What to charge for images not prints?

tylergreen · Mar 18, 2009

So... I don't ever charge for prints or anything at all. I'm lucky enough to shoot for a paper and only shoot portraits on the side for fun.

I shot an event last weekend and I had so many people ask me for prints I set up a zenfolio.com account and one person wants to buy the images ( not prints ). I don't have a pro account, just the entry level account, so I can't sell images through zenfolio. I want to just sell the guy a cd with the jpgs on it.

I apologize for being an dumb ignorant noob. Any help is appreciated.

If you are wondering about the work I'm talking about:

Zenfolio | Tyler Green | BMX Skate Jam

tylergreen · Mar 19, 2009

I'm gonna go with $20/image. One of the hot-shot photogs in town charges $35/image and I think $20 is a reasonable price in comparison between our work and gives my work the value I think ( hope, pray, wish ) it deserves.

Big Mike · Mar 19, 2009

Keep in mind the rights associated with the image. For example, since you are the photographer (with no agreement in place) you own the full copyrights to the images. If you sell digital files, you will presumably be selling them the rights to make prints (copies) of those images. You can give them limited rights, meaning that they are allowed to make prints/copies but they are not allowed to sell or use the images (other than personal use).

This affects the price. For example, if they want to use the shots, say...in a magazine ad. Then you would probably charge more than $20. But if they just want to make prints for themselves, $20 may be a good price...even fairly high if they want to buy a lot of them.

One rule of thumb is to charge enough to make up for any anticipated loss of print sales. So if you expect that you might have made $100 profit from print sales of 10 photos...then you could charge $10 each and come out even...without having to make/order the prints yourself.

tylergreen · Mar 19, 2009

Thanks Big Mike! That's great advice. I'm such a noob at selling prints or images that I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing. I seriously need to read my copy of 'Best Business Practices for Photographers.'

uplander · Mar 19, 2009

I don't sell images... I found it to be a great niche just selling prints on fine art paper, backed and matted with a plain bevel white matt. They can then take the print to a framer and work with them. The matt, back and archival bag cost very little and lends itself to presentation which in itself seems to make the customer feel like they are getting what they paid for. I don't release my images and so don't worry about theft.

I charge $125.00 for 13x19
$100.00 for 11x14
and $55.00 for 8x10

I do some event type work and I am set up to print at the event and sell 8x10's on typical gloss or semigloss paper for $20.00 to $25.00 depending on the venue and venue relationship.

Selling image files is just a headache so far.