What do you think?

[Sarah23]

So I have 3 families who are wanting me to do their kids and/or family pictures this spring. They all know that I am new to this..and at this point it would really be more for practice then anything.

So a few questions:

1. Do I charge them? Im really not comfortable with taking any money for this yet...as I just dont think I am that good...but they have seen my portfolio and really want me to do them...so would it be totally stupid to just do them for free for now, and as I get better and more comfortable change?

2. I am going to be doing them all outside at a park or somewhere like that. What is the best time of day to do this at? I know midday, harsh sun is NOT...so what...early evening? morning?

3. Do I need to get another lens? Or do you think my 50mm would work ok?

Im a bit nervous...if you cant tell.

 

[christopher walrath]

1. Do I charge them? Im really not comfortable with taking any money for this yet...as I just dont think I am that good...but they have seen my portfolio and really want me to do them...so would it be totally stupid to just do them for free for now, and as I get better and more comfortable change?

2. I am going to be doing them all outside at a park or somewhere like that. What is the best time of day to do this at? I know midday, harsh sun is NOT...so what...early evening? morning?

3. Do I need to get another lens? Or do you think my 50mm would work OK?

1. Ask them to pay for film and processing/printing. If you want to ask for more that's up to you. If you ask for any extra, shop around for a second lens and ask for that amount.

2. Midday light is not so bad if you are in a shaded area such as under a tree or a pavilion or such. I would go for the after school, before dinner as then you could use the sun for lighting. It's high enough that it won't be in their eyes and it shouldn't throw off the color too much. And consider filling the shadows with a flash.

3. Your 50 should work fine unless you're talking 20+ people in the frame at one time.

 

[Sarah23]

Im thinking of getting a Speedlite 430ex for this...(plus ive wanted it anyway ) Should I get anything else?

 

[JerryPH]

People are going to pay to get an assurance of quality and are paying for your experience. I think that since you yourelf admit you are new, you should not charge for it, except if it costs you anything.

If they are asking you to drive 2 hours to take pics of their kids, the polite thing to do would be to pay for your gas.

Best time to take pictures is from dawn till around 9-10 and from 4-5 PCM till dusk. If it is overcast, you could in theory shoot all day as the light is not as harsh.

As for what lenses or flashes to use, the range of possibilities is so broad, that it is impossible to offer specific advice. What I would suggest is that you go to this place and practice several times in advance so that you know what to expect.

As far as getting a flash, thats a good idea, that and the items you need to go off-camera flash.

 

[Sarah23]

People are going to pay to get an assurance of quality and are paying for your experience. I think that since you yourelf admit you are new, you should not charge for it, except if it costs you anything.

If they are asking you to drive 2 hours to take pics of their kids, the polite thing to do would be to pay for your gas.

Best time to take pictures is from dawn till around 9-10 and from 4-5 PCM till dusk. If it is overcast, you could in theory shoot all day as the light is not as harsh.

As for what lenses or flashes to use, the range of possibilities is so broad, that it is impossible to offer specific advice. What I would suggest is that you go to this place and practice several times in advance so that you know what to expect.

As far as getting a flash, thats a good idea, that and the items you need to go off-camera flash.

Thanks so much! Yeah, I talked to them and am not going to charge anything for now.

OK...so I am going to get the 430ex....what other items to do I need to go off-camera? Hotshoe cord? Do I need a diffuser or anything like that?

 

[JimmyO]

Well you should probably look at Cactus V.2 triggers from Gadget Infinity. But remeber you will have to control the flash manually. The flash has a small built in diffueser. But you might want to look into better ones, although i have no experiance with this stuff.

 

[JerryPH]

We've touched on that in detail in several PMs. You can go from under $120 to over $5000 for a lighting setup. You and I have discussed in detail what is needed to get you started at the under $120 level.

I have no problems using a single off camera (and bare) flash and the camera flash used to trigger it:

Kids are fast, though and a challenge to get good pics of. Practice, practice, practice before doing the job.

 

[PattiS]

Personally, if I could go back a few years and do it over again, I would get all of my "practice" with family and friends rather than portfolio building with strangers. That said, if it's something you want to do, I think it's a great idea to set your prices to where you eventually want them to be, and then discount heavily while you are still learning- like 75% off on portfolio building sessions. It's very difficult to build a client base that is accustomed to very low prices, and then eventually try to switch gears to a whole new market. This way anyone who hires you can see what you intend for your pricing to eventually be. When my business was new I did a short term promotion where I did the session for free and included one complimentary print. Additional prints were available for purchase, but there was no obligation.

My favorite time of day for outdoor sessions is about 3 hours before sunset, and I think you will do just fine with the 50mm.