Dance Photography

Starman800

Well it is that time of year again, and i am doing a bit more with my daughters Dance Studio. I am still doing the Costume Pics @ the studio; Group shot of the dance, then the Ind of the Dancers (3-4 pics) Then i will be doing the dance Recital, 3 sessions about 2500 pics each session. We Also have a Solo show before as well. My question/Suggestions need is this.

The Photos instead of being on a CD are going to be on a Flash Drive; 16gb. We are going to offer it for 15.00 and the get one Dance/costume on there, then 8.00 for each Addt'll. Same as the CD from last year. So if someone has 4 Dance, It would be 15.00 for first dance, then 8.00 times 3 for the remaining 3 dances to go on the drive.

What i want to know is should i offer a Cap on the amount of money gets spent on the drive. Like after 80.00 total all the extra dances just get put on the drive. I ask because some of the CD last year cost about 150-200 dollars.

We are also going to say that if you bring the drive in for another Event and there is room, we will waive the 15.00 fee and just charge you 8.00 for each dance.

We won't be raising prices till next year after we see how this one goes. I am also doing Al La Cart prints, 8 x 10 for 10.00, 8 wallets for 10.00 and 5 x 7 for 8.00. Again next year we are going to raise prices up by a couple dollars.

Last year with CD, and prints we did about 3200 in sales. it was a 50/50 split between the studio and me.

I am also looking for some type of Spread sheet for Excel 2010 for keeping my pricing and calculating my profits and expenses as well.

Thanks

Cygnus Studios

@Starman800 said:
What i want to know is should i offer a Cap on the amount of money gets spent on the drive. Like after 80.00 total all the extra dances just get put on the drive. I ask because some of the CD last year cost about 150-200 dollars.

Since you are doing this on the hope that people buy images, why would you want to put a cap on what they can pay? You would only shorting your own profits. Personally I think that you are providing these potential clients with a gift to begin with.

@Starman800 said:
We are also going to say that if you bring the drive in for another Event and there is room, we will waive the 15.00 fee and just charge you 8.00 for each dance.

If you are charging for the "flash drive" and they bring their own, I agree that you should waive the fee. Don't charge for things that you don't provide.

@Starman800 said:
I am also looking for some type of Spread sheet for Excel 2010 for keeping my pricing and calculating my profits and expenses as well.

Creating a spreadsheet is relatively simple, just be sure to note every expense that you have. Average out things like travel costs, insurance, etc. My advice would be to sit down with your accountant and make sure that you didn't forget anything.

Starman800

@Cygnus Studios said:
Since you are doing this on the hope that people buy images, why would you want to put a cap on what they can pay? You would only shorting your own >
profits. Personally I think that you are providing these potential clients with a gift to begin with.

I agree, that is what my wife stated as well.. I know they will buy images (Prints) as i did about $800 worth last year.

@Cygnus Studios said:
If you are charging for the "flash drive" and they bring their own, I agree that you should waive the fee. Don't charge for things that you don't provide.

That is only fair. We are going to state that it has to be a clean drive, with nothing on it. I beleave we are going to order the 16gb drive which will hold more then enough.

@Cygnus Studios said:
Creating a spreadsheet is relatively simple, just be sure to note every expense that you have. Average out things like travel costs, insurance, etc. My advice > would be to sit down with your accountant and make sure that you didn't forget anything.

I know a bit about spread sheets. I know calculations and stuff, just thinking something was out there already. My business isn't registered yet as i only have the dance studio as my only client at this moment. I am hoping this year i draw in more people to make it worth getting it registered. My main points that i really need to work on are editing. ( Lightroom, and Photoshop)

Thanks for the reply.

Cygnus Studios

You could do a quick internet search and find basic budget spreadsheets, that have the main categories already populated for you, but since you'll be adding in photography specific elements, I would think that it would be best to simply create your own.

The hardest part is the incidentals that are specific to your business that don't have set depreciation rates. How many times will your flash go off before it kicks the bucket? The cost of replacement needs to be factored in at some percentage. Cameras, batteries, all those little things add up and you need to figure out those costs.

Based on your current pricing structure coupled with the fact that you have one client, it is going to be hard to not only replace things, but make a decent enough profit also.

From what little experience and knowledge I have about event type photography, it seems to me to be one of the harder business models. Now if you parlayed these events into direct portraits or senior portraits or family portraits of those same people who are already buying from you, that might be an avenue to explore.

Starman800

@Cygnus Studios said:
From what little experience and knowledge I have about event type photography, it seems to me to be one of the harder business models. Now if you > >
parlayed these events into direct portraits or senior portraits or family portraits of those same people who are already buying from you, that might be an
avenue to explore.

That's what i am hopping to get into is the Portrait, Family, Senior type pictures. I have already made the decision not to get involved with Wedding Photography, i know there is a great deal of money to be made, but the stress is not worth it.

As for my current pricing structure, next year we are going to increase the price a little bit more. I am hopping with the Flash drives, and Photo mark ups we will make a descent amount. Last year with CD's and prints we made over 2200.00 So it was a nice bit of change.

Thanks.