Shoot Image Prices

3rdPlanetPhotography · January 6, 2006

Need some opinions....

If I charge $100 to take down my studio and go to a remote location with all that equipment, take the photos, post process them and then they decide to not order any prints but they want the IMG file so they can print it them selves, do you think it's fair of me to charge $30-$50 for the IMG file since I will make nothing from prints now?

What would you do in this situation?

Scott
3rd Planet Photography

marlinspike · January 6, 2006

I would price files prohibitively expensive on the grounds that you have to cover yourself if they go and make a hundred prints of everything, and that way you get the print sales instead.

dragon300zx · January 6, 2006

kc7dji wrote:

Need some opinions....

If I charge $100 to take down my studio and go to a remote location with all that equipment, take the photos, post process them and then they decide to not order any prints but they want the IMG file so they can print it them selves, do you think it's fair of me to charge $30-$50 for the IMG file since I will make nothing from prints now?

What would you do in this situation?

Scott
3rd Planet Photography

I average out what I would expect to make on print sales etc off each image. Then if they want to buy the rights to that image and a copy of it for printing themselves thats what I charge them. I'd also charge more than $100.00 for tear down, transport, setup, tear down, transport, setup, plus your time taking the photos.

3rdPlanetPhotography · January 6, 2006

I was thinking that charging more than $100 would be reasonable from my perspective and I agree. I'll re-visit that one. At least I have stated that "starts" at $100

What is reasonable for selling the rights and the IMG if that is all they want?

dragon300zx wrote:

I average out what I would expect to make on print sales etc off each image. Then if they want to buy the rights to that image and a copy of it for printing themselves thats what I charge them. I'd also charge more than $100.00 for tear down, transport, setup, tear down, transport, setup, plus your time taking the photos.

dragon300zx · January 6, 2006

kc7dji wrote:

I was thinking that charging more than $100 would be reasonable from my perspective and I agree. I'll re-visit that one. At least I have stated that "starts" at $100

What is reasonable for selling the rights and the IMG if that is all they want?

Depends on what they are using it for. Shay always posts a link to a book that is very good for explaining this stuff but I don't have it yet.

If its family photos then figure you prolly wouldn't make more than 75-125 off print orders.

If its corporate type stuff then prolly more like 400-600 depending on the use etc..

If I get a family that wants family photos and jsut want the img files id prolly charge about $45 per img.

If it was a sports shoot with lots of kids then $20 per img.

If it was a corporate shoot that they are using the images for advertising $100-300 per image depending on the use and what kinda money they have.

Alot of it really depends on who the client is and their use.

mercphoto · January 6, 2006

dragon300zx wrote:

Depends on what they are using it for. Shay always posts a link to a book that is very good for explaining this stuff but I don't have it yet.

I think that is "Pricing Photography" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581152078/qid=1136579380/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3468175-6014227?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
Well worth buying.

I agree with the rest of your post as well, about pricing files differently depending on use. I over-heard a cell phone conversation in the Apple Store recently. The guy on one end was in the photography business, but not as a photographer. Rather as an industry advocate. He mentioned that some big-box photo studios (think Sears) are now offering the client to buy the image file for $50, or all images from the session for $300.

I know a lot of old-school photographers cringe at giving the client the file as an analogy to giving away the negative, but I don't believe this argument holds any water in today's day and age. A digital file has so many uses (wall paper, email, prints, etc.). The old negatives had one use: prints. And often they were professional film, or medium format, and thus difficult for Average Joe to deal with in the first place.

Alot of it really depends on who the client is and their use.

Yup, and for the most part I think your estimates are good starts as well.

Mike Lane · January 6, 2006

You could sell different qualities of digital files for different prices.

Lowest quality suitable for 4x6's only.
Next higher good for anything up to 8x10s.
Highest good for unlimited sized images.

You could also have one price for digital files with a watermark for your site and a higher price or digital files with no such watermark.

Just thinking of options.

Cindy · January 10, 2006

Thoughts regarding providing the written release
Very interesting reading in here guys. Thanks.
I've been asked to shoot all the local schools posed (team+individual) pics for the remaining year and am considering implementing digital files into the package plans. I'm not going to sell a file without at least one print purchase becuase I want them to see it printed correctly at least once :-)

The thought just occored to me though that when they buy a digital file I also need to provide a written release allowing them to print for personnal use. Might want to consider that. In the future when/if smugmug implements sellign digital files - how will we provide this release to our customers? Can these types of releases be e-mailed along with the digital file? Just pondering what would be acceptable for a release when/if the buyer goes to his/her local walmart to get prints. hmmmmm

Happy Shooting,

Art Scott · January 10, 2006

Cindy wrote:

Very interesting reading in here guys. Thanks.
I've been asked to shoot all the local schools posed (team+individual) pics for the remaining year and am considering implementing digital files into the package plans. I'm not going to sell a file without at least one print purchase becuase I want them to see it printed correctly at least once :-)

The thought just occored to me though that when they buy a digital file I also need to provide a written release allowing them to print for personnal use. Might want to consider that. In the future when/if smugmug implements sellign digital files - how will we provide this release to our customers? Can these types of releases be e-mailed along with the digital file? Just pondering what would be acceptable for a release when/if the buyer goes to his/her local walmart to get prints. hmmmmm

Happy Shooting,

I just released a cd (made with Flipalbum 6.0) of senior pics and even with a produced by and photographed by and a copyright by BURNED into the top of the gold cd (lightscribe)...the senior was able to print nice pics from my webready 72dpi jpgs.....so in the future all mine work will be locked and unable to self print....

As for Wally world...well if the customer walks in and puts it thur the computer their self it won't matter.:cry

Cindy · January 11, 2006

Went to buy the book but...

mercphoto wrote:

I think that is "Pricing Photography" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581152078/qid=1136579380/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3468175-6014227?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
Well worth buying.

I checked the 'look inside' and noticed it states it's geared 4 publication vs consumer (wedding, portraits ) photography. Does the info contained in it help those shooting weddings, family portraits, etc??? If not does anyone have a good recommendation?

Thanks,
Cindy

Shay Stephens · January 12, 2006

I generally don't go anywhere for less than $500 (New York). So if they want one on-location photo delivered on CD, then it is generally going to cost $500 for that photo. Most times, it's an engagement session and it winds up being dozens of photos. There are some exceptions, but that should give you an idea.

So figure out what your minimum is to motivate you to setup on location and do all the work involved in delivering a single image (be it print or digital) and make that your base price. Alter that price based on the job particulars and deliverables. In the end, it comes down to what motivates you and what the market supports. That takes time and experience to determine.

Shay Stephens · January 12, 2006

I would prepare an official hard copy that is mailed to the client.

Cindy wrote:

Can these types of releases be e-mailed along with the digital file? Just pondering what would be acceptable for a release when/if the buyer goes to his/her local walmart to get prints. hmmmmm

Happy Shooting,

Shay Stephens · January 12, 2006

It's a guide. Pricing is so variable based on location and a hundred other factors that all you can really hope for is tutoring on how to determine your prices in a way that keeps you in business.

Cindy wrote:

mercphoto wrote:

I think that is "Pricing Photography" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1581152078/qid=1136579380/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3468175-6014227?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
Well worth buying.

I checked the 'look inside' and noticed it states it's geared 4 publication vs consumer (wedding, portraits ) photography. Does the info contained in it help those shooting weddings, family portraits, etc??? If not does anyone have a good recommendation?

Thanks,
Cindy

Shoot Image Prices

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