Ok, so I have someone asking me how much I charge to take photos at a party(not a wedding, just a get together, like at a bar) but as the official photographer and I don't want to overcharge and scare them away from using me. How much would y'all charge based on the work....can see more at my website: claycorbin.com
Quality of Portraits
- Thread starter MrKorney
- Start date
Maybe you should grab the Yellow Pages or Google, see who is doing similar in your area and for what price...
There are many variables, what value do you put on your time?, what is your experience?, will it be a way to build your experience/business...
It's a tough call, generally people want something for nothing, also people don't understand that there is a financial cost and time cost associated with your work.
Like many pro/semi pro photographers these days, many are being undercut by "Uncle Bob" photographers.
There are many variables, what value do you put on your time?, what is your experience?, will it be a way to build your experience/business...
It's a tough call, generally people want something for nothing, also people don't understand that there is a financial cost and time cost associated with your work.
Like many pro/semi pro photographers these days, many are being undercut by "Uncle Bob" photographers.
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There is always someone willing to shoot for less than you - fortunately some clients know the difference in quality and those are the ones I want to build long term relationships with.
I also get offers of having my name credited on the website/ magazine etc instead of $$$s, because it will get my name out there and I'll get more business. It doesn't work!
Next time I need a plumber to fix my washing machine I'll offer to put his name on my website as a recommendation of his excellent skills instead of a payment as he'll get more business from people visiting my website
somehow I don't think that will work so why should I shoot for free?
Exception will be for a trade for some pet project or something extraordinary missing from my port.
http://www.whattheduck.net/bestof
I also get offers of having my name credited on the website/ magazine etc instead of $$$s, because it will get my name out there and I'll get more business. It doesn't work!
Next time I need a plumber to fix my washing machine I'll offer to put his name on my website as a recommendation of his excellent skills instead of a payment as he'll get more business from people visiting my website
somehow I don't think that will work so why should I shoot for free?Exception will be for a trade for some pet project or something extraordinary missing from my port.
http://www.whattheduck.net/bestof
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It is a tough call because it is for a website that could potentially give me a ton of exposure, but I don't want to underprice it either because it may cause them to think badly as well...125/hour was a rough starting point given to me by another photography friend of mine who has done more paid work than I have. Thoughts? Do those pictures warrant that price? (granted this job is far simpler than those pics...)Heavyweight67 said:
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Someone who is really good at taking photos but doesnt earn money with it for a living. Thats also part of being pro. Selling your work well
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paul13walnut5
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I'm a hobbyist photographer. Occassionally I've been asked to sell an image, but it is only very occassionally.
I do it because I enjoy it, the challenge, the results. I reckon I've made back about 1% financially of what I've put into it over the years, and thats before we start counting time.
I might be an uncle bob, an enthusiast, whatever. I'm not a semi-pro photographer.
However I do video for my job. It is my only source of income. On this I pay tax and national insurance etc.
If I take a job on I can pretty much guarantee what the results will be and also within a specific timeframe.
I don't do it for fun (though on the good days I enjoy it) and I never ever do it for free, or below rate (unless there is a specific benefit to me). I am not a semi-pro videographer.
I just struggle with the term semi-pro. Do semi pros pay tax? Do semi pros have liability insurance?
I've never heard of an amatuer doctor who does a little bit of paid surgery here and there when asked.
Or an enthusiast accountant who will do a passable job for a knock down rate.
I do it because I enjoy it, the challenge, the results. I reckon I've made back about 1% financially of what I've put into it over the years, and thats before we start counting time.
I might be an uncle bob, an enthusiast, whatever. I'm not a semi-pro photographer.
However I do video for my job. It is my only source of income. On this I pay tax and national insurance etc.
If I take a job on I can pretty much guarantee what the results will be and also within a specific timeframe.
I don't do it for fun (though on the good days I enjoy it) and I never ever do it for free, or below rate (unless there is a specific benefit to me). I am not a semi-pro videographer.
I just struggle with the term semi-pro. Do semi pros pay tax? Do semi pros have liability insurance?
I've never heard of an amatuer doctor who does a little bit of paid surgery here and there when asked.
Or an enthusiast accountant who will do a passable job for a knock down rate.
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paul13walnut5 said:
Would you consider exposure as a benefit to you? That is one of the benefits I could get for doing this at "Uncle Bob's" rates would be the potential to get some great exposure from a website that has 10,000+(probably closer to 100,000 if not more) of unique viewers.
