Rate for a photo shoot for a hobbyist

[kuul13]

For the first time I am approached and that too shoot a New Years Eve party in Hamilton, NJ. I am just a hobbyist and this is the first time I may get paid for my photography. One of my friend is venturing into event management and she wants me to start as a photographer for her event. If I do well, then she can work with me for other events too.

According to her, I need to be there for 2-3 hours maximum for a gathering of 300+ people and click pictures of the couples/families who come to the party and I need to do some bulk printing so that those pictures can be sold to those people who like it. So I guess it is You Click->People Like->They buy->You are paid.

I have read other forums and threads in DPS, mostly talk about business but here I am just a starter and I don't know if it is just one time thing or not. But I think I need to come up with total hours spent i travelling, shoot, post processing, printing. But not sure what should be per hour rate . Is there anything that I should consider? Let me know if you have links that explain this since I didn't find much. Also a link for bulk printing site.

Hope to ask more questions so please bear with me. Thanks!

[zona5101]

I think the big thing to figure out is where you are going to buy or rent a printer. If renting, I imagine you'd need to get your reservation in pretty quick as you won't be the only one with this idea. And I don't know that your desk top printer or some cheap $99 printer will cut it. Pro printers for this kind of thing are $1500 and up. There are a few people here on DPS that do this sort of thing...hopefully they can tell you more about printer requirements.
You may also need to consider how much printer paper you need. Many stores won't allow returns on paper...but some will so I'd ask up front.
Those are your sunk costs. you need to recover those and then figure out your hourly rate.

[Jim Bryant]

you have to take in account of your travel time, mileage, downloading, editing and post processing time as well as burning DVD's too. So, don't cheat yourself!

[Jim Poor]

The moment you take money for photography you are stepping out of the role of hobbyiest.

So, charge what your work is _worth_, which has little to do with how long you've been doing it.

All that said, what does your employer charge their clients for an hour of your time? I guarantee it's a lot more than your employer pays you. Figure that out and go from there to see if it's even worth it.

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by kuul13

For the first time I am approached and that too shoot a New Years Eve party in Hamilton, NJ. I am just a hobbyist and this is the first time I may get paid for my photography. One of my friend is venturing into event management and she wants me to start as a photographer for her event. If I do well, then she can work with me for other events too.

According to her, I need to be there for 2-3 hours maximum for a gathering of 300+ people and click pictures of the couples/families who come to the party and I need to do some bulk printing so that those pictures can be sold to those people who like it. So I guess it is You Click->People Like->They buy->You are paid.

I have read other forums and threads in DPS, mostly talk about business but here I am just a starter and I don't know if it is just one time thing or not. But I think I need to come up with total hours spent i travelling, shoot, post processing, printing. But not sure what should be per hour rate . Is there anything that I should consider? Let me know if you have links that explain this since I didn't find much. Also a link for bulk printing site.

Hope to ask more questions so please bear with me. Thanks!

from what you explained mostly, it sounds like the event manager wants you to run a photobooth either on-site printing or not... There is a huge difference between the two as in work load for you... so find out what the client wants if they want on-site printing or not because its a make or break on expenses and work for you and the client. What I would do is off-site printing and 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.

As for traveling I wouldn't worry if its 30min drive or less since you mention you're still new at this, but if it is more than 30min I would charge whatever cost per mile after the 30min mark. For me, post processing wont be a huge deal since events, well its events... you don't need hardcore post processing as model photography so you won't need to spend like 20-30min per photo I would only do color enhancement/corrections which would take me about 5min for one photo then sync to the rest of the photos that have similar lighting situations from that one day of shooting. Just be very selective in the selection process and don't pick photos that are too similar before post processing them... and since you're offering them to customers you may want to discuss this part to the manager such as to post process the photos or not before having the customer buying the photo as this may save you and the client time and money.

[andyw]

Originally Posted by kuul13

For the first time I am approached and that too shoot a New Years Eve party in Hamilton, NJ. I am just a hobbyist and this is the first time I may get paid for my photography. One of my friend is venturing into event management and she wants me to start as a photographer for her event. If I do well, then she can work with me for other events too.

