What should I charge, and Tips? - Group Family Photos

keith204 · Oct 8, 2007

Now that race season is over, I would like to get into family portraits for the off-season. I have a couple umbrellas in the mail, and a decent lighting setup for a beginner. At this point (without even trying) I have about 4 photo shoots scheduled for Thanksgiving week with families I know. Also, the company I work for (I'm a programmer) asked me to do a photo shoot for a few people inside the company for some publications. This will happen on Oct 15th.

I don't have a studio. Most of these will be on-site, bringing my gear to the family gathering. Some outside some inside.

So, my two questions:

What should I charge starting out?
Any tips?

JIP · Oct 8, 2007

Take your expenses and add on as much as you think your time is worth.

oldnavy170 · Oct 8, 2007

If your just starting out I would charge for the cost of the prints. You can double the cost to them if not more and its still affordable for the customer. Just my thoughts anyway.

RyanLilly · Oct 8, 2007

Im sure some other here can advise you on price, but as far as the ones for you company, I would shoot on you own time while you ar not on their clock, and bill them as you wood any other client. That way there is no potential conflict of interest(i cant think of why there would be, but just to be safe) or "double dipping."

harkain · Oct 8, 2007

Photographing friends and family can be a real pain.

Determine what your time is worth and be honest about the potential workload. Save charity work for real charities that need it.

However, when branching out in a new direction with photography it isn't a bad idea to charge less and get your name out there and build up a portfolio. If you already have a portfolio, then charge get your marketing straight and charge full price.

Ten minutes of Google searching for local people performing the same service in your area should give you an idea what you should be charging. It varies greatly by skill and region. If you aren't comfortable asking for a certain amount, charge less. As your business grows, you will begin to feel that a certain amount is beneath you and that your time is worth more.