how does this sound?

[Christina]

Im re vamping my web site along with getting rid of the option of me printing most of the photo's. How does this sound? and for those of you who use this method, how well has it worked for you?



Includes :

1-2 hours of shooting on location.

A high resolution disk of all edited images to reprint to your hearts content.
( this means, copy right released, any size, any picture, as many times as you like )

24 photographs at 4 x 6 size, To hold, to pass around, or display.

1 wallet set.


Prices :

Weddings :
Pre-ceremony
ceremony
reception____________$525.00


Ceremony only
reception_____________$425.00

**engagement packages may be added to any package for $100 extra.



Engagement
Maternity
Senior portraits________$175.00



Basic session
Family session
Child or infants _______$150.00


Single shoot_________$75.00

**** model release is required for all photographs ****

 

[Big Mike]

Includes :

1-2 hours of shooting on location.

A high resolution disk of all edited images to reprint to your hearts content.
( this means, copy right released, any size, any picture, as many times as you like )

24 photographs at 4 x 6 size, To hold, to pass around, or display.

1 wallet set.

I assume this is for your portrait packages? If so, that sounds fine and is becoming a more and more popular way of doing things.

It's hard to judge prices because each area is different and can support different market levels. But I would venture that your wedding prices are way too low.

Looking at the first one:

Pre-ceremony
ceremony
reception____________$525.00

That's maybe 6 hours...maybe up to 12 or more of shooting time. Then there are meeting times before (and maybe after) the wedding. How many photos would you expect to take and how long do you spend editing? For a full days shooting, some people may spend 10, 20 or even 40 hours editing.
So now your $ per hour is getting pretty low.
Then you have to figure in overhead costs...equipment, gas & mileage, general business costs (fees & licencing). You have to pay income tax etc.

In the end, you really don't get much out of it, when you charge so little.

 

[JodieO]

Are you sure you want to be giving all that away for that price?

I sell one high resolution cd of images for my portrait clients at about $3,000 (that's on top of my session fee). I cannot imagine giving them away for $150. I wouldn't be making any money at all!!!!

 

[JIP]

$525!!!!! $525!!!! that is nuts as Mike said that is alot of time to work for $525. Even of you estimate on the low side of time like 10 hours shooting time and 8-10 hours of processing time and don't include expenses that is nothing. As soon as you include real expenses like printing, your gas and whatever things start racking up. Now when you add in wear and tear and depreciation on very expensive gear like your camera, lenses and, computer you are not making a whole hell of alot. I don't know how long you have been in the business but in what I would assume is a pretty big market (is Jacksonville??) you are really underpricing your work and contrary to what you might think I don't think lower prices are gong o attract more people in fact prices that low might scare people away rather than attract them. I'm not necesarrily saying you have to price your weddings at $3000 but you really need to consider a price jump.

 

[Christina]

There are many photographers in jacksonville. Its like you say, "yeah I do senior portraits." and they're like "hey, me too!"

I have been thinking about jumping prices but I didnt want to be one of those people who just start and have my prices over the top, and people think im expecting to just make it big.

I want to do everything right, So what the package offers is ok? But consider different prices?

 

[JIP]

Well you need to charge what you think your time is worth. I have another suggestion though first off you should link your website here and second regarding said website, you REALLY need to do something about the neon pink background and neon green type. I saw the little collage on the first page and that looks decent but it is too small but those colors!!!! I don't know how old you are but it looks like some teenager's blog or something. They really just don't look professional at all I have no suggestions on what to use but I do know you should stay away from the neon.

 

[SpeedTrap]

One of the problem with your prices is that you will spend time building a client list and then when you are ready you will need to raise your prices and have to find all new clients.

Beside would you rather shoot one wedding for $1500-$2000 or shoot 4 weddings for $500. It is your time ind your income, you decide.

 

[Big Mike]

I took a course that was specifically about starting up as a wedding photographer. The biggest point of the whole course was 'Don't set your prices too low'. The instructor said that the biggest reason that wedding photographers fail, was that they had their prices too low. We had one exercise just to emphasize that 'Experience should not be a factor in your price'.

That being said, the product has to be there...so if you don't think you are good enough to charge higher prices...then get some more training or experience before you start out on your own.

 

[crazy_dragonlady]

Being a successful business owner myself (not photography) I can vouch for what all these people are saying.

First off, your time is worth money!! Whether you are good enough is another issue. In order to calculate a base hourly rate you need to consider ALL your overhead costs (and I mean ALL) and then figure out how many hours you will be performing said tasks and then divide the total of your costs by the number of hours per month. That will give you a rough estimate of what you need to charge to break even.

Assuming you want to make a profit you then have to figure out how much profit you'd like to be making and add it to the figure you reached in the first calculation.

For instance, in our business (residential heating & a/c installations) we charge 65 per hour + material costs + markup + taxes.

In order to operate a profitable business you absolutely have to figure out your costs per hour before you can come up with a price. That goes for ANY type of service business.

Not only that but you also don't want to give anyone the impression that your services don't have any value. You are providing someone with a valuable service and your prices should reflect that. If you don't charge enough then the perceived value of that service declines and you are basically telling your perspective clients that you aren't worth it. See where I'm going here?

Just my 2 cents. Take it or leave it.

ttfn
CDL.

 

[JodieO]

Being a successful business owner myself (not photography) I can vouch for what all these people are saying.

First off, your time is worth money!! Whether you are good enough is another issue. In order to calculate a base hourly rate you need to consider ALL your overhead costs (and I mean ALL) and then figure out how many hours you will be performing said tasks and then divide the total of your costs by the number of hours per month. That will give you a rough estimate of what you need to charge to break even.

Assuming you want to make a profit you then have to figure out how much profit you'd like to be making and add it to the figure you reached in the first calculation.

For instance, in our business (residential heating & a/c installations) we charge 65 per hour + material costs + markup + taxes.

In order to operate a profitable business you absolutely have to figure out your costs per hour before you can come up with a price. That goes for ANY type of service business.

Not only that but you also don't want to give anyone the impression that your services don't have any value. You are providing someone with a valuable service and your prices should reflect that. If you don't charge enough then the perceived value of that service declines and you are basically telling your perspective clients that you aren't worth it. See where I'm going here?

Just my 2 cents. Take it or leave it.

ttfn
CDL.

I cannot agree more with this. :thumbup: Too many photographers are starting their businesses, not making enough money to keep their businesses afloat, and then drop out of business.... which in turn drags the industry down because you have "cheap price hoppers" out there - customers who want a cheap photographer, who will hop from one cheap one to the next instead of learning the true value of good photography.

At least, that is what I see. So when one of those "hoppers" finally comes to me, they want to complain about my prices... I feel like screaming - hey, I'm going to STAY IN BUSINESS for YEARS to come.... :er:

 

[Big Mike]

Good point :thumbup:

You may not be at this point yet...but another thing to consider is that the higher your price, the better the clients that you will have (if you can still get them at the higher price).

For example, if you prices are low, you will get people who are only shopping by price...they just want a bargain. These type of clients can tend to look for a bargain all the time and with everything they do....so they will fight you for every dime they spend. And if they have the chance, they might act like they are disappointed and want a refund or more...it's always more, more, more. You end up spending more time, which in turn, drives down your dollar per hour figure.

Now on the other hand, if you raise your prices, you might attract clients that want you...that want your service. They aren't just looking for a deal. That little change might mean that they are much happier clients, which makes your job so much better and less stressful.