Question

[woodsters]

I'm interested in starting to shoot people who are not models. What is the going rate for prints? Do you do packages? If so, how do you put a rate on them. I don't wanna give them away, but I also don't want them to think i'm crazy and not by anything.

[MJPhotos24]

You're not going to get many responses until what type of photography. "Not models" is pretty wide spread, do you mean family shots, do you mean senior photos, do you mean people just coming in for a shoot randomly. Tough sell unless you have a target.

As for rates you have to look at the competition in your area, nobody here can give quotes on that. Packages you can look at the competition as well and what they offer then change it to fit your needs.

[tfizzle]

what is said above. Print prices depend on you, your market, packaging, etc.

I charge a low rate on prints and shooting time: why? It's a hobby, and the extra money pays for my gear.

Now, the person down the road charges $60 for an 8x10? Why? Because they are based in a framing gallery and do it as a business . . . market just depends.

Also, read the bagillion threads on this topic before making a new one that is so vague

[woodsters]

I'm just trying to see what others are charging..I'm talking about in studio photos. Whether it be glamour, kids, babies, seniors, or whatever. If you you do a certain type of photo, tell what type it is and what are you charging for the prints. Not what your sitting fee is or anythign, but what you are charing for 8x10's, 5x7's, wallets, etc. Also if you have package deals...

I've read other threads and others are so "vague" with their replies. Telling someone they are "cheapening" themselves by charging only x amount, does not help.

[ssim]

Spend some time looking at your competitors sites and see what they charge. What someone may charge in New York may be over priced in Charlotte. Pricing to some degree is regional based on local economy.

[tfizzle]

we keep telling you that the market depends.

A place near me charges $60 for an 8x10. I charge $8. What you charge depends on what you are marketing and who is marketing around you.

Mine are $8 because I want reasonable photography for those around me and also make a profit to pay off the gear I want to purchase/make a little extra here and there. I also know what the competitor pays for prints from their printer (or at least a cost) and they are making a killing. However, the only people I've seen on their blogs/shoots are families/people they say they already know (as in their clients are close friends, families at the time I presume)

It also depends on HOW you sell the prints. Online? Sit down consult? You're only worth as much as the market (what people will pay) around you.

I just did a design for business cards. I didn't ask how much people would charge to take a picture, design it, and get it printed from New York, Bangladesh, Idaho (I had never done one before). I called the local places and asked how much it would cost for them to design and print 500 business cards. It was anywhere between $80 and $110. So there's my market prices. I settled on $110 beings I actually went out and took a specific shot for the client.

Do research in your area....not on POTN for prices

[woodsters]

Ok, but you are not saying what type of shots....apparently the type of photography makes a difference... If you are shooting seniors and you charge $8 for an 8x10 and are in cleveland ohio, then a simple answer would be.. "I'm in cleveland ohio. I shoot seniors only and charge $8 for an 8x10".

I'm not going to set my rates on what others charge, just trying to get a feel of whats going on everywhere...

[tfizzle]

I shoot:

Seniors
Sports
Families
Events
School Stuff
Nature

I charge $8 for an 8x10.

The person down the street shoots:

Families
Babies
Seniors

They charge $60 for an 8x10.

The type of photography for me makes no difference. I don't want to keep track of what specific thing falls into specific packages.

Figure out what you want to shoot...shoot it...charge according to what you think people will pay as reflected on what you think you are worth according to the given market in your AREA.

I could give a rip what people are charging 90 miles from me.

Your aren't giving us any information.

I can say this: If I were shooting nature/events in our area and wanted to print something, frame it, put it in a store and see if anyone wanted to buy I would definitely charge $80-200 depending on the size/marketability.

Again, it just DEPENDS. If you want to know what people charge go to google and type in "photography in 'name your city'" and then browse around.

[woodsters]

thanks for the info...i'm not looking at doing a framed piece of art...i'm talking about a photo session, where the customer wants to buy prints...

[RachelC1184]

I recently opened my business and moved to Guam so when I got here I did market research. I looked at the other services on the island and that are close to me to see what they charged vs. how their photos compared to mine. I then took into account the cost plus shipping that I pay for prints, etc. I set my prices high enough to where I would make a profit and not be the cheapest but they are still reasonable. (Remember when people look at prices of several services they usually choose the mid-range because the cheaper, you get what you pay for and the highest is sometimes out of their budget)... But what I charge in Guam should have no reflection to what you charge because as previously said, it's all about competing with the market in your area. If you haven't chosen a print lab you should start there though because joe schmo down the street might be charging $2 for an 8x10 print and the lab you choose charges you $.73 (whcc) then you wouldn't really be making profit after you pay for shipping and packaging. Good Luck with setting your prices.

[woodsters]

Thanks Rachel!

I have a lab to use and it's connected with my website. So if i take photos of someone, I can upload them to a private foldera and give them access. When they look at the photos they will get the proof thing across them. I can set the prices to whatever I want. They can choose which ones they want and order them. They will be charged the shipping and etc and the photos will be delivered to them from the lab. The lab in turn, credits my account. That's one way I can do it. The other way is that I take the customer being able to order what they want and do all the ordering myself. But then I have to pay for shipping and packaging as you mentioned, plus make time to deliver the product. I'm liking the first option better. Seems like I can cut out a couple of steps and delay time for the customer. Plus they can give access to their friends/family and they in turn can purchase photos later as well whenever they want. The lab also allows to set up packages as well.

[RachelC1184]

My website is hosted through smugmug so I do the same thing. Prints can be ordered directly through the site, client pays for shipping, photos are uploaded into locked galleries for them, etc.. I do offer the option of me placing the order though as some people would rather me place the order than doing it themselves so they just tell me what prints they want and I take care of the rest so I have seperate pricing. There is a discount on prints that are ordered through the site though because I do not get charged shipping in that instance so that is reflected in the prices that I set. I ordered prints from both labs that smugmug uses and chose the best one to do my online order fulfillment, however, I offer large mounted prints and I order those from WHCC. You can't beat their image quality. It is amazing!!! I also suggest to my clients if they are going to order large prints that I order them so that they go through whcc. The two labs that smugmug uses are great labs but whcc is better (and more expensive) in my opinion.

It's all just about you, what you want to do and how you want to tap into the market in your area. I offer services that the other photographers in my area do not offer. And I'm always doing research to see what other photographers in other areas are offering and adapting to those ideas as well.

Right now I'm trying to find where this photographer www.mesmerizingmoments.com (http://www.mesmerizingmoments.com) found her photo proof boxes because they are completely customized.