Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/12/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I also think $250 is more than reasonable. I'm no pro, and the more I read, I think I'm glad I'm not. Heck, a 3rd rate techie can make a good $50/hour for breething and $100 to $150/hour for doing some decent work. And that's 5 days by 8-10 hours per day. Given the equipment expense, the long learning curve to develop good skills, the hassles of dealing with several clients, the marketing expenses or efforts to reach a sufficient number of relatively small $$$ clients, the risk of unsatisfactory results (skill plays a part here too, but not completely), the cost of film processing and/or the labor of lots of PhotoShop post processing, and so on.... Whew! Well, to me $250 seems like a downright bargain. I know there are photogs who make good livings, have homes and kids and cars and nice vacations and what not. But these folks who manage to run a decent business for themselves seem like exceptions in the photo biz vs. the work-a-day world. Maybe I ran a consulting company for too many years, but I just can't help thinking of work in terms of $$/hour. Grease monkeys at the local Mercedes dealer charge $100/hour (plus parts, of course) to fix your car. What does a good 1 hour massage cost at a legitimate spa? Or skilled leatherwork at a quality shoe repair? Consumers pay these prices, so why should they balk at a "reasonable" rate for highly skilled, highly personalized photographic services? Fascinating to this industry outsider. Scott mcyclwritr@comcast.net wrote: >Thanks for the pricing input, gents. > >Gerry, if I could count on the parent(s) to order more than a few dollars >worth of wallet-size photos, which one of them would undoubtedly toss on a >flatbed scanner and print on the office inkjet 5x7 or 8x10, I could shoot >for a lower fee. But, that won't happen. > >Slobodon, I like the quotable "you'll find no happiness...." Wisdom begat >from experience, I trust. > >B.D., thanks for reinforcement on $250 being more than reasonable. I fully >intend to let her visit the shopping mall portrait mill. > > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- >From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@comcast.net> > > >>Chris - $250 is more than reasonable. And what kind of 'friend' starts >>telling you there going to comparison shop for prices. You quoted a price - >>stick to it. Let her go to the local portrait mill if that's what she >>wants. >> >>Unlike other artists, photographers are saddled with the problem that >>everyone owns a camera, and everyone who owns a camera is a "photographer." >>So on the whole, people tend not to value photography. If she thinks $250 >>is >>too much, ask her how much she'd pay to have a crappy portrait of her >>daughter painted....;-) >> >> >>On 12/13/05 2:28 PM, "Slobodan Dimitrov" <s.dimitrov@charter.net> wrote: >> >> >> >>>A senior portrait means a package price. >>>The price referent is what the school's selected photography service >>>charges. >>>Anything outside of that is a specialty shoot, with the corresponding >>>price. >>>Outside of family, use the ASMP pricing guide for everybody. >>>You will find no happiness with friends and quasi-friends and their >>>photo requests. >>> >>>Slobodan Dimitrov >>>Studio G-8, >>>Angels Gate Cultural Center >>>http://sdimitrovphoto.com >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>On Dec 13, 2005, at 10:03 AM, mcyclwritr@comcast.net wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>>I got a call from an almost-friend asking if I could shoot her >>>>daughter's senior portrait. And muy pronto, to boot. "I'd be happy >>>>to," I said. >>>> >>>>Not knowing details on exact location, number of wardrobe changes, >>>>etc., I quoted $250, which would include 4x6 proofs but not batches >>>>of wallet-size photos or custom enlargements. Easily a half day, >>>>counting schleppage. >>>> >>>>"Would it be less if you shot fewer pictures?" >>>> >>>>'Huh?' thought I. >>>> >>>>I explained the cost of proofs was incidental and the half-day I'd >>>>put into a location shoot, etc., is where the cost would be. >>>> >>>>She said she'd have to check with a local portrait mill to compare >>>>pricing. I encouraged her to do so. >>>> >>>>By the way, she "just loved" pix I shot at a baby shower, so >>>>credible people photography is not an issue. Evidently, money is. >>>> >>>>Frankly, I felt I'd have to apologize to my Leica and Canon kits >>>>just for snatching them out of the safe to earn a near-chump-change >>>>$250 fee. >>>> >>>>I know many of you are superb photographers and have earned brand- >>>>name status, so this probably isn't a fair question (apples and >>>>oranges deal), but how would you have priced it? >>>> >>>>-Chris Lawson >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>Leica Users Group. >>>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>Leica Users Group. >>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Leica Users Group. >>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> > > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >