An honest conversation about value, hesitation, and what lasts

There’s a pause that happens before almost every booking.

It usually comes after someone has looked through the photos, imagined their dog or horse in that space, and thought, Yes… this feels like us.

Then they scroll.

And the question shows up — quietly, but persistently:

Is this really worth the money?

No one ever asks me that directly. But I know it’s there. Because it’s human. And because I’ve asked it myself.

Where that hesitation really comes from?

After my Great Dane Floyd passed away, I realized something uncomfortable. I had thousands of photos on my phone — but almost nothing printed. Nothing finished. Nothing that lived in my home.

At the time, I told myself I had “lots of photos.”
What I didn’t have was anything that slowed me down when I walked past it.

That experience changed how I think about photography — and about value.

When people worry about whether a portrait session is “worth it,” they’re rarely talking about money alone. They’re usually talking about fear.

• Fear of spending on the wrong thing

• Fear it won’t feel as meaningful as they hope

• Fear of regret later

That hesitation makes sense.

Most of us are used to photos being quick and disposable. Phones are full of them. Hard drives are full of them. And somehow, the more we have, the less intentional they feel.