The Happy Correspondence - How to Proceed?

[shacklebolt]

Message 1:

Hi [Shacklebolt],
I saw your photos of [X college] show and was quite impressed. [We are] having our annual spring show in May. Would you be interested in taking
some photos for us?

Thanks,
[Person]
Administrative Director
[Group]

My Response 1:

[Person],

Sure.

I shot [the show you referred to] for pleasure, and posted some low res shots on facebook, and am selling prints of the originals. Shooting for [you] I would consider work, and as such would charge an hourly rate and for prints.

I'll understand if that doesn't work. If it does, great, and let me know the dates.

Their Message 2:

Hi [Shacklebolt],
We are interested. How much would you charge per hour? Also, would it be
possible to set up a flat rate to get a CD for the pictures. We would probably like
to use them in future years to advertise.

Thanks,
Person.

****************************

How does one proceed from here? I shot the first show w/Canon 5D w. 50mm f/1.4 and 70-200mm f/2.8, and would use the same setup. I really have looked over a LOT of other posts on pricing, but haven't found anything that quite fits correspondence like this. This is something I'd be flat-out hired for, and I do not want to be known as a discount photographer. What comes next?

If someone feels there's a pre-existing thread that deals with a very similar situation well, feel free to link me to it.

[sspellman]

SB-

For your early assignments, $50-100 an hour is a good ballpark for pricing. With that you would provide the images on CD at high res and a 5 year non-transferable license to use the images. You can use these hourly rate as the basis for fixed rate projects- Igenerally add 1 hour for editing and other PP.

-Scott

[shacklebolt]

So, printing the shots will be out of my hands?

[shacklebolt]

That and, is this a situation where I should maintain the copyright?

[sspellman]

Yes-do not worry about printing. Keep your time investment minimal. You keep copyright ownership and the right to sell, publish, distribute, you just provide a license(permission) to your client to use the pictures.

-Scott

[notapro]

I had a situation like this just recently. It would have been my first paid event coverage (but they didn't want to pay ) and I quoted $50/hour with no product BUT I didn't say $50 per hour. I said "the package" would be $600. I didn't want them to turn around and say "well then how about two hours of coverage for $100?" because that wouldn't have been worth it to me to give up that day of potential shooting plus processing time for $100.