Do you have a "daily rate"

[evader]

I've been approached by a tourism association that is looking to create a new photo bank for their area. They have asked 11 photographers (myself included) to bid on the job...they are going to use 5-8 photographers in total.
What they are looking for is candid type shots of the area...they are looking for a lot of photo's in a very short period of time which is why they are using as many photographers as they are.

I've never had to bid on anything like this before and I'm looking for a bit of advice. What I need to do in regards to my bid is to include a daily rate for shooting.

Just wanted to get a feel for what some of your daily rates are and/or what you might charge for something like this?

Thanks

[danbaileyphoto]

These days, photographers are getting away from using "Day Rates," for a couple of reasons. First of all, the concept of how long it takes to make a photo is not nearly as relevant as the Talent, Creativity and Experience that is required. Day rates don't compensate that, and in fact, if you're so good that you're able to produce great imagery in a shorter amount of time, then you're actually being paid less.

Also, more importantly, they don't take into account how images will be used in a campaign. Let's say that a photo shoot will take one day at $1500 (example figure, not necessarily accurate). The photos will be used for a local marketing campaign where only a small audience will see the images.

Next example: Same time to do the shoot, but the images will be used as ads on the back cover of a national magazine for 10 issues. You should be paid a WHOLE lot more for that use, but if you use a strict day rate, you'd get the same amount.

Tourism banks can be tricky, but try to find out how many images they want, how they'd likely be used, and how long they'd be relevant in the photo bank. Finding out as much information as possible is the key to pricing a photo job.

These days, photographers take that into account and then build that on top of a Creative Fee that reflects what it costs just to do the shot, based on your overhead and talents.

Is this tourism company looking to national, local or international exposure for the imagery? Who would likely use them?

[evader]

sorry, I should have included more info in my original post.

They are looking to build a whole new image bank that is all their own...thousands of photos...that's why they are hiring so many photographers. All pictures will have to be taken in a 2 week time frame (it's a fall thing they are doing right now).

They will own all the rights to all the images that are taken...I will be able to use the images for self promotion but will not be able to re-sell them. Images will be used for everything from brochures to billboards and on their website.

I will be shooting candid shots of people enjoying the things that there are to do in the area...touristy type of things.

They want a daily rate...plus travel expenses and any expenses needed if an assistant is needed, ect. I won't be charging a daily rate plus usage fees for the photos or anything like that as part of the job is the fact that they will own exclusive rights to all of the photo's taken.

[Jim Bryant]

So...what you're telling me is that they want to pay you a day rate, for keep the rights for themselves and will be able to use them time and time again over and over. What if they use one of your photos in a national ad campaign? Do you realize just how much money you'll be loosing? We're talking about in the 10's of thousands of dollars. Let the other idiots take their pennies. It's a deal. DuPont wanted to pay me a day rate and do the same. I asked their ad guy what did they want to use the photos for? And then sold them the limited rights for a period of time. I got a creative photography rate, which was more than a day rate and extra money for limited rights usage. Basically what they want is a work for hire and own the images. Bad deal..........you need to talk to someone from American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) in your area. Even through it an American Society...they have world wide chapters.

[evader]

I appreciate your advice and I understand what you're saying.

That being said...there definitely isn't 10's of thousands of dollars to be made here...this is government money they are getting for this project and it's a limited budget. Personally, I think I would be the "idiot" for not bidding on the job because of the exclusive rights part of the deal.

This is the contract that is being offered and I'd like to bid on it and what I'm looking for is some idea's on what some other people charge for a daily rate.

Thanks

[Swisstony10]

I use a set of day and half-day rates for some stuff - for example, a personal injury solicitor wanted pictures of the residual scarring from an accident for one of their clients. That was charged at my half-day rate - they only wanted one picture of each scar, to be used for the compensation claim assessment. I was paid my half-day rate for half an hour of photography (which I managed to schedule on my way home from another job so cut down on travelling) and an hour (at the most) of processing etc.

It really depends on the job though - for PR type work, I charge a similar day/half-day rate, and then charge extra for whatever image rights the client needs, depending on what they plan to do with the image. I never sign over the copyright though.

[evader]

I normally wouldn't sign over the rights to my photo's either but that is what the contract calls for and it's not up for negotiation.

Personally, I would rather be one of the "idiots" getting the "pennies" rather than one of the "smart" guys sitting at home getting nothing...

As I stated before they are building a new photo bank from scratch with this being the Fall photo session. Which means if I get on for this one I will also be one of the photographers for the Winter shoot and the Spring shoot and the Summer shoot and so on.

ok, lets forget about the photo rights and just go with the daily rate for shooting.
Does anyone have a daily rate that they would charge for something like this?

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by evader

Personally, I would rather be one of the "idiots" getting the "pennies" rather than one of the "smart" guys sitting at home getting nothing...

I charge $1500.00 a day... so that I don't need to work everyday like some idiots, who sign over rights and work for pennies.

[Jim Poor]

I have two rates. $750.00 for up to four hours or $1200 for a full day. Day rate work is not something I seek out and usually only happens when a business or other entity wants to book me to do portraits of their clients, members, etc rather than having each individual pay for a sitting.

That said, my day rate does not include prints or photo rights and the contract specifically states that "this is not a work for hire."

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

I have two rates. $750.00 for up to four hours or $1200 for a full day. Day rate work is not something I seek out and usually only happens when a business or other entity wants to book me to do portraits of their clients, members, etc rather than having each individual pay for a sitting.

That said, my day rate does not include prints or photo rights and the contract specifically states that "this is not a work for hire."

That's pretty much my policy as well.

Unless I'm commissioned to do a job, that's different. Being a freelancer sometimes entails just being sent out on an assignment.

~Eric