Photos used.....how much should I charge?

[Marcellus]

I've just had about a dozen photos used to market a top end Ski Chalet and have been asked by the Management Company to send in a bill...how much should I charge?

[trackdemon]

Marcellus said:

I've just had about a dozen photos used to market a top end Ski Chalet and have been asked by the Management Company to send in a bill...how much should I charge?

What terms?

Repro, copyright, web, print, print run, size of images, period of use?

[Marcellus]

oh, being used on a web site varying sizes some 50 x 280mm (5 or 6) the rest 30 x 80mm but exploding up to about 120x120mm.

Probably be used for at least a year (or until I can get back and take some better ones)

I spent an afternoon taking them (c150 in total) dressing the chalet and then taking the photos. Uploaded them all to disc and then sent then to the chalet owner.

Edited by Marcellus on Friday 19th October 14:52

[Qoda]

Difficult answer as you do not say how the deal was put together in the first place.
Who approached whom, and on what basis?
1) There are no rules, except business rules.
As a pro, I would normally approach a potential client with an idea, and a price.
As a pro, if a potentuial client approaches me, I would quote off the back of a full spec.
As a pro, one is offering skill, experience, artistry and problem solving skills.
As an amateur, and giving pictures for consideration with no commitments I am exposed for the following reasons:
1) I have not made a professional approach
2) I am not offering any of the above features
3) I am offering a set of images.
Suggested interim solution:
Assumption: Chance of more business in future:
How long did it take to take the images
How long did it take to create the final product
What did it cost you for both of the above
How much do you charge for an hours labour
List it out, add it up and present it as a fully detailed invoice.
Offer a discount on the basis of getting future commissions.
Good Luck

[crmcatee]

here's as good as any estimator..

here

pity it doesn't have web as an option though

Edited by crmcatee on Friday 19th October 17:10

[GetCarter]

Probably best to ignore my business model.

I make up my charges as I go along according to the client. I often give my photos away free (as I like what people are doing), but if I smell a rat/see a big conglom, I'll screw them for as much as I can get.

I do the same with my music. Recently, a large car manufacturer paid me over 10,000% more than a charity for the same amount of work.

Bottom line; you set the charges. What's it worth to you? ...and why are you selling to them?

As I say, I'm probably the worst person here if you want marketing advice.

I'll get me coat.

[tog]

The NUJ has a list of recommended minimum rates for freelance photographers. It covers both commissioned material and stock photos.

[fluffnik]

GetCarter said:

Probably best to ignore my business model.

I make up my charges as I go along according to the client. I often give my photos away free (as I like what people are doing), but if I smell a rat/see a big conglom, I'll screw them for as much as I can get.

That's the best way IMO.

There's only so much money in any whole job, and your contribution is only so significant.

I always reckon it's better to do freebies than cheap - if you did to photos as a favour for the owner, tell the management co. and offer to do the rest of their portfolio at your usual rates...

[Meeja]

When I read the thread title, I was going to suggest that this was one for GetCarter to answer... then I saw you already had!

GetCarter said:

Probably best to ignore my business model

You think so?

GetCarter's Profile said:

Current Fleet

Land Rover Defender 90 CSW XS

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Volkswagen Mk V Golf R32

I would say that your business model is spot on Steve!

[GiorgioGT]

try and do a trade exchange.

once a year you go skiing and take some photos.

[crmcatee]

GetCarter said:

Recently, a large car manufacturer paid me over 10,000% more than a charity for the same amount of work.

I doff my hat to you sir.

[Marcellus]

GiorgioGT said:

try and do a trade exchange.

once a year you go skiing and take some photos.

In about a months time I'll be living only 10 miles from the Chalet so them offering me skiing wouldn't be worth anything!!

Thanks for all your thoughts and links...I'll have a play and submit a bill!!

I was considering doing them for free as I will be setting up a "management Compnay" myself out there in the Spring but the current Management might be about to drop the client so have asked me for a bill!!

[Marcellus]

The web site is now up and running;

www.chaletdecarlucci.com.

All of the photos used apart from the snowy ones are mine!!

[Andy M]

Marcellus said:

The web site is now up and running;

www.chaletdecarlucci.com

All of the photos used apart from the snowy ones are mine!!

They're good. They're not professional standard - I'm not trying to be unkind when I say this, as IMO they show real promise - and should be priced accordingly, but I think they definitely have value.

Have you approached them yet? If not, what's your current thinking as to how much you'll charge?

p.s. you need to get rid of the full-stop after the web address: www.chaletdecarlucci.com

[Marcellus]

thanks for pointing out the full stops............a habit I must get out of!!

As for charging, I'm back in the "trade exchange" thoughts again, being that I'm setting up the management company and that they're only "ok amateur" shots!!

On that note, how could I improve them to "near professional" are there any generic tips...we did all the room dressings ourselves as the chalet just had furniture!!

[Andy M]

I'm not sure that anybody here is an architecture photographer, so advice may be somewhat limited.

Firstly the basic stuff; make sure the horizon is always straight. Always use a tripod, and shoot at low ISO and a relatively small aperture (f11-f13). Make sure the white balance isn't of a tungsten bias (this can be done in post-processing).

If you're going advanced, most photographers who do shoot this kind of stuff either use larger format cameras (ideally 4x5 etc etc) and tilt-and-shift lenses, or tilt-and-shift lenses on full frame cameras. This may be going a bit OTT for what I suspect you need.

In future I'd consider using as distortion-free a lens as possible (nothing massively wide-angled), and stitching frames together to present one large photo.

Concerning lighting, a good flash which can be used off camera would probably be a good road to head down, using a couple of large white reflectors if you wanted to go a little more advanced.

There's loads of information on Google for this sort of stuff: http://www.google.com/search?q=architecture%20phot...

[Andy M]

Andy M said:

I'm not sure that anybody here is an architecture photographer, so advice may be somewhat limited.

Have just remembered that member Bacchus180 (Gary) has done some great architecture photography.

His site: http://www.illumiere.co.uk