AM I WRONG!?!?!?!?!

[SpeedTrap]

MyaLover,
I have seen your work and it is not something you need to be giving away, you have a unique style and if these girls want that in their portfolio then they should be paying for it.
In truth they should have been paying around $400 per person and that would even be low.
I have worked with the same type of people and I just tell them no.

I will do one shoot a year for fun, but it is done by a group of professionals (Hair, MUA and Models). We all know going in that no one is getting paid and any cost are evenly divided.

 

[Heck]

Giving people a great deal gets old. Your putting time and effort and using your gear that cost tons of hard earned money. Nothing wrong with getting paid for your art and service.

 

[Chiller]

I met up with a small local band a while ago,coolest kids around, and they were shooting their "promo" shots using a friends point and shoot. I talked to one of the guys, and said...."hey...you give me your e-mail address, and I will shoot you some pics" We fired off a few images, and off they went. I got home processed them, and sent them off ....for free.
Firstly...I used to be in their shoes....metal head, in a band, trying to get gigs, and no money. They really dug the shots, and invited me out to a gig. I told them, I have never shot any "bar photography" and said...it will help me, and whatever images they get, is a bonus. Yeah, did it for free, cause I love photography.
I just got their new release in the mail. ......for free.

I know this is a little off topic, but sometimes people helping others is the best thing. Especially if we do this for the love of it, and not the stress of doing it for a business

 

[JE Kay]

Yaaaaaaaa, aspiring models, they're okay, as long as they go back in their crates when the shoot is over... :lmao::lmao:

I'll never do shoots for free or cost with new models again, it's like root canal with no freezing most of the time. And ya, I love the 'well I don't get paid until next week' line. :er:

Howeeeeever.... If I see someone that I think would be good for something I'm working on, well for sure I'll eat the costs involved. :thumbup:

 

[JerryPH]

I'll tell you what... "aspiring" or "amateur" models... do them a few times and it gets old fast. It will soon come to the point where your portfolio is nice and you are well practiced and want to start to get SOMETHING back for your work.

By then, if you are not careful, you are known as the camera person that works for free and the moment you start charging, all hell breaks loose. People complain, degrade your work, walk away... and know what? That is the time to raise prices... lol

Doing free work when you are a professional REALLY REALLY should be discouraged. About the only exceptions I can see are:

- charity... you are returning something back to the community.
- family... I would never charge family.

Even then, be careful... limit yourself with freebie work. I know a pro that has been hurting a good year now because of this. The moment he yells "freebie" his studio is filled. the moment he yells "I want to just get my costs back", his studio is as empty and quiet as a tomb. We had a nice long talk... and I told him to not do anymore freebies, NONE... and to double his prices.

He made $2200 last week (his FIRST week after raising his prices), and he is taking me out to lunch... lol

 

[DRoberts]

Morgan you need to develop a contract and put that in their faces fast, so they know from the beginning what's going to happen and what they are responsible for. If they can't commit end it right there, before you put time and effort into the project.

 

[MyaLover]

Thank you all!!! And that is what I plan to do! Someone had mentioned $400 for the shoot?? My goodness! I really am not asking this question for some narcissistic selfish reasons, but in all honestly, for the work I do, what would be a good price to charge?

And Lastly, I frequently work with this girl, and she really knows what shes doing. She was the girl I cut up and made into a marionette. Shes always willing to come over and shoot any weird Idea I have. Should I charge her? and if i dont charge her, is it ok to charge everyone else?

 

[Arch]

Shes always willing to come over and shoot any weird Idea I have. Should I charge her?

No!... if its your idea you shouldn't be charging her imo. Remember some of these different kinds of shoots will not be suitable for a model portfolio.

and if i dont charge her, is it ok to charge everyone else?

If they come to you because they need the shoot doing then yes... if you want them to pose for you then no.

 

[MyaLover]

Agreed! I guess the question I was more meaning to ask was this:

If A model says " when are we going to tkae pics?" or "Lets shoot! What are you ideas"

I still charge them.. is that wrong?

 

[shivaswrath]

I'll tell you what... "aspiring" or "amateur" models... do them a few times and it gets old fast. It will soon come to the point where your portfolio is nice and you are well practiced and want to start to get SOMETHING back for your work.

By then, if you are not careful, you are known as the camera person that works for free and the moment you start charging, all hell breaks loose. People complain, degrade your work, walk away... and know what? That is the time to raise prices... lol

Doing free work when you are a professional REALLY REALLY should be discouraged. About the only exceptions I can see are:

- charity... you are returning something back to the community.
- family... I would never charge family.

Even then, be careful... limit yourself with freebie work. I know a pro that has been hurting a good year now because of this. The moment he yells "freebie" his studio is filled. the moment he yells "I want to just get my costs back", his studio is as empty and quiet as a tomb. We had a nice long talk... and I told him to not do anymore freebies, NONE... and to double his prices.

He made $2200 last week (his FIRST week after raising his prices), and he is taking me out to lunch... lol

Nice strategy, I might hit you up on PM for some q's. . . I've been getting the family freebies for a bit, which I don't mind and have used to leverage contacts (Indians are BIG into BIG parties, so my info is out there), but my pricing is poo because I intro'ed myself on the cheap end. . .so I should quadruple my price dammit!!

 

[frXnz kafka]

But I spent about a week planning this whole thing... AND TOOK OFF WORK FOR IT! Very upset, frustrated and very discouraged... can you tell???

That's ****ty that they bailed on you, but I hope you learned from this. Next time, get all your ducks in a row before you go taking time off work or spending a dime. Find out what you're going to be charged for, make sure your models will actually pony up their half, and THEN make the arrangements.

 

[usayit]

The way I see it...
1) If you maintain ownership of the resulting images, then you should pay them.
2) If they maintain ownership of the resulting images, then they should pay you + expenses.
3) If you both maintain rights to freely use the resulting images, then you should both share the costs.

TFCD assumes #3 above...