I want to start doing photography on the side. I work over 40 hours a week in a grooming shop right now and its just not my thing. I am having a hard time figuring out how much I should charge. Obviously I can't start out charging a lot, but I don't want to shortchange myself either. Whatever money I make at first I would like to put towards more equipment. I would just love some advice from the pros, what did you do when you first started out? Thank you!
It depends on how you're charging but also who you're charging.
I don't have a set rate exactly, I'll often negotiate up and down depending on the client, unless they want an hourly rate, which I set at somewhere between 10-20 pounds... Though the council offer a rate of 25-35/hr for what may be very dreary but simple work...
I suspect I'll be charging more than I used to now, just lost my job at the club due to a combination of a drug smuggling owner and me being ill on the wrong day...
Do you already have a portfolio that you're proud of? If you do, there's no reason to low ball yourself if you don't have to. In that case it's a matter of getting your name out there. If you don't have a portfolio yet, why don't you consider offering a number of free "portfolio sessions" as a way to jump start yourself?
When I first started out (April of 2010), I posted a note on Facebook saying that I would do two free headshot sessions per day for one week. I put up one photo from an earlier shoot I did with my friend and told people they could post it on THEIR pages. I actually booked seventeen people, met a lot of new friends and attracted the interest of an agency when they saw what I had done with a mutual friend. I worked for six months straight on the referrals from that one week of work. Did I get lucky with the agency contact? Absolutely, but I also got a lot of referrals from the other people I shot with. Either way, I would've had a decent portfolio from which to generate income.
Find out what the going rate is in your area for the type of photography you want to do. Don't charge what YOU can afford, charge what you're worth on the open market. (I stole that from somewhere, but it's good advice.) I started out with an "introductory price" to get things moving and went up from there when I got too busy.
One thing to remember: business isn't very steady in the beginning. Give yourself a cushion until you can level off, and by that I mean keep the job unless you have a lot of money saved up. Talk to other people in the industry to figure out which months tend to be slow and plan accordingly.
You can do this. And for the record, I still do "portfolio sessions" if I have a slow month. You never know where that can take you.
Research the going rate in your area for your style of photography. And don't start off too low b/c people will expect that. When I started I did some portfolio shots for some close friends (also to get used to doing sessions with people outside of myown family and explore new locations), but decided to price myself officially within a reasonable range that I noticed other photographers to be at. I talked to a few others that did say that it's a lot harder to move up your rates and you want people to appreciate your art and skill for what it is.
(I also offer specials through facebook etc as a marketing tool and that way people know that is not my usual rate.)
Well first different events are charged differently. Do you have a studio or will you go on site? Will you do a lot of editing and will you post the photos to a website that sells them for you or will you order the prints yourself?
I'll give you a brief example and compare myself and my father. For your everyday portrait sessions I would charge 25$ for a session fee in studio 40$ for travel my father would charge 75$ for in studio and 120$ for travel. For seniors I do 20$ for a quick session(couple changes/backgrounds) and 40$(for a longer session) my father has multiple sessions from 35$ to 75$.
We also do a lot dance schools-schools and sports. With these, the 'pricing' is really part of the packaging and a whole other story.
Weddings? I personally don't really have a 'set rate' I go based off the amount of hours I'd be there and then what they want for editing after words, it usually works out to roughly 100$ an hour. My father however won't do a wedding for under 2500.
And finally if you post your photos online to order then thats where it ends, but if you order the photos yourself, create packages and perhaps only offer the photos in 'sheets'(sheet= 1 8x10 or 2 5x7 or 4 4x6 or 8 wallets) to make it easier on yourself.
Now this wasn't to show you what you should charge but an idea of how to break down your pricing? Good luck!
Thank you so much guys, that is a lot of great advice. I will take it into consideration :) I really appreciate the responses! I have been looking at websites of other photographers in the area to get an idea of a price range. I also do plan on keeping my day job for now, I could use more experience for sure!
Thank you again!!
Write a Reply
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
I don't have a set rate exactly, I'll often negotiate up and down depending on the client, unless they want an hourly rate, which I set at somewhere between 10-20 pounds... Though the council offer a rate of 25-35/hr for what may be very dreary but simple work...
I suspect I'll be charging more than I used to now, just lost my job at the club due to a combination of a drug smuggling owner and me being ill on the wrong day...
When I first started out (April of 2010), I posted a note on Facebook saying that I would do two free headshot sessions per day for one week. I put up one photo from an earlier shoot I did with my friend and told people they could post it on THEIR pages. I actually booked seventeen people, met a lot of new friends and attracted the interest of an agency when they saw what I had done with a mutual friend. I worked for six months straight on the referrals from that one week of work. Did I get lucky with the agency contact? Absolutely, but I also got a lot of referrals from the other people I shot with. Either way, I would've had a decent portfolio from which to generate income.
Find out what the going rate is in your area for the type of photography you want to do. Don't charge what YOU can afford, charge what you're worth on the open market. (I stole that from somewhere, but it's good advice.) I started out with an "introductory price" to get things moving and went up from there when I got too busy.
One thing to remember: business isn't very steady in the beginning. Give yourself a cushion until you can level off, and by that I mean keep the job unless you have a lot of money saved up. Talk to other people in the industry to figure out which months tend to be slow and plan accordingly.
You can do this. And for the record, I still do "portfolio sessions" if I have a slow month. You never know where that can take you.
Good luck.
(I also offer specials through facebook etc as a marketing tool and that way people know that is not my usual rate.)
I'll give you a brief example and compare myself and my father. For your everyday portrait sessions I would charge 25$ for a session fee in studio 40$ for travel my father would charge 75$ for in studio and 120$ for travel. For seniors I do 20$ for a quick session(couple changes/backgrounds) and 40$(for a longer session) my father has multiple sessions from 35$ to 75$.
We also do a lot dance schools-schools and sports. With these, the 'pricing' is really part of the packaging and a whole other story.
Weddings? I personally don't really have a 'set rate' I go based off the amount of hours I'd be there and then what they want for editing after words, it usually works out to roughly 100$ an hour. My father however won't do a wedding for under 2500.
And finally if you post your photos online to order then thats where it ends, but if you order the photos yourself, create packages and perhaps only offer the photos in 'sheets'(sheet= 1 8x10 or 2 5x7 or 4 4x6 or 8 wallets) to make it easier on yourself.
Now this wasn't to show you what you should charge but an idea of how to break down your pricing? Good luck!
Thank you so much guys, that is a lot of great advice. I will take it into consideration :) I really appreciate the responses! I have been looking at websites of other photographers in the area to get an idea of a price range. I also do plan on keeping my day job for now, I could use more experience for sure!
Thank you again!!