migrating from amature to professional

[lindahenning]

I found this forum by searching "how do I price..." Great advice
After 20+ years as an amature I started taking pictures for volunteered projects. Now I am getting requests from more and more people for photos at events. Some are competitors in high profile events, some are photos of families with friends, and some are photos of local,state, and national politicans. It was all fine and good when I had the time but now its cutting into my production time. Seems that people think there is no time involved with downloading, sorting, filing and touching up .....
Any ideas on how to professionally present a price for my time and work and what to charge? I read throogh the tread about charging but I'm anxious about the transition from free to not free. Some of photos have been used in local publications that either I produce (newsletters) or others produce (campaign literature).

Thanks in advance

[cosworth]

Start at $300 a day. This covers taxes, gear, wages, sundries etc. Your price should only go up from there.

Why $300 a day? Think of it as you need to spend one day to make a minimum of $300 to cover costs. So if you can do a shoot in the morning and process it by 4pm then you should charge $300 or more.

Add a studio and the price goes up.

Think if it as "I need to make $$$ to make the switch". Divide that yearly income by 12. Divide that by 21 (21 working days) and it comes out to about $75 gross a year. You are a highly skilled tradepserson, sales director, artist and software user. In the business world you'd make about $75k doing that.

You have serious overhead as well. Gas, camera gear, backdrops, wages, data storage, web hosting etc.

If you get 2 shoots a week = 5x300 is $1500 / 2 shoots = $750 a shoot. Doing weddings, since it's seasonal is more per day. Plus ytou can spend days processing, setting up , meeting people, fine tuning your Asuka book etc.

I went back to software after realizing that $300 a days wasn't attainable in my city just yet. Maybe once my name gets out there as "the guy" (if ever) but until then, it's back to semi pro.

amateur - Make sure you use spell checker in all you current and future business dealings. Correct spelling is part of "be professional, act professional".

[blackshadow]

Great advice from Jason - especially on the correct spelling!

[PhotosGuy]

Start at $300 a day. The keyword there is "Start". You don't say where you are located, & that will make a big difference. $350 was my half-day rate 20 years ago in Detroit. New York would be considerably higher now, & then. Clients in Podunk would have screamed "Robbery!", even back then. :D

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