As a Minneapolis Maternity and Newborn Photographer, I have seen this question come up a LOT on local facebook and mom groups, as well as a lot of photography specific groups. Should You Tip Your Newborn Photographer? While you will get a lot of different answers from all different places, here is my personal take as a Twin Cities Newborn Photographer on the question of tipping your photographer.
Professional photography is a service -it's honestly a luxury service. It has become quite commonplace to tip service providers, whether it's your hair or nail technician, server or driver. However, while I'm sure it's appreciated by many Minneapolis area photographers, I wouldn't say tipping is expected, nor particularly commonplace in photography. As a professional photographer who runs a legal business, it is my job to know my own cost of doing business, and charge appropriately for my services. This of course means I'm not a 'competitively priced' photographer charging an unsustainable $200 for my work. Beyond my 'nice camera', I pay taxes, pay studio overhead, invest significantly in my props and high end client closet, have business insurance, pay for a nice website and marketing, invest in continuing education and improvement in my skills, and still need to take home a living wage.
As someone who specializes almost exclusively in Minnesota maternity and newborn photography, I don't expect to be tipped by my clients. Honestly, on the occasions when a tip is offered, I usually thank my client, and tell them that the best tip they can give me is an honest Google Review of my business after their experience. This helps other potential clients get to know more about what my professional experience looks like, so they can decide if I'm the best fit for their needs.
That said, I still hope that when people book a studio session with me and decide to use my hair and makeup artist, they are tipping her for her incredible service so she feels appreciated in her amazing work! Should You Tip Your Photographer? Please remember, every Minnesota Photographer runs their business differently, and will have opinions on tipping that vary as much as their pricing and their work. Do your research, and make sure you find the photographer that best suits your personal needs and taste!