Question regarding portrait session

anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
edited March 24, 2011 in People
I posted this in the Wedding forum but thought I would also post here for some help. I've been asked by a friend of my wife if I would do a portrait of her and the fiance for their wedding. Basically, they want one photo to display at the wedding/reception... one of those portraits that guests sign around the boarder. They're on a budget and getting married on a cruise ship and will have friends/family taking photos. They don't have a budget to have a pro photog shooting the wedding.

What would be a reasonable rate to charge for this?

This will be a location shoot and I will probably take several different poses, maybe 4 or 5. Process all and let them choose one to print. I will have the printing done and give them all finished photos on a disc to keep.

Thanks,

Alex
"I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

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Comments

  • Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    Personally...
    If they are good friends with your wife, I'd be tempted to make it their wedding gift from you and your wife. What better gift than something they will have forever and think about you each time they look at it.
  • reyvee61reyvee61 Registered Users Posts: 1,877 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    Bryce Wilson wrote: »
    If they are good friends with your wife, I'd be tempted to make it their wedding gift from you and your wife. What better gift than something they will have forever and think about you each time they look at it.


    This would be a great way to get future word of mouth business as well.
    I know you will give them great portraits.
    Yo soy Reynaldo
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    reyvee61 wrote: »
    This would be a great way to get future word of mouth business as well.
    I know you will give them great portraits.

    Hmm... that's an option but they aren't that close of friends. This is someone that my wife new in High School and they reconnected through Facebook a couple years ago. I know her from HS as well. I think my wife met her for lunch once since then but that's about it.

    Not sure I want to do it for free is what I'm saying but I will cut them a break. I've actually reached out to her already to see if she has a budget in mind. I will take it from there. What I may do is charge her for just the one portrait but maybe do a whole engagement session, with processing and throw that in for free.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    judging fromn your skill level, you are justified charging beginner profesional rates..something like $125/hr. A large print (non-mounted is going to run you $20-50. *throws dart* call it $300 for 2 hours session on the high side.
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
  • reyvee61reyvee61 Registered Users Posts: 1,877 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    In that case I would give them a discount from your normal rates perhaps in the 15 to 25 percent range.
    Considering the fact that you will be giving them a disc I would say Daniel's suggested rate is modest as a package deal...
    Yo soy Reynaldo
  • sweet carolinesweet caroline Registered Users Posts: 1,589 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    I was going to say that $200-$300 is reasonable for your skill level.

    Caroline
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2011
    Thanks everyone for all the great feedback. After discussing it over with my wife and talking to the bride-to-be again, I decided to gift my time to them. They will only have to pay for the print and matting. Her reaction was worth the $200-300 I was going to make.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2011
    Alex,

    "There is no such thing as a free lunch."

    It is important that you frame this as a favor to your wife and to hold this over her and milk it for as long and hard as you can.

    Good luck!
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2011
    Qarik wrote: »
    Alex,

    "There is no such thing as a free lunch."

    It is important that you frame this as a favor to your wife and to hold this over her and milk it for as long and hard as you can.

    Good luck!

    Way ahead of you. BTW, I refer to these as "Store Credits". For example... I say to her, "Hey hun, I'm going to Gilbert's tomorrow night to play poker." She replies, "Uh, I thought we could watch Sex in the City 2 together, we just got it on Netflix." My rebuttal then is, "Sorry but I'm cashing in the Store Credit from picking up that couch and mattress from Costco and delivering it to your aunt.". End of conversation.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
  • reyvee61reyvee61 Registered Users Posts: 1,877 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2011
    anonymouscuban wrote: »
    Thanks everyone for all the great feedback. After discussing it over with my wife and talking to the bride-to-be again, I decided to gift my time to them. They will only have to pay for the print and matting. Her reaction was worth the $200-300 I was going to make.

    Sweet!
    Yo soy Reynaldo
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited March 23, 2011
    anonymouscuban wrote: »
    Way ahead of you. BTW, I refer to these as "Store Credits". For example... I say to her, "Hey hun, I'm going to Gilbert's tomorrow night to play poker." She replies, "Uh, I thought we could watch Sex in the City 2 together, we just got it on Netflix." My rebuttal then is, "Sorry but I'm cashing in the Store Credit from picking up that couch and mattress from Costco and delivering it to your aunt.". End of conversation.

    hahahaha..store credit..great way to frame it.
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
  • ARKreationsARKreations Registered Users Posts: 265 Major grins
    edited March 24, 2011
    Now if only we could convert "store credit" into "Adorama credit" or "B&H bucks"!
    Ross - ARKreations Photography
    http://www.arkreations.com
    Nikon D700 | D300 | D80 | SB-800(x2) | SB-600(x2)
    Nikkor Lenses: 14-24 f/2.8 | 24-70 f/2.8 | 50 f/1.8 | 85 f/1.4 | 70-200 f/2.8 VR II | 70-300 VR
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