NEED HELP FOR PHOTOGRAPY
- Thread starter eric8526
- Start date
How to set price for photography for an event?
Where can I find the link?
Thank
https://nppa.org/calculator
Sion
Senior Member
Good starting point.
Better than free of charge starting point which is $0. :bsmilie:
I just use the Business Calculator to do a simulation for a newbie photographer wish to make some money by doing freelances of shooting events,
base on he can spare his time to shoot 100 shoot and burn style assignments per year, of 4 hours events @$50.00 per hour, that work out to be average two assignments per week.
that is really consider very busy in term of doing it as part time, and he is making $20,000 Gross income per annual.. sound real good isn't it??
Here is his expenses per month
Phone $60.00
Camera Gears $400.00 (about $4800 a year, it will take 2-3 years to built a two bodies, two pro lenses system)
Camera Gears maintenance $40.00 (camera/lenses need repair and servicing right? and some time he need to rent whatever he don't have)
Computer (hardware and software) $150.00 (Ok, shooting and burn don't need photoshop, but can he do without computer?)
Broadband internet $60.00 (hello, nowadays who don't have broadband?)
Web hosting / Portal Services $35.00 (hey, how do people find him? even flickr pro is also not free)
Vehicle Expenses $180.00 (let say each shoot he took a cab to and fro, $10 per trip)
Office Supplies and Furniture $167.00 (let say each shoot he need to burn disc, send to disc to customer by courier services, $16.70 each is very cheap)
Advertising and Promotion $100.00 (it only allows him to advertise about 0.5 to 1.5 sites to advertise his photograpahy services)
Taxes and Licenses $10.00 (he follow my advice to register with ACRA for his freelancing business)
there are still many expenses that this photographer didn't factor in since he consider himself as freelancer
Office and studio
Professional Development
Subscriptions and Dues
Equipment and Business Insurance
Health Insurance
Legal and Accounting Services
Office Assistance
Utilities
Travel and Entertainment
So here is HIS RESULTS
Total Annual Expenses = $ 21,202.00
Weekly Cost of Doing Business = $ 424.04
Overhead Cost for Each Assignment Day = $ 212.02
So this photographer is screwed if he is charging $50.00 per hour, for each assignment he loses $12.02.
and he need to charge $53.00 just to break even, but he is still shooting for FREE, since he did not factoring his salary!!!
Does he really want to make $50 per hour?
than he will have to charge at least $100.00 per hour just to do shoot and burn style for FREELANCING.
Now you know why there are so many people quit doing freelancing after they try out for a few months.
So if any one of you still want to make some extra pocket money (which I have no issue with anyone want to make some extra pocket money, and most pros too), please, do yourself and many other people just like you a favour, use the Business Calculator, calculator your cost, and your intended profit.
and explain to your customers why you need to charge your rate this way.
base on he can spare his time to shoot 100 shoot and burn style assignments per year, of 4 hours events @$50.00 per hour, that work out to be average two assignments per week.
that is really consider very busy in term of doing it as part time, and he is making $20,000 Gross income per annual.. sound real good isn't it??
Here is his expenses per month
Phone $60.00
Camera Gears $400.00 (about $4800 a year, it will take 2-3 years to built a two bodies, two pro lenses system)
Camera Gears maintenance $40.00 (camera/lenses need repair and servicing right? and some time he need to rent whatever he don't have)
Computer (hardware and software) $150.00 (Ok, shooting and burn don't need photoshop, but can he do without computer?)
Broadband internet $60.00 (hello, nowadays who don't have broadband?)
Web hosting / Portal Services $35.00 (hey, how do people find him? even flickr pro is also not free)
Vehicle Expenses $180.00 (let say each shoot he took a cab to and fro, $10 per trip)
Office Supplies and Furniture $167.00 (let say each shoot he need to burn disc, send to disc to customer by courier services, $16.70 each is very cheap)
Advertising and Promotion $100.00 (it only allows him to advertise about 0.5 to 1.5 sites to advertise his photograpahy services)
Taxes and Licenses $10.00 (he follow my advice to register with ACRA for his freelancing business)
there are still many expenses that this photographer didn't factor in since he consider himself as freelancer
Office and studio
Professional Development
Subscriptions and Dues
Equipment and Business Insurance
Health Insurance
Legal and Accounting Services
Office Assistance
Utilities
Travel and Entertainment
So here is HIS RESULTS
Total Annual Expenses = $ 21,202.00
Weekly Cost of Doing Business = $ 424.04
Overhead Cost for Each Assignment Day = $ 212.02
So this photographer is screwed if he is charging $50.00 per hour, for each assignment he loses $12.02.
and he need to charge $53.00 just to break even, but he is still shooting for FREE, since he did not factoring his salary!!!
Does he really want to make $50 per hour?
than he will have to charge at least $100.00 per hour just to do shoot and burn style for FREELANCING.
