i'm doing a photo shoot for my youth pastor and his family today. I'm a new photographer, and don't know how much to charge. His mother is paying for it, and he said to charge her as much as i want- money isn't an issue for her. What's a reasonable price? i'm doing this today, so fast responses are MUCH appreciated
I think that since you are new to photography and it is your youth pastor you should charge a minimal fee for your time spent. Then if this goes well, you will have something to show for further shoots. The price goes up as you get better and more known for your skills. Congrats on you first shoot and have fun!
where do you live, how old are you? are you mounting and framing the results, or just printing them, or giving them digitally? i would have no idea but the more detail you give the more others will be able to advise :) x
I charge $250 per hour per location for doing portraits.
It does not really matter how experienced you are or who the client is. When a new restaurant opens, do they charge $3 for a steak simply because the chef is new in town?
The difference here is that you will be willing to work extra time to fix any mistakes you may make, and you admit you may make mistakes. That is the only difference. If you charge $20 now, they will scream later if you ever try charging more.
I live in an area where the majority of people (including me) make the bare minimum to get by. Knowing how this is, I charge $25.00 an hour. Then they have a choice,buy prints on my website (which I keep at a price comparable to local print shops.) they can also purchase items and a full size high res. file of their photo(s) as well for $15.00 on the website, or I offer to sell them the high res file on a disc at time of shoot only for $5.00 a file. I have seen sitting fee prices range from $50.00 an hour and up. I don't charge much because i would like it to be affordable for all.
Don't know if this helps any but something to think about for the future cause like @jasonbarnette said once you set your price you have set your price and people won't like it if you change it.
While I agree with @buttercup about not going overboard on charging, don't undersell yourself. You need to get compensated for your time. Think about how much time it will take you to travel to the site, do the shoot, post process, gas to get there and back, etc.
i did a friends gig for £20, and have had return requests as it was an affordable fee for that person, i'm new to photo shoots and he;s a friend, i think charging your pastor "250 is not right but as it's a present i'd do for nothing as your new to it
We have a couple photogs in the area that charge $25 an hour... and then make $500+ selling the prints... Ask yourself what your time and energy is worth and bill at that rate....
I just charge for prints. I don't charge for the shoot itself anymore - people spend enough when it comes time for ordering.
I like doing it this way because it relaxes my clients more. They feel they are getting something for their money because when they pay me, they are getting something they can hold in their hands. I know it is semantics, since I charge accordingly for my prints (I am not cheap), but it works well enough. I have not made less than $1k on a shoot for about two years now.
My pricing is based on the idea that I want $125 per hour, or more, for my time. I manage to keep above that line for most shoots, though some clients do blow out my allotted time (usually when it comes to ordering, rather than at the shoot).
@buttercup thanks for the advice and the good luck(: @cdford it was his idea to pay, not mine. and i could use the money- so i'm not going to argue that. also, like his wife said- his mother is who's paying for the shoot. not him
but thank you for taking the time to reply!!!(: @shuterfly oh.my.gosh. that was soo helpful(: thanks soo much!!!! @icywarm since it's such a layed back situation i can't really charge by-the-hour, and he's going to print the pictures himself off of a thumbdrive i give him:P BUT! nonetheless, thanks soooo much for the advice- i'm sure it'll be really helpful in the future. @jinximages Good Lord. 1k. wow. that's just amazing. and judging by your black and whites (; you're worth every single penny. lol i'm not to THAT point yet, but the general idea is helpful
thanks sooo much, all of you for taking time to help me out.
unfortunately the shoot was rescheduled for tomorrow and then today i found out it will be postponed until after the new year... so i have more time to think about this!! (which is a very good thing) i truly appreciate all your help
thanks soo much
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It does not really matter how experienced you are or who the client is. When a new restaurant opens, do they charge $3 for a steak simply because the chef is new in town?
The difference here is that you will be willing to work extra time to fix any mistakes you may make, and you admit you may make mistakes. That is the only difference. If you charge $20 now, they will scream later if you ever try charging more.
Don't know if this helps any but something to think about for the future cause like @jasonbarnette said once you set your price you have set your price and people won't like it if you change it.
Here is some good info and a quick read.
I like doing it this way because it relaxes my clients more. They feel they are getting something for their money because when they pay me, they are getting something they can hold in their hands. I know it is semantics, since I charge accordingly for my prints (I am not cheap), but it works well enough. I have not made less than $1k on a shoot for about two years now.
My pricing is based on the idea that I want $125 per hour, or more, for my time. I manage to keep above that line for most shoots, though some clients do blow out my allotted time (usually when it comes to ordering, rather than at the shoot).
@cdford it was his idea to pay, not mine. and i could use the money- so i'm not going to argue that. also, like his wife said- his mother is who's paying for the shoot. not him
but thank you for taking the time to reply!!!(:
@shuterfly oh.my.gosh. that was soo helpful(: thanks soo much!!!!
@icywarm since it's such a layed back situation i can't really charge by-the-hour, and he's going to print the pictures himself off of a thumbdrive i give him:P BUT! nonetheless, thanks soooo much for the advice- i'm sure it'll be really helpful in the future.
@jinximages Good Lord. 1k. wow. that's just amazing. and judging by your black and whites (; you're worth every single penny. lol i'm not to THAT point yet, but the general idea is helpful
thanks sooo much, all of you for taking time to help me out.
unfortunately the shoot was rescheduled for tomorrow and then today i found out it will be postponed until after the new year... so i have more time to think about this!! (which is a very good thing) i truly appreciate all your help
thanks soo much