Starting a Business and How to Price

JenniCob21

I'm working on starting my own photography business. I have already done a few weddings and I actually and a photographer with a studio well known in the area. My main questions are: How should I go about coming up with my business plan? I would like to do a little bit of everything, but should I focus on one certain area more than another? How much do I charge clients? Should I offer a package with the fee or charge them a solid fee plus what they would like printed? I don't know any photographers in this area, so if I could have a little guidance it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

sirsloop

I think you first need to figure out what kind of photography you want to do and determine who your clients will be. Once you know that, you will know what kind of time will be required to perform these shoots and do post processing. Ie, if you are shooting a wedding and do book design the cost will be much higher than if you are going out to take photos of a building for some contractor's website. If you are unsure, maybe come up with some wedding packages, and then keep an hourly rate for random stuff that comes up.

saurora

I've been researching the same thing. I have been comparing prices on websites as they all post their fees and print prices there. Plus, I can get an idea of how my photography compares to theirs, basically what quality they are getting for the price. It's amazing the wide range of prices. Some are (frankly) astoundingly high. I'm sure, like most, I will start out at the lower end and adjust as I go along.

Sam

saurora wrote:

I've been researching the same thing. I have been comparing prices on websites as they all post their fees and print prices there. Plus, I can get an idea of how my photography compares to theirs, basically what quality they are getting for the price. It's amazing the wide range of prices. Some are (frankly) astoundingly high. I'm sure, like most, I will start out at the lower end and adjust as I go along.

Susan,

Here's a thought. How about pricing your services at a level you believe is appropriate for your market, will give you a profit your happy with, and rather than try to start low, and raise your prices later, start with the higher pricing but offer a new bisinness special of say X number of 8X10's, or one larger print, etc. at no additional cost, with total satisfaction garantteed?

Sam

JenniCob21

sirsloop wrote:

I think you first need to figure out what kind of photography you want to do and determine who your clients will be. Once you know that, you will know what kind of time will be required to perform these shoots and do post processing. Ie, if you are shooting a wedding and do book design the cost will be much higher than if you are going out to take photos of a building for some contractor's website. If you are unsure, maybe come up with some wedding packages, and then keep an hourly rate for random stuff that comes up.

Ok. Well I already know I will be doing weddings, but I also want to do portraits (family, children, couples, etc). I wouldn't mind taking an odd job here and there though. I really am passionate about photography and have been for as long as I can remember. But where should pricing start out at?

Scott Buel

I have nothing to add, but just want to say "Hi Jen!".

S_

JenniCob21

Sam wrote:

Susan,

Here's a thought. How about pricing your services at a level you believe is appropriate for your market, will give you a profit your happy with, and rather than try to start low, and raise your prices later, start with the higher pricing but offer a new bisinness special of say X number of 8X10's, or one larger print, etc. at no additional cost, with total satisfaction garantteed?

Sam

When coming up with that X amount, what should you consider? I had one photographer tell me that his prices were just want he thought his work was worth, and it was an extremely high price. I know I'm a good photographer, but I have no clue on how to determine how much my work is worth.

JenniCob21

Scott Buel wrote:

I have nothing to add, but just want to say "Hi Jen!".

S_

S_

Lol...Thanks for your helpful input. But "Hello!" right back to ya

Jen

JenniCob21

JenniCob21 wrote:

When coming up with that X amount, what should you consider? I had one photographer tell me that his prices were just want he thought his work was worth, and it was an extremely high price. I know I'm a good photographer, but I have no clue on how to determine how much my work is worth.

Just realized I had a typo want should be what, I apologize for that.

LiquidAir

Here is my take on a portrait/event photography business. I am not actually running the business yet, but this from my business plan.

There are really two prices you need to set:

1. The event/sitting fee. I include a basic set of prints as part of this package.

2. The price for uprgraded print sets and singles.

When getting started, I set will my basic fee to minimum price I need to the business. Only when I am overbooked and turning down offers will I increase this prices. Once I do start bumping my event/sitting fee, I'll probably initially do it only for premium booking times and leave the rest of my schedule at my orginal lower price.

For upgraded prints sets and singles I will charge what I think the photos are worth. To some degree, that will require tuning as time goes on. If I don't get any orders I am clearly charging too much.

JenniCob21

LiquidAir wrote:

Here is my take on a portrait/event photography business. I am not actually running the business yet, but this from my business plan.

