Advice Needed

anonymouscuban

Some of you may recall that I've been hired by the company I work for to do business headshots. I've mostly done people in senior management... Directors, VPs and above. My normal rate for them is $100 per person with a minimum of 3 people in a session. Included in that price is roughly 3 poses, a temporary proof gallery, then a choice of two shots which I do full processing and light retouching. I them give them the full res jpgs along with a couple of lower resolution files for the web and presentations.

So today I was approached by the gal that runs the sales and marketing training department to do headshots for CORE training participants. So this will be an ongoing gig. There is a CORE event every other month with an extra one in between occasionally due to class size. There will be anywhere from 15-30 people to shoot.

So we discussed my normal rate and it's a bit much for the budget they have. I didn't beat around the bush and asked what she expected. She said $50 per head. However, she only expects one pose per and one processed shot per person, no retouching. Also no proofs; I choose the shot. I basically have to spend an avg of 5 minutes per person shooting.

Honestly, the $50 per person is worth it to me considering the volume and the little time I would invest. However, I'm concerned that this will end up driving my regular rate down for the other departments I shoot headshots for.

What would you do?

Hackbone

Run away from it. What do you do when the person says "Oh, I want mine retouched"? Oh, the domino effect also. How would you feel if you were head of the other depts? You set up the same for both, you won't take less shots no matter what you said you would do. They will be both used in the same fashion. Just rambling here but you get the idea....you will lose.

ps. If you don't do the job, they go somewhere else and will pay the going rate.......oh, you lose again.

jonh68

Hackbone wrote: »

Run away from it. What do you do when the person says "Oh, I want mine retouched"? Oh, the domino effect also. How would you feel if you were head of the other depts? You set up the same for both, you won't take less shots no matter what you said you would do. They will be both used in the same fashion. Just rambling here but you get the idea....you will lose.

ps. If you don't do the job, they go somewhere else and will pay the going rate.......oh, you lose again.

Something like this I imagine the person doesn't have any say on retouching. These are basically mug shots that are going in a directory and very different than taking the time to spend with one individual to get it right. Sounds like it is a glorified passport session.

I would do it considering the volume and how little time you are going to be spending on it. You are not providing full service.

anonymouscuban

Hackbone wrote: »

Run away from it. What do you do when the person says "Oh, I want mine retouched"? Oh, the domino effect also. How would you feel if you were head of the other depts? You set up the same for both, you won't take less shots no matter what you said you would do. They will be both used in the same fashion. Just rambling here but you get the idea....you will lose.

ps. If you don't do the job, they go somewhere else and will pay the going rate.......oh, you lose again.

I quite positive that retouching will not be requested. In all honesty, the retouching I do on these shots for this company is a service I offer as part of the package. Most don't even know that it's an option.

As for the other departments complaining about the price, they have all been very small groups. The largest so far was 7 people. So I could easily argue that this is for an ongoing, volume discount.

That all said, what I may end up doing is meeting them in the middle somewhere. The next event starts Monday. So I will do this one and see how it goes.

anonymouscuban

jonh68 wrote: »

Something like this I imagine the person doesn't have any say on retouching. These are basically mug shots that are going in a directory and very different than taking the time to spend with one individual to get it right. Sounds like it is a glorified passport session.

I would do it considering the volume and how little time you are going to be spending on it. You are not providing full service.

That's pretty much it. The main use for the photos will be for an online directory they have for our field people and to use as avatars for our IM and email systems. They don't expect the same product I give them for the VPs.

D3Sshooter

There is no way I would work for 50 $ per headshot. Even without retouches. Lest face it which picture does not require post processing. And secondly those pictures are your business card (even those without retouching), it will be bad for your reputation and will keep you in the low end of the market.
Consider the cost of the equipment, time and some post processing , tax etc... and you will have an hourly salary of a janitor.

If you ask me , just drop it and state that you deliver a quality product. Pictures without corrections and retouches are bad for your reputation. Offer a 100 $ per head.


See , I do shoot every so often local directors, artists and my price is 400 $ per head. I take my time and deliver a good picture. They can pick the picture, that is the one I process. Furthermore they do not get the file. They can order the picture (paper), one is always inclusive 40x60 . The rest is to be procured 15 $ each. For web based pictures the cost is different, depends on its purpose. For pictures on folders and magazines , I charge based on the amount of magazines ( 5 cent per magazine or folder). While keeping the rights.

