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How much should I charge?

  • Thread starter Thread starter StevenN
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I modified that Google search to "photograph use fee industry standard" and found there is software that the pro's sometimes use to figure out a fee:

http://www.cradoc.com/fq-overview.html

This site has prices and I think your photo is as good or better than any of theirs:

http://www.eaglestock.com/Royalty_Free/rfbe-pg1.htm

It seems that no one wants to post their fees; they want the client to call and negotiate. The software is probably the way to go if you want to start doing this on a regular basis.
 
It is a very nice photo well done. But it is not an easy question to answer.

Normally I only charge 10% more of my printing cost to people, but these are always people I know well. And it are always photo's of them or their familiy. This way the price is very acceptable for them. And I get a good feeling when people like and want my photo's. Till today it where always normal photo prints as well.

If you make the canvas don't forget to count the cost to send it over. You also have to package it well so it will not get damaged underway.

In a way I would expect that you need to agree on a price first. Then you both need some trust in each other. If you ask for a downpayment, she will have to trust that you do send it. If you don't you will have to trust that she will pay. A fifty-fifty arrangement is an option, half in front, the rest after receipt.

--
Dirk
http://users.telenet.be/Awouters
 
Well said RLD.. my wife was asked for 3 photos she took of Chamonix in the french alps for a book on the best 40 places to ski.. she agreed and said I would like a copy of the book for payment.

Naturally they agreed.. my wife was thrilled about the photos in book.. Credit wheres its due..as RLD says we are hobbyists and shouldnt be trying to make a lot of money out of our photos :-)
--
http://kilm53.smugmug.com
 
First, let me say , very nice image. I would contact a local pro lab and get some prices for Canvas printing. It will add to the overall price so you need to factor that into your pricing to the client. Also get the ICC profile from them and install it in whatever PP you use so that when you "soft proof" you'll be seeing very close to the final Canvas product. Again, only you can determine price here but be sure to at least break even on the Canvas printing costs and then whatever you need for the capture. DO NOT give her any file, original or otherwise. Use Paypal for payment and do not print before you receive the money. At least with Paypal she has a safe process if the print is not to her satisfaction and you are not out the costs should she change her mind.
--
John

Visit my gallery below

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=100286
 
I recently took some Senior photos for a friend. I charged her $175.00, to which her mother asked if that was enough. I was fine with that figure, and gave them all the shots on CD's. They were taking care of the printing, and I didn't really care what they wanted to do with the shots, as they were shots of her. This is different though, and I'd be somewhat hesitant to give her the image to have. If it was me, I'd find out what she wanted, in this case, a canvas, then find out the size and have the thing made. I'd then add that cost to what I felt was fair for the photo, and give it to her. You'd retain all the access to the photo, and she'd get what she wanted.

I apologize for not reading through the other posts. Maybe you've got better advice. Later. :)
--



Wanting my work to stand out because of my Photography skills, NOT because of my Computer skills.

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/free/gallery.asp?memberID=162336

http://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=ddiver537&AID=3843065&Pres=Y
 
JonGrif said:
I modified that Google search to "photograph use fee industry
standard" and found there is software that the pro's sometimes use
to figure out a fee:

http://www.cradoc.com/fq-overview.html

This site has prices and I think your photo is as good or better
than any of theirs:

http://www.eaglestock.com/Royalty_Free/rfbe-pg1.htm

It seems that no one wants to post their fees; they want the client
to call and negotiate. The software is probably the way to go if
you want to start doing this on a regular basis.
Click to expand...
Wow, they sure think highly of their photos at eaglestock, $349 / image and $25 just for a high res crop to see if it's any good? He's about 100x as expensive as http://www.fotolia.com/

John
 
StevenN said:
... We stayed in the Hotel Arc -- or, as they call it, Arc the
Hotel. It was very nice. The wedding guests had booked a block of
about 42 rooms. All of the hotel personnel were very friendly.
Click to expand...
What a small world!

Arc the. Hotel (yes, the dot is part of the name for some reason) is exactly where my wife works! She may have been the one to check you in and serve you your glass of champagne as you arrived :-) Does she look familiar?



Regardless, glad to hear you enjoyed your stay.
Member said:
That is a very nice photo of the image projected on the Parliament
building. When I have time later I will go to your pbase site and
check out the rest. Thanks!
Click to expand...
No, thank you for the compliment :-) I hope you enjoy the rest.

You know the Internet never ceases to amaze me in the way it brings total strangers together through some common thread like this.

I've gotten together and become friends with so many people that, without the Internet, I would never have met. It just blows me away.

And who knows? Maybe you'll return to Ottawa some day and we'll go out on a photo shoot together.

Anyway, that's quite a coincidence. Small world indeed.

--
Phil in Ottawa
http://www.pbase.com/pgammon
 
... By the way, I am the same Steven who e-mailed you several weeks ago regarding your photos. You said you sent it to me, but I still have not received anything. I am still very interested ... ;-)

--StevenN
 
Here is my two cents.

As a real estate agent over the past some 10 years, I think I might give you some thing to ponder.