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paul13walnut5
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1) Do it for free and they'll want it free next time
2) Do it for little monetary value and they'll often attribute no value to it.
If somebody is making money, be it from the site or whatever else, then you shouldn't be giving your time for free.
The exposure con, or next time con is often used.
If you charge ANYTHING you are on a sticky wicket legally. It's paid work. It's a contract. The client would be reasonably entitled to expect a certain quality of work (what if you camera fails, as a paid professional you'll have a spare in the bag and professional indemnity insurance of course) what if somebody trips on your light stand or cable (as a professional you'll have public liability insurance of course) what if they refuse to pay you but keep the photos anyway (as a professional you'll be unionised or accredited with access to legal experts of course)
This is the other part of why professionals charge more.
So either charge the going rate, or not at all. Which means doing it, or not all (or purely as a favour with no expectations)
There is no such thing as a semi-pro.
2) Do it for little monetary value and they'll often attribute no value to it.
If somebody is making money, be it from the site or whatever else, then you shouldn't be giving your time for free.
The exposure con, or next time con is often used.
If you charge ANYTHING you are on a sticky wicket legally. It's paid work. It's a contract. The client would be reasonably entitled to expect a certain quality of work (what if you camera fails, as a paid professional you'll have a spare in the bag and professional indemnity insurance of course) what if somebody trips on your light stand or cable (as a professional you'll have public liability insurance of course) what if they refuse to pay you but keep the photos anyway (as a professional you'll be unionised or accredited with access to legal experts of course)
This is the other part of why professionals charge more.
So either charge the going rate, or not at all. Which means doing it, or not all (or purely as a favour with no expectations)
There is no such thing as a semi-pro.
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paul13walnut5 said:
Right, but nowadays everyone with a camera-phone is a photographer (see social pages) and everyone who has 1 good photo is a model
People buy a cheap dslr with kit lens and next day they are "Photographers". Same with people with money. Buying expensive gear won't give them skills no matter how many 1Dx or Mk3s they have.
I like the idea of the: What if your doc or mechanic would be like that?
-Well. Mrs Smith let's remove that nasty..
-No, I don't have a scalpel and I wouldn't know how to use it anyway but I have a Gerber and my friends say I'm very good with it... Now hold still, it's not too sharp in the corners and we only have available light...
)Sorry for the detour..
To the OP.
I would do a check on what the others in the area are charging. If they are better and you only start, charge a bit less. If they like your work they will pay anyway. If you are better than them and you only start charge the same and point out the excellent quality and added value they will receive. I understand the exposure thingy.
It's nice but if they like your work that should be rather a plus not a substitute for payment.
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I'm a professional artist. Photography is just one form of art I do. I basically charge what my time is worth. Otherwise, I'd rather spend that time with my family. After I had a my first daughter, all my rates went up as my time became more valuable.
Granted I am very fortunate to have more work than I can ever do. A good "problem" to have
Granted I am very fortunate to have more work than I can ever do. A good "problem" to have
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Thanks everyone, especially paul13walnut5 and picturesbyme. This has helped me realize what I need to do for this and future paying endeavors. I have some friends that do about the same level of work/better, but I have the leg up on understanding the technicalities of the equipment(both hardware and software) while they are far more artistic than I am. So choosing the "going rate" seems logical at this point with variation coming in as experience increases.
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I have found this question being asked often and its always about work done that is not a primary source of income. If you are selling photographs full time or part time you should quote
An hourly/daily rate
Travel expenses
Re-touching by image cost.
Additional expense- printing, books, CD's ect.
Don't forget when you work out your hourly rate to consider - Equipment Depreciation, Insurance in particular. But all or any costs associated with your work.
If you are happy just to do it for fun, thats fine, but if you are going to charge then cost it properly otherwise it could be tears at bedtime if someone drops beer over your camera, "oops sorry" and thats $3,000 lost on a $5 job.
An hourly/daily rate
Travel expenses
Re-touching by image cost.
Additional expense- printing, books, CD's ect.
Don't forget when you work out your hourly rate to consider - Equipment Depreciation, Insurance in particular. But all or any costs associated with your work.
If you are happy just to do it for fun, thats fine, but if you are going to charge then cost it properly otherwise it could be tears at bedtime if someone drops beer over your camera, "oops sorry" and thats $3,000 lost on a $5 job.
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