If you want to price yourself into the higher end of the market, then deliver quality and cachet. It works . If you sell your work for very low prices then you will find out that you will be stuck in the low end of the market, and that is hard work for a handfull of $'s.

Hackbone

d3sshooter wrote: »

there is no way i would work for 50 $ per headshot. Even without retouches. Lest face it which picture does not require post processing. And secondly those pictures are your business card (even those without retouching), it will be bad for your reputation and will keep you in the low end of the market.
Consider the cost of the equipment, time and some post processing , tax etc... And you will have an hourly salary of a janitor.

If you ask me , just drop it and state that you deliver a quality product. Pictures without corrections and retouches are bad for your reputation. Offer a 100 $ per head.


See , i do shoot every so often local directors, artists and my price is 400 $ per head. I take my time and deliver a good picture. They can pick the picture, that is the one i process. Furthermore they do not get the file. They can order the picture (paper), one is always inclusive 40x60 . The rest is to be procured 15 $ each. For web based pictures the cost is different, depends on its purpose. For pictures on folders and magazines , i charge based on the amount of magazines ( 5 cent per magazine or folder). While keeping the rights.

If you want to price yourself into the higher end of the market, then deliver quality and cachet. It works . If you sell your work for very low prices then you will find out that you will be stuck in the low end of the market, and that is hard work for a handfull of $'s.

amen!

jmphotocraft

$65 per, 1 final retouched shot delivered per person, no proofs. Explain all portraits require retouching.

anonymouscuban

Thanks for your input guys. Really appreciate the different perspectives on this. The headshot market, at least here in Los Angeles, has it's own guidelines and expectations. The days of not give the client the file and instead giving them prints has long been over. I don't know of one headshot photographer that still does that and if there are any, they're probably not doing much business. Also, all headshots are not created equal. There are actor headshots, business headshots and then headshots for social media. The offerings for each and the market rates run the gamut.

In my market area, headshot photogs that match my skill/product level charge roughly $150-$250 per hour. Top of of the market is north of that. And then you have the hacks that will do them for as little as $25 per hour.

I crunched some numbers based on $65 per. Based on the agreement I will propose, conservatively I will be spending 20 minutes per headshot. That includes shooting time and processing. If I add my setup and tear down time to that, I will be making roughly $180 per hour. That's not too bad. There is no travel time since I'm doing them onsite here at work. Further, there is no wasted time since I'm working my day job in between people. Literally, my time spent is shooting or processing. If this were other another client, I would obviously need to bake in travel, and time wasted waiting around for the next person to show.

troopers

I'd do it!

I shoot environmental headshots for a company (https://www.vela-ins.com/) at $75/head under similar terms as described in the OP. My recent shoot of 5 employees took me a total of about an hour and 15 mins which including travel time, delivery, etc...I was in and out of their office in 20 mins.

Sam

Alex,

While I think $50.00 per head shot with a standard light set up and muslin background is doable and put some more bucks in your pocket I would be VERY careful about this within the same company. ESPECIALLY the company you work for!

Unless there is a real difference you can easily articulate and see in the finished product I would be very reluctant to lower your established prices.

The issue here is price consistency and company politics.

Sam

Qarik

considering the volume..$50 a shot is fine (these aren't really headshot even right? just glorified company directory shots viewed as thumbnails.) it's likely one edit and save a preset as your lighting should be standard. go for it. it's vacation money

Hackbone

Who keeps the files? Does the client eventually get their file or persuade the leader to give it to them. They then can reproduce it which means your lose income. Can it ever be used in the future in an ad or brochure? A professional has standards and only you can answer these questions and balance it with income won or lost.

jonh68

Hackbone wrote: »

Who keeps the files? Does the client eventually get their file or persuade the leader to give it to them. They then can reproduce it which means your lose income. Can it ever be used in the future in an ad or brochure? A professional has standards and only you can answer these questions and balance it with income won or lost.

There is much to be gained here though. He would have the opportunity to photograph and get to know several more clients who have families. If it is a pleasant experience he may have some come up to him asking for a family session or have a kid needing senior portraits.

It doesn't sound like the subjects are paying the bills so they do not know the cost. Negotiations are with HR and marketing and they just need head shots for a directory. I don't see a conflict with lower prices because the higher ups in the company are going to want high end service and that comes with a high end price.

Gaby617

Problem would be different prices for the same work. Premium clients wouldn't mind there cost cause there getting more then the basic package. I say do it.