What’s Your Preference?

SusanH1970 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-14-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naeno

Very good article.

I have a question for everyone, though. I'm still pretty much in the "friends and family" stage. Most of my friends and family would choke if I charged them $1000 for a session. Do you change your rate for "friends and family"?

Close family and friends I shoot for free and they pay just my cost for prints - and they return the favor by doing stuff for my family. More distant relatives and more casual friends I do give a bit of a discount to.

But, now that I'm done PBing and I've become more established, I've been getting clients I don't know from Adam and they pay full price.

candidrachel · #12 (**permalink**) 10-14-2009, 05:48 PM

Good question! I was going to ask the same thing. A friend said to me today "You own a digital camera don't you Rach? I want you to take some natural ones of my children (10, 6, 5 and 1) How much do you charge". I said for you it would be "mates rates" but said I was in a hurry so I'll call later.

So I now don't know what to charge

I usually charge £70 per hour for informal family fun (the going rate in our town) but obviously weddings/birthdays/christenings etc I charge more.

I also charge a daily rate (8 hours) and half day rate (4 hours).

I haven't got my photography business "live" yet as I am still researching and educating myself!

Daoust · #13 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:42 PM

That article was great. I like what she said about not letting emotions enter into the equation. When deciding on what to charge for my prints, I did the exact thing she said I would. I considered that I was an amateur, and that I'm just starting out, and that I don't want to appear ridiculous, so I was charging between $2.00 and $5.00 for my prints. Apparently that's ripping myself off. Haha. Well, another friend told me that I should check istockphoto and see what they are charging for prints similar to mine and start there. Those prices would be considerably lower than what the author of that article says I should charge, but at least it would be a start.

naeno · #14 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daoust

Well, another friend told me that I should check istockphoto and see what they are charging for prints similar to mine and start there. Those prices would be considerably lower than what the author of that article says I should charge, but at least it would be a start.

You've got to remember that those pictures out on istock were not from a custom sitting. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for you to charge more.

promans · #15 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

Found a link to this on a Flickr group I belong to - GREAT read!

How Should I Price My Photography? Words of Advice from Jodie Otte | MCP Actions Blog

GREAT article... it also helps me stay grounded and another reason why I couldn't go pro. Besides the hustle needed EVERYDAY to make ends meat- It would take me a very long time to feel comfortable charging those numbers.

elkidogz · #16 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009, 06:37 PM

I think this article should be on this site for a newbies guide to pricing! I am trying to gather the cash up to start my own studio and I had been having a lot of questions about pricing and how to get a good professional portfolio going while still trying to attaract customers. Exclusivity is a big part to this whole thing. People want a good photographer who's not priced out of the market, but considered better than "average".

The big thing i took away from the article was about how to get the portfolio and keep the higher prices. Very good idea!