Hourly Rate...

[Mojorisen]

When you charge for work, do you charge based on an hourly rate even if you give the client a flat cost? If so do you calulate the hourly rate different than the rate for the Photo session vs. the editing time?

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Mojorisen

When you charge for work, do you charge based on an hourly rate even if you give the client a flat cost? If so do you calulate the hourly rate different than the rate for the Photo session vs. the editing time?

I use an hourly rate as a basis for an estimate, but the overall invoice is a flat cost.

[SusanH1970]

I don't charge an hourly rate - I charge a flat session fee and work as long as it takes to get a sufficient amount of images to work with. Generally, my sessions last between one and two hours. I charge one rate for one person, another for two, another for 3-4, and another for groups of 5 or more. Shooting and editing photos of one person is a lot less work than 4 or 5, hence the extra charges. Between the session fee and my prices for prints, the time I spend editing is built in to those prices, so I make a pretty decent profit for time spent.

[Jim Bryant]

I shot a two hour job on Friday for a flat $600.00. That way, I know my travel, equipment expenses, editing, pping and cd burning were paid. Best to charge a flat rate and therefore get your clients used to it, otherwise they will try to get the work done at minimum wage prices.

[Mojorisen]

Thank you for the replies. I agree with the flat rate, that's what I've been doing with off the cuff numbers. How do you come back to your flat rate price? I assume you estimate material costs to add in but what about the session cost and editing time cost? Do you estimate # of hours then figure a per hour rate to total your flat rate? When I refer to a "per hour rate" it would not be a rate the client is aware of only a number you personally assign for the job.

[Jim Bryant]

I charge a $1.00 a mile for mileage. Time spent shooting, plus a $1.00 per image capture, time spent editing and pping images. Sometimes it comes out to $100.00 or more an hour. A lot of times it actually depends on how the images are used, for how long and what for.

[candleman]

take into account editing time, travel, preparation time, and general expanses like accountants, insurances etc etc.. then just ... figure it out

so *if* my hourly rate is say $140/hr,
thats my "flat rate" that i charge for every hour i'm with them.. but all the behind the scenes stuff is included in that price.
they don care how long i sit picking my nose coming up with ideas, or messing around in photoshop. but those things still need to be covered.
dont set it too low.. i've made that mistake and after the last episode i've had i'm literally doubling it to cover the "screw around" factor some people will add.