I need to make a quick decision...

[Siberius]

Hi all,

I'm just starting out and I don't really know how to go about working out prices for people.

Just today someone said they knew someone who wants to get some headshots done. I don't know what for yet, but I said to pass on my info and get them to get in contact with me.

Now I am totally new to the business side of photography so knowing what to charge is really hard. I hoped that some people might be able to give me an idea of where they might aim.

I wondered about offering to do it for free seeing as this would be my first paying job but I know that can be dangerous as you don't want to come off seeming unprofessional or indeed like you might do favours.

Can I state an amount and then say that if they don't like the pictures, they don't have to pay for them and indeed won't get them?

I know this is tricky and I really don't know how else to come up with prices for such a thing without going on other photographer's websites and protenting to be a potential client... but that's too mean.

If this is too vague thusfar, feel free to help me narrow things down.

Thanks for any and all advice you might have. I can't wait to be up and running and not have to work out this kind of thing!

[Todd Lambert]

Don't sell yourself short. If you can produce nice shots, then they should pay for them.

How much is kind of a variable, but get something for them. If you charge for the entire session, it might be easier. Say, 60 bucks for an hour session to start. Then you can include whatever you want to provide from that shoot.

There are other ways to do this as well, but for a first shoot, a set price might be easier to deal with.

[edited to add:] Don't give them an out like that... there is no if they like them... they are going to love them! That's all there is to it. Your fee is for your time, not for the product. Even if they don't like the results (maybe they're ugly, maybe they don't know how to comb their hair, maybe they have alergies and their eyes are red and bulging, who knows!) That doesn't mean you shouldn't get paid for offering your services.

[dsd17]

I wondered about offering to do it for free seeing as this would be my first paying job but I know that can be dangerous as you don't want to come off seeming unprofessional or indeed like you might do favours.


How can you do it for free, but also consider it a paying job? ;)

You don't really need to call any photographers to find out prices. Go on google and do a search for photographers in your area and see if they list prices on their website. Base what you charge your customers off of that.

[dmp-potn]

Howdy,

If you plan to make this a business, you've got to make sure that what you charge is covering _your_ costs. The PPA has published a benchmark (available to PPA members, at least) that models a well run photography business, either home based studio or retail space. In both models, the photographer gets to keep only 35% of the revenue from each shoot. The rest goes to fixed and production related costs, percentages between these two varying depending on the type of studio.

So, if you factor in all of your expenses, including prints, CD's, depreciation on equipment, software licenses, upgrades, renewals, marketing, legal fees, taxes, etc. based on a realistic estimate of the number of shoots of this type that you think you can book in a year, you should be able to divide that number by 0.65 to get a rough idea of the _minimum_ price that you would need to charge in order to run a viable business.

Of course, if the market in your area is accustomed to paying more for headshots, then feel free to charge market rate, but don't charge any less than what's necessary to cover your costs. Doing so just to get your feet wet can hurt you down the road when you are forced to raise your prices and is not good for the industry in general.

Provide great service, treat your customers fairly, do your best to represent everyone else in this field as positively as you can, and have fun. Good luck!

[Siberius]

How can you do it for free, but also consider it a paying job? ;)


This is why I shouldn't write posts in a hurry before going to bed, hehe.

Thanks for the input guys. You're confirming what I was thinking around and I like the idea of not giving them an out. Gotta step up and just do it...

[Siberius]

Alrighty, the guy is in acting or stand up, maybe a bit of both. Anyway, he wants B&W headshots, not sure how many yet.

I guess I'll charge a $50 sitting fee, but then I'm not sure how to go about pricing pictures or indeed whether I should just give him the pictures on CD for a price so that he can get them done up as he likes.

This is one of those things I've not got nailed down yet either. How much is such a thing worth? And how much can you get away with charging for the pics over and above covering your costs bearing in mind this isn't exactly the centre of the universe, hehe.

:confused:

[gravy graffix]

sitting fees are for sears...

do like 150 for an hour of time...
5-10 8x10's
and a cd of the final 3 shots + some face book - email size.

just step up and do it...like stepping off the high dive at the pool.... you cant really do it half assed.... sink or swim.

[Karl Johnston]

Headshots for what?

[jcpoulin]

Do it for minimal charge or none. People here will say never work for free......but EVERYONE here has started their business with some free work to build some experience/portfolio. If anyone states differently...call BS. Whether it was for family or friends, they worked free! This is your first job...with NO experience. I personally would do the work with the expectation of portfolio building and starting some name recognition. Let them know that this will be used as such!

[neilwood32]

I think a lot of it comes down to whether you feel you can acheive the result that a paying customer would reasonably expect.

If you think you can, charge for them.

If not, then its TFP.

[Siberius]

Headshots for what?

Acting/Stand-Up.

------

Forums are great for getting advice... except for when you get lots of advice, which is wonderful. It's just that you always run into that problem of everybody saying something different, then having to decide which way to go. :-P

But, believe it or not, it's helping me to hone in on the right thing to do I think.

Many thanks for all the ideas.

[AlyciaC]

I, personally, hate packages. I charge in an A La Carte fashion. Work in how much it costs you for the prints, then add in time, travel, and what not to make your profit.
I didn't do this very well the first time, and consequently made little to no profit :P (I gave them a discount, and it was apparently too high of one). So if you go this route, make sure that you really figure in enough. Seriously, if you have quality photos they should be paid for fairly.

So, just to be clear, I charge only by pictures. No fees, or constraining packages that restrict the customer. This way not only are they getting a better deal, but they feel that they are in control instead of "Well, I really like this package, if only it didn't come with 734 wallets..."

It just seems to work out smoothly. :]