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How much should I charge?
ohsnapimages
Registered Users Posts: 2 Beginner grinner
I work for a local community theater, taking headshots, publicity photos, and production shots. I work about 20 hours per show and there are generally 6 shows per year. I get paid only $50 per show. I also burn discs of photos for the theater and the actors (normally 400 photos) to try to make some additional cash, but it hasn't given me enough to live on. I now live 45 minutes away from the theater, so it's a lot of money in cash and tolls. I have worked with this pay for almost 4 years now, and I cannot afford to do it anymore. I want to ask for more money, but I do not know what to go in asking for. Does anyone have any advice or suggestions?
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I have a hard time understanding this. It would be nice to know how much your earning with the CD sales to get a more accurate idea of your real gross per show.
That said your never going to earn enough to live on with 6 shows a year.
Now if you really need to spend 20 hours per show, photographing, post processing and are only grossing $50 or a $100 it is really up to you if it's worth it or not, but understand this works out to $2.50 to $5.00 per hour. When you account for gas, tolls, and CD's your even lower. You could get a job at minimum wage and come out much better.
Personally I wouldn't even consider this, and I doubt a community theater has the revenues to pay anyone enough to do this. At $8.00 per hour this would be $160.00 over three times what they are paying now. I wouldn't do it for this ether.
This kind of work is normally done by people who have an interest in the organization and supports the cause, not for money. The money is only to off set expenses not for actual pay.
Sam
I charge $10 per cd, but I don't make much on smaller shows. Sometimes nothing at all. I was hired in high school, but now that I am a junior in college, I can't afford it anymore. I've been volunteering at this theater practically my whole life. This is the only job I can get with the school program I am in, that's why I'm seeing if I can adjust my pay.
I cannot tell you what to charge, you will have to figure this out. It will depend on your skill level, location, and your clients budget. But you do need to have an idea what you want to make/hour to base all your pricing off of.
Could be $10/hr or $100/hr depending on those factors and what you feel your time is worth.
You cannot depend on the CD sales, so base your fee off of a hourly rate that you want to make, then the CD sales will be a bonus.
Jarboe Doggart Photography - jarboedoggart.com
You have to decide which is more important to you - making money, volunteering or photography. Trying to do all 3 doesn't seem to be working. But just trying to charge more $$ isn't going to work out for you either.
This says it way better then I did.
Sam