Pricing Help!
I’m wondering if somebody/anybody/everybody can give me some much needed advice… i did a shoot, for a friend of a friend, and this afternoon i am meeting her to go through the photos and she is going to pick the ones she likes… i haven’t got a clue how much i should charge? my friend gave her a ‘gift voucher’ for the ‘sitting’ and now she will pay for the photos she wants. I have offered to have them printed for her, any size she wants and if she wants them framed also i can organize that too… the printing lab i use are v. good and professional quality prints but i just don’t know how much mark up i should put on them. the photos are of her two small children. i know some photographers offer ‘packages’ just wondering what others do and how you would charge in the same situation? any advice greatly appreciated!
Comments
Can’t give you any advice Nicole but will be very interested in any responses you get. I am in the same situation!
Nicole you are welcome to use my system if that’s any use to you? My packages include the disk as well as prints, but if I’m selling the prints separately, I wouldn’t start any less than $7 per 4×6, $12 per 5×7, $20 per 8×10. (you could certainly charge more though!). Don’t undersell yourself…always charge full price unless its for perhaps your best friend or family!!
Good luck!
thank you soooooo much angela – this is a massive help!!! thank you, thank you, thank you…
– Nicole Goggins
i assume this is for ur client’s personal use only… 30%-50% mark-up on the prints. same for the framing. plus expenses for travel, shipping and packing [if appropriate].
thanks jan, i have just had a quick look at your work, julian is correct you work is amazing – thanks for your advice…
– Nicole Goggins
You can mark-up based on cost….but seeing your work – it is good, and that must be factored in. You are in AU me in US, but I would dare say two 8 × 10 of quality $50 (us) and $15 there after?….I wouldn"t bother with the framing, but rather suggest where to get them. Usually packages (pricing per shots bought included) are tied to a sit in, but you say you have already been compensated for that…my advice is don’t go short on your talent. Otherwise they can go to a mall and get the “fluffy” stuff – good luck and I look forward to reading more answers…
thanks julian for your advice – good idea re 2 8 × 10 for $50 and $15 there after…
– Nicole Goggins
I also like Jan’s approach……(god, her work is also a wow!)
I’d use your normal mark up. Since it was a gift from her friend, she should pay for the remainder, you shouldnt have to compensate.
that’s the problem i don’t have a ‘normal’ mark up. i’m v. new to all of this, have really only being doing photography because i love it, making money out of it is a massive bonus!!!
– Nicole Goggins
What company are you using for printing?
I use WHCC which has a pretty cheap printing fee, free shipping to my home, and very good quality. I’ve had excellent results from them!
I personally checked a bunch of websites of people in my area and then saw how they marked all theirs prints. I had a major issue with how expensive every thing was because as a six person family, we would never be able to pay for stuff like that. So it was a personal decision of mine to price my stuff less than all others, but to still make a profit. Here’s what I pay and how much I charge:
4×6-pay $.70, charge $2
5×7-pay 1.10, charge $5
8×10-pay 2.10, charge $10
8 cut wallets-pay 2.10, charge $12
11×14-pay 4.20, charge $20
I know that seems like a major leap from 8×10 to 11×14 but all the other companies around here charge about $15-$25 for 8×10 and then upwards of $50 for 11×14, so I kinda went with how they increased.
I also charge for collaging, $10 for 5×7, $15 for 8×10, $25 for 11×14...thats just them paying for my time to put them together for them. Along with that, any extra editing, like removing acne or taking writing off of shirts or stuff like that, is $10 per photo.
Hope that helps yah out a little. Remember, I purposefully set myself alot lower than others because I wanted to be affordable to the average to less average family. And I am basing mine off of the other companies in this area. Do your research! ;-)
thanks taylor that is extremely helpful. i use digi lab, they are local so i can pick them up but still order them over the net to save time. the quality is excellent for the price (i think anyway)…
– Nicole Goggins
Nicole it depends on how much editing you’re done. If they’re pretty much straight out of the camera then Jan’s prices above sound right. If they have asked for zits to be removed etc then you have to charge a little more for your time. Taylor Sawyer is right on the money also.
thank jan! they were little children – 16 month old girl and 4 yr old boy. i have done a little editing (cause i can’t help it) some necessary (like biscuits crumbs on the babies mouth) and some just ‘playing’ to make them a little more interesting…
– Nicole Goggins
I’m just about to open my Studio which is very exciting : ) …. So I’m in a similar situation. I have spoken to a number of professional photographers and the main advice they give is don’t undercharge. Think about all of the money you have outlaid on your equipment and the time you have spent learning your art. Charge accordingly…
oh wow Nicole your work is just superb really superb !! so whatever you charge make sure it’s not under as you’ll have too many people wanting cheap also and you’ll end up nutty and extremely ill from working 20 hours a day .[ like I used to and end up really nuts [learned from experience!] [not photos] see answer is all over the place !!!
Gini