What to charge for prints?

Quackles

Decision is made, I am kicking off my portrait photography business. I have no real idea what to charge for prints, though. I have decided NOT to charge a sitting fee (Might change, depending on where the person wants photos taken), but for the prints alone. I have also decided to offer prints at a reduced cost if the parent will sign a waiver allowing me to use them in the advertising of my business.

Bearing all that in mind, is there anywhere I can get an idea of what the industry standards are to charge for prints? Also, I don't expect huge volumes, so professional places probably won't deal with me. If anyone has personal experience with good quality printing places, please let me know!

sineadw

Can't help you on the figures, but wanted to say good luck!

squareballoon

personally I think you're mad not to charge a sitting fee because you could end up working for nothing. I would charge a fee that you would be happy getting for the work you put in and list it as €x which includes a sitting and say...5 prints.
Give 5 sessions free to friends with children of various ages and try out everything you want to achieve in your shoots. Use these for promotional pictures and you'll learn lots and have a portfolio to show to paying clients.

In terms of exactly what to charge you should have a look around your local studios and phorographers and work out your pricing based on that. I would say that you should get your prints professionally printed even if you're not expecting big volumes. It makes a big difference to your prints. Try gms and 360dpi.

trishw78

can't help you on figures either, but why don't you start with the cost of the paper + time + ink + electricity. why don't you also do a little recon ie ring up a few studios see what they're charging and go from there.

AnCatDubh

I'd suggest having a chat with Steve (stcstc). Lots recommend him and this is essentially what he does. His own price list is on his web site - 360-dpi.com - discounts available to boardsie's plus i'm sure there must be a trade list or option that you can work on with him. I think smelltheglove has used him for work in the past.

I want to wish you all the best with it. Fantastic to see you moving into this space. Your work has been consistently of a very high standard (at least what you've posted ) Of this years book, your image is one of my favourites.

Here's a question - why are you seeking permission for use of the image from the parents - or put in another way, do you not just cover all of that in a one liner (or twenty lines of legal text) in your standard terms and conditions that your clients will be accepting? Aren't you the copyright holder of anything that you take. Eh..., as you can see I know squat about this end of it, so pardon the stoopid question.

If the above was a marketing effort / to waive fee for permission / would you not be better using this portion of the investment in terms of particular discounts / leveraging room / or to throw in something to attain a 'feel good' should the client agree outright to your proposal. I know personally, i'm not a haggler, so if the photgrapher came back to me at the end of the deal and had an enlargement of the photographers selection to 'give' to me, I would be well chuffed. ( By the way, this has never happended to me. The only thing I've ever seen a photorgapher give away is the dodgy proof's with the watermark splatted all over them. I think this may have actually been to save them from getting rid of it. The client on the other hand was expected to say "thank you" )

Good luck.

Quackles

Thanks for the well wishes, folks.. I am very excited (and sh!tting myself) about the decision

I've phrased the website in such a way that the 'no sitting fee' is a promotional thing for Nov/Dec, so I'm going to see how it goes from there. If I find I'm working for nothing, I'll re-evaluate. I just think I'm more likely to get clients in the door in the first place, particularly in recessionary times, if it feels like they've nothing to lose. I have to prove myself yet, I still feel like someone is going to stop me and tell me to stop pretending I'm a photographer

I will drop a line to Stcstc for sure, maybe order up a couple of test prints and see where we go from there

Quackles

AnCatDubh wrote: »

Here's a question - why are you seeking permission for use of the image from the parents - or put in another way, do you not just cover all of that in a one liner (or twenty lines of legal text) in your standard terms and conditions that your clients will be accepting? Aren't you the copyright holder of anything that you take. Eh..., as you can see I know squat about this end of it, so pardon the stoopid question.

