Pricing Question

[Digitalrebel11]

Hopefully you guys can give me some advice with this. A co-worker approached me today asking if I would take some photographs for a friend of his. His friend want someone to take photos of him proposing to his girlfriend, without the photographer being obvious. This I have no problem with, I'll just use a long lens. I've never charged for this before though, so I have no idea what price to give him. He is only asking for a few prints, maybe 9 or 10 in some kind of album. I was thinking of just giving a price per print and a hourly cost for how ever long I end up sitting in the park taking pictures and the time I spend with him planning it out. Any suggestions as to numbers?

Thanks for any help
-Chris

[iahdf]

Chris,
Don not let the "co-worker-friend" aspect effect your pricing. Charge what you normally would charge if it were a stranger. I have run into those who say "hey I'm looking for a kin folk deal" all ready in my very short tenure as "paid photographer 'I am in no way a PRO' yet". Your work has value in it, do not under value. I am sure that a dozen or so prints of the "before and after" question, will be priceless to them and will be well worth it.
Good shooting and I hope you will post some of them.
Just remember what Ben Franklin said,.."The strictest of business makes the best of friends"

David

[Clint_Smith]

I think the bigger question is are you doing this for the friend or are you doing this as a business venture? If for the friend, then make them pay for the album and prints and be done with it.

If you are asking how to price a product then that is a totally separate issue. There is not definite answer. However, PPA says that you need at least $0.33 of every dollar to maintain a positive profit margin. So if you are doing this as a business then do the backwards math and come up with your price.

[Aric C. Hoek]

My first thought would be to stay away from any commitment to a book at this point. Go ahead and commit to your time and 10 8x10 prints. This will make it an easy sell. Let the clients decided later if they want a book, because more than likely, if she likes your images you will be shooting their wedding, engagement portraits, bridal, maternity and so on.