shots. My main inspiration is my family. As a mom and wife, I always think about what kind of photos I would want taken of us and how would I want my family to feel during the session.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me the most rewarding part of being a photographer is seeing people change their profile pictures on social media to the pictures I’ve taken. Seeing how much they loved those photos and that they feel it represents them or their family enough to make it their main photo is so satisfying. My main goal is to produce photos you love and seeing that you love them feels so fulfilling. It’s also so rewarding to see kids actually having fun and showing true smiles instead of posed forced smiles during my sessions. It’s such a feeling of accomplishment.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

My most effective strategy to building loyal clients has been Mom groups. I’m always upfront with pricing and what clients will recieve in return and people love the transparency. I tend to do mini sessions at least 6 times a year that are heavily discounted shorter session usually with themed props and set up. Those minis are my most booked. People love to see you’re putting in effort and posting a set up makes them feel like the photos won’t just be something they can take themselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wadephotography32.mypixieset.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wadephotography19
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wadephotography19