The Difference Hiring a Professional Makes
Occasionally someone calls about having a passport photo taken, and the first question they ask is "How much?" When I give them the price, most say "Sounds good" then proceeds to make an appointment.
Once in a while someone responds with "Why do you charge more than the drug store or auto club does?"
- Well, I don't sell toothpaste or auto insurance, where those two make their money. They virtually give away passport photos (in the auto club's case, make that literally), just to get you in the door, hoping you'll buy something else they're selling. I only sell photographs.
- They're going to use a low resolution, "point and shoot" consumer grade camera, and under "existing light conditions," create an image that is potentially out of focus, off color, and under exposed.
- I'm going to use a high resolution, professional grade camera, and using a professional lighting setup, create an image that is sharp, perfectly color corrected, and perfectly exposed.
The best part is, the image I create is guaranteed to pass muster, and being that I'm on the "preferred photographer" list for the Canadian Consulate, the British Consulate, the Greek Consulate, and the Australian Consulate - four of the most difficult passport offices to screen your passport photos - you can trust that any US passport photo we create will be accepted.
This is the difference hiring a professional makes, and yet the cost difference is not really that much.
