Friends & Family

[ShutteredEye]

What type of discount do you give for shooting friends and family?

One of the hardest things for me is charging friends at all. How do you come to a price that you're comfortable quoting to a friend, and how much of a discount do you usually add in, if any?

[brad]

I do not charge friends and family a sitting fee ($49/hour, two hour minimum for "on location") .. and I discount prints about 20-25% ... with the understanding that they are not to discuss those prices with others.. and that they are supposed to hand out business cards to help me network.. especially when showing off the pictures done. :)

One of the hardest things about being in business for yourself is not undervaluing yourself and your product... this is especially hard when it comes to friends... but set a price and don't waiver.. and apply it consistently... otherwise, you set yourself up for those friends taking advantage of you (without even realizing they are doing it sometimes) and if you don't charge the same price to all friends, set yourself up for conflict if they find out you charged another friend less.

[mdurisseau]

I try not to discount...but we go with half price for family only...a condition is not to pass on that price, and to help us promote our business, as well...

[markfh]

Sorry to sound harsh but been there...done that. Been taken advantage of one too many times.

Now I have the "friends and family" rate. 1 1/2 times the normal rate...

Seriously though I don't do for family or friends unless they want to pay the going rate for what I do for a living.

Works for some, not for others. That's a decision you need to come to yourself.

[Erin Kathleen]

It depends on how close the friends are. In general, for my friends I give them about a 30% discount on my family packages. All of my friends are married around here, so that hasn't come up yet. I have offered to do a cousin's wedding for expenses, but she lives out in San Fran so Brent and I were going to get a trip out there for that. (I ended up not being able to do it for other reasons.) And I've offered to do albums and or prints at cost for very close friends (my daughter's godmother-to-be who I've known since we were 10) and family. It just depends on the situation, but officially I give them 30% off and a bit more easy going about things like Christmas cards, etc. I've also done a lot of bartering. One of my best friends is a hair dresser. I get a free cut and color (well over $100 value) in exchange for a free Basic Family package of her son every few months. It works out great for both of us since what we actually spend on the supplies/prints is a lot less than what we charge for it so we both are saving money.

Family is different. They're family. Besides, none of them live here and most would pay more than my package prices just to fly me to wherever the wedding is. They haven't (yet) tried to take advantage of me. Then again, I have a very close family (including our extended family) and they've been there for me more times than I can count. For example, I did Christmas photos for my cousins in Houston the last two years for free of their kids. Then again, they're also the ones who gave us a crib and a ton of other baby stuff for Alannah. They're also the ones who are named Alannah's guardians if something were to happen to Brent and I. After all that, I don't think an hour of my time is really too much to offer and I'm happy to do it.

[LoungeLizard]

I don't - though I did offer a good deal to a friend on a portrait session (1/2 off, prints at cost) only because he really helped me out.

He ordered a 50mm f/1.4 for me - gave me the double rebate on it (he had just bought a 20D and I'm helping him learn) AND gave me the extra $100 rebate he got on his 20D as a result of the lens. I paid him about $100 and gave him my 50mm f/1.8. So...for about $180, I got a 50mm f/1.4 - thought I'd give him a break on a family portrait session. He's yet to take me up on it!

Not sure if that qualifies as a price break, though.

[OversighT]

The only discount I gave was to a friend who edited her own photos (she was a graphic design major in college, but now manages a web team and doesn't get to use her creativity much). She got a 20% discount. For everyone else I just charge them my normal prices... which I think are reasonable.


T.