First paying contract!

[Loa]

Hello,

I've been offered a real, although small, contract for baby/children pictures. I took some photographs of my cousin's 2 year old girl at Easter. Once she showed the pictures to her friends, they all loved them and now they want to hire me.

I'd love to, but I have no idea what / how to charge, and I'd like some advice. After reading some threads in this section, here's what I'm planning.

It's going to be a location setting, both indoors and out. Natural lighting, with one off-camera flash if needed. I'm thinking of charging by the hour plus my distances fees (in time, not actual distance). Question is: how much per hour?

As for the prints, I'm not sure at all. Should I offer CDs with full res images (don't think it's a good idea), or print a selection and give them a CD with all the low-res images? And how about the minor editing / enhancing in PS? How do I charge for that?

Nothing is set in stone and it may be too early to be thinking about those details, but I'd rather have some idea of what and how to charge.

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Loa

[00silvergt]

Congratulations, may you get many more, here's some Karma, hopefully, it brings more.

[cpurves]

Originally Posted by Loa

Question is: how much per hour?

How do I charge for that?

Nothing is set in stone and it may be too early to be thinking about those details, but I'd rather have some idea of what and how to charge.

You should be looking locally to see what photographers in your area are charging. Once you have determined the local pricing you can then determine pricing that's acceptable for your experience level. Are you promoting yourself as a working photographer? or someone who wants to be? If you have not properly started a business, then your customers are probably expecting to pay a lot less than a studio would charge. And rightly so, you are a beginner. Take the photos, learn from the whole thing and charge $20.00 an 8X10. Then spend the money on courses to learn about the business end of photography. A huge percentage of startup photography businesses will fail because they do not have the skills to apply proper business practices in order to stay in business.
Good luck, it can be an exciting journey.

Cheers
Chris

[Loa]

Thanks for the gratz, and for the tips about looking at other photogs' prices.

Unfortunately all the photographers I know in the region do all their work in studio.

And I do present myself as an amateur.

Thanks

Loa

[00silvergt]

Originally Posted by Loa

Thanks for the gratz, and for the tips about looking at other photogs' prices.

Unfortunately all the photographers I know in the region do all their work in studio.

And I do present myself as an amateur.

Thanks

Loa

then niche the market by pricing slightly below...makes you more attractive for your prospect. They have overhead, you don't you have a better margin in the end.

[hotrod4x5]

I edit and retouch ALL prints I have made, I don't charge for PS work. I want the image to look its best. I price my prints to pay me for that time. If they want something special, like a person added who didn't show up, or the like, then I will just charge a flat fee, depending on complexity.

You could offer a CD for sale, but don't give it away. You might set a price point of orders at which time the CD is available. IE they order $200 in reprints, and the CD is available for $100-200. It will take a lot of experimenting with pricing to find what to charge. Don't worry about setting prices now, you can always change them.

[Loa]

Thx for the added info Hotrod.

It's a lot more complicated than I thought. So many pricing options... What to include, what not to include...

Once the contract is really offered, I'll get into specifics.

Loa

[ee50ok]

Don't over complicate your price list. Pick a few common headline items and then say other services available if they ask for a quote.

If you are working with kids, set up a birthday club (free or low cost membership). Every year (until they are 15) you offer a very low cost (or even free)10 minute shoot during the week (or month) of their birthday. You send out the reminder take the appointments and sell the prints at your standard rate.

This enterprise does two things, it gets your name out and it promotes your business to their parents, grandparenets, godparents etc....

This mechanism brings in lots of repeat business for at least one local business here. He even gets the local hospital to include his application form in their bounty pack (stuff for mums and babies given out as they leave).

I think the premis of this activity is make a client for life......

[Rocktrix]

Well I just finished my first money involved photo shoot. I can't say I am a pro but I do have the equipment and friends say I have the skill. The pictures are for a dance school and the schedule or signup sheet was set for 20 min photo shoots per kid. I was shooting tethered to a 24 inch IMac . The deal was for 1 5X8 Picture for $7 Canadian. (Photography is my hobby and I didn't mind getting less just so that there could be more kids affording the pictures).

I restricted entry to the studio but allowed the parents and child to view the pics after the shoot. At which point I realized that There were more then just one good shoot and perhaps the parents would want to buy more.

I am thinking of setting up a website and then let the parents and child choose there favorite pictures and then I would be off the hook in choosing the prints for them.

As for a CD business wise probably not the best to give them till the prints are paid for or you get your moneys worth from them. As for me I may just give it to the kids at the end of the year.

There probably will be professional photographers out that that will hate me. I would like to hear from them too.