According to her, I need to be there for 2-3 hours maximum for a gathering of 300+ people and click pictures of the couples/families who come to the party and I need to do some bulk printing so that those pictures can be sold to those people who like it. So I guess it is You Click->People Like->They buy->You are paid.

I have read other forums and threads in DPS, mostly talk about business but here I am just a starter and I don't know if it is just one time thing or not. But I think I need to come up with total hours spent i travelling, shoot, post processing, printing. But not sure what should be per hour rate . Is there anything that I should consider? Let me know if you have links that explain this since I didn't find much. Also a link for bulk printing site.

Hope to ask more questions so please bear with me. Thanks!

OK first the bad news. You will not be able to do this job.
It sounds like they want the shots to be available for sale virtually immediately or at least on the same night.

This is for an experienced event shooter with the correct equipment, skills and staff.
The equipment is minimum of camera, lights, background etc. wi-fi connections to base station and printers (dye-sub). Plus obviously the paper, slip in mounts etc.

Staff required. Snapper, someone to take details of the 300 or so people as they go through and a printer/salesperson.

300 people in 3 hours would mean 2 a minute as individuals. or 1 a minute as couples etc etc. Virtually impossible to do.



The good news is - this type of event can easily gross 3k+ when done properly.
The equipment can be rented and staff can be hired on a temp basis.

Google event photography and you will find details of equipment etc.

There are loads of different ways people charge for this.
It could be a basic price for being there and then you charge xx for prints
It could be purely based on selling prints on the night
Sometimes you actually pay a percentage of your sales to the organisers
etc. there are a multitude of different ways and methods that event photographers get their money depending entirely on the event itself.

[kuul13]

Firstly, thanks for the prompt responses. This is really helpful and I have checked with my friend and she said, we are not having prints onsite. So, it is like I would be clicking pictures of the guests and they will signup for the pictures. The pictures will be delivered after the event, Either through email or postal mail. Now I need to figure out the price for the shoot and for providing the pictures (print and delivery). I don't want to buy any printer for printing but cheaper solution would be to get good quality prints online since I would have some time to deliver the prints to the organizers. I guess for the shoot, I would be travelling nearly 45 miles one way, 2 hours travel, 3 hours shoot, 2 post processing. I only have camera + batteries + cards + external flash + tripod, no prime lens, no other fancy equipment. What do you think I should buy/rent that is must considering this could be my first/last shoot (I know I have to think positive but still) and it is party event. Thanks for bearing with me with these novice questions.

[BuddhaPi]

I would think you would need a back-up of everything, body, lenses, batteries, cards, flash...CYA, you wouldn't want the flash to up and die on you, or the camera itself..

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by kuul13

Firstly, thanks for the prompt responses. This is really helpful and I have checked with my friend and she said, we are not having prints onsite. So, it is like I would be clicking pictures of the guests and they will signup for the pictures. The pictures will be delivered after the event, Either through email or postal mail. Now I need to figure out the price for the shoot and for providing the pictures (print and delivery). I don't want to buy any printer for printing but cheaper solution would be to get good quality prints online since I would have some time to deliver the prints to the organizers. I guess for the shoot, I would be travelling nearly 45 miles one way, 2 hours travel, 3 hours shoot, 2 post processing. I only have camera + batteries + cards + external flash + tripod, no prime lens, no other fancy equipment. What do you think I should buy/rent that is must considering this could be my first/last shoot (I know I have to think positive but still) and it is party event. Thanks for bearing with me with these novice questions.

4 additional pairs of camera batteries, plus 10pk of batteries for your flash, tripod is really unnecessary unless you're doing video as well, and as for printing don't print until the customer decides to buy it first. Get prints from either mpix.com or adoramapix.com your choice. I'd ask your friend who would be responsible in delivering the photos, since she may not pay you I'd say she should do it... its not hard just send them in the mail individually packaged to each client, its just time consuming which you shouldn't have as you'll be too busy with other things.

[kuul13]

Thank you guys for the valuable inputs.. I will keep them in mind and I am more confident now to negotiate. Thanks again!