Now you know why there are so many people quit doing freelancing after they try out for a few months.
So if any one of you still want to make some extra pocket money (which I have no issue with anyone want to make some extra pocket money, and most pros too), please, do yourself and many other people just like you a favour, use the Business Calculator, calculator your cost, and your intended profit.
and explain to your customers why you need to charge your rate this way.
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for those who just starting out, feel that they are not comfortable to charge a fee to shoot, and don't mind to shoot for free to gain experiences.
well, you can do that, nobody is stopping you,
but do remember this, it is never be free, you are paying a fee not less than $50.00 per hour (depends how you much is your expenses) just to gain the experience you wanted.
and if you don't understand this now, don't expect your existing customers and future customers can understand this too.
just try to put your feet into your customers shoes and think, if you are a customers and your photographer shoot for you for free last month, now suddenly he is asking $200 for a 4 hour shoot, what a big jump.. "NO NO NO, I won't be paying him at all, I will go and find another FREE photographer". So what the photographers get? spending lot of time and money to get many "portfolio" and no customers.
if you try to explain to your customers you have expenses to cover and don't mind to shoot at cost for them to see they like your work or not, all you asking is only $XX.00 per hour and a opportunity.
clients/customers like honest people, and they value their relationship with honest people, they are willing to pay more to work with honest people.
lastly, doing photography business is never be easy, you have to keep trying, trying and trying.
but you need to make sure you are heading the right direction first.
well, you can do that, nobody is stopping you,
but do remember this, it is never be free, you are paying a fee not less than $50.00 per hour (depends how you much is your expenses) just to gain the experience you wanted.
and if you don't understand this now, don't expect your existing customers and future customers can understand this too.
just try to put your feet into your customers shoes and think, if you are a customers and your photographer shoot for you for free last month, now suddenly he is asking $200 for a 4 hour shoot, what a big jump.. "NO NO NO, I won't be paying him at all, I will go and find another FREE photographer". So what the photographers get? spending lot of time and money to get many "portfolio" and no customers.
if you try to explain to your customers you have expenses to cover and don't mind to shoot at cost for them to see they like your work or not, all you asking is only $XX.00 per hour and a opportunity.
clients/customers like honest people, and they value their relationship with honest people, they are willing to pay more to work with honest people.
lastly, doing photography business is never be easy, you have to keep trying, trying and trying.
but you need to make sure you are heading the right direction first.
Here we are back to this question again..lol
Basically you are only as gd as your portfolio, and work attitude of course.
The whole deal of naming a rate is only valid if you have a reasonable set of portfolio, else you're just a liability more than an asset. Pay the organizer $50 and probably they wont even want you to shoot, or well perhaps Groupons co. will..lol
Portfolio does Not mean you have to be the official photographer for an event, but of course thats great. For event, just go to some community event, and shoot away as if you're the official, for eg, so many mother's day event, go shoot! Demonstrate how you provide coverage for it. Best if got indoors & outdoors, cause then you need to show you know how to use a speedlight as well!
PS: I realize many junior pg seems to think just upping ISO to get well exposed photos is fine. Thats wrong!! A speedlight used in events, is more than just a 'torchlight' to light up the scene..
Also even being a Natgeo pg does not even mean you can shoot an event, demands is different.
Else without anything reasonable to show, you have little right to ask for your rate. Even if your cost is skyhigh, who cares...
I say do what you need to get yourself noticed and be given a chance to shoot. Many pros start out that way..
A company who sees your potential may decide to give you a chance to shoot because they want to develop long-term talent pool.
Find one that is willing to critique and offer advice, not just for you to act paparazzi.
eg, if you shoot birthday free for a frd, you gain experience, but no one more experienced to critique your work, then its a waste.
Above r just general personal opinions comments not specifically to TS..
Basically you are only as gd as your portfolio, and work attitude of course.
The whole deal of naming a rate is only valid if you have a reasonable set of portfolio, else you're just a liability more than an asset. Pay the organizer $50 and probably they wont even want you to shoot, or well perhaps Groupons co. will..lol
Portfolio does Not mean you have to be the official photographer for an event, but of course thats great. For event, just go to some community event, and shoot away as if you're the official, for eg, so many mother's day event, go shoot! Demonstrate how you provide coverage for it. Best if got indoors & outdoors, cause then you need to show you know how to use a speedlight as well!
PS: I realize many junior pg seems to think just upping ISO to get well exposed photos is fine. Thats wrong!! A speedlight used in events, is more than just a 'torchlight' to light up the scene..
Also even being a Natgeo pg does not even mean you can shoot an event, demands is different.
Else without anything reasonable to show, you have little right to ask for your rate. Even if your cost is skyhigh, who cares...
I say do what you need to get yourself noticed and be given a chance to shoot. Many pros start out that way..
