*Commercial Photography Question*

[Curtis Cunningham]

When you're doing offsite work for a company that involves several days of travelling and shooting, do you prefer to charge a flat daily rate that includes your time and image use licenses? Or do you charge a daily creative rate in addition to a separate rate for each image that your client purchases?

[andyw]

I charge a day rate (basically a creative fee) and everything else on top of that.
The day rate includes a basic license for internal use only, any other use is charged.

All are line items on the invoice.

[OsmosisStudios]

In this case I'd say charge an itemized invoice, not a day rate. It gives you that much more control over how and what you get paid for.

[Jim Bryant]

Originally Posted by andyw

I charge a day rate (basically a creative fee) and everything else on top of that.
The day rate includes a basic license for internal use only, any other use is charged.

All are line items on the invoice.

All well as all the various types of licenses, I also charge expenses, ranging from mileage, gas, travel time driving, food, tolls........anything I can by with!

[Biomech]

Personally, I find it best to factor in everything and then give them a reduced item all inclusive price.

I've found people want to know what they are paying for and don't quite understand the non apprent costs like travel, hotels etc.

Companies expect expenses and markup and are often not keen on wading through lines of items and just want the bottom line.

[andyw]

Originally Posted by Biomech

Personally, I find it best to factor in everything and then give them a reduced item all inclusive price.

I've found people want to know what they are paying for and don't quite understand the non apprent costs like travel, hotels etc.

Companies expect expenses and markup and are often not keen on wading through lines of items and just want the bottom line.

You obviously work with different companies than I do.

If I give a single line invoice of say 5k they will want that broken down to specifics so they get everything detailed on the invoice.
It also helps my accountant doing it that way.

photographer for 1 day = xx
License for xx photos per attached agreement = xx
Travel = xx
accomodation = xx
Post processing = xx

etc etc

All likely costs are given in the initial quote or bid in the first place.
If I am ever asked to just give a single all inclusive line item then I will but it is very very rare that happens.

[Biomech]

Sorry I should have been clearer, I meant in regards to quotes. Invoices tend to be a bit more descriptive.
The people who contact me are usually the office or marketing people who tend to have little interest in the process, I've had several who have literally said they are put off when photographers give a price and then start adding on extra licence costs etc, they don't use them, they use the people who give them a fixed cost which (they said) may well include the licence fees but they wouldn't know and didn't care.

[andyw]

Originally Posted by Biomech

Sorry I should have been clearer, I meant in regards to quotes. Invoices tend to be a bit more descriptive.
The people who contact me are usually the office or marketing people who tend to have little interest in the process, I've had several who have literally said they are put off when photographers give a price and then start adding on extra licence costs etc, they don't use them, they use the people who give them a fixed cost which (they said) may well include the licence fees but they wouldn't know and didn't care.

Often my initial estimate/quote will just be a single figure, all depends on who is asking and what they want.

I never give a price out and then start boosting it with other items that they weren't at least aware of initially.
The client will always know from the start what they are paying for or what the "extras" will be on top of the basics.

I find that the larger the client the more information they actually want detailed.

[Biomech]

Absolutely, I've just done one with the details they provided me (as more info needs an NDA) and made it clear that travel is from my office to Dublin and that there may be additional charges for extra travel through Ireland.

Mind you, I used to be a pretty good salesman (well, better than pretty good :P) and the last thing you want to do is start adding extras on at the end (a la Comet, Currys, PCWorld)