1. Let's think about what she wants, first. A Canvas with your Photo on it.

2. How about your wish? the appropriate Price for it. But what is your sale item? To define what you put on sale makes things easier between her and youself, I think. Here I am thinking from my field of house sale!

3. Then it might help you to tell her, the original is not for sale! But you can help her to have it on a Canvas for her son. That's what she want, right? Only reason she wanted to have your original file was to make her son a canvas with it. Thus, to satisfy her need and desire, you can make a point that the original file is not for sale, but its copy for that specific Canvas is for sale.

4. Now you can ask her if she will do it by herself to make canvas, or she can ask you- that is a custom order, like building a new house- custom made- how the canvas should be made in what size, color of the frame and its material, ect.

5. Either you get her custom order for canvas, or she will make it by herslef, anyways, you are the one to set the price for either case and ask her to counter offer as she feels its price right for her.

6. All in all, only one copy let alone the original file, is FOR SALE!

Well, that's my two cents. And you know by now how much you can charge for your photo alone besides making a canvas for her.

The phot was fantastic!

Sunny Boaz

Loving is Living!
 
Phil,

That is simply amazing! Your wife greeted me and my girlfriend at the front desk of Arc the. Hotel when we arrived. She was very nice! I told her about the long drive we had, and she asked where we were from. Massachusetts, I told her. She told me she had been to Massachusetts ... to Hampton Beach.

Anyway, she did serve us glasses of champagne, and later on my cousin (mother of the groom) noticed my glass was getting low, so she said "let's get that refilled," and walked me over to the front desk. I said, "oh, we'd better not." So my cousin said, "hey, we've got 42 room booked here!"

So your wife came out of the little room on the side and my cousin asked her if she would please refill my glass. "Sure!" your wife said with a nice smile. Needless to say, I was very pleased!

By the way, Phil, I'm attaching a photo of myself so you can show it to your wife. It was taken about three years ago and I have a little less hair now :-( but she might recognize me still. Tell her I said hi !

 
I would agree with the last post I read, ......

Write a simple letter that limits the rights to what she wants, one print for the boys bedroom, send the file ...... Photography is not your day job ... feel flattered, charge enough to buy a memory card on step larger than you have now.

Dave
 
Steven:

As wth many others who have replied to your question, I have limited experience in selling my photos. As a matter of fact, yesterday, I posted a question about pricing of photos for marketing materials.

However, I have had a litttle bit of experience (little being the operative word) in selling single images to the public. First of all, as has been the consensus, do not sell the original file. The woman has indicated to you that what she wants is a print on canvas, so work on selling her exactly that. I would explain to her that, if you sell her an original file, you have no control over how many prints are made thereafter, or to what use they will be put. Therefore, if you sell her the file, you would have to charge a fee that would be reflective of an unlimited license to use of the image. Explain further, that such an unlimited llicense would be very expensive. Tell her that you would be glad to provide the final photo that she desires; and, get particulars of the size and finish that she would like.

As for price, that just comes down to what you might feel comfortable with. I would not consider selling for less than 2 or 3 times your expense in getting and shipping the final product to her. As an example, I have sold framed prints at several venues. Like you, I was lost as to what to charge. The images were cheaply framed ($12.00 black metal frames and $7.00 to $14.00 dollar matting). I priced 11"x14" @ $115.00, and 12"x18" $150.00. As I prepared pricing labels, I thought how I would never pay that much for my images. Well, at every venue, where they have been shown, I have sold a number of each size; and, I have never heard the comment from anyone, that they would like an image, but the price was too high. So, I guess, for those images, anyway, my price guess turned out to be a reasonable figure.

Forget the thought of trying to figure an "artisitic val;ue" for your images. Until you have developed a reputation as a photographer, there is no artistic value. Until then, you are merely selling a comodity. So, price accordingly. Figure your cost, and what you feel would be a sufficient profit, to make this activity worthwhile, in your own mind.

Cliff

--
Cliff

http://www.pbase.com/cliffb
 
kilm53 said:
Well said RLD.. my wife was asked for 3 photos she took of Chamonix
in the french alps for a book on the best 40 places to ski.. she
agreed and said I would like a copy of the book for payment.
Naturally they agreed.. my wife was thrilled about the photos in
book.. Credit wheres its due..as RLD says we are hobbyists and
shouldnt be trying to make a lot of money out of our photos :-)
Click to expand...
I was also asked for two photos for a guide book to the Riviera Maya.

I "sold" them for the "Photo by" credits and a copy of the book.

I figured the thrill of seeing my photos in a book was enough payment for my first time being published.

But look out. Now that I'm officially a published photographer, my rates are skyrocketing ;-) LOL!

--
Phil in Ottawa
http://www.pbase.com/pgammon
 
Hi Steven,

Nikki remembers you very well. She says to say Hi :-)

She thought you were very nice and pleasant (especially considering the long drive you had just completed).

She's also blown away by how small a world we now live in.

And if you do return to Ottawa, stay at the Marriott, not Arc ;-) You see, Nikki is handing in her resignation from Arc today and moving to the Marriott in two weeks (better job, better pay).

Let me know if you are going to be in town though. Maybe we can get together and go take some pictures.

--
Phil in Ottawa
http://www.pbase.com/pgammon
 
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