I’m a young photographer. I have a Nikon D60, a flash, a 55-200mm lens and am getting some collapsible reflectors. I have a real gift for the art, and know how to get professional looking photos. I have never done work for money, but thought about sending a news letter out to let people know that I’m available to do portraits.
How much should I charge and on what basis, hour, prints or both?
Thanks.
Most portrait photographers charge a "sitting" fee … $350 is not unusual and include some little package of like five prints in various sizes … the shoot can guarantee from 12 to 24 images to choose from and then any additional prints are billed at the going rate in your marketing area.
As a business and marketing tool, you will want to call all the professional studios in your area and see what they are charging … then charge the same and for a few months publish a % off coupon with your advertising and news letters.
Later when you start paying the fixed and variable costs needed to run a studio and have to plan on recapitalization of your equipment every 18-24 months, you will not be broke most of the time. Buying two new camera bodies every 18-24 months has to be planned for in advance and your pricing structure has to include those costs.
find out what the photographers in your area do and charge what they charge, you are using off camera flash arent you?
References :
$250 an hour in the studio for CD and 8X10 print, less at the mall studio for 4×6 and 8×12 prints – where i am in the world
Most portrait photographers charge a "sitting" fee … $350 is not unusual and include some little package of like five prints in various sizes … the shoot can guarantee from 12 to 24 images to choose from and then any additional prints are billed at the going rate in your marketing area.
As a business and marketing tool, you will want to call all the professional studios in your area and see what they are charging … then charge the same and for a few months publish a % off coupon with your advertising and news letters.
Later when you start paying the fixed and variable costs needed to run a studio and have to plan on recapitalization of your equipment every 18-24 months, you will not be broke most of the time. Buying two new camera bodies every 18-24 months has to be planned for in advance and your pricing structure has to include those costs.
References :
proFotog
BOTH.
As an amateur photographer I would suggest you ask for about $20-30 per hour for your labor. Your time is worth money.
However since you do not own "professional" equipment such as studio lighting or a medium format camera, …you cannot expect to charge a higher sitting fee that other photographers with studios are charging.
Be sure to charge for the cost of the printing of the photos. If you are outsourcing this to another business and add an additional 10-15% to the cost of the printing.
I suggest that you start saving money for professional lighting and then do some advertising. You could print flyers of the computer rather cheaply, get some professional business cards printed and start making a professional looking portfolio for potential customers to gaze upon.
References :
30 years of semi-professional photography using Nikon and Canon equipment.