What is worth it to you?

Overall, we were pretty lucky, but my road to becoming a mother was not the quickest or easiest of roads. When I became pregnant, someone I know in a related field gave me a glowing referral to a new obgyn. I liked the obgyn I had been seeing for years just fine but it's one thing to go for a yearly exam, another altogether to get through a pregnancy. My husband and I wanted to make sure we were getting the best care, or at least to see what was out there.

As it happened, my old obgyn had a pretty good repution and was associated with one of the most highly rated hospitals in NYC... which took my health insurance but not my husband's. We ideally wanted to be covered under both, just in case, plus another friend absolutely raved about another highly rated hospital, where the new obgyn was associated. She had all three of her children there (traveling quite extensively for the third). I mean, she loved that place! And both our insurances covered it.

Still, we were uncertain. We decided to make appointments with both.

Well, needless to say, when we met with the new obgyn, we knew he was the one. You know when you just know? (For example, I bought my wedding dress the first day I went looking - I just knew.) We signed up on the spot, even though, get this, he doesn't accept any insurance.

That's right. He doesn't accept any insurance. Now, our insurance covers out-of-network, supposedly 70% (I say supposedly because it turns out there are then all kinds of things they don't cover) and we figured the relatively small amount of extra money was worth it to us. Our decision was made easier by the fact that when I'd called my old obgyn to make an appointment I was put on hold for twenty minutes and told I'd have to wait a month for an appointment. A month! Do you know how long a month is to a woman in her first trimester who has wanted a baby for a while? A very long time, that's how! Unacceptably long. Our new obgyn explained to us that he runs a boutique practice - a limited number of patients, highly personalized care. He is a sole practitioner and delivers practically every one of his babies.

Would we have been just fine, medically, with my in-network obgyn? I'm sure we would have been. But even back at that first appointment, I could see that the experience we would get with the new obgyn would be incomparable. The difference was clear from all of our interactions, from the first phonecall to his office, to the moment we stepped into his blissfully calm and uncrowded waiting room, to the time he spent talking us through everything. We wanted the best care, the personalized attention and the peace of mind that would bring, so that we could relax as much as possible and enjoy our pregnancy, and we were willing to pay more for it.

As it turned out, the problem with going out of network is not so much the cost (although I know it's not affordable for everyone, and you do have to pay a lot up front), but the aggravation of trying to get reimbursed.

But was it worth it? Oh it was so worth it, so so worth it. All of it was.

I recently went back for my six month post-natal appointment... four months late. I kept putting off the appointment because I kept thinking I really should be frugal, not to mention save myself the administrative headaches, and go back to my less expensive in-network obgyn, now that I'm not pregnant. But I just couldn't bring myself to make that call. At this point, it's not just about service and quality of experience - it's about a relationship. Our doctor took care of us. He got to know us, not well, that wouldn't have been necessary, but he established a personal relationship with us, and made us feel like his favorite and most important patients (as I'm sure he does all his patients). He called us personally with all of our test results. And the other staff in his office were the same. When I went back, I showed the front desk staff baby photos and they were genuinely delighted. Even the staff we worked with at the hospital gave us the same kind of treatment, I'm sure because of the relationships he has built with them. Did I mention that they were the best? We had an absolutely outstanding labor and delivery nurse - I really couldn't have imagined anyone better. They worked really well together and I know they have done so for years. (And incidentally, she took some amazing photos of our baby's delivery on my iphone.)

All of this is very interesting to me as I develop my business and work on my pricing structure. When I first thought of starting a photography business, before shooting a single photo session or doing much research, I thought I wanted to be priced in the low to mid range, and I had an idea of what I would charge. After I completed my first session, including all of the editing, I despaired - I would have to charge ten times as much to make it worth while, and no one would ever pay that! Of course, I have since become better and faster at what I do, and I have also learned a lot more about the photography business (and that there are clients willing to pay quite a bit more than my "despair number"). I've also learned more about myself - there's nothing wrong with low end high volume (the in-network model), but it's just not me. I am high end low volume (the boutique model) - I was in my career as an architect, and I am as a photographer. That doesn't mean I am overpriced - just because something costs more, doesn't mean that it isn't good value, and I happen to believe in both cases, I provide exceptional value. But, like my obgyn, I like to give my clients personalized attention. I like to customize their experience, take care of them, be able to spend the time to attend to all the details and create not just outstanding photographs but outstanding products and an outstanding experience for them. Is it a luxury? Yes. I have come to realize that's what I want - to create a high end luxury experience from start to finish. But we all have the things that we're willing to pay more for in order to treat ourselves to the best, don't we?

I also like the idea that I am not necessarily looking for wealthy clients, but for clients that value photography, art, design, fine products, good service and true moments with their family, captured for a lifetime. I'd rather have a client who saves up to pay for my work because it's something they know they will value than a client who doesn't value what I do but tosses that money my way without a second thought because it isn't much money to them. And I have to admit, my own perception of what I myself would pay for custom photography has changed during this process - upward! It's not for everyone, but for those for whom photographs are treasured and meaningful, it is oh so worth it, just as our "boutique" obgyn was and is, for us. I can only hope and strive to provide the same kind of experience our obgyn provided for us. I'm just starting, so I'm not there yet (thus my currently discounted pricing) but I aim to get there.

So, what do you value and are willing to pay more for?

And, if you are in NYC and looking for an outstanding obgyn, e-mail me and I will give you a referral!

nyc baby, child and family photographer alethea cheng fitzpatrick is based in brooklyn and specializes in contemporary, natural light portraiture. view her portfolio of babies, children or families or send her an e-mail here!