Job bid pricing trouble.

[tlynn2813]

I am in need of some assistance. I'm not quite a new photographer but i have recently just gotten back into the field. I usually do portraits and price those pretty well. which is why I'm on here now.. I have been asked to bid a job that requires traveling, prints, digital copies and physical copies, edits, several different place settings. they want a whole portfolio made. i have never really priced something like this before so im asking my fellow photographers out there.. how would you price this job?

 

[tirediron]

By the hour, straight time plus expenses.

 

[tlynn2813]

What is a good price by the hour? I usually just do straight prices

 

[tirediron]

That's really something only you can figure out, and really should be one of the first steps of your business plan. Calculate your cost of doing business and you'll have the answer. It doesn't matter what sort of work you do, or how your price it to the customer, it should all be based off of those calculations. I charge $125/hour but my costs are not your costs, so...

 

[tlynn2813]

ok so what about expenses though? i have print packages i offer but im not sure thats what this person is wanting. is it better to combine print prices or sell individually. or to just price the job as a whole. i have no idea how much time will be put into this.

 

[tirediron]

You need to know EXACTLY what they want in order to submit a bid. Bidding $1000 on a job where your only deliverable is digital files has a drastically different effect on the bottom line than one where the client expects 10 16x20 canvases. Call them, ask them exactly what they want, and in your submission, under "Scope of work", or "Description of job" or however you choose to phrase that line, specifiy exactly what you will provide for the price you are offering.

 

[KmH]

What you describe sounds like a commercial job, not a retail job.

If so and you don't want to leave money on the table, the cost of use licensing for the digital copies will depend on how the digital copies are used - media types, # of impressions, geographical extent of the usage, length of time of the usage, etc.

Visit American Society of Media Photographers and click on Business Resources on their home page.

 

[Designer]

ok so what about expenses though?

That is something that can be researched in advance.

As for estimating your time, you should know how long you take at doing things. That's why you're experienced at it.