What's Included?

Let me start by saying that I am serious about photography. I dont want to get mixed up with the crowd of casual photog's that are trying to steal business away from professionals. I'm taking a professional approach to everything I'm doing... being sure not to step on anyone's toes or promote myself as something I am not!

So I have been getting several hits from clients that cant really afford a photographer for things like large family reunions, sweet sixteens, and weddings. Most of the clients are friends of family and extended family. I want to earn the business more then anything... the experience is the most important thing for me, but I dont want to give away my services either.

I have a party that would like me to cover a sweet sixteen. The client has admitted that they have a very modest budget but a rather high set of expectations.

I am curious how the "fees" are typically broken down. Not so much the amounts but the schedual.

What is included in a day rate? What do you charge for the resulting photo's? How many pictures do you take vs. sell? Does the price included editing? What rights do you give the client for the digital copies?

I'm thinking $500-600 a day is a fair amount based on my particular level of experience but am confused as to what SHOULD be included in this price.

Many thanks,
Robert

There are few "right answers" to the very general questions you've answered.
A "day rate" can include whatever you want it to include.
You can build in costs for editing. You can exclude editing when you quote your rate.
You can charge whatever you like for image files or prints. You don't even have to cover your costs, if you don't want to.
You can take a hundred photos, or a thousand. Are you documenting the event? Does the client want you to create more posed-looking photos? A combination of both?
What's the downside of giving the client full rights to the images? Do you expect they'll be willing to come to you for prints after the event?

If I were you, I would probably start by determining what my time is worth. Let's say you figure it's worth $30/hour, just for argument's sake. Now let's assume your event will be four hours, and you're going to give them proofs only (digital or otherwise). Certainly it will take you some time to do post-processing. If you're not terribly experienced, it might take you an hour of PP work for each hour you spent at the event, so now you're at eight hours of your time invested. 8 x $30 = $240.

Now let's say the client would like the full-resolution images on CD. You have to decide what that's worth to you. IMO, I think you could probably charge the client $500-600 total, and include the CD with copyright release.

If the client's budget is smaller than $500, you could always shoot everything as JPG's, burn the files to a disc, and call it a day. You might even be able to just hand over a memory card at the end of the event. Not the way I'd want to do it, but maybe you feel differently.