first job maybe

[dcavldy2]

I was asked today if I would be interested in shooting home school kids school pictures and wanted to know what I would charge, well I have never charged any one yet for my pictures and I have no ideal of what to charge them.

or what should be included in the package, Please keep in mind I do live in a very poor town way down in the bootheel of Missouri and most people either just makes minimum wages here.

I had just order a new canon 50D, Any advice you can give me will be greatly appricated, I'm so sorry if this question has been ask before.

[DDCSD]

Are you looking for prices for particular print sizes and packages?

[dcavldy2]

Are you looking for prices for particular print sizes and packages?

I'm not for sure what I'm looking for I have never got paid for any of my pictures in the past and this is a lady from our church that asked me and most of the youth that goes to our church are home schooled and she ask me today wanting to know if I would be interested in doing there school pictures and how much would I charge, so I have no ideal what to charge or what kind of package to put together for the price, I send my pictures to mix to be printed so I know what it is going to cost to get them printed out but not for my time plus what all needs to be included in a package deal.

In the past I have always just took pictures of my grandchildren and church events and I done one friends son senior pictures. I'm now working of a church directory book for our church. I'm just learning a lot of this business side of photography so any help will be much appreciated.

[PhotosGuy]

Maybe in here: Sticky: How Much do I charge? For your consideration (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=61210)

[dcavldy2]

Maybe in here: Sticky: How Much do I charge? For your consideration (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=61210)


Thanks for the link how every I don't see how that is going to help me figure out what should be added to a package deal for school pictures, I came here for help cause this is all new to me.

I am not in a big city were I would be able to sell or make big money and I am not out to make big money,

I was just asked if I would be interested in doing this and I have no ideal what a school package should consist of or what to even charge for something like this.

I thought maybe some one that has done school pictures before can give me a general ideal what all consist of.

I live in a very small town and I know I'm not going to be stepping on any ones toes by doing this, I'm sure people here isn't going to travel 1000 of miles just to make a few small bucks to take about 10 kids pictures on.

I'm sorry but I thought this forum was to help each other out and also to learn more. I'm sorry if any one got offended by my question. I will try to figure out what I need to do.

[jra]

As far as the package goes, you can make it anything you want. Something like an 8x10, 3 5x7's and 12 wallets with the option for the customer to add additional prints would be a decent way to start IMO.

[dcavldy2]

As far as the package goes, you can make it anything you want. Something like an 8x10, 3 5x7's and 12 wallets with the option for the customer to add additional prints would be a decent way to start IMO.

Thank you so much, that is what I had in mind but didn't know if this was a good thought or not,

It is hard sometimes to get a stright answer out of people here, We all start some wheres I just think some of the old timmers forget how it was when they very first started in the photography world what it was like for them.

How ever I am 52 years old and just getting started in it and I'm not in the best health so no I don't want to get big or do this all the time.

I only have one brother out of 5 that is alive and my mother and father both died when I was very young so I don't except that I will live much longer so I just want to enjoy what I like doing and I have always been the type to do for others.

Plus I live in a very small town and I don't see me any time in my life that is left to go or move to a bigger city where it would be worth my time to charge big bucks.

I think it is wonderful to come on here and see other peoples work and read on how to improve my hobby.

Thank you for taking the time out and helping me.

[KLandon]

That's great news! Congratulations!

[Mike R]

When trying to decide what to charge you need to consider the the economy where you live, which may be worse now as it is all over. Jra had a good suggestion of a basic package but you might want to consider a smaller package also because of the customers personal finances. They may want a photo of their child, but they don't[I]need[I] it. Even if you offered an individual 8x10. Unfortunately it's near impossible to offer suggestions as to what you should charge. For example, my prices would be much higher if I lived 45 minutes south and probably cheaper if I were in another part of the state. I have also noticed a decrease in the sale of larger orders this year than last and I say it's because of the economy. I may get flamed for saying this,BUT if you're doining this for your church, there is nothing wrong with doing it for cost, including the cost of gas and other expenses.

