Pricing for company photos

[Ediacol]

I received an e-mail from a company expressing interest in having photos taken of their employees (60-80) people and one group shot. Typically I do 1 hour sessions for families and things like that at $125 per hour (digital only, then I have print packages etc) This would probably be 4 shots of each person in uniform with a white backdrop. Since I haven't done anything like this before, I don't know where to go as far as pricing. Is this an hourly situation or per person situation? They said it would be about 2 - 3 days of shooting. Help!

 

[MLeeK]

You need the specifics for what they want. Do they want digital images for use for ANYTHING? Do they want digitals for internet only or for only a certain size print...

Then you have to figure your time. Once you setup with your lights and background it's an assembly line with maybe 3 to 5 shots of each subject and can be done in about 5 to 10 minutes per subject.
The editing/processing is the same thing-once you get one processed how you want it you can batch the others, so time there is nil.

Add together the cost of the licensing they want with the price for your time.

 

[Ediacol]

Thank you!! You have made this sound much easier than I was envisioning, do you have a lens recommendation for this? I asked them about prints if they need those and things like that, with my clients I usually just do rights to print just in case they want to print at a later time.... is that not a good idea?

Thank you again!!

 

[MLeeK]

You are getting into some complicated licensing and it can be big bucks. This is for advertising and commercial use. Not anything like portraits.

I am concerned about your ability if you are asking me what lens.
This would be done with a two light setup, minimum and a backdrop that the company chooses-usually either blue or brown. Assuming your camera is full frame the 35mm prime would be perfect. If not then you are looking at needing a bit wider if they want full body. For head shots the 35mm or the 50mm prime would be ideal.

 

[tirediron]

This sort of thing is a very easy way to make decent money for relatively little effort. The key is making sure that you get everything right at the time of the shot so that processing is minimal. Don't forget to find out what, if any final print sizes they may want so that you can compose for that.

I would do this as a straight per-hour (plus licensing) scenario, and budget probably 6 - 6.5 minutes per person for four poses. A lot of people will be in and out in 2-3 minutes, but there will be some who will take a lot longer, want to review the pictures to make sure you "got their good side", etc.

As far as lenses go, pretty much any lens will do; I would probably use my 24-70 so that I had the flexibility of adjusting for taller/shorter people without moving anything else. Make sure you do your aperture guzintas and pick one that will give you all the DoF you need plus a little to spare.

Don't do anything that isn't specified in your agreement. Meet with their HR or whoever is driving this, and get all of their terms, requirements and deliverables and then put that into a contract/agreement which spells out clearly what they get, and what they can do with what they get, and how much you will be paid for the job, as well as that fact that irrespective of ANYTHING else, you retain copyright.

 

[Ediacol]

Thank you both so very much, I appreciate both of your answers so much, I haven't done company photos before so I just want to make sure that I am doing everything I possibly can. I asked about lenses because my at-home selection is very small, I will more than likely rent for this.

 

[KmH]

What you usually do is retail photography. The job you describe here is commercial photography. The pricing models for the 2 are very different.

How do they know it will be 2-3 days of shooting to shoot 60-80 people? You don't want a lot of unproductive time between each employee. At 6 minutes each as John suggested 80 people can be shot in 8 hours.
You should stipulate that the company provides at least 1 'wrangler' to minimize waiting time.
How many assistants will you have available to keep track of who is in which photos (paperwork)? Are you familiar with tethered shooting?

Why 4 shots of each employee? Will the 4 shots be front, back, right, and left side?

The group shot is a separate issue and is likely best done on a separate day. For that big a group you'll need to get up above them. Will the group shot be inside or outside?

 

[tirediron]

...At 6 minutes each as John suggested 80 people can be shot in 8 hours.

On paper yes, but the reality will be I suspect that at least some people won't be available, there's got to be break time to eat, use the loo, change batteries, etc. I would figure at least 1.5 calendar days for the 80.

You should stipulate that the company provides at least 1 'wrangler' to minimize waiting time. How many assistants will you have available to keep track of who is in which photos (paperwork)? Are you familiar with tethered shooting?

Excellent points Keith, and ones which I completely overlooked!

 

[KmH]

From past experience, it could be closer to 2 minutes each, if they are right there and ready to go, which is what the wrangler and assistants are all about.

This is production line work. Get 'em in, shoot 'em, send 'em back to work as quickly as possible, which is why I don't get the 2-3 days stuff, unless the company is wanting environmental portraits with the photographer going to each employee's work area.

Every person basically gets the same pose. Small adjustments are made for long noses, squashed noses, puffy cheeks, double chins, deep eye sockets, and all the other facial mask issues pro photographers deal with on a daily basis.

The use licensing situation/potential could be interesting.