Remember, the college is said to be insisting on paying for it, and likely expect to pay the going rate.
However ones "going rate" is more based on shooting experience and work history. I'm not going to charge $2000 just to show up at a wedding and snap a few pics even if that was the going rate in my area unless the quality of my work was on par with those charging the "going rate". And I'm also not going to charge the rates I did when I first starting shooting weddings either.
I have read and re-read your first post.....and I do not see any mention of what size print (or digital file) they want...exactly what kind of licensing are they after....there is so much to consider to make a good choice for pricing.....if it is going into the Alumni Mag then the $125 mentioned earlier might be okay...but knowing that Alumni orgs is where a lot of University money is (and atheleticsof course) I would not be afraid to ask for 250 -$300 and also credit with webiste site addy.....
Yes do raise your prices.....when I first started shooting for money.....I set my prices very low.....after a couple of years and very few clients (nearly every bridal shop and wedding studio wanted me to shoot for them cheaply)....I decided to raise my prices a little.....more work came in....in 6 mos. I raised them again a LOT....The work started coming.....so to my surprise, it was not a fact of my work wasn't up to par but I had undewrvalued myself and therefore not many good clients wanted to take a chance......so I went from walmart/kmart prices to lets say Dillards pricing.....now that I have been outta da game for a while I will be starting out with dillards pricing and heading towards Neiman Marcus.........or very close....as I gotta get out of the machining business to much metal dust every day...Plus fotographie is so much more PHUN!!
Sam (the wise man) always manages to ZOOM in on some aspect of our business behavior that's stoopid. What's both irritating and humbling is that he's usually spot-on in his observations. How does he do that??? And Sam, you gotta have way too much time on your hands.
Thank you Icebear.
Time is not liner, it swirls, twists, and folds in on it's self. Once you know how to access these anomalies infinite possibilities are available.
Of course once the smoke dissipates, the mirrors are visible, and the curtain is drawn back, you may be in for a shock.
I'm quite certain they normally pay a LOT more for their photos for the pro's that regularly shoot, but I'm trying to get my foot in the door so I am starting at that amount in hopes of getting future gigs....
Sounds like you figured it out to suit ya Shima.
FYI: I was contracted to shoot a gal earlier this year for use in three different publications, all newspapers, in three different markets within one state.
Shoot: $350.
Licensing for ONE year: $875 for three photos. Signed, sealed, paid up front and never used to date. > 6 Months.
I understand where you are coming from, and am glad you found a price you can live with. Only thing, the rest of us cannot live with that kind of pricing. So when folks suggest not to undervalue our products....they mean to ask you to think of what is a market rate. it can be totally hard to figure out. There are lots of Online resources for it though, and that is how I came to my figures.
Truth is, they should want you even if our pricing is the same...because it is YOU!
FYI: I was contracted to shoot a gal earlier this year for use in three different publications, all newspapers, in three different markets within one state.
Shoot: $350.
Licensing for ONE year: $875 for three photos. Signed, sealed, paid up front and never used to date. > 6 Months.
I understand where you are coming from, and am glad you found a price you can live with. Only thing, the rest of us cannot live with that kind of pricing. So when folks suggest not to undervalue our products....they mean to ask you to think of what is a market rate. it can be totally hard to figure out. There are lots of Online resources for it though, and that is how I came to my figures.
Truth is, they should want you even if our pricing is the same...because it is YOU!
The above is the correct answer. A professional photographer whom used to work many weddings for Big Ten & Professional ballplayers reminded me long ago these institutions of higher learning already know the prices they pay for images from other photographers used in their many media campaigns.
I was watching an episode on Ovation Channel one time and the photographer was telling the story of how he provided a cosmetic company with a series of images for a particular product line. He was provided compensation for the US media campaign and one of his assignments unexpectedly took him to Europe where he discovered those same images had been used for a completely different media campaign. Naturally he cleaned their clock.
