Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/15

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Subject: Re: [Leica] What should I charge?
From: "Bill Larsen" <ohlen@lightspeed.net>
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 17:21:41 -0800

Donal Philby writes:

>The end point of negotiation is mutual bearable pain
followed by
>pleasure somewhat greater than the pain and (usually, but
not always)
>longer lasting.


I have seen rates thrown around on this thread.  I just
don't understand how you arrive at you pricing.  One of my
main indirect expenses is insurance...specifically liability
insurance (in California at least).  It would seem to me
that pricing would include calculation of all of the
indirect expenses and the anticipated number of hours you
expect to work to give you a base for your rate.  Anything
above that would be negotiable.  Anything less, you might as
well be working for someone else who has the appropriate
insurance and overhead calculated in their rates.  Is there
something different about professional photography that I
have to date been missing?

I know that my business policy includes all of my Leica
equipment.   (On topic now).  How can I go below the
indirect expense rate plus the direct expense rate and still
be a professional?  Perhaps you would like to share any
great bargains in insurance?  (One of the most difficult
things was to train an insurance agent).  I typically add
any unique insurance requirements to the specific job.  But,
insofar as the "grip and grin" folks at $35/hour are
concerned, are they carrying the insurance overhead that
most of us do?

Regards,  Bill Larsen
ohlen@lightspeed.net