help with pricing a job......

kungfukid

kungfukid

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Name
Will
Edit My Images
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Hey Guys n Girls,

I have been contacted by a property developer to take exterior pictures of two commercial buildings.

I was contacted by email, the company is based in london and they need 20 pictures from a local site.

Does anyone have an idea of a good standard rate as I have never shoot buildings for commercial use.

I have only access to the 18mm end of my 18-70, would this be ok?

also should I think about lighting with flash (speedlights) or try HDR?

opinions very welcome.

Many thanks
Will
 
As has said above, i think they are expecting it for free!
 
"I need to gain valuable experiance by working with "clients" of course as I'm just starting out I cannot charge for my services however the printing will be done at cost price or I can supply your images on a cd for you to print as you wish."

I'd be expecting it for free or at nothing less than the price of prints (at cost) or the cost of a CD.
 
humm Shoot might be free, but the shots shouldn't be, as in here are 20 shots you decide which you want and it will cost you X per shot.

As to pricing the shots perhaps you can only do this if you knew the purpose of use, eg Putting your shot on all the bill boards may make it more expensive than the small pic in an internal doc.
 
Doh!
b****r I wonder how they found the site.... not posted it anywhere but here..

Well should I chance it......

Would £150 squid be about right?

Assuming they keep full right to the images.

(*hangs head....must update site*)
 
I will find out more info, any clarify that shoots refer to people photography..

My thinking goes london property firm must be loaded.... would love to try 300 not sure they would bite.

£150 = £7.50 per image sounds low
£300 = £15 per image (what I charge for a 8x10 at the mo)

what do you guys think?????
 
kungfukid said:
Doh!
b****r I wonder how they found the site.... not posted it anywhere but here..

Well should I chance it......

Would £150 squid be about right?

Assuming they keep full right to the images.

(*hangs head....must update site*)
Click to expand...

Hi, I know your site hasn't really gone live yet, but you do need to run the spell checker on it.
 
Even though it says "All photoshoots are free" you do not mention the cost of processing / supplying prints or a CD so you are well within your rights to charge a fair price for your work. It's no different from those places that bring you into the studio for a cheap / free photo shoot and then charge a fortune for prints.
 
I have been testing it to get it working with safari and yep my spelling is BAD!

so what about my idea on price?
 
Before quoting a price I'd check what the going rate is locally. If they want 20 images at £30 each plus 2 hours of time they'll be looking at £750 and will start shopping around to see if they can get a better deal. I'd lose 90% of my commercial clients if I started charging those kind of rates!
 
Just charge a day-rate + printing /cd burning costs.
Day-rate - £250 (if you're learning the trade)
Printing - £20
CD - £5

Keep it simple. Clients like to know where they stand without thinking about it too hard. As for 'free'...... If you don't value your work, no one else will.
 
kungfukid said:
Doh!
b****r I wonder how they found the site.... not posted it anywhere but here..
Click to expand...

Well I think then that goes to prove that this site is trawled by people looking for 'togs and or "cheap" images
Hmm good or bad?.................
 
I would agree a daily or hourly rate would be the best way forward. If the job is local to you, then I would quote £150 all in.

also should I think about lighting with flash (speedlights) or try HDR?
Click to expand...

Ask them what they want the pictures for. If they are wanting to use the photographs to sell the properties, you can't touch the pictures in any way, and even using a wangle can get you/them into trouble.

PS: get the 'work for free' off your website. You look desperate and that you have no confidence in yourself/ your own work to charge.
 
JumboBeef said:
Ask them what they want the pictures for. If they are wanting to use the photographs to sell the properties, you can't touch the pictures in any way, and even using a wangle can get you/them into trouble.
Click to expand...

This is a common misconception, you can edit and enhance shots of properties, you just can't mislead - ie remove a smoke stack from a factory that would spoil a view.

There's a whole industry growing up around this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2008/04/12/pestateagents112.xml
 
If you're going to take on 'professional' work then you should charge a pro rate. you're not doing yourself or other professional photographers any favours by giving work away. This company will expect the work for free - you've advertised that you will do photoshoots for free! How stupid is that?
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
Hi, I know your site hasn't really gone live yet, but you do need to run the spell checker on it.
Click to expand...
And the grammar checker.

Also, it's still saying "I work for free". It really should be your top top priority to get that clarified.

Now, if I were the client ... I would expect you to provide me with a CD of the images, for free. It says very clearly "I cannot charge for my services", and there is no suggestion that this is limited in any way to people or to any other specific subject matter. You've made an offer. They want to take you up on it. It's too late to start wriggling now. End of.
 
yep, you're advertising you work for nothing and supply images on a CD free. Only thing I'd suggest is calling them to see what they expect and if it's free tell them you're fully booked for the forseeable future.
 
dod said:
yep, you're advertising you work for nothing and supply images on a CD free. Only thing I'd suggest is calling them to see what they expect and if it's free tell them you're fully booked for the forseeable future.
Click to expand...

There's an old saying - 'The man who works for nothing will never be short of work'.

But remember, kfk, you don't have to accept the assignment. DO get your wording changed pronto!
 
I suppose a sly get-out would be low res images only on a CD? If you're trying to build a business though it's not a great idea to start welching out of offers on your first job!
 
Deffo get that wording changed.

The site looks very slick and welcoming. Don't sell yourself short though. If they want a job doing they want it doing well and you as a 'pro' photographer (which you are) WILL be able to provide that service. Most folk don't know jack about photography really and when you turn up with a bit of gear then they'll be like "check this fella out, he looks like he knows his stuff".

You have a skill so charge appropriately for it. Okay, so you want experience but it's still costing you time and money (you've bought your camera kit after all) so why not charge for it? Don't take the mickey but a half-decent 'pro' would charge at least £500 to do 20 shots and that's most probably being very generous.

Don't try to pull a fast one about the confusion surrounding the website wording*–*be honest, they'll appreciate that*– but talk to them and state that you need expenses and certain costs covering. Plus, assurance that the company will credit you in all publications featuring your images, plus their website.
 
Also, don't forget clients have long memories. If you are the guy they remember giving 'free photography' or however you word it now in 2008 - when they come back in 2 years time they will want the same deal. Not great if you plan to be in the photography business a long-time. I'd have a re-think about your site and pricing model.
 
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