Am i ready to charge?

[mwcfarms]

I think what they meant is your flash is mounted on your camera. As opposed to off of it on a stand held to the side and above etc. It still produces really harsh in your face lighting when you have it mounted to the camera. Not talking about your pop up flash but the placement of your light source.

 

[mwcfarms]

You can see in a good portion of your portraits the very small pinpoint catchlights in the subjects eyes. This is how we know your flash is on camera.

 

[dallasimagery]

You can see in a good portion of your portraits the very small pinpoint catchlights in the subjects eyes. This is how we know your flash is on camera.

Well technically that's actually an indicator of the size of the lightsource; not that it's on the camera.

 

[mwcfarms]

Perhaps I should have said centered small pinpoints and their positioning in the eye to be more specific. I was typing too fast and should have elaborated. Small pinpoint centered in the pupil is most likely a small bare light source and the position in the eye indicates it was on camera.

 

[KmH]

£20 is about $32.26.

How many photo's do you take in 1.5 hours and how many are on a disc?

I doubt you're not even making US minimum wage, $7.25 an hour (£4.50) once all your time and business expenses are figured in.

How much do you figure just one of your photos is worth?

 

[RauschPhotography]

£20 is about $32.26.

How many photo's do you take in 1.5 hours and how many are on a disc?

I doubt you're not even making US minimum wage, $7.25 an hour (£4.50) once all your time and business expenses are figured in.

How much do you figure just one of your photos is worth?

Then factor in editing time, as well... Can't forget about that.

 

[gsgary]

£20 is about $32.26.

How many photo's do you take in 1.5 hours and how many are on a disc?

I doubt you're not even making US minimum wage, $7.25 an hour (£4.50) once all your time and business expenses are figured in.

How much do you figure just one of your photos is worth?

And minimum wage is higher over here

 

[gsgary]

I did some dog portraits cheap the other week only made £200 in 2 hours

 

[mwcfarms]

Did you post one of those gsgary? A terrier sort of looking dog?

 

[KmH]

£20 is about $32.26.

How many photo's do you take in 1.5 hours and how many are on a disc?

I doubt you're not even making US minimum wage, $7.25 an hour (£4.50) once all your time and business expenses are figured in.

How much do you figure just one of your photos is worth?

Then factor in editing time, as well... Can't forget about that.

That's why I said "all your time", because it includes:

• time spent with the customer scheduling the shoot.
• travel time
• pre-shoot preparation
• the 1.5 hr shoot itself
• time spent with the customer post shoot
• edit prep time
• edit time
• burn to disc time

Ironically for a self-employed photographer, the majority of their time has to be spent on marketing if they want to have any hope of paying the bills.

So it's more beneficial if marketing and business management are your main interests, rather than photography. :thumbup:

 

[gsgary]

Did you post one of those gsgary? A terrier sort of looking dog?

The one i posted was my dog Archie
1 dragonised

 

[GeneralBenson]

To the OP. The short answer is, no, you're no. Just be blunt, not mean. Hnestly, I think there are some nice shots in there, and better than a lot of people who postulate that question. But it definitely doesn't look up to the quality that I would want to see from someone who is charging money. Most of it has already been said.

But here's the other thing. It looks like, and I think this already got clarified, that your subjects are all friends and family. I think before anyone is ready to start charging, their portfolio should be completely devoid of f&f for two reasons. One, by that time, you should have enough experience to give you a large enough body of good work that you don't need to rely on f&f shots to have a large enough portfolio. While I'll admit that it's fine to have a shot mixed your portfolio of little nephew Jimmy, because it's just a fabulous shot, that's not most people. The majority of the time you see f&f in a portfolio, it's because tht person hasn't shot much else.

Reason number two, is that having f&f in your port doesn't accurately display your true abilities. Because the reality is that it is much easier to work with your sister and cute little nephew Jimmy, than it is to work with woman you jus t met and her crazy kid who has never seen you before. So you take a bunch of great photos of people you've known for years, and then use them to lead people you've never met to think that our can do the same thing with their kids is falsification in my mind.

But here's the real answer to this question: I hate this question! I hate it because the question is never 'do you think I'm good?', or 'is my work up to a professional standard?' or 'have achieved a certain level of mastery of the craft?' or 'is my work inspiring or artistic?'. It's always basically, 'have I achieved the lowest possible level to which I can start charging money for barely passable work?'

I fully understand that we all have to start somowhere, and that you have to s tart charging at some point. But it's the mental approach that i have a problem with. The root of this question is just a desire to be good enough, not to be great. A desire to successfully meet the status quo, not to surpass it. non one was ever great on accident, and no amount of trying to be good enough will ever cause you to be better than just that.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Yur mean!

:lmao:

He's "offering very good quality photo shoots for very little money!"

 

[olearris]

Charge, don't feel ur doing bad, ur have great potential just go all out

 

[Nick Melson]

Thanks to those of of who who offered some advice; but I don't think there was any need for some of you to take the piss.
I'm not saying I'm an expert photographer by any means, but whenever I do photo shoots for favours, people always ask me why I don't charge for them. With me being skint at the minute, I started charging just to cover my petrol costs so it wasn't costing me out of pocket to do them. But after I made the Facebook page I had quite a lot of messages from people saying they were interested, and asking how much I charge. I don't think I can really be blamed for deciding to stick a £20 price on it when people are more than willing to pay.
I've done five paid for shoots so far, and I've got another six booked; plus loads another 10+ plus people who said they're definitely interested. All of the people I've done the shoots have been really happy with them, have recommended their family and friends and have said they'd like another shoot some time soon.
If people weren't too happy with the shoots I'd stop charging. But I don't see why I should stop now, when every shoot I do gives me loads of nice feedback.
Anyway, I know I'm not a professional by any means, but I'm aiming to get to that stage one day. Can anybody give me any tips or advice, like I asked in my OP, as to what specifically to improve on, and how to go about it. Also, do you have any recommendations on cheap studio kids or backdrops etc?