How Much for a Photo?

Vertigo

I have started my business and already have taken photos to sale, specially for a new client (the only one so far) that have two nurseries and need to take landscaping photos. I took several photos under my gallery "Clients" and I want to see how to charge. By session, by photo????????:scratch

www.aaphotographyfla.com

Thanks

Antonio

Cygnus Studios

Vertigo wrote:

I have started my business and already have taken photos to sale, specially for a new client (the only one so far) that have two nurseries and need to take landscaping photos. I took several photos under my gallery "Clients" and I want to see how to charge. By session, by photo????????

Normally this is done prior to shooting for a client. Some of the factors that will be involved in pricing will be;

How many finished images are delivered.
How the final images will be delivered (print or cd)
How the final images will be used (commercial or on location)
The time involved.
A percentage of equipment costs (at some point new gear will be needed)
The market in which you are taking the image (the rates in KS may not be the same as in CA)

There are times where shooting on spec is okay, but this isn't one of those times. You really need to sit down with the client, determine their needs, determine what it takes to meet those needs, and determine a value that meets both of your needs.

Vertigo

Thanks
Sounds good. Lets see:

This client will use the photos for commercial use. He wants to decorate sevral landscaping trucks with the photos. Also he plans to upload to his new website, flyers and other catalogs/advertising. I planed to provide him with a CD with three different sizes and resolutions...nothing in print yet. Basically the locations for shooting are nearby...although the projects are around 20 to 120k per project. The one I shot that is on my Website is 2oK.

I move with him and spent an average of 30 minutes on each location. Take 100 photos and select a final 40 to retouch in Lightroom.

He is a friend, but asked me to set a price for the work and future ones so we can move on and continue shooting. I was thinking a fixed price per photo with a minimum of photos to purchase. From this first shoot, out of 30 he choose 10.

Cygnus Studios

The value of his projects have nothing to do with you.

Since you have a semi fixed time and number of finished images, I would quote a set fee with an agreed upon max number of photos per shoot.

Say 2 hours for shooting and editing, with 40 images provided per shoot. Whether they choose 10 images or all 40 would not matter. As the images will be produced by the client for advertising, those costs have nothing to do with you either.
Now you really need to figure out what your market will bear. A few hundred dollars per shoot would not out of line. Now your market may be as high as a grand per shoot or as low as $100.
You also need to figure out a usage license for this client. What they can and cannot do with the images and for how long. You also need to work out how you can use these images.

Vertigo

Cygnus Studios wrote:

The value of his projects have nothing to do with you.

Since you have a semi fixed time and number of finished images, I would quote a set fee with an agreed upon max number of photos per shoot.

Say 2 hours for shooting and editing, with 40 images provided per shoot. Whether they choose 10 images or all 40 would not matter. As the images will be produced by the client for advertising, those costs have nothing to do with you either.
Now you really need to figure out what your market will bear. A few hundred dollars per shoot would not out of line. Now your market may be as high as a grand per shoot or as low as $100.
You also need to figure out a usage license for this client. What they can and cannot do with the images and for how long. You also need to work out how you can use these images.

I totally agree. A set Fee is the way to go. Now I have to research other photographers or services alike to see their rate? He really loves my pictures and even though I have a lot of things to learn, they seem ok, but not sure if there worth 500$ not to mention 1K. look: http://www.tonye.smugmug.com/gallery/8748987_9z9xc#578861167_fifRp

If I charge 30$ per photo and he chooses 10, thats 300$ So I can say 300$ per shoot with a maximun of 20 photos? Don't know.

Cygnus Studios

Vertigo wrote:

If I charge 30$ per photo and he chooses 10, thats 300$ So I can say 300$ per shoot with a maximun of 20 photos? Don't know.

When charging by the photo what happens if they only like 1? Then you shot for $30. A flat fee eliminates that all together.

The photos look okay, but the sky is all over the place and looks odd in a few. Of course it has been a while since I visited Fla, and the sky here is always a funky color, so it may just be that.
Watch those shadows though. They can be distracting.

Now keep in mind that you only have to please the client, not the photographers who pick apart the images

Vertigo

Good. The skies are retouched to have a dramatic look. The skies here are almost flat white or bright light blue. This is my first try though and still need to practice more. I am still trying to achive a WET LOOK on the briks and paths in photoshop but so far no luck finding a way or a plug in.

I guess a fix price will be fine with a minimun of 10 photos and a maximun of 20

Thanks for your input.

Cygnus Studios

Vertigo wrote:

I guess a fix price will be fine with a minimun of 10 photos and a maximun of 20

That is what you can work out with the client. They may want to choose from 20 or 30 or whatever. You need to figure out how many you can take and edit within a given time period.
If the max number you can do is 40 within a 2 hour time period, make that the max for $300
If they want to choose from 50 or 60 images, just add another hour to the shoot and charge $450

You may want to consider offering a discount on multiple shoots. Something like a hundred dollars off the 10th shoot. Maybe a hundred dollars off for a paid referral. It lets them know that you are working with them and that you appreciate the work that they send your way.

Vertigo

Cygnus Studios wrote:

That is what you can work out with the client. They may want to choose from 20 or 30 or whatever. You need to figure out how many you can take and edit within a given time period.
If the max number you can do is 40 within a 2 hour time period, make that the max for $300
If they want to choose from 50 or 60 images, just add another hour to the shoot and charge $450

You may want to consider offering a discount on multiple shoots. Something like a hundred dollars off the 10th shoot. Maybe a hundred dollars off for a paid referral. It lets them know that you are working with them and that you appreciate the work that they send your way.

Ok, so option one: lets say my hour is worth $150 and it takes 2 hours to shoot and edit 40 photos for the client to choose weather he chooses 10 or the entire 40?

I think that 2 hours per location is good.

Option two: Two hour shoot and edit time free. Then 20$ per photo with a minum order of 10 photos??????

God this is hard!!!

Cygnus Studios

Leave out option 2. There is no way to guarantee how many they will choose. Figure out how many they need to choose from and offer that. If you try to force them to take a certain amount, neither of you will be happy in the end.

The vast majority of clients and photographers do not agree on what images to take. The client chooses an image based on how it makes them feel, not on what is right or wrong with the image.

Don't over think it. They came to you for a reason. Be professional and deliver what you say that you will deliver and everyone will be happy.