I have dealt with a certain firetruck manufacture in Ohio who was interested in an certain image and we began to talk. When the compensation came into the picture they laughed and the salesman remarked we can steal that off the internet and do as we please and naturally I was quite shocked. I excused myself from the office walked down the hall into "the man's" office where it was politely explained what had happened and that there was nothing more to discuss on any level.
There as never been any additional interaction in the last 15 years.
Bottom line companies and schools already know what they pay for the images they use. Never be shy in asking good money for YOUR work.
I was going to suggest a similar figure. I was recently paid $150 for a 1x use of a (ho-hum to me, but valuable to them) photo of the exterior of a synagogue for Hadassah magazine.
Artists have a terrible time promoting/selling themselves. You're not alone. This is why some people have managers and agents.
Comments
However ones "going rate" is more based on shooting experience and work history. I'm not going to charge $2000 just to show up at a wedding and snap a few pics even if that was the going rate in my area unless the quality of my work was on par with those charging the "going rate". And I'm also not going to charge the rates I did when I first starting shooting weddings either.
And I get deeper and deeper
The more I see the more I fall no place to hide
You better take the call I get deeper and deeper...The Fixx
Yes do raise your prices.....when I first started shooting for money.....I set my prices very low.....after a couple of years and very few clients (nearly every bridal shop and wedding studio wanted me to shoot for them cheaply)....I decided to raise my prices a little.....more work came in....in 6 mos. I raised them again a LOT....The work started coming.....so to my surprise, it was not a fact of my work wasn't up to par but I had undewrvalued myself and therefore not many good clients wanted to take a chance......so I went from walmart/kmart prices to lets say Dillards pricing.....now that I have been outta da game for a while I will be starting out with dillards pricing and heading towards Neiman Marcus.........or very close....as I gotta get out of the machining business to much metal dust every day...Plus fotographie is so much more PHUN!!
Good luck
Thank you Icebear.
Time is not liner, it swirls, twists, and folds in on it's self. Once you know how to access these anomalies infinite possibilities are available.
Of course once the smoke dissipates, the mirrors are visible, and the curtain is drawn back, you may be in for a shock.
Sam
Sam! Think you meant to say time is not LINEAR
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
Sounds like you figured it out to suit ya Shima.
FYI: I was contracted to shoot a gal earlier this year for use in three different publications, all newspapers, in three different markets within one state.
Shoot: $350.
Licensing for ONE year: $875 for three photos. Signed, sealed, paid up front and never used to date. > 6 Months.
I understand where you are coming from, and am glad you found a price you can live with. Only thing, the rest of us cannot live with that kind of pricing. So when folks suggest not to undervalue our products....they mean to ask you to think of what is a market rate. it can be totally hard to figure out. There are lots of Online resources for it though, and that is how I came to my figures.
Truth is, they should want you even if our pricing is the same...because it is YOU!
The above is the correct answer. A professional photographer whom used to work many weddings for Big Ten & Professional ballplayers reminded me long ago these institutions of higher learning already know the prices they pay for images from other photographers used in their many media campaigns.
I was watching an episode on Ovation Channel one time and the photographer was telling the story of how he provided a cosmetic company with a series of images for a particular product line. He was provided compensation for the US media campaign and one of his assignments unexpectedly took him to Europe where he discovered those same images had been used for a completely different media campaign. Naturally he cleaned their clock.
I have dealt with a certain firetruck manufacture in Ohio who was interested in an certain image and we began to talk. When the compensation came into the picture they laughed and the salesman remarked we can steal that off the internet and do as we please and naturally I was quite shocked. I excused myself from the office walked down the hall into "the man's" office where it was politely explained what had happened and that there was nothing more to discuss on any level.
There as never been any additional interaction in the last 15 years.
Bottom line companies and schools already know what they pay for the images they use. Never be shy in asking good money for YOUR work.
I was going to suggest a similar figure. I was recently paid $150 for a 1x use of a (ho-hum to me, but valuable to them) photo of the exterior of a synagogue for Hadassah magazine.
Artists have a terrible time promoting/selling themselves. You're not alone. This is why some people have managers and agents.
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