First paying sessions

[SamanthaLu]

I'm very new to photography and I've only used my Olympus SP-55OUZ. I'm expecting my first SLR soon in the mail. A Nikon d90. 1st of all I really need any tips to this camera and main points and adjustments I should make to the settings. I have about 3 seniors wanting pictures made and one couple for engagement pictures. I always wanted to do this professionally but never thought I'd be into it this soon. What should I charge? Whats the average rate for seniors and engagement? I'll post a few pictures I took with my digital olympus. Thank you guys so much!

 

[eric-holmes]

1st of all I really need any tips to this camera and main points and adjustments I should make to the settings.

Your camera will come with a manual. Read it cover to cover and then ask your questions you may have.

I always wanted to do this professionally but never thought I'd be into it this soon.

You aren't so don't worry.

What should I charge?

Nothing. Build your portfolio. Charge for the pictures if they want to buy them but don't charge a session fee as of yet. You are just starting. What if you charge them and the pics come out like the ones you posted?

 

[Petraio Prime]

:meh:

 

[Kofman13]

If your senior shots came out anything like the ones you just posted, you could easily get sued if you charged for them

 

[SamanthaLu]

Yes I plan on reading the manual just wanted to make sure there weren't any unknown secrets I should know about. I agree the pictures above are blah! I shot this girl just for fun and got swamped with phone calls from senior girls, I think I just got over excited! Have you guys ever printed your pictures out at walmart? Or just home?

 

[Kofman13]

i hope youre not going to charge, you should ask for donations at most

 

[Kofman13]

bad pictures + bad prints = sadness

 

[PerfectlyFlawed]

You charged for those pictures??? I agree with the other, no where near pro yet ( or charging clients) read, read, and read some more. Buy a better camera... practice..practice, practice.

 

[gsgary]

Going on these shots i would take up another hobby

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

 

[Aayria]

+1

 

[eric-holmes]

May I have some?

 

[Petraio Prime]

This is in no way professional work. Sorry to tell you this, but it's better you hear it here than have people angry with you.

You need to know what pro work looks like.

The poses are poor, the clothing poor-fitting, hair not 'done', the light is just what you found (you need to use reflectors, screens, etc.).

Just for starters.....

 

[ghache]

call a lawyer.

 

[KmH]

I'm very new to photography and I've only used my Olympus SP-55OUZ. I'm expecting my first SLR soon in the mail. A Nikon d90. 1st of all I really need any tips to this camera and main points and adjustments I should make to the settings. I have about 3 seniors wanting pictures made and one couple for engagement pictures. I always wanted to do this professionally but never thought I'd be into it this soon. What should I charge? Whats the average rate for seniors and engagement? I'll post a few pictures I took with my digital olympus. Thank you guys so much!

The technical part of photography is quite a bit more involved than many new photographers realize. It nowhere close to being rocket science but it's still stuff pro photographeers need to know.

If people will pay you for photos you have made of them, more power to you.

Where you're more likely to run into problems is on the business side of things.

Texas is one of the states where they give substantial monetary rewards to people for telling the state about illegal/un-licensed/un-registered businesses. Since Texas doesn't have income taxes they rely heavily on getting all the sales taxes due to them and illegal businesses don't send the state their cut.

So, when the state finds out about an illegal business, by whatever means, they estimate how much sales taxes are owed to them, add penalties and fines (ouch, big hurt) and send a big bill.

As far as rates to charge: There aren't really any average rates and senior packages are usually quite different than engagement packages. As an example seniors tend to want a lot more wallet size photos.

You need to charge enough to cover your non-reimbursed business expenses, your cost of goods sold, plus pay yourself a wage just to break even.
After that you have to add the profit margin you want to make.

Good luck with your new venture. Figure it will take 6 to 24 months to break even, depending on how much you know about running a business and how much capital ($$$$$'s) you have to start with.

Advice from a qualified accountant and an attorney would be helpful.

Of course for your legal protection you need liability and indemnity insurance, contracts, model and property releases, invoices, terms and conditions, a refund, no-show, reschedule policies, and all the other things paperwork and things needed for running a business.