Pricing a Shoot?

[DXLR8]

I was wondering if any of you had advice in regards to doing photo shoots for customers (baby pics) and what to charge. I have been shooting for about 3 years now and I am thinking that I would charge a $150 for the sitting and the clients could then order the prints or media through me? Any thoughts would be great. The last shoot I did.....I shot 260+/- pictures to get about 36-38 good shots to give to the client. Does this sound about right. I know this is a very subjective question.

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by DXLR8

I know this is a very subjective question.

it really is. and pricing is totally contingent on profit margin goals and overhead. the worst thing you can do with your pricing is to blindly copy someone else. you end up copying a flawed model or one that wont work for your biz.

the other thing is pricing STRUCTURE. where are you making your money? where do you want to cover overhead? will they be lumped together or separated? will you include PP at no charge? how many proofs will you provide? how much time is allotted?

we have a boutique studio, charge $90 for an 8x10, have an intricate pricing structure beyond the price list, and session fees typically start @ $225 for a baby session. They get 12 fully processed proofs to choose from. total sales revenue from a reg. priced baby session is usually slightly over $1K.

is a $150 good for a sitting fee? depends on your overhead and your total sales goal. it might be on the mark. it might not be.

[toverman]

+1 on being subjective. But I'll subjectively tell you that about 260 photos in one session sounds like a lot!

There are lots of resources all over, but check out the business area of this forum for some pricing tips as well.

[Cajungaltx]

Hard question... lol.... kind of like asking about the cost of coffee... I'm willing to pay $4 for mine... some folks grimace at anything over a dollar.

;-)

I made this mistake when I first started... I 'made up' prices, without any reason for them... 'oh, that sounds good'... and 'well, I'll make awesome profit on that'... kind of thing.

There was no method to my madness...

And then I attended a class in Baton Rouge with Babin 510 ... and he went over pricing structure, and how the cost of goods figures in to what you price... that kind of stuff.

It's the boring part of being a photographer...

But it's the difference between making it - and making money AT it.. and not.

I will tell you - based on what you said - 260 images in one session is a freaking lot of images.... get smarter on what your shooting...I did it... honestly... it costs me NOTHING to take 260 images...

well... except for the time it took for that long of a session... and the time to go through 260 images....

Session fees... are one of those 'eh'... things... some folks charge them (i do!) and some folks don't (why would I put a roadblock to them getting a session with me?)...

Check out the business section on the forum - there's LOTS Of pricing information in there!

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

It's the boring part of being a photographer...

we were talking about that yesterday. there is so much more to being a photography than the photography. catch 22 - small business owners have to be circus monkeys who are good at everything.

[Cajungaltx]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

we were talking about that yesterday. there is so much more to being a photography than the photography. catch 22 - small business owners have to be circus monkeys who are good at everything.

Yup... Vicki Tauffer - in my TPS class - said that when they started they spent like 95% time on photography... and 5% on business... now it's a total flip... she spends more time on the business than the photography... because that's what it is... it's the BUSINESS of photography...

[HotHolly]

i know. the creative side of me goes crazy sometimes with all the other crap we have to do. paper work, taxes, vendors, contracts, profit margins, advertising, web upkeep, evaluations, P&Ls, and on and on. most people arent good at everything. seriously, i need a genie. i HATE paperwork.

didnt mean to hijack the thread. but it kinda goes with the pricing stuff. the cost of goods sold should include all this other crap too. if it doesnt, at the end of the year your account will smack you in the head. you might as well be the philanthropist photographer.

PS - if anyone is aiming to be a philanthropist photographer please come do all my paperwork tomorrow. ;o)

[janikphoto]

The BEST way to figure out how much to charge is to find the answers to these three questions:

1. what is the least, most, and average amount of money that your demographic client will spend?
2. what do other photogs around your same skill level charge for a similar product/service?
3. What is your investment/overhead per day and what is the minimum amount of money you need to make to pay all your bills (survive)?

The answers to these questions will allow you to ballpark your fees, then you can adjust up or down from there as you book (or don't book) shoots.

[Cheermom]

I'm curious on this question as well. guess I need to go hit the business section. :) I have a standard price for my standard type of shoot, but when people ask me to do something different, I get kinda lost and don't know what to do or how to charge.
Some good feedback here though. :)

[ka5txl]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

PS - if anyone is aiming to be a philanthropist photographer please come do all my paperwork tomorrow. ;o)

Ok I'll do it I'll bring my shredder and be done in no time.