A company who sees your potential may decide to give you a chance to shoot because they want to develop long-term talent pool.
Find one that is willing to critique and offer advice, not just for you to act paparazzi.
eg, if you shoot birthday free for a frd, you gain experience, but no one more experienced to critique your work, then its a waste.
Above r just general personal opinions comments not specifically to TS..
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Do you all realize it's cheaper to get a photographer in Singapore than Thailand?!!!
Maybe is you spend a little less time shooting yourself in the foot, and a bit more time trying to be professional, there will still be a profession when you want to charge normal prices.
Amazes me how one of the poster thinks 20,000$ a year is good lah? Do you live with your mommy? seriously? Did you spend any time or money training to be a photographer? do you have any valuable talent?
"Also even being a Natgeo pg does not even mean you can shoot an event, demands is different." dumbest thing I ever read... you must be an 'event photographer'. There's nothing easier to shoot than events! Anyone can do it. and that's why you all work for free or extremely cheap.
Why don't you start taking yourself seriously. charge honorable rates that give you a good living and respect yourself and other photographers?
Maybe is you spend a little less time shooting yourself in the foot, and a bit more time trying to be professional, there will still be a profession when you want to charge normal prices.
Amazes me how one of the poster thinks 20,000$ a year is good lah? Do you live with your mommy? seriously? Did you spend any time or money training to be a photographer? do you have any valuable talent?
"Also even being a Natgeo pg does not even mean you can shoot an event, demands is different." dumbest thing I ever read... you must be an 'event photographer'. There's nothing easier to shoot than events! Anyone can do it. and that's why you all work for free or extremely cheap.
Why don't you start taking yourself seriously. charge honorable rates that give you a good living and respect yourself and other photographers?
I guess you're right, sori I'm dumb, everyone is going into Food photography too..
Check out this 'Instafood' iphone app, very cool..
welcome to clubsnap.
my post is reply to thread starter, who is new to photography and some how asking a question of how to charge for a shooting an event coverage, from a hobbyist standpoint**, from what I know, most of them are happy to make $20k extra pocket money to spend on buying more gears.
If you don't get my point, never mind, doesn't matter at all, my reply is meant for hobbyists only, is irrelevant to you as a professional.
most of us come here is to make friends, sharing and helping others, even though we come from different background, culture and levels of photography
but on the very first day and very first post start citing other people comments as "dumbest thing I ever read" is definably not a wise thing to do.
if you want to feel welcome, gaining respects, please to do this to others first.
"What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." Confucius
** I have a habit of doing background screening before I post.
are you referring to my post? I don't think you read my post carefully.
my post is reply to thread starter, who is new to photography and some how asking a question of how to charge for a shooting an event coverage, from a hobbyist standpoint**, from what I know, most of them are happy to make $20k extra pocket money to spend on buying more gears.
If you don't get my point, never mind, doesn't matter at all, my reply is meant for hobbyists only, is irrelevant to you as a professional.
most of us come here is to make friends, sharing and helping others, even though we come from different background, culture and levels of photography
but on the very first day and very first post start citing other people comments as "dumbest thing I ever read" is definably not a wise thing to do.
if you want to feel welcome, gaining respects, please to do this to others first.
"What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." Confucius
** I have a habit of doing background screening before I post.
First, "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." Confucius? No, it's not confucius. Confucius quoted/ translated Matthew 7:12 in the bible. (and the sentence ends with... 'this is the law of the prophets')
Second, Hobbyists are hobbyists. And as such shouldn't work for money and take work away from people who make a profession out of it. Beside the often ilegal part of it (they mostly work in the black) it takes food away from our tables and it screws us professionals by lowering the rates and the standards.
So, encouraging and helping this practice is simply wrong.
3rd, no Hobbyist in Singapore makes 20k a year from his/her photography. Especially if the charge under 200$ for an event. That would mean over 100 days of work a year... That's not a hobbyist.
If the point is valid, it's just as valid if it is the first or 1000th post. So what's your point with pointing that out?
Confucius was alive 500 years BEFORE Matthew. So how did he then quote/translate someone who would not be alive for 500 years? ;-)
LOL please at least try to have a basic idea of what you are talking about before you say more stuff that just makes you sound ignorant and self-righteous.
Or actually, please continue, your posts are damn funny.
Are you sure? Hobbyists shooting weddings on weekends can easily hit 20k.
And no point complaining about the industry. This is the way it is now. Either you make yourself more marketable and command better rates, or if you cannot survive, exit the industry. Don't throw your frustrations around as if the whole world owes you everything.
And Confucius did say that... in Mandarin way way before Jesus's or Matthew's time (551–479 BC)... Maybe Matthew quoted or translated Confucious? you never know...
The actual quote in Chinese:
子曰：“其恕乎！己所不欲，勿施于人。”
The book name is called: 《论语·卫灵公》 ("Analects" in English)
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius
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