Pricing

[lennon33x]

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Let's start with the toddler session: 1 hour shoot, 1 location, 15-20 delivered final images $175

$175 is cheap...are you editing these files? How long do you spend during post processing? Lets see some of your current work.

 

[lennon33x]

$175 is cheap...are you editing these files? How long do you spend during post processing? Lets see some of your current work.

Yes I'm editing them. For the most part, Ive streamlined in LR with presets and then go tweak blemishes/dodge/burn in PS. Depending on how complicated the shot is (or how correct I got it in camera at the time of the shot), I usually spend 2-3 hours on 20 -30 images (average)

 

[paigew]

After viewing your work. I personally would recommend doing free portfolio building shots. This way you don't have pressure of getting specific shots or a certain number of shots.

To elaborate. When people are paying you, they expect certain shots. It seems as if the shots you shared are family snapshots and not client work. If you have never shot for a client before it can be very stressful, and subjects are not always cooperative.

For the business and headshot photos people are going to be very picky. Do you know posing basics for headshots. Shooting angles, lighting, etc?

 

[imagemaker46]

Like Steve5D, I have some set fees that I ask for depending on the client. I'm all over the map when it comes to pricing, there are set asking fees I have in place for photos being bought that are being used for magazines, books, tv, or film. The final prices I negotiate depending on the number of photos being used. I have day rates that vary, again depending on how long they will take me to shoot, if it is a couple of hours, I decide based on the client. If it is a 2-3 day shoot, or a two week shoot, everything is negotiated. I used to have set fees and stopped doing that years ago. I ask higher than what I want and if they go for that fee great, if not then I tell them I can do it for less, which is around the number I was looking for in the first place. I charge a different rate for editing time that is added to the final invoice, this fee is set and doesn't change.

I don't factor in what it costs me to drive to the shoot, if I buy a coffee on the way, basically I don't nickel and dime my way through shoots, I keep my overhead low, and in a lot of cases I will just eat some of my expenses. Most of these are simply added to my monthly expense sheets for tax deductions at year end. Everything is broken apart as far as my taxes I pay out and the taxes I charge. I hate doing this stuff, but it is part of business.

 

[runnah]

I don't factor in what it costs me to drive to the shoot, if I buy a coffee on the way, basically I don't nickel and dime my way through shoots, I keep my overhead low, and in a lot of cases I will just eat some of my expenses. Most of these are simply added to my monthly expense sheets for tax deductions at year end. Everything is broken apart as far as my taxes I pay out and the taxes I charge. I hate doing this stuff, but it is part of business.

No? I don't charge it back to the client unless its over 50 miles. I do keep track for tax purposes.

 

[lennon33x]

After viewing your work. I personally would recommend doing free portfolio building shots. This way you don't have pressure of getting specific shots or a certain number of shots. To elaborate. When people are paying you, they expect certain shots. It seems as if the shots you shared are family snapshots and not client work. If you have never shot for a client before it can be very stressful, and subjects are not always cooperative. For the business and headshot photos people are going to be very picky. Do you know posing basics for headshots. Shooting angles, lighting, etc?

Thanks, I'll highly consider it

 

[Steve5D]

Let's start with the toddler session:
1 hour shoot, 1 location, 15-20 delivered final images $175

Does that cost factor in the following:

Travel costs
Editing time
Consumables (batteries, lunch etc...)
Equipment costs
Rental costs
Marketing costs
website/photo hosting
Software purchases
Taxes
and so on...


These are all the things you have to consider when figuring out your rate.

The two items I've put in bold text are two items which I've always questioned.

My gear and software are paid for several time over. How is charging someone for that a reasonable thing to do? Someone; Tirediron, I think, once said something about depreciation. At some point, you'll reach a point where the depreciation of the equipment levels out with the amount you're charging for depreciation. Do you stop charging for it at that point? Do you charge less? Are you charging someone for something just because they don't know better?

I can see charging for wear and tear. I know I needed to have both my 40D and my 5D repaired this summer. I think that type of charge is reasonable.

