George Eastman Museum introduces $400 per hour professional photo fee

The George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York, has implemented new fees for professional photographers using its grounds, charging $400 per hour outdoors and $600 for shoots in the mansion. The policy change follows an altercation involving a prom party, which accelerated the museum's long-considered decision. Local photographers Logan Dingfield and Erin Cummings criticized the fees as excessive, with Cummings calling the cost a "total 180" from public perception and suggesting George Eastman would be disappointed. The museum cited growing demand—hundreds of visitors daily for senior pictures, proms, and engagements—as necessitating paid reservations to prevent disruption. Non-professional photography remains free. The museum, founded in 1947, is the world's oldest photography museum.