Photo Editor and Retoucher--What should I be charging? (yes another one of these...)

[queen0fsc0ts]

Hey! I hope you all can answer my question and forgive me if it's been asked before.

I just did a pro-bono editing job for a friend of a friend who is also a photographer. She doesn't know Photoshop well and I do and was very impressed with the results. She decided to hire me as her editor/retoucher.

My question is, how much should I be charging and how should I be doing it? Some info:

a) The projects will range anywhere from magazine-style shoots where I'm not just doing skin retouching but also atmospheric editing (very time intensive stuff, etc) to simple portrait shoots that will just require light skin retouching and colour correction

b) I'm very practiced in what I do as I have been editing my own photos for years, so it's not like I'm just starting out.

c) She's letting me set my own price, but I need to know a range in which I'm supposed to work.

d) None of the sets are going to be TOO huge (like, say 500+ photos) or anything like that, mostly under 50.

e) This is in US dollars.

What's the best way to charge her in this situation (hourly, by photo, by set, etc) and how much?

Thank you all so much!

 

[CCericola]

Hourly, your time is valuable.

 

[MLeeK]

Your best bet is to research the companies who are doing this. Shootdotedit, photographers retouch... there are quite a few out there and their prices are either readily available or very easy to get.

 

[joealcantar]

I like the second answer, hourly. But would give her an idea of approximate images and to what extent you will carry the retouch, that way she can bill for your services as well when she quotes the job.
-
Shoot well, Joe

 

[imagemaker46]

I have always charged a computer fee when shooting, it just a fee for doing all the post work, clients know this before I shoot and it's usually based on the duration of the shoot a 3 day shoot then 3 computer days. When I have done any graphic work for someone else I charge by the hour, some of the work takes 10 minutes, other times, days. Usually between $35-50/hour, it's not a lot but when some of the jobs take days, the nickels and dimes start to add up.