There are really two prices you need to set:

1. The event/sitting fee. I include a basic set of prints as part of this package.

2. The price for uprgraded print sets and singles.

When getting started, I set will my basic fee to minimum price I need to the business. Only when I am overbooked and turning down offers will I increase this prices. Once I do start bumping my event/sitting fee, I'll probably initially do it only for premium booking times and leave the rest of my schedule at my orginal lower price.

For upgraded prints sets and singles I will charge what I think the photos are worth. To some degree, that will require tuning as time goes on. If I don't get any orders I am clearly charging too much.

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you very much. I'm actually looking to put together a price book before my first wedding which is May 18. I am only charging them 150 for the wedding itself (it's a really close friend of mine that is getting married) and they are going to let me use the pictures I take in my portfolio. I tried to charge nothing, but her dad wouldn't have it..lol..gotta love him. What would you suggest a sheet (ie 1-8x10, 2-5x7s, # of wallets, or whatever) a good starting package includes?

LittleLisa

JenniCob21 wrote:

...and they are going to let me use the pictures I take in my portfolio.

Hi Jenni -

Congrats on getting started with your new business! It sounds like we're in the same boat - starting out and trying to nail down some details, although I think I have less experience than you. So I'm very interested to see where this thread goes as well.

From the research I've done so far (and you may already know this so I apologize if I'm telling you something you already know), but I think as the photographer you retain ownership of the photos, unless of course you sell them. All you need in order to use the pictures in your portfolio is a model release form (maybe someone has a link to share an example of one???) I think my approach on this is instead of treating it like the people are doing me a favor by signing the form, I'm going to try to sell it like they have a chance to be famous... I mean who wouldn't love to have their photo chosen to be displayed on the "photography studio wall" (website, what-have-you) right?!

But I have been having trouble coming up with pricing too. I don't want to charge so much that I don't get jobs, but I also have people telling me not to sell myself short because I have talent and I need to give myself credit for it. Plus once you charge someone one price they'll tell their friends and expect that same price... and I don't know if I can live on the "friends-and-family-I'm-building-my-porfolio discount".

I also was originally thinking I was going to give a CD with all of the negatives, but I've been rethinking that strategy based on a lot of stuff I've been reading on this forum.

Here's one example of some package and print pricing. I think she's in Australia so I don't know the conversion rate, but it's interesting to look at the packages she offers: http://www.amandasphotos.com/-/amandasphotos/wildcard.asp. I'm thinking about trying to put something similar together.

Good luck to you! And like I said, I'm interested to see the responses on this.

Trish323

One of the best ways I have found to evaluate pricing and come up with my own was to research online photographer sites. I spent time looking at what they offer, quality of photographs, sitting fees, package pricing etc., and also where they were based.

Some are very high, some higher than what the quality, expertise seemed to call for, and some too low, IMHO.

You must be comfortable with what you charge. People pick up quickly when you are uncomfortable with your pricing. GOOD LUCK! It is the Best way I have ever made some $$.

kapalua

congrats on your budding new career!

You have a ways to go before really worrying about price, since you've yet to do your first wedding. I would say to break it into two categories:

(1) IMHO, your first maybe 6-8 weddings it doesn't matter what you charge - even charging $0 is fine. Your objective here is to build your portfolio. After you've done your first wedding you can try the "standard" Craigslist price of about $500 bucks for a shoot-'n-burn package. Personally, I would offer doing it for free if the couple and/or venue were attractive - anything to make your portfolio look great.

(2) once you've got a decent portfolio and website together and you've officially opened the door for business then it's time to take pricing much more seriously.
Now it's time to assess your offering compared to the other photogs in your area. Get the opinion of friends.

Sadly, what you'll end up discovering in the end that as long as your portfolio is decent, it has very little to do with your success as a photographer. A great marketer with a mediocre portfolio will always do much better than a great photographer with mediocre marketing skills.

In the end, your price will be determined by the perceived value of your packaging and appearance. By appearance I mean everything: the appearance of your site, of your marketing materials, of your sample albums, of yourself (grooming, clothing, etc.), your professional demeanor, etc. How far you go will mostly be determined by how much time and money you're willing to invest.

At the end of the day a Mercedes is no better than a Toyota. If anything, the Toyota is probably a better, more reliable machine. But it is the perceived value that determines the price. So hold your head up high and tell every potential client that you are worth it.
good luck.

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