[dcavldy2]

When trying to decide what to charge you need to consider the the economy where you live, which may be worse now as it is all over. Jra had a good suggestion of a basic package but you might want to consider a smaller package also because of the customers personal finances. They may want a photo of their child, but they don't[i]need[i] it. Even if you offered an individual 8x10. Unfortunately it's near impossible to offer suggestions as to what you should charge. For example, my prices would be much higher if I lived 45 minutes south and probably cheaper if I were in another part of the state. I have also noticed a decrease in the sale of larger orders this year than last and I say it's because of the economy. I may get flamed for saying this,BUT if you're doing this for your church, there is nothing wrong with doing it for cost, including the cost of gas and other expenses.

Thanks for your comment, Yes I understand what you are saying, I live in a town with only 1000 people and all around us is just other small towns. Heck I have to go 2 hours away just to go to a mall around this no man land, But it is beautiful around here.

what I have been doing is taking pictures to build a church directory and I haven't charged for the pictures but they will pay for all of the ink and photo paper and binding that needs for the book and if they want to order extra photo's they pay for all of that plus shipping and tax and by doing this is how they came to ask me if I would be interested in doing the school pictures.

I just got my new 50D in the mail today so I'm excited of learning the new camera.

how I got started in taking pictures is I use to raise and show Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and I needed a good camera that snap quickly with puppy's to put on my web site than other people started asking me to take pictures of there puppy's than I have 7 beautiful grandchildren and I take lots of pictures of them,

Than I had a friend that can't afford anything extra to take a few pictures of the son senior pictures so I did but I didn't print any of them off just gave them a cd and they took them to wal mart and had some printed off.

I don't mind doing a few small jobs to help pay for my new camera and maybe some other equipment that I would love to have. But I don't want to be tied down where I have to do this for a living.
My husband is getting ready to retire from the state of Missouri after being there for 30 years and I don't work out of the home so we want to be able to go when ever we want, My husband has RA pretty bad and I have been going through a bunch of test these last two weeks, I had a slight heart attack on the 15th of Feb. so I don't want to be so stress so that is why I would rather just keep this as a enjoyible hobby. I love making other people happy, Life is just way to short to be such a snob on not trying to help someone in worse shape than I am.

We just went to a funeral of a young man that was 27 years old and left two babies and a wife and I notice they had some very updated pictures of the family there and I know they are so glad they had those done cause little did they know that there beloved husband,father,son was going to be killed in a farm accidents.
So if I can offer some one a good photo of there family and you never know if that will be their last one than so be it.

I'm not knocking any one down for what they do we all do what we have to or need to do, but I just feel we come here for help and reach out to other professional for a little bit advice that is all.

I know things in the big city a person can make more money, but I'm not into landscape or sports or any thing for the news paper or a book, just having fun in what little I can do.
Sorry for carry on, but this has been a rough two weeks, going to funerals plus in bad health my self.

[Mike R]

, Life is just way to short to be such a snob on not trying to help someone in worse shape than I am.

We just went to a funeral of a young man that was 27 years old and left two babies and a wife and I notice they had some very updated pictures of the family there and I know they are so glad they had those done cause little did they know that there beloved husband,father,son was going to be killed in a farm accidents.
So if I can offer some one a good photo of there family and you never know if that will be their last one than so be it.

I'm not knocking any one down for what they do we all do what we have to or need to do, but I just feel we come here for help and reach out to other professional for a little bit advice that is all.

Sorry for carry on, but this has been a rough two weeks, going to funerals plus in bad health my self.

I hope that the health of you and your husband improves. I don't think anyone here can criticize you for what you do by giving back to your community.
My pricing structure is so that more families can afford a picture of their child play sports. I would rather sell to more people than to fewer at a higher cost.
I give posters away to players that have season ending injuries.

[dcavldy2]

I hope that the health of you and your husband improves. I don't think anyone here can criticize you for what you do by giving back to your community.
My pricing structure is so that more families can afford a picture of their child play sports. I would rather sell to more people than to fewer at a higher cost.
I give posters away to players that have season ending injuries.

Mike that is great for you to do that, I also understand how some has to charge cause that is the living and I don't have a problem with that and I would never cut any one down for doing what they have to.

I only do more and more cause of people asking me but most of them always ask me what do I charge and all of them will give me some extra for just going out of my way to help them. So I am awarded for what I do.

But my problem is when I am ask how much I charge I usually don't have a clue on what to charge them since I am not into this for a business.

I'm sure if I was it would be different and I would know what to charge. There is no one around here that can take me under there wing and be a mentor so I relay on these forums to help me out.
Thank you for taking time on reading my post and trying to help.