Are my prices too low?

[LostintheLensPhotography]

Hi everyone! I am pretty new to the photography business, and I am looking for some input on my prices. I had another member here tell me he thought I priced too low, so it got me thinking. As of right now, I charge $125 for 1-2 hour session with a fully processed CD with 35-40 images on it, along with copyright release. I have thought about doing prints, but I wouldn't know what to charge for those, especially if I did them in bulk. I live in the Ft. Worth area, and have been wanting to find a local printing lab, but haven't found any that I have liked. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should charge, how I should go about it, and even a good printing lab in the area? Thanks!!! I look forward to as much imput as I can get! :)

[SCone]

Are you happy with the money you receive? That's all that matters.

[Debbi]

That is pretty limiting to your future growth. Check out Millers or other similar pro labs. Create a pro account. You will need a tax ID to do so. Printing images and delivering to your clients is not hard and adds that extra "personal attention". Check out other websites and see what they are doing.

[Debbi]

BTW, if you want a local lab in FTW, check out Barron Photografix. They are great and their customer service is even better.

[LostintheLensPhotography]

I am happy with it since I am just starting out, but I know in the future I will want to raise my prices, and expand what I offer.


Debbie, What is a Pro Account? Sorry if all this sounds dumb, I haven't had anyone to ask anything to up until now! haha

[LostintheLensPhotography]

I found them on google, but didn't know anything about them! I will def. try them out! Thank you!!

[Tom]

The two big pro labs are
White House Custom Color
Miller's Lab

We have historically done most of our business with Miller's but when CBS asked me to shoot for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, WHCC stepped up to the plate and donated the prints. Since then, WHCC has been getting a lot more of our business.

Bay Photo is another big one, but they publish their prices to consumers, and that keeps me from doing business with them. I only want to work with a pro-only lab.

Debbie, What is a Pro Account?

You submit your website, tax id and possibly your DBA, and they will review your business and decide to give you an account or not. It keeps clients from saying "A 4x6 at your lab only costs you $.19, why are you charging me $10?"

[LostintheLensPhotography]

So to do prints, would something like charging $125 for a sitting fee, and then maybe $50 for a CD and then some sorta of print package be a good pricing system?

[Debbi]

If you are going to provide pro services you need to use a pro lab. I use www.Millerslab.com. They are awesome and their turnaround time is unbelievable. They only cater to professional photogs, thus the pro account. Set one up. It's free. Try them out. They do a great job. There are a lot of pro labs that are just as good. My litmus test is if I would use them to print something for my own home. If so, I have no problem with my clients.

BTW, there are no dumb questions.

[Debbi]

Disclaimer: My opinion only. IF you are going to offer a cd - only do so after your clients meet a certain purchase price in prints. Otherwise, you will never get print orders. Also, never give away copyright. If you offer a cd, provide print rights only.

To put it into money terms, my lowest price senior session is $250 and includes nothing beyond the session. If they want a CD, I will sell one for $500 straight up, or $200 with a minimum order of $350. That guarantees me $750.00 if they want anything beyond the session. The cd gives the "negatives" and I advertise it as such. I offer, and guarantee pro prints. It is all in what you want to offer to your clients, and are willing to back up.

[LostintheLensPhotography]

Oh ok! Thank you Thomas! That helped alot! I really appreciate everyone helping me understand the business better! :)

[LostintheLensPhotography]

I will for sure try Miller's lab they sound awesome! Okay, now what is the difference in a print right and a copyright?

[Tom]

Print rights: they can make personal prints for themselves only
Copyright: If they become famous, they can sell the pictures to People and make huge money off it.

You never give away the copyright.

You should not include the print rights unless you are making a very good wage off the business and should assume that if you give that print right and full resolution image, that you will never get another sale from that customer from that session.

[LostintheLensPhotography]

Okay that's kinda what I assumed on the difference between the two. Is there a form that I need to get for a print release? Or can I use my copyright release form and just change the words around to be print release instead of copyright?

[Debbi]

If you have not, check out the PPA (Professional Photographers of America). If you are going to do pro work, I highly recommend you become a member. You can get all sorts of forms from them. My years of membership paid for itself this past summer when a local company "used" one of my images without permission. I was able to use their lawyers concerning copyright infringement to assist me in coming to a more than agreeable contract with the infringer. There all sorts of benefits in being a member.