To be fair to advertiser/consumer he should expect to get what he's paying for,therefore want to see portfolio comensurate with experience.
The first principle of marketing is one can not charge more than the market can bear meaning affordability with respect to disposable income.
Every photographer should charge whatever he/she thinks it's worth on where he/she skills/level are at.If one charges a high price then there will be pressure to deliver the quality.
Sure phone cams have the quality to produce good photos but shooting selfies is not the same bcause of perspective of view. Believe me using phone camera does not have the tactile feel of a proper one.
I have seen the maternity photos on cs here and some are good meaning photos are well posed and exposed but there is something missing.The spontaneity of the moment.Most are copies of western style posing and lighting.What's so great about mummy or daddy looking or trying to look admiringly at belly of mummy.The genuine expression of their feelings are missing.It takes more than a fancy camera,props and lighting to produce a quality product or photo.There are photographers and then photographers that have the skill to extract genuine feelings and you don't develop this overnight despite having fancy gear.They shoot from the heart.