And I can also see putting a charge in place for consumables and meals, but I don't know that a one hour shoot warrants a lunch break...

 

[kathyt]

Let's start with the toddler session:
1 hour shoot, 1 location, 15-20 delivered final images $175

Does that cost factor in the following:

Travel costs
Editing time
Consumables (batteries, lunch etc...)
Equipment costs
Rental costs
Marketing costs
website/photo hosting
Software purchases
Taxes
and so on...


These are all the things you have to consider when figuring out your rate.

The two items I've put in bold text are two items which I've always questioned.

My gear and software are paid for several time over. How is charging someone for that a reasonable thing to do? Someone; Tirediron, I think, once said something about depreciation. At some point, you'll reach a point where the depreciation of the equipment levels out with the amount you're charging for depreciation. Do you stop charging for it at that point? Do you charge less? Are you charging someone for something just because they don't know better?

I can see charging for wear and tear. I know I needed to have both my 40D and my 5D repaired this summer. I think that type of charge is reasonable.

And I can also see putting a charge in place for consumables and meals, but I don't know that a one hour shoot warrants a lunch break...

I don't know about you, but I spend a large chunk of change on equipment and software. You better believe it should be included in your costs.

 

[vintagesnaps]

To be able to charge for your work I think your photos would need to get to the point of being at a professional level in quality; then you'd be able to charge the going rate for portraits in your area. I'd think about your backgrounds, try changing your vantage point to change the background that's in view behind the subjects; if you keep learning and practicing you could refine your skills to help you be successful with a portrait business. There are professional photographers' organizations that have resources available that could help you with the business aspects; I've used info. on American Society of Media Photographers and there are others.

 

[tirediron]

Let's start with the toddler session:
1 hour shoot, 1 location, 15-20 delivered final images $175

20 images out of a 1 hour session?????? :scratch:

 

[lennon33x]

Let's start with the toddler session:
1 hour shoot, 1 location, 15-20 delivered final images $175

20 images out of a 1 hour session?????? :scratch:

Would you do more or less?

Several other photographers in my area (who produce likewise images to mine) charge the same price (per their websites) for 30 minute sessions with 10 images delivered.

 

[tirediron]

Let's start with the toddler session:
1 hour shoot, 1 location, 15-20 delivered final images $175

Does that cost factor in the following:

Travel costs
Editing time
Consumables (batteries, lunch etc...)
Equipment costs
Rental costs
Marketing costs
website/photo hosting
Software purchases
Taxes
and so on...


These are all the things you have to consider when figuring out your rate.

The two items I've put in bold text are two items which I've always questioned.

My gear and software are paid for several time over. How is charging someone for that a reasonable thing to do? Someone; Tirediron, I think, once said something about depreciation. At some point, you'll reach a point where the depreciation of the equipment levels out with the amount you're charging for depreciation. Do you stop charging for it at that point? Do you charge less? Are you charging someone for something just because they don't know better?

I can see charging for wear and tear. I know I needed to have both my 40D and my 5D repaired this summer. I think that type of charge is reasonable.

And I can also see putting a charge in place for consumables and meals, but I don't know that a one hour shoot warrants a lunch break...

You're not really charging for depreciation. My "gear charge" calculation is based on the expected life of my gear, and how much it will cost to replace it. Let's say body x and lens y represent an initial cost of $7500 and I can expect to get five years out of the body and ten from the lens, at which time the body's replacement cost will have increased 15% and the lens's 20%; I want to make sure that I have money in my account so that when I need the new body or lens, it's NOT coming out of my food budget.

 

[tirediron]

Let's start with the toddler session:
1 hour shoot, 1 location, 15-20 delivered final images $175

20 images out of a 1 hour session?????? :scratch:

Would you do more or less?

If I got five images out of a 1 hour session I would be VERY pleased with myself!

 

[lennon33x]

If I got five images out of a 1 hour session I would be VERY pleased with myself!

Fair enough.

 

[lennon33x]

I definitely appreciate the feedback regarding the business aspect of pricing. It has been very helpful.