Pricing Question

[ltcjr71]

Hi, I am new to this forum and I hope this is the right place to ask this question :?

I am looking for a pricing quide for on site photography. I will be traveling to customer sites and in studio shooting. What is the best way to charge. Here are the details, I think I go it all.

1. On location charge
2. Proofing sheet
3. DVD or CDROM (low or high res)
4. Prints

I am shooting all digital and printing in house with a Epson 4000. Is it normal to give the customer the high res files (originals) and would there be an additional charge for allowing this? How about ownership, what rights do I have with the photos if somebody is paying for them?

Thank you:)

--Larry

[Bruce Hamilton]

Is it normal to give the customer the high res files (originals) and would there be an additional charge for allowing this? How about ownership, what rights do I have with the photos if somebody is paying for them?
I've never been in that situation (yet), but I would only hand over hard copy prints to a client, and I'd have a signed permission to use waiver, so I could use the digital images in any way I chose. That way, my client would have to get extra copies from me.

[G3]

What is an appropriate charge depends a lot on the client, what is expected from you and what the purpose of the photographs is.

If it's product photography, and is going to be used in a catalog or on a website, then it could range from $300.00 to $500.00 per use, per photograph.

If it's for a newspaper circular or salespaper type thing (the ones that come in the Sunday paper) it would likely be more like $200.00 to $300.00 per use, per photo.

If it's for an advertising brochure, like a real estate brochure or something along those lines, it's more like $100.00 to $250.00 per photo, per use.

When models are involved, the price goes up.

For this sort of photography, I would not sell or give away the originals.

I usually provide a proof sheet (if I have a signed contract to purchase a minimum number of uses), for the client's use in choosing which photos to use and for their layout and planning.

I sell the rights to use the photos on a one-time basis and retain the originals. If the want a print, I'll provide that for one-time use, if the want a slide or digital file, I'll provide a duplicate of the original also for one-time use.

If they want to run that photo again in the future, they have to purchase the right again for one-time use.

I will occasionally sell the originals from a wedding shoot. Original digital images for $15.00 per image, film for $100.00 for a 30 exp roll of 220 film in 6x4.5 format, $100.00 per roll for a 36 exp roll or 35mm. There are some problems inherent with selling the original images. One of the issues is that you have no control over where they have additional prints made. I have had situations where someone would take negatives to WalMart for reprints and then coma back to me after months or years and say "These prints don't look like our wedding pictures did. There must be something wrong with the negatives." They don't understand the difference between a Walmart print and the prints that I originally provided which came from a custom lab. For that reason, when I sell the originals, I get them to sign an agreement that releases me from any further resposibility and explains the differences between custom prints and consumer lab prints. The other issue is that future prints are a part of my income, that's why the prices for the originals may seem a little steep. I'm losing that potential source of income. Plus, I'm really trying to discourage them from wanting to buy the originals.