School/Team Photographs--Help!

[esdramaqueen]

I am brand new to the world of getting paid for my photographs, so I am teeming with questions! Thank you, in advance, for your advice--I've learned a lot from all of you on this forum!

I have been asked to take our local high school's tennis team's photos, here in the Houston area. The team doesn't have more than probably 20-30 kids.
I have never worked with a school before, so I honestly do not know how to offer a competitive bid.
Questions:
1) Do I charge a sitting fee to the booster club? If yes, what is an average amount to charge (per kid? flat fee?)?
2) Is it assumed that you give a percentage back to the booster club/school? If yes, what is an average percentage?
3) And beyond the typical sizes (4x6;5x7;8x10;8wallets), what, if any, other sizes should I offer? (I have my prices for photos set, so I think I'm good there.)

Thank you!
Elizabeth

[toverman]

If you'll be taking action shots, offering something poster-size might get a few takers depending on the market.

[Sideline]

A lot of these questions you will have to find the answer for yourself, especially if you plan on competing with other photographers already established in this line of work.

[CobyPhoto]

Originally Posted by esdramaqueen

I am brand new to the world of getting paid for my photographs, so I am teeming with questions! Thank you, in advance, for your advice--I've learned a lot from all of you on this forum!

First things first, do you have your Texas State Sales Tax Certificate and have you taken care of the other requirements to even be in business?

CJ

[kenmcphotos]

Are you being asked by the school or the booster club. I have done the local HS band for 2 years now and nobody has asked about a tax ID (I do have one) I was doing this for the booster club. We gave them 30%. Rumor has it that Life Touch gives 40% back to the school but I doubt that they will mess with only 20-30 students. I did not charge a session fee. We offer standard size prints plus 3 1/2 inch buttons. Check with Millers or another "school" lab for other offerings. I use UPI Labs. If you are doing groups or teams you might want to offer a "memory mate" Hope this helps...

[CobyPhoto]

Originally Posted by kenmcphotos

I have done the local HS band for 2 years now and nobody has asked about a tax ID (I do have one) I was doing this for the booster club.

It isn't the customer's responsiblity to make sure you hae this. It is the Business person (owner) and it is the law. End of story.

If she isn't set-up to do business (legally) this could darn sure come back to bite her in the butt.

CJ

[kenmcphotos]

Originally Posted by CobyPhoto

It isn't the customer's responsiblity to make sure you hae this. It is the Business person (owner) and it is the law. End of story.

If she isn't set-up to do business (legally) this could darn sure come back to bite her in the butt.

CJ

yes Mom....


Sorry, but the type answer the OP got irks me. NO ONE answered the questions. On guy says "find out for yourself" which is to say "don't compete with me" and another goes off on a tangent that, while a valid point was not what the OP asked. BTW, I did some paid work before I had a tax number and a DBA. The income was reported on a 1099....

[ndsimm]

I did attempt to answer her question, but I had other questions that she posted in another thread so I will answer them here:

Originally Posted by ndsimm

what are they going to be using the images for? is this a team shot and individuals or are these action shots? do they want prints or the images on CD? if prints, then what size, and if images on CD, then what size jpeg will you offer? will they be used in publication? the answers to these questions will determine your starting range

Originally Posted by esdramaqueen

Nathan,
From the team's booster club president's email, I gather that she is asking me to take a team shot and individuals, for the students' personal use.
I also assume she wants the typical school package--prints (various sizes). (I have a website from which they can order and have the prints mailed--my first year, so I am letting someone else handle the printing.) The parents will be able to order the sizes and prints they want, straight from my site. My print prices are set and I figure I will just leave those as is.

My main questions are
a)whether photographers charge schools a sitting fee, and if so,
b)is it usually a flat fee, based on # of kids/time or just simply a flat fee no matter the number of kids.

I want my bid to be competetive with the other photographers' bids, only I have no idea what a typical bid is in the Houston area?
Thanks,
E.

Most photographers (me) do not charge the school a sitting fee if the students (parents) will be purchasing prints and that is where your profit will come from. The school wants to pay out as little as possible so price your packages accordingly
Has the booster club said anything about a "kickback"/donation?

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by kenmcphotos

yes Mom....


Sorry, but the type answer the OP got irks me. NO ONE answered the questions. On guy says "find out for yourself" which is to say "don't compete with me" and another goes off on a tangent that, while a valid point was not what the OP asked. BTW, I did some paid work before I had a tax number and a DBA. The income was reported on a 1099....

I agree to a point, but Coby was just being cautious. I would not want to give advice to someone that was not properly set up. I have some answers for someone that plays by all the rules, but I am awaiting the answer to Coby's question.

And just for your information if the work you did and reported on a 1099 was sales taxable under the rules of the comptroller and you did not collect and remit sales tax then YOU were in violation of the law. The 1099 was only for federal taxes.

Originally Posted by kenmcphotos

yes Mom....


Sorry, but the type answer the OP got irks me. NO ONE answered the questions. On guy says "find out for yourself" which is to say "don't compete with me" and another goes off on a tangent that, while a valid point was not what the OP asked. BTW, I did some paid work before I had a tax number and a DBA. The income was reported on a 1099....

Here we go again. Name calling!!! If you don't like the truth, then skip the thread. There is NO REASON to call someone names for giving good, solid advice in business. Maybe you should take a lesson from "mom" on manners.

[CobyPhoto]

Thank you Don,

I answered that post in a PM, as it seems more and more cold hard fact and honest answers are met with name calling, negativity and generally disregarded.

Had the OP answered my question, even if she didn't have the Tax Certificate and indicated she was getting it taken care of I have no problem answering either.

Further, before you make a statement about people not willing to help, worried about competition etc. you should do a little searching on this forum yourself and see how many times people like myself, Don and others that are in the business for 25+ years have answered questions of this nature.

CJ

[toverman]

I like the idea of the open forum and the exchange of ideas, but sometimes I think access to this business area should be granted by typing in your sales tax ID number.

[photonewb]

sigh....can't we all just get along?

;)

[kenmcphotos]

In did not mean to imply that it is in any way OK to collect sales tax with out a valid tax ID/permit or that it is OK to not collect sales tax on taxable goods or services. (the 1099 work I did was for a church and not taxable)

I will shut up now.

[w9ctm]

This may be a stupid idea, but since I have been known for engaging mouth without brain already in gear, I'll go on. Instead of members of this forum spending time bashing, how about a creating a sticky that most agree on that would include what you "should" have to be a legitimate business and then in your reply, you can refer to the sticky.

After that, assuming that a poster wants to ask a question about something, they could refer to the aforementioned sticky and how they meet that as a qualification when they ask their questions. Perhaps that would allow someone to just answer the question and be helpful instead of all the caveats.

While I can fully appreciate not wanting to help someone that is 'fly by night', I don't know how you qualify who is or is not a 'fly by night' business owner. I would think that most all members of this forum truly do want to help, and just go ahead and offer good helpful information. No one truly has control of how someone else conducts their business, so why spend too much time worrying about it. While you may not approve of how someone runs their own business, there is not that much you can do about it...

I would hope that I can continue to read and learn from the professionals on this forum and the knowledge they are willing to share.

Respectfully posted,

Chuck