Photography part time.

[dak1b]

Hi All!

So I've been doing photography for abotu three years now. Its been a favorite hobby of mine, and an expensive one at that! Now I've decided why not make some money out of the thing I love to do the most, photography!

I want to start out my photography business taking photos of people outside on location..where ever they want in the area. I will supply them a dvd/or cd with all images and a online photo album (suggestions for online albulm for clients to view?)

How much should I charge for my services? by hr? or what?

Thanks in advance! :mrgreen:

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Are you talking about starting an actual business, with expenses like insurance and reporting income and stuff, or just making some scratch on the down low?

 

[camz]

I remember you. I owe you one for pointing out the mission district locations for street art in San Francisco . I actually take clients out there quite often.

As far as charging your clients...let me ask you this. Who is your target market?

 

[dak1b]

Are you talking about starting an actual business, with expenses like insurance and reporting income and stuff, or just making some scratch on the down low?

just money on the downlow. pocket change

 

[dak1b]

yes yes i'm back on the forums! glad to hear!

Target market....honestly i haven't really thought too much about this..ha really anyone who needs me for a birthday...event....portrait....etc...

basically I'm going to advertise on crigslist and other ad sites and offer my services, and anyone who calls, ill try and work with them....i really just want to start with phootshoots of family/kids in parks or wtev...

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Do you have liability insurance just in case your Senior Portrait model slips and falls and hits their head on the railroad track that you suggested they stand on?

 

[dak1b]

Do you have liability insurance just in case your Senior Portrait model slips and falls and hits their head on the railroad track that you suggested they stand on?

No, these are thing sI'm talknig about. Do I have to have this? anything else?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

That would be my biggest concern. Protection from accidents that you could be held liable for.
Other than that, charge what you feel you are worth. Check out what others on Craiglist are offering in your area.

 

[camz]

Nice!

Ok so without a target market it's going to be hard to give you advice on what your photography is worth. Without specifics of a target market of your future clients like social status, age group etc you will be all over the place with your price as clients out there could pay from $50.00 to $2000 for an on location portrait sessions. You need to know who you're catering to first.

Mind you, if you have craigslist in mind for marketing, you're targeting a certain market where it will be tough to be profitable unless your game plan in profitability will be based on the quantity of jobs you get.

 

[dak1b]

That would be my biggest concern. Protection from accidents that you could be held liable for.
Other than that, charge what you feel you are worth. Check out what others on Craiglist are offering in your area.

Ok, how would I preceed getting protection so I'mnot held liable?

 

[camz]

That would be my biggest concern. Protection from accidents that you could be held liable for.

:thumbup:

 

[Josh66]

That would be my biggest concern. Protection from accidents that you could be held liable for.
Other than that, charge what you feel you are worth. Check out what others on Craiglist are offering in your area.

Ok, how would I preceed getting protection so I'mnot held liable?

Call up some insurance companies and get some quotes. They might want you to be a registered business though.


Plenty of people go without it, but it would only take one accident to bankrupt you (have you been to the hospital recently and seen the bill?).

On the plus side though, adding your equipment onto that wouldn't be too much more.

 

[camz]

For insurance I use Hill and Usher. A buddy of mine uses All State and seems to get a better deal with his coverage including equipment and liabilities up to $1 million(I think) which he only dishes out $500/year.

 

[KmH]

How are you going to market your "service"?

What are you going to do when a customer tries to get an 8x10 (5:4 aspect ratio), or 5x7 (7:5 aspect ratio) print made from that photo on the CD you gave them that has all of the photos in the aspect ratio of a 8x12 (the 3:2 aspect ratio your camera spits out) and their niece, brother, car, mom, etc is partly cut off of the print?

What will you do when the strapped for cash State of California sends you a bill for the estimated sales taxes (plus substantilal penaties and fines) that you haven't been forewarding to them as requiired by state law. (they find out you're flying under the radar when a competitor dropped a dime on you)

Bitter mentioned the client that gets hurt. The client doesn't sue you fi you don't have business liability insurance. The clients insurance company sues you. The clients insurance company can easily afford an attorney, or 3.

Charge enough to pay your non-reimbursed expenses, plus whatever profit you want to make. It's real easy to not charge enough, such that you are actullay paying people for the priviledge of taking their pictures, even though tey give you some money.

The #1 reason retail photography businesses fail, is because the business owner had insufficient business skills/knowledge, not because they took crappy pictures.

 

[Kerbouchard]

I would charge at least 40,000 for your first shoot. That way, you will have enough to pay the lawyers to help get you out of jail when you are arrested for tax fraud.

What makes you think you can fly under the radar and advertise at the same time?