...always remember when answering a newbie question, you were once a newbie too... i have been in sales for 15 years and i am sure i could outsell almost anyone on this forum, but if someone asked me a sales question from the POV of a beginning salesmen, i would answer them with the same level of respect i would want for myself when asking someone with 30 years experience!!!
I would submit that if you have fifteen years of sales experience, and consider yourself a professional of any degree, than all of these are things that should have been worked out before-hand. The business of photography is very little about photography, and very much about business. Draft your business plan, determine your CODB, COGS, etc, factoring in insurance, professional fees, etc.
Now, all of that aside, what is the relevance of how much someone else charges? While I don't mind answering the question, there's nowhere near enough information for me to give you an answer. What is your monthly CODB? How many hours of work is invested in each project? What is the size of the club, and typical attendance? How long would they want the images (slide-show) for? What licensing rights do they want (exclusive, non-exclusive, etc)?
That is how you answer someone with respect! I hope my less casual writing style is good enough for KmH, since I am also a writer and did not think I was being judged on my grammatical prowess on a casual photography forum. I certainly understand that I am a newbie, and am well aware that many elitists don't want to answer newbie questions. I certainly appreciate your point, cgipson1, that if you get annoyed with answering newly professional questions... DON'T!
I did not get my camera last week, though yes I have been using a point and shoot for years. I did get my "entry level" DSLR (rebel T3i) recently, but not until I had made the decision to make a career of it. I have been unemployed, due to a rough economy, for two years now, and have decided to pursue my two biggest passions, writing and photography. The unfortunate financial situation I find myself in, while trying desperately to keep my family afloat, has precluded me from purchasing any equipment beyond what I can afford. Thankfully, my wife was able to scrape enough money together to buy me what I now have! I am, however, an advocate for the premise that equipment does not make a photographer great. I started taking photographs when I was a young child with my mother's 35mm SLR, knowing nothing about how to use it other then how to focus and release the shutter. One of my favorite shots I have ever taken was with a disposable camera, though it cannot be blown up larger then 4x7 due to that fact. My point is that those of you who pass judgement on others who perhaps cannot afford an $8,000 camera... should stick that $8G camera up your...
I am attending school since I would consider it disrespectful to those with years of experience if I attempted to pass myself off as a professional photographer without any proper training. I even explained to the owner of the bar, that I am just starting out and had no idea what kind of a price to tell him, especially since I had not thought of making a slideshow until asked to do so... makes it kinda hard to have sorted out the price in the first place.
I have not posted any photos, yet, because I cooked the processor on my desktop and I have been waiting for a new processor that I ordered. Fortunately that came in the mail today and I will be working on performing computer surgery this Friday, when I do not have any of the five classes that I am taking this semester.
Having been in sales, not business, for fifteen years, I am also taking a course in business to ensure I am able to make a solid profit from my work. So to that point, I freely admit that I am learning the art of business as well. I do have a strong knowledge in the art of selling and completely realize that sales is the art of selling yourself, something many of you have failed to do on this thread. In fact, I would say you have done a great job at "un-selling" the appeal of this forum. Clearly most of you have not read the intro to this particular section of the website, so allow me to remind you...
"Looking to make your hobby into a business? Already in business? This is the place for you. Discuss marketing, pricing, legal issues and other ideas relating to the business of photography."
I am sure there are many highly experienced and amazing photographers who have no prejudice toward start ups and would be more then willing to answer questions and give advice without demeaning or degrading those who need to ask. For those, few as they may be, I am more then willing to give more information, knowing now what information is needed. Incidentally, the method of teaching and learning by asking questions and answering with more questions, only to be followed by even more questions, is called the Socratic method. Though perhaps not the one who coined the phrase, Socrates certainly put forth the point that "there is no stupid question, except the one not asked!"
I can figure out my own CODB and things of that nature, my question was more on the market rate. Anyone who does know anything about business, understands that this is important since you don't want to over price yourself out of a job, and also do not want to under cut any other professional's prices. The LCD's are primarily used for photography slideshows, the current one being 6 months old. Occasionally they show visual graphics, but I have not seen that in a while. It is a relatively small club and there were approximately 100 - 150 patrons that night. I currently have about 40 - 50 shots that I have deemed above par and I will be going back to shoot more if needed. I am not conceded about my photographs, though I would rate myself much better then the average amateur, but not quite as good as the avg. professional and certainly not stuck up enough to think otherwise. That is a trait I have seen many professionals possess who produce crap and think because they took it with an expensive camera and Photoshopped the hell out of it, that it is worth money!
I have already figured out pricing for the individual shots, which I did have an amount in mind to begin with, but was looking for a little reassurance that i was being fair. All that being said, allow me to clarify my original question. Since I have never done, nor thought of before, a slideshow, what is the going rate and how many pictures are a good amount for 30 minutes? (not that I will make it 30 minutes, but that will allow me to calculate whether or not I need more, depending on the amount of time the client wants) If it helps, imagine that I am a customer asking you what I can expect to pay! If this is not enough info, let me know and I will try my best to answer more.
I hope that is formal enough for you KmH!!!! (unfortunately there is no emoticon to say "you're number 1")
... several patrons asked me where to buy the shots (1st question of how much i should charge for them???) and later the owner asked me to give him a price on a slide show for the LCD monitors in the club (second pricing Q????)... So how much would you charge, for individual shots (media or print) or the slide show for the club? also how much would you subtract for being new without any reputation yet?
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