How much is too much to charge for a disk of images

[dnpayne]

Ok, so.. I recently had some photos taken of me, my wife and our new baby. To keep this short, the digital images were going to cost us $3k to purchase. That included about 20 photos. Well, obviously this was way over our budget and we couldn't purchase the disk. Being a photographer, this got me thinking. How much is just too much to charge for a disk of images?

I've wondered this myself because eventually I will be charging separately for my disks of images. I wrestle with what seems fair to the customer and fair to me. I think there is a fine line between charging enough to make it worth it and charging too much that you offend the customer. Personally, I was offended (if that's even the right word) when I found out the disk would cost me $3k. Everyone I've mentioned too (even photographers) thought this was way too much and even laughed at the price.

So, what are your thoughts? What about per image prices? I want to try to find a middle ground to where I can live with the price and the customer doesn't feel offended that I'm way over charging.

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by dnpayne

Ok, so.. I recently had some photos taken of me, my wife and our new baby. To keep this short, the digital images were going to cost us $3k to purchase. That included about 20 photos. Well, obviously this was way over our budget and we couldn't purchase the disk. Being a photographer, this got me thinking. How much is just too much to charge for a disk of images?

I've wondered this myself because eventually I will be charging separately for my disks of images. I wrestle with what seems fair to the customer and fair to me. I think there is a fine line between charging enough to make it worth it and charging too much that you offend the customer. Personally, I was offended (if that's even the right word) when I found out the disk would cost me $3k. Everyone I've mentioned too (even photographers) thought this was way too much and even laughed at the price.

So, what are your thoughts? What about per image prices? I want to try to find a middle ground to where I can live with the price and the customer doesn't feel offended that I'm way over charging.

A flippant answer, though a truism, would be "The price at which the customer balks".

I think Jim Poor has a good model, (based around estimated print sales for the image), though I can't remember off the top of my head...

[dnpayne]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

A flippant answer, though a truism, would be "The price at which the customer balks".

I think Jim Poor has a good model, (based around estimated print sales for the image), though I can't remember off the top of my head...

I think I have heard that on here before. Going off that model is hard for me right now. Since I've been including the disk with my sessions, my print sales are obviously rather thin. It would be hard to get an average, or at least one that's not super cheap.

[Jim Poor]

For full sessions (not fundraisers and the like) my digital files are four times the cost of a gift print (8x10 or smaller are all $50).

So that's $200 each.
A disc of the whole session is $1250, but my average print sales are starting to run around $1100 or so which means it's time to bump the all-inclusive disc price up a bit.

[dnpayne]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

For full sessions (not fundraisers and the like) my digital files are four times the cost of a gift print (8x10 or smaller are all $50).

So that's $200 each.
A disc of the whole session is $1250, but my average print sales are starting to run around $1100 or so which means it's time to bump the all-inclusive disc price up a bit.

Interesting. I really need to focus in the upcoming year to strengthen that portion up. I've been relying heavily on giving the disk away to get the jobs considering I'm still starting out. A lot of people wouldn't have booked me if I didn't give out the disk I think.

So, for you to get an average of $1100 per print order, thats great. I need to strive for half of that to be happy right now. Do you shoot free sessions and charge for prints, disk, etc..? I've seen in done a few different ways. Not sure which one is ideal.

[Jim Poor]

Originally Posted by dnpayne

Interesting. I really need to focus in the upcoming year to strengthen that portion up. I've been relying heavily on giving the disk away to get the jobs considering I'm still starting out. A lot of people wouldn't have booked me if I didn't give out the disk I think.

So, for you to get an average of $1100 per print order, thats great. I need to strive for half of that to be happy right now. Do you shoot free sessions and charge for prints, disk, etc..? I've seen in done a few different ways. Not sure which one is ideal.

Free? No way. My session fee is $350. That "pre-qualifies" my clients and lets me know that they appreciate what they're getting enough to pay good money for it.

I often do a $150 off promotion for returning clients, etc, but even that's enough to let me know they'll buy prints, especially since they've already paid the full fee once.

The $100 rescue fundraiser sessions are where I start getting the "one 8x10 please" orders, which aren't really worth my effort, but I do them because they help the cause, and I do them on off days in groups.

[dnpayne]

Originally Posted by Jim Poor

Free? No way. My session fee is $350. That "pre-qualifies" my clients and lets me know that they appreciate what they're getting enough to pay good money for it.

I often do a $150 off promotion for returning clients, etc, but even that's enough to let me know they'll buy prints, especially since they've already paid the full fee once.

The $100 rescue fundraiser sessions are where I start getting the "one 8x10 please" orders, which aren't really worth my effort, but I do them because they help the cause, and I do them on off days in groups.

Gotcha. Thanks for the info. It's nice food for thought.

Originally Posted by dnpayne

Gotcha. Thanks for the info. It's nice food for thought.

Keep in mind that Jim is a very specialized photographer, which makes a difference. If you're in a niche and have very few competitors, you can usually charge a bit more than the average portrait photographer.

$3000 is extortion, and this mentality will eventually bite him in the ass.

Actually, reminds me of a conversation I had this weekend with a photographer in his 60s. He was a judge in a local photo competition, and specifically requested to speak with me after the show (wanted to know how I took some of my photos). Immediately, he started into this rant about how his portrait business is failing after 40 years because of all these "soccer moms with DSLRs", and that he isn't getting any new business...only clients he's had for years.

In other words, the business model he's held for decades has suddenly collapsed. My business professor would say "It's either time to change, or get out."

[andyw]

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

$3000 is extortion, and this mentality will eventually bite him in the ass.

Sorry, but why exactly is that extortion ?

If that is what the guy wants to charge for that then so be it. It is upto the client whether they accept that or not.

If they normally get 2-3000 in print sales from a session (not as unusual as some may think) then they should be charging that sort of price for the disc only (without prints).

OP - was it only the disc you wanted and no prints or had you already bought a load of prints and what sort of price were they?

[OsmosisStudios]

Hell, back in the old film days, my uncle did weddings: He'd sell prints to the couple and hold the negatives for 10 years. At that point the couple had the option of buying the negatives. I dont remember how much it was, but it was definitely in the $5k+ range.