How Much Should I Charge???

Bob&Glennie

Greetings. We just ran into a new situation for us. We've been photographing antique and classic cars and hot rods at the local car shows this year and selling large framed prints to the owners. One of the owners who bought a print of his classic Mustang showed it to the custom builder who built the car for him. That builder has contacted us and wants us to do an on-site photo shoot of a custom truck that he is building. His purpose is to have the photo of his truck on his bussiness card.

Please understand that when we sell a print to an owner, all we are selling is the print and WE RETAIN the file and full rights to it. We charge what we feel is a reasonable price for the finished product, ready to hang. BUT this new situation requires us to put a price on the photo session and the licencing of the photo for the Business Card. We don't know what that is worth or what is reasonable.

I am in the printing business and I can handle the printing of the business cards and in that case my client would never have access to the file. But if he wants to use another printer then I have to supply him (or his printer) witha copy of the file ready for press.

What is a reasonable price to charge for part of a day spent shooting the truck and the licencing of the file for the business cards? Bear in mind that we are not full time professional photographers but the quality of our work is professional calibre

Appreciate your input
Bob

Sam

Bob & Glennie,

I don't think anyone can give you an exact $ figure, but here my thoughts on this. If possible, and convenient I would visit his shop, (location of shoot?) and find out what his thinking is, as well as getting a better feel for what might be involved in the photo session. Try to determine as best you can what the client’s expectations are.

After talking to him you (or he) may discover other uses, (letter head, phone add, magazine adds, etc.) You probably already know that when many clients hire a photographer they really think it’s a “work for hire arrangement” even though they don’t know the term, they believe once they pay you all rights are theirs.

You don’t have to gouge the client or add so many charges he goes away. But I would discuss this upfront, and specify what rights the client is getting in your written quote.

Now the actual shoot, do you need lighting? Do you have a nice outdoor spot with natural light lined up? Do you need to rent additional equipment. What about bad weather contingencies?

Oh, and last but not least. You say your not professionals but produce professional work. If you produce professional work, charge professional rates. You do want that new lens, to produce even better work, right?

Sam

ian408

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=170657

Sam

ian408 wrote:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=170657

Ian,

????????????

Sam

ian408

Sam wrote:

Ian,

????????????

Sam

Did you look at the linky?

Nikolai

ian408 wrote:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=170657

And also this: http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=330598&postcount=10

HTH

dragon300zx

What to charge.

Get the book everyone is linking you to first.

Then.

Charge more than you think you should without making it more than he can afford.

claudermilk

I'm most of the way through that book & it's a good primer to get you going.