Starting senior portraits and how much to charge.

xnoirox · Nov 13, 2011

I've been at photography for a while and have taken a summer long class(in photography) at a community college. I have friends that want me to do their senior pictures and I'm hoping to make it into a little profit seeing at most seniors are having them done now. I'd like to know what to charge, I've thought around 20-30 bucks. I know someone whose around my age and charges 150 for portraits. Anyway I'd appreciate some tips/tricks and ideas on what I should charge. Thanks!

I own a Canon PowerShot SX30 IS. I use all modes on it. I plan on getting reflectors here soon. I own a tri/uni-pid. And i'd burn a CD with the portraits to give to the client. That would go into my planned total cost.

2WheelPhoto · Nov 13, 2011

andrewleephoto · Nov 14, 2011

Most people who take senior portraits have a medium tier DSLR and your camera is a point and shoot so you shouldn't charge too high. I would say $20 is about right...

xnoirox · Nov 14, 2011

Yeah at first I wanted to do free, then thought how I needed the money. So I figured twenty. And I know my camera is crap compared to any SLR. That's why I'm throwing a CD into the package and if they'd like me to I'll go make prints for them as long as they pay for the prints. Thanks though.
If you wanna see see my "work" here's a link.. Flickr: noiro_103's Photostream

photo guy · Nov 14, 2011

Since you don't have a pro camera and are just starting out, I would not go too high. The Pro Photographers in my area are in the starting range (Depending on package picked) of $250 - $350.00 So I would keep your price low since you are just starting and don't have the pro equipment and be sure to take great shots as well as satisfy the customers. If you do this and do a good job at it, the clients could come back for more as well as tell people about you and your work which would result in more business. I hope this helps.

xnoirox · Nov 14, 2011

Yes, thank you. (btw, I think your username is really self-defining) And wow.. even if I was a pro I probably wouldn't charge that much. And satisfaction is one thing I try hardest at. I already have quite a few friends saying I take good pictures. And another is referring me to his senior friends. Thanks again.

photo guy · Nov 14, 2011

Not a problem. I have a lot of experience at doing photos. Over 3,200 this year just for the Fire Dept. alone. If you include all other photos that I have taken outside of there this year, I am well over 4,000 pics for the year. Last year I was over 2,200 photos for the year combined. I guess I take a lot of photos.

photo guy · Nov 14, 2011

I just checked out you photos on Flickr and liked some of them. My best friend is a farmer and discussed with me about having me take photos of his equipment next year. If I do, I will post some of them for you to see. The one of the combine is too close and too much angle and the other farm one has too much light from the sun causing the sun spots in your photo. Easy ways to correct this: different angle (other side of tractor), different time of day (earlier). I also like some of your storm shots. Have you ever thought about submitting some of those to the weather service. They use photos submitted for classes to teach people. I gave them a cd this past spring.

tirediron · Nov 14, 2011

I think a few critical points are being over-looked here. First off, while a P&S isn't really the best camera for this sort of work, it will work IF the photographer is very skilled. The camera however is the least of the OPs worries. First of all, does he/she have the skill to actually do this? There's a LOT more to shooting portraits of any sort than pointing and shooting. Next, does he she have the necessary licenses, insurance, etc?

From what I read in the posts above, it sounds to me like you (The OP) need to spend some time learning your [intended] craft, and honing your skills before you move into the realm of professional.

RauschPhotography · Nov 14, 2011

2WheelPhoto said:
Free

Amen. You're shooting a P&S--not pro gear, no pro pay. To clarify, you don't need the top of the line DSLR in order to shoot senior portraits. Many people expect top of the line work for senior portraits, and a P&S most likely won't get the results desired. Take the experience and call it a day.

xnoirox · Nov 14, 2011

@ photo guy: That's awesome. I've taken about 10,000 this year. It will dwindle after I go through and delete the bad ones, that class I took taught me allot. And for the tractor ones that's what i wanted out of the picture. I was trying to see if I could get a cool repeating design. One of my close friends died recently and those were the tractors he drove. They were parked in that churches land in memory of him.
And really? Thanks. No I havent thought of that. I caught one where I got the flash of lightning, not the bolt, the flash.

@ tirediron: I understand.. I've taken a college level class in photography. I'm not great but I'm up for shooting portraits. And what kind of license?

@ RauschPhotography: That's exactly why I don't want to charge anything. But my friend whose referring me is telling me to charge and his friends are willing to pay and crap. But then i'll need to give them a CD with all the pictures and those cost money.

Thanks everyone.
Also, is it a good idea to throw other "extras"(burning a CD or two, retrieving prints, etc) into such a $20 deal or "package"?

MReid · Nov 14, 2011

$20. ??

Why not. I am sure anybody who is going to hire you to take their pictures for $20. shouldn't be expecting much. Yeah just give them their pics on a DVD.

mangtarn · Nov 14, 2011

you need more than just a camera to take photos, you are going to have to worry about lighting and studio.
if you are burning a cd just charge them for the CD, if you are making them prints (if they happen to want any) then just charge them for the cost of the prints. other than that i wouldn't go around taking their grad photos (it is a very big deal for some people, i guess not for the people that asked you cause they asked you?) with a P&S and asking for money.

tirediron · Nov 14, 2011

xnoirox said:
...And what kind of license?

A BUSINESS license. If you have to ask that, I would submit that you need to do a LOT more research and planning before you start taking money. Do you have a contract? People who pay $20 are just as likely to sue you as those who pay $2000 (perhaps even more so).