Been offered a photo job opprtunity

Hi all. i am purely just a Hobbies and while out doing my 100 strangers project http://www.flickr.com …97447438/with/7​270441772/ some woman approached me and asked if i can do a photo shoot of some trainers that her shop will be selling.

i told her that i am no pro and still learning but she insisted and gave me her number. i also did take a shot of her for my project as well(not posted yet).

I don't think i will go for it for a few reasons:

1. i don't have the right tools for the job. i only have one strobe, no umbrellas or reflectors, and no blank canvas for possible background(unless they want a natural looking shot and not one done in a studio)

2. i don't think i have enough experience and skills yet to do studio work(see my Flickr, its mostly street/architecture shots with a couple landscape ones.)

Am i right in denying this wonderful opportunity or should i go for it? Or, should i ask more questions about location, type of shot they want etc etc?

As a complete noob, do i do it for free? if not? how much would u pay a amateur to do "product" shots such as trainers/footwear?

As long as you present all that up front, and explain to her your skill level and equipment you may be lacking, and she still wants you to shoot, then all is good. Have a face to face meeting and discuss all of this, and ask what her expectations are and what she wants to get done. After that both parties have an idea of the job at hand. Make sure to sign a contract of sorts and other documents so no funny business arises after the job, you know just to be safe. Im no expert on contracts myself, but Im sure guys here can help in that scenario. Good luck!

If you don't have the gear, training or any experience shooting products, you might want to pass.

If you really want the job, take some test shots, study product photography and see what you can accomplish. Show her your work and see what she says.

Shooting products requires specific knowledge and training. I would not expect a first time product shooter to be able to produce professional images right off the bat.

Is the job going to be worth all the business expenses involved.
insurance, sales tax license, use tax etc.

dont charge an hourly fee for your time, only for the files they end up using. wost case you are out the time but gained the experience. Best case you surprise yourself and get some great pictures and made some money.

how much should i charge per pic?

and if its used for advertising do i ask for a licence fee so for every shoes they sell from the pic i done, i get a cut?

its subjective, you charge when you can get out of the customer. and you can charge for each type of usage, online, business cards, print, tv commercials, etc. but you dont want to scare them away. Im still trying to figure out this pricing, there are online calculators but they dont seem to consider the market you are in. those in rural middle of now here dont usually get to charge what those in the middle of nyc get to charge, but the cost of living is very different in those 2 locations.

I plan to charge $50 per picture for useage on facebook and business cards when I do employee portraits, on top of an hourly rate to be there, something like $100 an hour with a possible minimum charge due to setup and take down times. I live in rural VA.

jonneymendoza wrote in post #14760827
how much should i charge per pic?

and if its used for advertising do i ask for a licence fee so for every shoes they sell from the pic i done, i get a cut?

No. You'll need to figure out what your time and experience is worth. It sounds like she saw a hobbyist with a fancy camera and expects amazing, 18 billion megapixel, super clear photos. For next to nothing of course. Call her and talk about expectations. Don't undersell yourself; remember what your equipment (things can break), time, and transportation costs.

jonneymendoza wrote in post #14760827
how much should i charge per pic?

and if its used for advertising do i ask for a licence fee so for every shoes they sell from the pic i done, i get a cut?

Price out the whole job, not per pic. No licensing. Chances are as a small businesswoman she has an idea, but has no real grasp of how to achieve it. If she is unfamiliar with photography she probably doesnt know where to go, its not like the is going to take them to Olan Mills, or the sears portrait studio and the prospect of identifying and hiring a commercial photographer may seem intimidating to her. Find a price you can live with, show her samples of what you can deliver, or offer to do one shot on a spec basis, and go from there.