Charging for prints and/or time.

[Rafterman]

I'm sure this type of question has been asked INFINITE times, but my situation is a bit unique, so I'll ask anyway.

Some of you saw my other thread in the Digital Discussion section about the fashion show I'm shooting this Friday, put on by College of Textiles graduating seniors at a local university. I was initially under the impression that this would be a pro bono shoot as a favor to the students. However, I just received the Photography Release Form I will need to sign and it has verbiage that states...

I agree to take pictures at the [fashion show name] as a service to the College of Textiles and the Designers. I agree to be compensated for this service based on a rate of $______ per printed picture or $________ per CD of designer's images.

I agree that my rate will be equally offered to each designer.

I agree to provide a CD with images of all designers’ works to Dr. [name redacted] for show documentation and marketing for a rate of $_______. This CD will be delivered by ________.

I'm choosing the option to provide a disc of images to each designer (11 total) of their clothing line and a disc with all images to the college itself. They'd like the discs delivered by Wednesday, May 1st, which doesn't leave me much time for post-processing. I always shoot in RAW anyways, but for the show, I'll likely shoot in RAW + JPEG (fine) in order to provide the images faster.

I will be on-site shooting for approximately 6-hours. I am NOT incorporated or registered as a business, but obviously would like to be compensated for my time since they're asking me to name a price.

Is a price of $500 for the college's disc and $150 for each designer's disc a fair price? That would be $2,150 for 6-hours on-site plus approximately 3-4hrs to prepare and burn the images to the 12 discs if I don't do any editing and just use the JPEGs out of the camera. There is a catch though. There will be 3 other photographers shooting the show, so I have to set my prices competitively because the college and designers can choose to buy the images from whomever they want. What are my options here? Can I charge for discs even though I'm not a business?

 

[KmH]

What they essentially want is a bid, and will likely buy from the lowest bidder.

This sounds like a recurring event. You need to try and find out what others have charged in the past.
fotoQuote, fotoBiz, and the fotoKeyword Harvester.
Case Study: Producing A Successful Estimate | DigitalPhotoPro.com
American Society of Media Photographers
http://asmp.org/tutorials/business-f...l#.UUza9Bdzji0

 

[tirediron]

The prices seem fine, BUT... as Keith mentioned this sounds very much like a 'lowest bid' scenario and I'm guessing that a lot of people will submit very low or zero bids just for the chance to shoot.

 

[KmH]

Sure. You can charge for your work if you're not a legal business.

A year or so ago there was frantic post in this forum section from a lady that had been doing just that.
She was frantic because she had just gotten a letter from the city she was doing 'business' demanding payment for unpaid business fees, plus penalties.
The city also wanted to see her 'books' (accounting records) so they could make sure they billed for all they were due.
In situations like that a city will often also notify the state so the state can send a bill for money owed to them, like sales taxes.
Both cities and states are pretty strapped for money so they diligently pursue all avenues available for generating income.

 

[Rafterman]

The prices seem fine, BUT... as Keith mentioned this sounds very much like a 'lowest bid' scenario and I'm guessing that a lot of people will submit very low or zero bids just for the chance to shoot.

Fortunately, I get to shoot the show regardless of my prices. One of the other 3 photogs is a colleague/friend of mine and has seen lots of my work. He personally recommended me to the show's organizer. Another one is a Senior in Textiles himself and not a professional. The last one, I'm not sure of.

I'll either stick with those prices, or drop them just slightly. One designer may choose to pay more for my images of their collection, while another designer prefers to buy someone else's shots.

As far as the "business/not a business" thing goes, I believe I can just add any money I make when filing my taxes for next year as "additional income." I mean, there's John Doe's out there who take a random fantastic shot and end up selling it to the media or a magazine or whatever and get paid without being a business themselves. That being said, I will have to make a sound decision at this point in time whether or not I want to incorporate. Or in other words, decide whether this will remain a hobby, or become a second job from here on out.

Sure. You can charge for your work if you're not a legal business.

Do I sense sarcasm?

 

[KmH]

Sure. You can charge for your work if you're not a legal business.

Do I sense sarcasm?

None was intended. Just an answer to a question in your OP.

 

[CCericola]

I would charge for your time and bill the college, deliver their discs and give discs to the designers for free. That way, you being compensated for your time, you worked hourly so you just declare it as income and you don't have to worry about sales tax. (Warning: I'm not an accountant so don't take my words as gospel) Knowing graduates from FIT, Antwerp and Parsons, no one is going to purchase a $150.00 disc when they can use the pics their friends take from their seats. Some even just go to the professor and they give them copies of the disks they got. Or they just use pictures they take at rehearsals. These disc are more of a novelty as their portfolio already contains studio pics of the designs along with their drawings and such.

 

[Rafterman]

None was intended. Just an answer to a question in your OP.

Just giving you a hard time based on the anecdote that followed that sentence.

So I just talked w/my buddy who is also shooting the event and he said he is going to charge $75 per disc of images, which is his standard rate for portraits, weddings, etc. I informed him that is is WAY under-valuing his work (he's a darn good photographer!)

I think I'll stick with the prices I mentioned above. If no one buys, so be it. I'll still greatly value the experience and have a good time.

I would charge for your time and bill the college, deliver their discs and give discs to the designers for free. That way, you being compensated for your time, you worked hourly so you just declare it as income and you don't have to worry about sales tax. (Warning: I'm not an accountant so don't take my words as gospel) Knowing graduates from FIT, Antwerp and Parsons, no one is going to purchase a $150.00 disc when they can use the pics their friends take from their seats. Some even just go to the professor and they give them copies of the disks they got. Or they just use pictures they take at rehearsals. These disc are more of a novelty as their portfolio already contains studio pics of the designs along with their drawings and such.

Late edit because I didn't see your post. I can't charge hourly because the contract asks for a price per disc, period. I do agree with your point about the price for the designers though. I may stick with the $500 for the college and go lower for the designers. However, I'm reluctant to give them away for free though, because this fashion show is part of their degree program and a graduation requirement. It's their final project before they're done and a culmination of all their years of schooling. I'm pretty sure they'll want to buy a disc. Also, the show charges a price per ticket to attend, and may not allow flash photography in the audience. If that's the case, my images would then have some measure of exclusivity.

 

[KmH]

6 hours times $xx.xx per hour = price per disc - if you don't included editing time.

 

[amolitor]

google "Prisoner's Dilemma"

 

[Rafterman]

google "Prisoner's Dilemma"

Haha, that's pretty good.

OK then, $1 discs for EVERYBODY! (kidding)

 

[Rafterman]

After much more research and thinking, I've decided to go with a pricing format that works like this: higher price for the college, who wants every image I take of the whole thing (pre-show, backstage, show, post-show reception), but super-low affordable price for the 11 students/designers who only get a disc with photos of the clothing they made.

In an effort to price myself so that I have a chance of my bid being accepted, I've decided to go with $300 for the college's disc, and $30 for each student's disc. This would give me a total of $630 for an estimated 10-hours of work ($63/hour), with 6-hours spent shooting and 4-hours grouping the images by student designer into folders and burning discs. If I was not competing with other bids, I would charge more, but I'd rather make $630 than make $0.

I will touch-up the photos slightly where I can, but everything has to be turned around and delivered just 5-days after the show. The college is not expecting every single image to have extensive editing done to it. This isn't like a one-time wedding. The show is held at the end of every fall and spring semester. They just want good looking pictures delivered fast and I want to be the guy who delivers.