How Much Should I Charge???
Noin
Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
I'm a beginner photographer and I just got my first job. I work at a Franchise Restaurant (Denny's) and my Employer asked me if I would take a photo of a new food item that they are going to start selling on Memorial Day. She said she is going to blow it up and put it up front for all the customers to see. She told me she would pay me for it. She owns two other Denny's as well but she didn't say if she wanted it for all 3 or just the one I work at. So I have absolutely no idea how much I should charge her for it. :dunno I'm a complete Newbie at this so any advice would be much appreciated. I'm suppose to be taking the pic sometime next week. Thank you in advance for any advice you give me.
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Comments
You should take ownership of the project. Figure out how many prints per restaurant, what size, and how to display. Maybe she also wants a flyer or a print ad - driving more customers. Talk the concept through with her asap. Take care of the whole deal.
Make sure you keep copyright and take care of the production - don't give her the digital master.
You set the price according to what she thinks is reasonable - you are shooting for repeat business. Ask her! You don't have to agree.
The first rule of sales is figuring what the customer is prepared to pay. The second rule is figuring why they should pay more - upselling. The more service the better the price but don't overdo it - first you both need to prove that this works. Try to figure what she normally pays to promote Memorial Day and what is a reasonable slice of the action for you. She knows you are a beginner, and an employee, so she will expect a bargain.
Could be she is doing this already and thinks you will do it cheaper than buying the stuff direct from Denny's or using her regular photographer. Shaving the cents is a franchiser's speciality. Don't change your by now very reasonable price - go shoot some flowers in the park instead.
If she just wants a cheapo digital master then give her a one click low-res jpeg for free download from your smugmug site, preferably a bit out of focus, and stay friends. Alternatively, do a great job at cash-out cost but insist that every image has your web address printed in big letters.
Enjoy!
You probably don't want to hear this but here it comes:
You don't have your first job. You have an inquiry that could turn into your first job.
Second you posted, "I'm a beginner photographer". This brings up the question, do you have the skill, experience and equipment to provide the professional end product the client wants?
Food photography is a specialty. You can't just plop it on a table, point your camera and press the button.
Have you ever taken a photo and had it printed at say 24X36?
My thoughts would be for you to take a hard look at your current capabilities, and if they aren't up to the task see if you can be involved in the shoot and learn from the photographer chosen for the project. Explain that while you really want to do this your skills are not ready for a project like this, but you want to learn so you can do this in the future.
Note: Be upfront with the photographer.
You don't have a lot of time for this project and I think you would be a lot better off telling your employer something they don't want to hear rather than biting off more than you can handle and leaving your employer without sufficient time to contract with a professional photographer and compleat the job on time.
Sam
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
http://500px.com/Shockey
alloutdoor.smugmug.com
http://aoboudoirboise.smugmug.com/
secondly if i screwed up on the photo shoot i could have lost my real job....not woth it to me......so take a close look at your capabilities
and equipment and yes we all have to start somewhere......I started at home....making up shots from magazines and such that I was interested in....
then one day my employer came to me and said hey we have a awards group we need shot...about 150 people in one shot will you do it....not can you but will you......
I look around the plant for a suitable place and then agreed to do it as a contract.......I had to shoot off the roof down on to the group 2 sessions 1 early morning and one late afternoon.....
all had to do with the sun.....and the white, white building............it got published and i was on my way for more shooting assignments and also my wedding and portrait business took off as
the people in the group photo needed personal family photos and such..........
It is all a matter of knowing your capabilities and not being afraid to say NO when you know you are not ready........when you are ready then follow the advice of
GoldenBalls and take charge of the whole production from shutter clik to delivery of the final print and charge for it......just like anoy other pro would......do not give discounts
to employers but then maybe give a little something after the fact as a thank you..........the advert posters will need mounting and framing do not for that......and put your signature (not a copyright statement) in the lower right or left corner.......and if you can use a pen tablet to make it your actual signature......if not then most post processing software have a very nice legible script font that will suffice until you can make your real signature with a pen tablet.........everything you do should be looked up on as a work of art and art is signed by the artist.........normally.
Good Luck