Critique/Comment On My Price List

[TackSharp]

I'll try and keep this short while providing enough information to understand my situation. I got into photography about 5 years ago. Started with a Canon 20D and graduated to a 5D MK II about a year and a half ago.

Throughout the past 5 years, I've done portrait work on the side here and there plus a few corporate gigs such as Executive or Training Class Photos (they asked me because I worked there and they knew I was a pretty serious Amateur.) I have always charged for my work but nothing too serious and nothing too formal.

I live in a 1500-house master planned community in Allen, TX where I'm pretty well known and have been getting lots of requests to do Child, Individual, & Family portraiture. (There is no shortage of families walking dogs, riding bikes, hanging out at our community pool, attending soccer games, etc.) So I am in the final stages of creating an in-home portrait studio. I've invested in lighting, background stands, seamless paper, etc. I'm not sweating the investment because I do pretty well professionally already and I'm doing this because I love photography...not because I need to earn a living at it.

All that being said, I've read tons of threads on pricing methodology. And the one thing I DO want to do is make it worth my while if I'm going to put my time and effort into doing a great job for my clients. So, taking everything I've read into account, I spent the past two weeks contemplating how to price for my market. I forsee my clientele as "Middle Class -Upper Middle Class" Families with household incomes ranging from $80K-$150K...with the occassional $150-$250K family mixed in.

I plan on doing home studio or outdoor/on location shoots for my clients on weekends only. So below you'll find the pricelist I've put together. The portraits you see on the price list are shots I took of me and my family using a self timer wherever I'm in the image. So please don't be too harsh on the shots. However, I have posted these shots in the sizes and arrangement you see below on the wall in my home studio so that my clients can see what a package might look like...including each representative print size that I will be offering for purchase.

My question to the community is "What do you think?" Have I priced things appropriately for the scenario that I've described? Not being a pro, have I overshot? Have I undershot? I have not finalized anything, but wanted to do a sanity check before I put anything out to the public. (And since I know its coming...the $4500 package is my "I know not many people will buy it but offer a large expensive offering to create perceived value" package.)

All comments and additional suggestions are welcome.

[bondarnes]

I can tell you put a lot of thought and effort into this, but I have found that packages work for Children and for HS Seniors, but not so well for Families. Your A La Carte prices seem to be in line, but I would suggest if you must offer packages include one wall sized portrait a few gift portraits (8X10 or smaller) and possibly an album.

All of our wall portraits include a frame, so our 16X20 is closer to $400. Smaller sizes are really expensive 11X14 $195 and 8X10 $119, but if a wall portrait is ordered all smaller prints are half price. So if you double the A La Carte price on your small prints you would be in the same ball park. That way you don't put tons of work into a session and have them buy just one 8X10 for $50.

[dracula02]

Tag! I like this advice, Don.

[ldelacruz]

I am speechless but if you get 1 client to pay I will be the first to sign up for your business workshop if you ever have one!

[WarrenG]

I agree, it looks like you put some thought into it. I would say rather than it being important what we feel works or providing feedback on your pricing structure, the real "tale of the tape" will be whether or not clients book and purchase the products.

I do not do a lot of family work compared to many others... but I really do wish I could get those types of rates for framed prints. If you can get... get it!

Good luck to you Mark.

[brad]

I didn't see the fine print under the "a la cart" pricing at first.. so the fact that the prices next to the images were so different from those prices, I was confused... and a bit put off.

Second... Top Down Selling theory means you put the things you want to sell the most often at the top.. the first thing they see... which, I assume, is your packages... your a la cart prices are first.

And while I like the size comparisons of the images.. I don't think it will have an impact when you print this sheet on 8.5x11 paper... I don't see the average consumer being able to quickly make relative size judgments in their heads.

[Redneck]

I think the prices are pretty high for a hobby photographer without years of experience and a perfect reputation. I mean it's great if you can sell something but it would surprise me, even with your "Middle Class -Upper Middle Class" clientele. And please don't get this wrong, I don't think the sample pictures are as good as the pricing tries to promise.

[staceylking]

Sorry, gotta agree with André. The prices you have are for guys like Don: Consummate professionals with decades of experience who produce nothing but stunning work (usually in storefront studios). The sample photos are good, but as André said, honestly not as good as the pricing seems to promise.

[ronocnikral]

while i agree the images aren't award winning...I would argue there isn't a direct relationship between the "quality" of photographs, as judged by photographers, and reprint prices.

[Tom]

1. I don't think the size comparison is going to carry over well.
2. The packages should be on the left so it is the first thing they see.
3. The photography looks like it all came from one family. People want to see more stuff.
4. You are only as good as the weakest picture in your portfolio.
5. The biggest picture should be your strongest and it looks like a snapshot on the way to church for Easter. The foot is cut off, the posing is a little awkward with the girl above everyone else and the boy isn't looking at the camera.
6. If you are going to show that many pictures, you need to diversify. Different families, different settings, etc. 24x36 looks the same as 16x20 without the dad. The 8x10s are basically the same. The 20x30s seem to be in the same room.
7. If you can get those prices, do it. I have a hard time thinking that a family making 80-150k is going to go for someone charging 5k for a package. Kudos to you for not underselling yourself.
8. I would love it if we as photographers pushed the real sizes for prints. We aren't shooting medium format, so we are we cropping our pictures to fit medium format? I sell lots of 8x12s, 10x15s, 16x24s, 20x30s. Lets teach our clients what things are really like now. Times have changed, and most functional reasons, 4x5 is dead. I think one person here digitally shoots medium format. That's it. And he isn't doing it for family portraits or weddings.

[TackSharp]

Guys:

Thanks for providing feedback. As I said, I'm not stuck on these prices...and I do want to be realistic. I will rethink my strategy a bit and check back with every. Thanks again for all the feedback.

[Phanee]

Mark.. thanks for starting this thread.. which lead to a useful & practical discussion.