What do you offer?

[SabrinaO]

Thanks
This is what I planned on doing...
The session will be $65 including different sized prints of all the poses. If they want a CD/DVD its gonna be $30 more and that will include all the photos sized for web. Generally, is this how everyone does it? I also do creative edits, collages and such but haven't worked that out yet into pricing.

I think it should be known that I don't have my own studio, and it takes alot of work setting up studio on location. (I can't wait till it gets warmer!)
I also work full time (midnights 12am-8am) so I don't know how many clients I could handle a week.
I also have a 13 month old at home thats a handfull

hmmm... maybe I should be charging more than $65?

 

[Jeatley]

for that price I would not be giving them anything. 65 would just the sitting fee. Sell them prints if they like and I charge about 50+ for a CD and that is just 5-6 images.

 

[SabrinaO]

for that price I would not be giving them anything. 65 would just the sitting fee. Sell them prints if they like and I charge about 50+ for a CD and that is just 5-6 images.

What are your rates?

 

[Robin Usagani]

I would wait to charge a lot until you have to fill your portfolio. I only see one baby on your baby section. I have been giving out CD for cheap to friends so I can fill my portfolio. Now my time with my family is more valuable than $80 (1.5 hour + 2 hour editing). I have increased the price. I really dont mind not getting as many clients I used to. I will still give discount but they have to pay for prints or pay a lot more for CD.

 

[KmH]

What are your rates?

Where else can customers go to get photographs made by you?

How does the media your photographs are displayed on (printed on paper, or a digital file on a CD/DVD) effect what you might charge for them?

 

[mwcfarms]

One of the main reasons people fail in photography is they have no business plan to carry out. DO THIS FIRST!!

Someone linked a MCP facebook write up on this not too long ago that was a good read and puts it into perspective. Let me see if I can find it.

Can't find it right now but on facebook she is under MCP Actions she has tonnes of great stuff for photographers to read and interviews with working pro's etc. Anyways it basically said figure out what you want to make a year, what your costs will be and then go from their. I definitely recommend meeting with someone who has a background in business. Even small towns has free advice centers for small business start up and good luck.

 

[KmH]

From a post I did in the General Shop Talk forum section, which is where this thread should have been started.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/general-shop-talk/226529-pricing-issues.html

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, self employed retail photographers that do not have a studio need total revenues of about $125,000 a year to have any hope of earning an income of $30,000 or so a year, out of which personal expenses must be paid, like health insurance, income taxes, food, utilities. (Self-employed photographer that have a studio have to have more revenue. They make more money, but the money they do make is a smaller % of revenue.)

So, $125,000 total revenue divided by $185 revenue per shoot = 675.68 one hour shoots that need to be done per year.
675.68 divided by 12 months = 56.3 shoots a month
56.3 divided by 4.3 weeks = 13 shoots per week
13 divided by 7 days = 1.87 shoots per day. Doesn't sound to bad, on ein the mornign, one in the afternoon.
But that’s not realistic, because no one can shoot 365 days a year.

So, let’s look at it in terms of shooting days.
Ok, there are 52 weeks in a year. Cross off 2 of them for vacation, leaving us 50 weeks. Cross off 1 week for personal time – 49 weeks left.
Staying current is important so cross off another week for the yearly convention and a seminar or 2. That leaves us 48 weeks.
We better plan for it slowing down some during the Christmas holidays and shooting outside in the winter can be problematic in many areas and high school seniors is kind of seasonal, so it’s not a good idea to plan on more than 42 solid shooting weeks a year. If you get more it’s gravy.

Each week we will have business management tasks, image editing, client consultations, web site maintanence, etc. to accomplished plus we need at least one day off to do laundry, mow the lawn clean up the car, etc. Call it a 6 day work week.

You are very efficient though, so you can shoot 4 days a week and get all the other tasks done without going stark raving mad. (3 shooting days a week is much more realistic, and you'll still be working your butt off.)

So, 4 shooting days a week times 42 weeks = 168 shooting days
We recalculate what we did above: 675.68 shoots a year needed, divided by 168 shooting days = 4.02 on location shoots per shooting day. (at the more realistic 3 shooting days a week, it’s 5.3 shoots a day)

In 3 words….No way, Jose.

2 on-location shoots per shooting day is a real full-time job.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Here's the article mwcfarms is talking about, I believe.

How Should I Price My Photography? Words of Advice from Jodie Otte | Facebook

 

[swedberg311]

First I think you need to do some really inexpensive shoots to build your portfolio and make sure they know that your primary goal for this is to 1 give them some great pictures and 2 so you can build your portfolio and use pictures you have taken to put on your website.

on the positive side you do have some really good pictures so just keep it up and slowly raise rates dont jump overnight I think it looks tacky when you are one month giving free sessions then the next month your charging 150.00 a session (i know someone who did this )

 

[Jeatley]

I would have to disagree with swed.... I would say price your work at what you will need to make what ever you want to make and pay for the business. Say 90K or what ever you set for yourself. Then set those prices and offer big discounts for portfolio building and what not. So people understand what you are worth and the value they are getting. Do say a regular shoot is 200 for sitting fees. Say no sitting fees during Portfolio building time! one month. or what ever

 

[CCericola]

I found that creative people make horrible business people. Lets face it as artists we need help on the business side of things. Check to see if there is a strong small business association in your area. There is a small business association for women here and they are very helpful.

 

[Jeatley]

that is a very good idea!