If the above was a marketing effort / to waive fee for permission / would you not be better using this portion of the investment in terms of particular discounts / leveraging room / or to throw in something to attain a 'feel good' should the client agree outright to your proposal. I know personally, i'm not a haggler, so if the photgrapher came back to me at the end of the deal and had an enlargement of the photographers selection to 'give' to me, I would be well chuffed. ( By the way, this has never happended to me. The only thing I've ever seen a photorgapher give away is the dodgy proof's with the watermark splatted all over them. I think this may have actually been to save them from getting rid of it. The client on the other hand was expected to say "thank you" )

Good luck.

I know I own all rights to a photo, it was more of a 'get them in the door' thing, and besides, I would feel a bit weird putting up pictures of someone else's child on the internet without their say so, regardless of whether I'm entitled to or not. A standard disclaimer sounds like a good idea, though..

mikeanywhere

I know one photographer in Dublin who charges a higher rate for the prints because they don't charge the sitting fee up front.

Its a risk as the client may not take as many as you want or any at all.

Quackles wrote: »

I would feel a bit weird putting up pictures of someone else's child on the internet without their say so, regardless of whether I'm entitled to or not. A standard disclaimer sounds like a good idea, though..

If I feel the image(s) are good ones then I ASK the client and offer them something in return. Its a win-win situation then but you need to get it in writing to say that its ok even if its in an email!!

trooney

I'm sure everybody here wishes you the best of luck with it all. Keep us all up to date on how its going. I would imagine many people (in the current climate) might consider this as an livelyhood option.

thefizz

Quackles wrote: »

Decision is made, I am kicking off my portrait photography business. I have no real idea what to charge for prints, though. I have decided NOT to charge a sitting fee (Might change, depending on where the person wants photos taken), but for the prints alone. I have also decided to offer prints at a reduced cost if the parent will sign a waiver allowing me to use them in the advertising of my business.

Bearing all that in mind, is there anywhere I can get an idea of what the industry standards are to charge for prints? Also, I don't expect huge volumes, so professional places probably won't deal with me. If anyone has personal experience with good quality printing places, please let me know!

You really need to work out all your expenses and overheads before deciding on what to charge for your work. Thats the first thing you do when starting any business. No point in copying someone elses prices as their costs could be way different to yours.

K_user

Best of luck!

Marketing any new business is the hard part. Prices and rates can be changed at will, but getting noticed isn't easy.

sineadw

Might be best to do some business analysis before you start? Segment your market, do a SWOT analysis - that type of thing. I can send you some stuff I did in our 'small business management and the arts' module last year. Its not rocket science, but it helps...

Quackles

mikeanywhere wrote: »

If I feel the image(s) are good ones then I ASK the client and offer them something in return. Its a win-win situation then but you need to get it in writing to say that its ok even if its in an email!!

Probably should have thought of that

thefizz wrote: »

You really need to work out all your expenses and overheads before deciding on what to charge for your work. Thats the first thing you do when starting any business. No point in copying someone elses prices as their costs could be way different to yours.

I know what my expenses are, but I still need a good guideline of what others in the industry are charging - obviously I'll get nowhere if my prices are way off the mark in either direction.

K_user wrote: »

Best of luck!

Marketing any new business is the hard part. Prices and rates can be changed at will, but getting noticed isn't easy.

100% agree with you.. I'm hoping if I get a few people to take a punt on me, word of mouth will help!

sineadw wrote: »

Might be best to do some business analysis before you start? Segment your market, do a SWOT analysis - that type of thing. I can send you some stuff I did in our 'small business management and the arts' module last year. Its not rocket science, but it helps...

That would be really helpful, Sinead, thank you!

sineadw

Quackles wrote: »

That would be really helpful, Sinead, thank you!

PM me your email address

Fionn

ring up the opposition and ask what their prices are!

K_user

Quackles wrote: »

100% agree with you.. I'm hoping if I get a few people to take a punt on me, word of mouth will help!

Offering a few freebee's is a good way to get word of mouth going.
And happy, non-paying, clients do talk.

You could also try running some sort of competition with a local website or paper. If you are interested in working with Kids maybe you could approach a Crèche or something, do a deal on Christmas photos for any parent that wants them.

I'll stop rambling now!