Here's a look at what goes into my rates:

• Gear & Business Costs: Cameras, lenses, lighting, audio equipment, software, computers, and storage, plus the maintenance, professional cleaning, and insurance needed to protect it all (especially with theft on the rise in the Bay Area).

• Education & Marketing: Regular seminars, courses, and tutorials to keep growing my skills, along with the promotional materials and networking events that help me connect with clients.

• Shoot Expenses: Travel, fuel, tolls, parking, rentals for specialty items like telephoto lenses and backdrops, and small touches like champagne for graduates or flowers for couples to help shy clients relax.

• Time & Effort: You might see me spending an hour or two behind the camera, but each session also includes planning, scouting, setup, travel, and breakdown. Then comes culling (often 300 delivered images from 4,000 captured), editing, and delivery. I also stay physically conditioned to handle heavy gear and long shoot days.

• Taxes: Roughly 20 to 35 percent goes to taxes. Billing services make it convenient, but they charge fees for every transaction.

I've been working with my mentors on gaining the confidence to charge market rate. As I work toward making photography a bigger part of my life, I truly appreciate your understanding. I'd happily shoot for free forever if I could, but charging is what allows me to keep doing what I love.

Also, I have been called out by other photographers for muddying the market. The lovely creators who have made the leap away from their 9 to 5, or worse, have been replaced by the robots, still need to be able to live and provide for themselves and their families. If I charge less, it potentially takes away work from them or gives their clients a negotiation point that makes it harder for them to sustain their business.

I hope you choose me because you've seen my work and want me to capture and celebrate you, your friends, or your family in my own way. Thank you so much for your support!