please help...someone wants to give me money?!

[nabero]

So, I didn't think I would have this come up as an issue. I've been taking pictures at some of my mom's events (small musical events around town--she's a musician). It's been great experience working with strange lighting situation and some creative composition solutions...all and all a great thing to be doing. I attracted the attention of some of the other bands playing at a recent show and they asked if I could take some extra shots of them playing for them to buy for use on their website/fliers/etc. Of course I said sure since I was planning on taking the pictures and editing them for my own practice anyway.

Now my problem is: how do I charge them? Firstly, I feel a little awkward accepting money from them because I'm not a *real photographer*. But on the other hand, I'm also unemployed so the money would be great :lmao:

Since they are going to use the pictures on their website, they won't want prints...so should I just give them a cd with the files and ask for a picture credit on their site? I'm really confused of how to go about this....any help would be greatly appreciated!!! I'm going to see them tomorrow at another event so I feel like I should have my stuff together then

 

[EOS_JD]

Don't give them for nothing. I don't get the comment that you're "not a real photographer"? You took the images right? You are therefore a photographer. You may not have the experience of some but you have completed a job and you should get paid if the band want some of your images.

 

[nabero]

Thanks EOS_JD. That makes sense...I guess I'm just caught off-guard by the whole proposition. No one has ever approached me to take pictures for compensation before...I'm nervous that expectations would be too high. Since they like the pictures...I guess that's all the matters.

Any rules of thumb for pricing? I'm sure this has come up in other threads...feel free to link me to it if you know of one. I can't seem to find what I'm looking for in other threads so far....

 

[avcabob]

I'm not sure about prices, but I'm sure they would give you credit on their website. Most band sites, and even albums for that matter, I see credits to the photographer.

 

[Mike_E]

As you are just starting pay yourself $15 an hour and keep track of how long it actually takes to produce what they want. Add to this any money that you spend getting the shots (within reason) be it travel, cover charges or whatever. Add to that 1% of the total cost of your equipment for wear and tear/ replacement (be sure to set this aside for just that).

So if they only want 2 shots and it takes you 1 hour to shoot enough to choose 2 from and then you spend 1/2 hour each on post production, 25 miles round trip at $.50/mile, you get in for free and your gear is worth $1500 (just say) then you should charge them $57.50 or $28.25 a shot.

Also since you are just starting, I don't think this is the time to go into limited rights and usage.


mike

 

[Jim Gratiot]

I feel a little awkward accepting money from them because I'm not a *real photographer*. But on the other hand, I'm also unemployed so the money would be great

Nabero... some will disagree, but I firmly believe that anybody with basic photography skill can go from $0 to $50,000 (minimum) in one year... with a bit of focus and drive (and some strong marketing advice). I've seen it happen... and it's really not as hard as it sounds.

I agree w/ EOS... you are a "real photographer" if you decide to be a real photographer. And maybe being unemployed is the blessing-in-disguise opportunity you need to go full-force down the road to professional photography. (horrible sentence... but you get the idea.)

So if they only want 2 shots and it takes you 1 hour to shoot enough to choose 2 from and then you spend 1/2 hour each on post production, 25 miles round trip at $.50/mile, you get in for free and your gear is worth $1500 (just say) then you should charge them $57.50 or $28.25 a shot.

I would round up... in this illustration, $60 and $30.

 

[Jeepnut28]

Decide how much you want to make an hour, estimate the amount of time you will put into the project......multiply and voila you got your number!

for example, my model is based on me making between $30 to $50 an hour, so when I quote out a job, I figure how many hours of shooting, processing and traveling I need to do to perform the job to expectation.

 

[darich]

I'd also add that if they've said they only want the images for their website, supply them with lo res versions...something like 1024 x 768 - on a cd is fine.
If you supply them with hi-res it then gives them the opportunity to print and givent that they've stated it's website only, i'd argue that that becomes part of the agreed terms of the contract.

Keep the hi res ones and ask for credit on their site.

If they come back for more or want prints you've then got a possiblilty of more income...even if you only charge double the cost of the print to help get yourself a name.

 

[DeepSpring]

Iono if this will help you but I shoot bands every now and then. I ask for usually around $50 and then I just mail them a disc with the hi res files and websize files that have my water mark on them. What I have seen is people often don't mind my boarder on them because I saved the trouble of having to resize.

 

[kombizz]

Although you suppose to get $ for your images, but some times depends on a situation, you could do just for credit.
I remember I met a stingy Auzzie woman who wanted to have a photographer for her wedding. I took loads of images (10 rolls of 36 exposures) from her marriage ceremony. She paid me only the money for developing the films!
But it was fun for me .because ...

 

[jstuedle]

First the classic definitional of a Pro, is one who gets paid for there work. Second, you pushed the button, your are not only the real photographer, but the copyright holder. I shoot live bands as a side thing with available light. Starving artists are cheap, but that should not be a startling revelation. For the intended purpose in your application, downsize to no more than 1000 pixels wide, 800 would be plenty, and put your copyright on the final edit. I charge $50 and hour to the bands I like/know well, and $100 an hour to new age/techno bands that are hard on my old ears. I burn a CD and forget about it. (I do some promo work and pimp the images on myspace and pbase for some bands at extra cost) I hope this helps a little.

 

[shorty6049]

i was caught off guard by something like that not too long ago, someone wanted me to photograph her son's wedding! i freaked out, and ended up not agreeing to it because i KNOW i'm not up to that challenge. but for you, its great practice and if they like them great, and if they dont, then they'll find someone else to do it. I'm sure you can take great pictures for them though from what i've seen of your work. As for how to get the money, maybe just talk to them first and agree on a price or something. (by the way i didnt read the rest of the posts above me so sorry if this has all been said already) but remember that they're going to have unlimited use/rights to the photos so keep that in mind when figuring out a price. also though, you should get a photo credit so its going to get your name out there so dont charge TOO much becasue the exposure is worth more than the money anyway, anyway, good luck with it!