Need advice on what to charge for destination shoots

[lite4]

Hi Folks,

I'm new to the forum. I love photography but am usually too dang busy to hang out here that often. Thanks for all those who contribute with great tips and information.

My question: My profession is not photography. I own an outdoor lighting design company. I have been shooting my own work for close to 6 years now just simply out of the necessity to show my potential clients my work. Well, recently an associate of mine who is also in the same business has asked if I would be interested in doing all of the photography work for his franchise company. He currently has 32 franchise locations nationwide. All of the projects would be of completed lighting installations. I would be required to hop a plane, do a preshoot setup and at dusk, shoot for a good 1.5-2 hours. I would grab a hotel, and jump a plane home and start post on the shots for an hour or two. Most images will be used in small print adds and web use.

They will be paying for all travel expenses, but I am not sure what to charge for the shoot and post production work. I know CODB for my lighting business, but I can't charge those rates for shooting. I am thinking a flat daily rate is the way to here. Does $500/ day sound too cheap for this or too much? What is an average rate for something like this to shoot on location?

Thanks

 

[CCericola]

The ASMP has lots of pricing info and tools. You can buy pricing software, but since this is a side venture maybe take advantage of the pricing services listed. There is a lot to consider including usage, duration, licensing, etc...

 

[12sndsgood]

Since this isn't something you intend on doing long term. Maybe just look at actual costs for what it will take to do a single shoot and then figure in 20% profit,

 

[tirediron]

$500/day seems very reasonable to me, don't forget to factor in food, incidentals (forget enough toothbrushes, that adds up!), and will your current insurance cover your for this, or do you have add to that? The real question though is how much could you have potentially made at your 'regular' job, and what are the potential losses (long term) if you're not there to service those clients.

 

[KmH]

$5000 sounds closer to what my final invoice would be including use licensing.
$500 would not be enough for me to justify the travel time and all the airport BS, let alone the photography and the use licensing.

Here is an example of a successful location shoot estimate - Case Study: Producing A Successful Estimate | DigitalPhotoPro.com

As far as ASMP:
Business Resources | American Society of Media Photographers
Resources for the Legal Community | American Society of Media Photographers

 

[lite4]

Thanks for all the input. $500 is about 1/2-1/3 what I can make in a day with my regular work, however, if I have a day or two that is not solidly booked; I figuired this might be a fun fill in. All my travel expenses and site prep will be covered by the private party, I would just have to go to the location and shoot. I have a gut feeling that if I ask for more than $500/day (which would include post) they might balk a bit. I was just looking for feedback to see if I was way off base.

 

[gsgary]

$500 wont cover beer costs

 

[12sndsgood]

Thanks for all the input. $500 is about 1/2-1/3 what I can make in a day with my regular work, however, if I have a day or two that is not solidly booked; I figuired this might be a fun fill in. All my travel expenses and site prep will be covered by the private party, I would just have to go to the location and shoot. I have a gut feeling that if I ask for more than $500/day (which would include post) they might balk a bit. I was just looking for feedback to see if I was way off base.

$500 a day for your time which is going to be the entire day doesn't really sound like a lot of money when you add in the hours when you get home to process deliver etc your probalby looking at like 30 bucks an hour if that. If $500 is 1/2 of what you earn in a day at your work then charge them $1000. Explain this is what you would earn in a day at work and if they want to pull you away from that work to do there photos then that's what you need. They obviously like your work and are willing to pay $4-500 in travel expenses just to bring you out there, so they must value your work or they would just hire some locally.