We were given an important and interesting session on pricing for photographers. This was something I didn't know a lot about and so found the session very valuable. David gave insight to the income and outcomes of working in photography, covering the aspects that need to be thought about when pricing our own photography work/services. The session gave me a greater knowledge of all the costs that need to be considered, as it is not just the shoot that needs to be paid for. Below is a list of some of the things to consider when pricing...
- Shooting hours
- Travel
- Editing hours
- Equipment
- Potential studio costs (rented or owned)
- Model pay or any other assistants
- Service
I have not yet worked as a paid photographer and feel it would be difficult to decide on a price. People would probably expect to pay less to a student photographer, although we would have very similar outgoing costs to cover and could potentially create better imagery than some none-students. As a result of the session I found myself wondering what would be a reasonable rate to charge at this point in my career.
I understand that experience would raise the price people would be willing to pay, along with improving my own ability. At a student level it is more likely that we will find unpaid work, yet this can be very valuable in terms of experience and to make your name more known. A client is more likely to hire you should they have access to recommendations along with your portfolio.
Following Davids lecture, I have decided to research further into pricing as a photographer. Below are a number of important factors mentioned within an article by Christina N Dickson on how to set pricing.
- Shooting hours
- Travel
- Editing hours
- Equipment
- Potential studio costs (rented or owned)
- Model pay or any other assistants
- Service
I have not yet worked as a paid photographer and feel it would be difficult to decide on a price. People would probably expect to pay less to a student photographer, although we would have very similar outgoing costs to cover and could potentially create better imagery than some none-students. As a result of the session I found myself wondering what would be a reasonable rate to charge at this point in my career.
I understand that experience would raise the price people would be willing to pay, along with improving my own ability. At a student level it is more likely that we will find unpaid work, yet this can be very valuable in terms of experience and to make your name more known. A client is more likely to hire you should they have access to recommendations along with your portfolio.
Following Davids lecture, I have decided to research further into pricing as a photographer. Below are a number of important factors mentioned within an article by Christina N Dickson on how to set pricing.
'1. Know your market: What is the average value of photographers work in your area? Compare and contrast and decide where your work can fit in. Don’t forget to evaluate your service, quality of imagery, and professionalism.
2. Know your client: Some people would rather pay more for a service if it means higher quality. Some people cannot afford anything but the basics. Determine what clients you want to reach and begin arranging your price structure from here. Take note: Unless you are in similar circles and arena’s as your potential clients, you may find it difficult to keep to a higher price bracket.
3. Evaluate your investment: How much time to you put into a senior shoot? A wedding? Evaluate hours of prep, driving, shooting, editing, development, service, quality, and interaction. When you have an idea of your hours of investment per shoot, divide your price by this number. How much are you really making by the hour? What is your return on investment?
4. Determine your expenses: Every photographer has expenses above and beyond the time spent in a shoot. This is where many photographers fall short of “making it” in the business; they have not learned to identify the additional expenses of running this business outside jobs. Equipment costs. Time spent. Services. Presentation and packaging. Insurance. Unless your jobs can cover this overhead, you will be hurting for a way to increase your income. Add up this number to get a ball park figure of additional coverage from your jobs.
5. Establish your jobs: Total your hourly rate, and your expenses. This is the number you need to shoot for when pricing your work. After you have totaled this number, divide it by how many jobs you would like per year. This final number is what you ought to charge for your sessions and shoots. Of course, you may need to adjust your pricing more or less, or increase the number of jobs you aim for. At this rate, you will be able to target the pricing of your work to maximize your overall profitability.'
London Freelance:
I have also looked at 'londonfreelance.org' to gain a vague knowledge of pricing dependent on type of publication.'Photographers working on commission charge by time, typically by the day. However the photographer is the owner of the intellectual property in the work, and while the day rate charged includes an initial licence for reproducing the photographs, the commission fee in fact represents the figure below which a photographer is not prepared or cannot afford to work.'
Magazines:
London Freelance:
I have also looked at 'londonfreelance.org' to gain a vague knowledge of pricing dependent on type of publication.'Photographers working on commission charge by time, typically by the day. However the photographer is the owner of the intellectual property in the work, and while the day rate charged includes an initial licence for reproducing the photographs, the commission fee in fact represents the figure below which a photographer is not prepared or cannot afford to work.'
Magazines:
National Newspapers:
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-set-the-price-for-your-photography#ixzz2SWYBdrfS
http://www.themoderntog.com/free-photographers-pricing-guide-overview
http://www.themoderntog.com/free-photographers-pricing-guide-overview
http://www.londonfreelance.org/feesguide/index.php?§ion=Photography&subsect=Magazines
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