Standard Pricing & Guideline

[Oberfeldwebel]

I've been shooting for awhile in my home studio, just a simple set up. I've been giving free pictures (a softcopy). So as days goes by, word mouth to mouth comes and some of their friends are interested. I would like to know how much is the usual price rate for potrait photographic studio session? I know that we ourself should know how much we want to charge but i just wanna know what's the market rate. Is there a guideline that anyone could lay me out, like.. for example. $80-100/session inclusive of 8R photos. How many pictures are there in total in a package? So and so. What are the things i should provide to the client? Well, i'm not planning to charge a professional price but at least i gotta cover back some money. In a long run, some one has to pay the replacement money for the strobe light right?

 

[Agetan]

I've been shooting for awhile in my home studio, just a simple set up. I've been giving free pictures (a softcopy). So as days goes by, word mouth to mouth comes and some of their friends are interested. I would like to know how much is the usual price rate for potrait photographic studio session? I know that we ourself should know how much we want to charge but i just wanna know what's the market rate. Is there a guideline that anyone could lay me out, like.. for example. $80-100/session inclusive of 8R photos. How many pictures are there in total in a package? So and so. What are the things i should provide to the client? Well, i'm not planning to charge a professional price but at least i gotta cover back some money. In a long run, some one has to pay the replacement money for the strobe light right?

There is no standard as you can't "fix" a price.

It ranges from people offering portrait session as low as $38 per session and include some soft copy to people who charge more than $650 just for the time with nothing included.

I guess if you are just going to charge at your "cost" just add your cost up and see how many jobs you need to break even with the cost, then that is your cost.

I guess cost of camera+lens+strobe+electricity+accesories should cover your basic equipment cost.

Then if you like to include prints, what size are you intended to give and that is your cost.

Then if you want some more, how much would you put say 1hour of your time worth?

You add those up, it will give you the number.

Generally, costing is simple, basically, total cost/no of jobs.

Total charge will largely depends on your "cost" and your "profit" equation.

Calculating cost is merely gives you a figure for you to know. As yup progress along, you need to consider value vs price equation as well.

Look around on how much people charge for their session and see why? My full price list is on my website, copy it if you like...

Regards,

Hart

 

[bubbletronics]

Yup, no market rate really. I have a friend who charges $80 for minimum 100 photos. Another one charges about $120 for the same quantity. Not much different in quality etc.

But but, the latter offers FREE photo editing. It worked. People love the word 'FREE'.

 

[Doctor Inferno]

Call up a studio and find out how much they charge, maybe you could charge around the same price but it has to be cheaper. Because studio have to pay for rental etc.

 

[Agetan]

A lot of establish studio do publish their work to "screen" clientele. So if you really have to, just do your research but NOT by calling the studio.

I do hate that kind of call which I know it is from a photographer who is too lazy to do their own sum.

Don't forget even if you look at similar service level, there are a big range for pricing and it is difficult to understand at first why one studio charge this and the other charge the other way...

What I can say is, don't fall into a trap of "matching" someone's pricing from the image perspective. There are many factor to consider if you are using more than cost + profit equation.

Typically, most there is a "prestige" cost factor which many of the establish photographer charge if the business model is more on the boutique rather than mass market option. Prestige cost simply a cost that you put in to signify your brand name and that is a deterrence for people who simply looking for a cheaper option.

It is quite simple and complicated at the same time regarding to pricing.

What my other suggestion is consider all your cost plus a margin to start with, then rise your pricing as you acquire more business, then tweak your pricing to suit your business model as per your business plan.

Regards,

Hart