Yes, the images you posted would be fine for a professional at that rate. As long as you can do it day in, day out, without excuses, yes. You would need to be able to do it based on a comp, or verbal descriptions from the client. If they ask for something specific, you need to be able to deliver it. Its one thing to setup a shot without any basis on the final image, and a whole different ball game to match the image exactly to the clients vision. Thats part of what they expect from a working professional.
The first image is right on, and worth the going rate. The second one is only ok, only because the the skin on the Quail looks sickly. A little oil to add some glisten to the skin would make it much more appetizing. Its just too dried out considering the type of dish it is. I think the greenery could also use a little work.
As for rates, a long version answer to a short question follows 
its just worth saying.
Charging for you time really depends on your overhead, expenses, where you want to be later down the road, etc. A big mistake is to charge less now, with the hope of raising your prices later. You will build a client list of cheaper clients that won't be able to support your professional rates down the road. So when you do raise your rates, or go pro, you'll loose all your clients, or spend all your time servicing the cheaper clients that can't sustain the business, and will be in for a major cash flow issue that could put a business under.
It's important to remember that you are not charging for your time, you are charging for the businesses time. Two totally separate things. Charging for your time could be $50 an hour. But the business needs to change considerably more in order to pay you $50 an hour, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. When you are paying the bills for the company, you should be paid. When you are developing the website, paying the taxes, backing up the archive, write a bid for a new job, you need to be paid for this. This comes out of your salary. The only way the business can afford to pay you for all that time you are not billable to the clients, is to charge considerably more from the client.
This is why consultants get paid much more than an similar employee. They have to cover all their own expenses, phone, cell phone, health insurance, time spent marketing, matching 401K's, workers compensation, retirement, etc. Many times its also a wash for the company, or even a significant savings, because they don't have to absorb those expenses.
If a photographer expects to make a salary of $50K a year, his marketing expenses are $15K a year, overhead another $20K, taxes another $18K, leases, equipment, etc, another $14K, he is at $117K a year to run the business.
If he can secure 75 assignments per year, each a day in length, to recoup the $117K his business needs to survive, he would need to charge $1,560 per day.
If he is just charging for his time, at $50 per hour, it would only be $400 per day.
But to support his business, he needs to charge $195 per hour.
There are many photographers out there that just don't see this, and thus think charging $35, or $50 an hour is good money. But they never add up all the time they spend managing the business, expenses for their website, postage costs, etc, and don't realize they are making less than they could get flipping burgers at McDonalds, and with better benefits!!
So yea, if you go the professional route, you can get $1,500 or more per day, and should. But thats not $200 an hour into your pocket, but more like $45 or $50 in this example.
If a photographer has a large studio, a studio manager, etc, their rate would be even higher, in the $3K or more range. But they are offering additional amenities to the clients for that extra expense. They may shoot the same image, and charge twice the rate. But the client is getting a studio environment as part of the mix, and that comes with increased overhead, and thus increased rates.
If you look at it this way, not only will you charge enough to keep the business alive and grow properly, but you can also justify that rate to clients that don't see the big picture. I find working with corporate clients, they get it. They udnerstand overhead, and usually all I have to mention is that my 'office' is 2,000 square feet, and with all the overhead associated with a space of that size. They are also familiar with paying consultants $200, $300, or more per hour for the same reasons. So they do understand for the most part.
. But I'm keen to know how much money would be reasonable to charge for a proper professional shoot. 
But your point about avoiding building a list of cheaper clients strikes me pretty clear and your analogy concerning overhead and expenses using consultancy was useful also. All in all, I definitely feel more confident in charging a higher price now - and more importantly, I understand why. So I appreciate the help!
