Attention Pros - How much do you charge, on average?

[ted_smith]

deleted

 

[Jeepnut28]

my model works out to me making $30 an hour.

that is how I figure out how much I am going to charge someone. I figure the time spent shooting, editing, and delivering photos. if it works out to $30 an hour for a job then i am on my target.

 

[skieur]

my model works out to me making $30 an hour.

that is how I figure out how much I am going to charge someone. I figure the time spent shooting, editing, and delivering photos. if it works out to $30 an hour for a job then i am on my target.

Hate to tell you this guy, but standard rate for photographers in my area 40 years ago was $35 per hour. You are grossly undervaluing your work.

skieur

 

[Alpha]

Hate to tell you this guy, but standard rate for photographers in my area 40 years ago was $35 per hour. You are grossly undervaluing your work.

skieur

Quite the contrary. He's overvaluing, not under-. No offense to the OP, but his portfolio shows little mastery of portrait work (I expect people aren't commissioning him to photograph flowers). For immaterial sort of shots, charge what they're worth to you. I have some "art" shots that I'd let go for $10 for an 8x10, and some that I only do a couple prints of and wouldn't let go for less than a grand. Otherwise, stick to your own costs as a reference if the photo itself is unimportant to you. Costs $5 to print a photo? Charge $10 or $20. Drop the price per print when someone wants to buy lots of prints.

Remember that professional photographers provide a service. They take great photos. That's what they get paid for. Your average pro is going to charge between $200 and $1000 per shoot. But you aren't a pro as far as friends and family are concerned. You're a friend or a family member. That means they expect you to cut them a deal. So in a sense, the question is ill-suited to your task.

 

[skieur]

Agreed, Max. There are a considerable number of variables as you indicated.

skieur

 

[kundalini]

I only went to your "best shots" and hopefully between now and 2008 you will try to sell photos without the pets ears cropped off. Perhaps at the moment you might take the actual costs of supplying the prints and either charge an X factor for your price or take that X factor as paying your dues for the experience. At least that way you are not out of pocket.

 

[craig]

I shoot commercial/editorial work. Editorial weekly gets my hourly rate because I work for them. Do not ask because it is pitiful. Editorial for our magazines is slightly better. 75 to 300 dollars per shot depending on placement. Commercial work is generally $150 per hour. A lot of wheeling and dealing goes on when I work on larger projects. Large projects are generally 1,500 bucks.

Love & Bass

 

[Jeepnut28]

Hate to tell you this guy, but standard rate for photographers in my area 40 years ago was $35 per hour. You are grossly undervaluing your work.

skieur

including hours spent post processing?

 

[Alpha]

including hours spent post processing?

Either it was covering your time spent in the darkroom, or it was covering your overhead for having a lab do it.

 

[photogoddess]

Ted,
Your pet shots are just fine. Good candids, well exposed and yes, while you've cut an ear off or two, I think it's just fine to do so sometimes. You've asked questions that really require more information. Are you wanting portrait prices, prices for 'fine art' prints or for editorial/commercial use? I'll assume you're talking about pet/people portraits since you've mentioned doing work for family and friends.

I charge between $100-$150 for a portrait session depending on the type. Pets, kids and families - $100, Boudoir - $150. With that they get up to 2 hours of photography and an online gallery of their images for 14 days. Families take about an hour to an hour and a half to photograph, boudoir - 2 hours. Print prices are as follows....
I don't sell images smaller than 5x7 except wallets and I only sell those in larger quantities.
5x7 - $25
8x10 - $40
11x14 - $100
16x20 - $150

I'm in So Cal so those prices are extremely reasonable.

Good luck and keep shooting. Get all your safe shots and then try to improve something in your work or try something new every time you pick up your camera. I think you'll be happily surprised to see your work evolve in a very good way. :thumbup:

 

[jstuedle]

I have posted this before. Calculate ALL your costs, print, stamps, packing, shipping both to you and you shipping the final print. Figure it as a one piece price, and don't forget anything. You may want to start with a pro lab print delivered to you as a basis. After adding up all the variables, multiple by 3.3 X if you are a home based business with very little overhead, 5.5X for a pro storefront business. Use these numbers as a bare minimum. Then go up from there. After you print your price lists, if they don't work throw them out. Don't stick with them just because you have a box of 500 still on the shelf. A well know pro photographer in Ohio with a small chain of studios teaches this in his seminars. Larry Peters been shooting for over 30 years, and making a decent living at it. He claims almost all startup photogs undervalue there services. If you are struggling to make ends meet, raise your prices and don't be shy about it. You might want to contact your past customers and tell them you are running a sale, last chance to get your portraits at the old price. Come in now to beat the price increase!