retouching charge?

FavillePhoto · Apr 15, 2011

We charge $50 per hour for editing, which seems to be on the low end, but no one ever has a problem with paying that price.

Derrel · Apr 15, 2011

Explain to them what the challenges are and what the problemns with the originals are; explain that the "photographer" messed up, and that what you are doing would have been uneccessary had he done it right...make the client aware that this is a "fix-up of a Eff-up" job...charge a fair rate...and maybe you can make a pitch for yourself as the shooter the next tournament...

c.cloudwalker · Apr 15, 2011

Derrel said:
Explain to them what the challenges are and what the problemns with the originals are; explain that the "photographer" messed up, and that what you are doing would have been uneccessary had he done it right...make the client aware that this is a "fix-up of a Eff-up" job...charge a fair rate...and maybe you can make a pitch for yourself as the shooter the next tournament...

Agreed. If there is something wrong with dumping on a photog that did an alright job, there is none on a photog that did a shi**y job. And there is something very wrong with not wanting to charge for it. A fair rate that is. And in this case a fair is a high rate, I think. I DON'T DEAL WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S MESS UNLESS THE PRICE IS RIGHT!

You would help yourself more by getting a side job at MacDo than by doing a photo job cheap and having to explain later why your rate doubled or tripled or quadrupled... when the same job from hell comes around.

imagemaker46 · Apr 15, 2011

I add a $50 digital editing fee to my day rates. I also do some graphic work for one client and charge him $50/hour, usually about 8-10 hours of easy work. It sounds like the photos you might be working with could be a tough call, if they are out of focus and they expect that re-touching will help that, they have to understand that it won't. It could also make you some easy money if they don't mind paying $50-80/hour for 200 images. The other side is that you just tell them it's $500 to do the retouching. You may be able to fly through them if they don't need much work, on the other hand if it takes you 3 days to get them all done........

Christie Photo · Apr 15, 2011

Retouching is not the same as corrective artwork.

When I hear "retouching," I think general retouching... blemishes, smile lines and circles under the eyes. This can be priced per head.

Corrective artwork ranges anywhere from simple, global color correction to changing backgrounds. This should be billed by the hour or per quote.

Good luck!

-Pete

FattyMcJ · Apr 18, 2011

Seeing that wrestling season is long over, I'm guessing this is their desperate attempt to salvage crappy photos of something they don't think will happen again. IMO...turn it down. If they're already botched up, and you try to "fix" them but can't really do much....they're going to be upset with YOU.

"You said you could fix these! We paid you!" etc.

Walk away man. Tell them you'd be happy to take photos for them next time, but that you won't put lipstick on a pig. (Obviously be more tasteful lol)