Rate for a photo shoot for a hobbyist

[Krusty79]

Is your friend going to handle the payments, or is she leaving that to you? There are websites where you can upload the images and customers can go there to place orders and pay with debit/credit cards. The website will handle the payments and ship the orders, for a fee, of course.

Personally, this sounds like a disorganized mess to me (and I'm usually pretty upbeat about these kinds of things).

I've done the automated photo booth. I've done the faux photo booth (basically a portable studio with onsite printing). I have not, and will not, do what you're describing.

It sounds like, and correct me if I'm wrong, you'll be taking photos and trying to collect payment for future prints on-site...do the guests know about this in advance? Are you trying to make sales there? Sounds stressful, and a major pain. Plus, 300 couples in 3 hours? Not a chance. I did a little over 170 in 4 hours, and I was pushing them through as fast as I could. You don't want that scenario...several the photos were not up to my normal standards as I had to rush people through:

Ryan Taylor Photography | Rockwell Collins Party

At that event, I wasn't taking money or taking orders...I was doing on-site printing (solo...I'm just that good ...actually my partner called in sick). Taking orders and money is going to take a lot more time.

And here's the final issue...this stuff is never as it sounds. There's always (and I do mean ALWAYS) an unexpected issue or complication. In the above example, I was to shoot from 5-7, and only photograph children. It quickly became a free-for-all with all the guests, and I was there until 9:30. A lot of these events are not thought through very well, and little details (like how you're going to take 300 portaits in 3 hours) get glossed over.

All that being said, do the job. For one reason: You'll learn what to do next time.

[kuul13]

@Photoboothguy, Thank you guys for chipping in and for the suggestions. Actually, I am not at all planning to sell the photos on site. I am clear that I will just click pictures on site. No booth, no sales. My friend will make a list of guests who got their pictures clicked. And then after the event in over we will get the pictures printed and sell it to the guests. Yes, it seems very disorganized, may be 'coz this is her first event and same goes for me/ But I like what you said " do the job. For one reason: You'll learn what to do next time.".

@Krusty, your option seems to be pretty good and food for thought. Any reliable website that you might have used?

[metric_photography]

Originally Posted by ChrisAdval

email all guests (which they would provide as they sign-in with an email address provided) with their photo(s) in digital format and offer them printing sizes and costs for those sizes plus shipping+handling. Then you would get customers calling or responding to the email and all you need to do is mail them the photos they ordered.

If you are emailing the pics-- should they be watermarked? What size/ quality would you recommend so that your pics don't get ripped off?

[kuul13]

Originally Posted by metric_photography

If you are emailing the pics-- should they be watermarked? What size/ quality would you recommend so that your pics don't get ripped off?

I am not sure how does it go? I guess no need to watermark as they will print the picture and they won't like it to be watermarked. Right?

[superdewa]

I have a friend who has a job where she shoots photos like this at big events for a local newspaper and hands out cards as she takes the photos. She gets them up on the newspaper's website within a few days. The hope is that people will look on the website because they will be curious whether they will see themselves there. She gets paid about $150 for an evening, uploads low-res files, and gets full rights to the photos (to be able to sell them to anyone who asks) after about six months.

[Tim Spencer]

SmugMug lets you upload photos and set prices. They have been recommended before by users of this forum. You can password protect galleries also. The watermark debate has generated a lot of discussion - do a search here.

Sounds stressful but fun - good luck!

Tim