I know everyone has read this thread before, or one like it, I mean. But I would just really like some advice!
My mom's friend wants me to take pictures of her grandkids, because the photographer they hired last time wasn't very good with kids. So now I'm stuck with the question: How much am I supposed to charge her?! I just don't know what's reasonable!
Oh and if you've got any tips for taking pictures of kids, I would appreciate that too :)
How much to charge depends a lot on the how much time you plan to spend on the shoot, editing etc. Will you give her the copyright or sell prints? Lots to consider. I would check around and see how much the pros charge, and go from there. BUT since this is your first time for a paid gig, do what you feel is comfortable.
When I photograph kids, it MUST be a familiar setting. I like to spend time with the kids before hand to get a sense of their personalities. Most of the time, I watch them play and interact with their family and capture them at play. In between playing, I throw in a pose shot here and there. This type of session can take a long time, but the results are always good. Joking with them is fun too. (I often urge parents to have small sweets in their pockets for bribes. (Oh and the less adults around watching and trying to get the kids to say cheese, the better.)
Most of all, HAVE FUN with your camera and the kids! You will do a wonderful job! Since you have been asked by someone, they must have seen your work and love the results. :)
Well, minimum wage is ~7.25/hr (depends on the state ofc)
Take a guess as to how long the shoot would take + how long you would spend on post process.
And dont forget gas for traveling to the site and back. (its not cheap anymore unfortunately)
Dont sell yourself short. Generally speaking on-location photography is costly.. For family/friends i generally have a figure that i would charge normally and then give them a discount % on it either 25% or 50% off
beggared if i know, i did photos for a friend of her daughter's birthday party, she kept saying let me give you something, how much do you want? i wouldn't have had a clue what to say,she is a friend so i refused all offers of money lol
I think this is the most frustrating part of photography - the old price game! I know one thing for sure... if we don't put a value on our work - our clients devalue our work. From now on, I am giving my rates so clients know what I normally charge - and what the value of my work is. From there, if I discount, at least they know what it is worth. I have done a ton of free work to build my portfolio, and I think a lot of it has been undervalued simply because I have not put a value on it. Whew... sorry for being long-winded. Have taken numerous courses lately, and every single successful photographer says not to undervalue ourselves. I charge $350 for a portrait session (1 - 2 hours), and they receive high resolution images on DVD. Charge what you are comfortable with, but do charge a decent amount. You can always discount for family or friends if you need, but let them see the value of the work we create. When you consider our investment in equipment, programs, courses, computers, time and travel , etc. etc, - we should be getting a minimum of $75/hour. Good luck.
@mackena - Marlene is pretty well spot on. Also, always remember that if you get friends or family asking you for work, then charge them top dollar! If they want to help support your new hobby/professional career then it is likely that family will only ever get you to do a token shot once or twice, and if they really want to help, then charge them! If you then get a client who maybe could possibly become a regular, then it is these clients you need to impress and give value for money. Don't ever give away freebie sessions just because they're family...
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When I photograph kids, it MUST be a familiar setting. I like to spend time with the kids before hand to get a sense of their personalities. Most of the time, I watch them play and interact with their family and capture them at play. In between playing, I throw in a pose shot here and there. This type of session can take a long time, but the results are always good. Joking with them is fun too. (I often urge parents to have small sweets in their pockets for bribes. (Oh and the less adults around watching and trying to get the kids to say cheese, the better.)
Most of all, HAVE FUN with your camera and the kids! You will do a wonderful job! Since you have been asked by someone, they must have seen your work and love the results. :)
Take a guess as to how long the shoot would take + how long you would spend on post process.
And dont forget gas for traveling to the site and back. (its not cheap anymore unfortunately)
Dont sell yourself short. Generally speaking on-location photography is costly.. For family/friends i generally have a figure that i would charge normally and then give them a discount % on it either 25% or 50% off