Help: Business Contract (so to speak)

[ivgonzalez]

My company wants to hire me for a 1 to 1 1/2 hours time frame to take protraits of all the emplyees and spouses that work at the office.

How much should I charge? Some noted info: This is coming out of an employee events buget witch is not huge so I don't think I should have huge eyes on $$$$. Also, I have not really done any real contract work. This would be my first offcial paying gig. I have sold 6 prints, and shot two families for money. So I am not a pro and suspect I should not charge pro prices.

I also need some pricing for picture package deals.

Thanks in advance.

[HotHolly]

Personally, I would go for the glory - give it to them. Ask for compensation to be in some other way. Bylines in co. newsletters, your photos hanging in the office, and stuff like that. Good will goes a long way. And if you charge $5 per person, personally I dont think its worth it. You SHOULD use a contract that specifies the credit and usage of the images.

Good luck!

[ivgonzalez]

Right, glory. Um, don't take this the wrong way... but they would pay me top $$$$ because? Remember I do not have your experience. I have nice equipment and I think a nice eye, but still am not all that professional as you are.

Either way, I still need a price for an hour to an hour and a half. Ball park, what would you charge cuz I don't even know how much to charge. At that, I will have the privilege of selling the portraits I take. I plan on $15 to $20 dollars per sheet (8 X 10) and $35 to $40 dollars for a 13 X 19.

[HotHolly]

Hmmm...lets see how to word this. I meant glory as in do it for nothing, free, no money-o - barter instead. In exchange, especially if you want more work, barter for a byline or other things to promote your biz. Thats what I was getting at. You look like the nice guy, experience or not, and you can get some free advertising out of it.

If you want to charge - super cheapies charge $5 per family and give them 2 - 5x7s or something like that. They dont charge anything to show up. That's another reason why I'd personally go the glory road. To me, $5 isnt worth it.

Experienced photogs might charge around $150/ hour. Other photogs charge a flat fee - like $700 for 2 hours of photography for 100 families, then each family gets 2- 5x7s and they are all distributed via work. No shipping or anything.

If you are wanting to accept payment for this, you might want to see what they had in mind. Are they expecting you to be like Sears and shoot 6 poses of each family? Did they already spell all this out? From what I've seen, companies come up with great ideas like this, and few follow through, epically when contracts and monies are involved. Another reason to go for the advertising...rather than the money.

Something else to think about - you should barter, not do it for free. You'll be plagued with other people putting pressure on you to do stuff for them for nothing. So its important to exchange something of value. Since advertising is so expensive, I lean that way. Anyway, others have brought it up in here, about being a photog on the side and work related issues.

[ivgonzalez]

Aww...

Brilliant!

But I should still charge the "picture packages" to the couples, right?

[HotHolly]

You could, or not. Depends on how much it cost you and what they are wanting. Up to you...

[ivgonzalez]

Thanks Holly!

Let me know if I can ever help you. Second shooter or something. (You would actually be doing me the favor, again, I could use the experience!)

Thanks again!

[HotHolly]

No problem! I hope it helped...its been a freakishly long day. I'll let you know when we need a 2nd shooter. We have a workshop coming up in a few weeks that posted here - if you want to get into weddings...

:o)

[Casper]

Good thread, thanks Holly and IV.

Steve