How much to charge?

[Hiyawaan]

Hi, I've been asked by a friend to shoot approx. 150 picture of clothes for a web shop. Thats would be 50 items by 3 shots each (front, back, 3/4). I've dialed my lighting setup in but each picture still requires touch up in post for tonal separation and correct color rendition. I used a model (friend) but am cropping off her head above the lips. How much does this kind of work usually go for? So far I've shot all the pictures, it took two 5 hours days in my "studio" and now I'm working on the post prod. Any input will be welcome.
Thanks in advance
Alex

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

You're probably looking at a week's work. What do you need to earn a week to live? I'd charge $1000 for it. You're in Greece, where the cost of living is probably a lot less than it is where I live, so do you're own calculations based on what you need to live a decent life and charge that.

 

[AncientCityPhoto]

$750 per day and $150 - $200 per final image for licensed commercial images used in sales is not uncommon for something like this in major markets. Also add in $300 for each day of the model and if you had a stylist, and cost of studio rental, etc... You can see we are already getting into a major bill here.

That is a lot of shots to prepare and deliver for use (and a lot of retouch work in general.) That retouch work alone would cost me almost $2000 if I had my retoucher work on the files. All the pricing should have been discussed before the work was done. I hope your friend wasn't thinking friendly discount of like $100 total.

At the end of the day, it is what it is. Charge what you feel is fair and worth your time.

Also, check out Shakodo.com
Its a community of professionals where you can research and discuss pricing for similar situations.

Edit: One more catch! If you use the numbers I posted at the top... that is around $24,600. I fail to mention anything about image quality. Those numbers attach to the assumption that the images are considered top notch commercial quality no different than any other high end retail catalog. Obviously price gets adjusted for level of work as well. Don't ever underestimate yourself, but also be aware of how your work stands in the market. Every one starts somewhere. So if your work is still gaining experience, the price point may need to be adjusted. I make no assumptions of your though!

 

[Hiyawaan]

Thanks for the speedy response, here's an image sample.

Chris, With all these damn austerity taxes we're paying here, it's not cheap at all.

AncientCityPhoto and Chris, Thanks for the responses, The Client want's it unreasonably cheap, unbelievable quick and amazingly good. He can pick two. I just got of the phone with him and he would like to either reshoot or on the next batch make a "ghost" maniquin, which would mean every shot becomes a composite, I can do it, but it takes more time and more money. But for some reason they believe that anybody with a camera can do this in two seconds? I'm having trouble valuing my worth.

Thoughts and comments appreciated.

 

[goamules]

I do a lot of contract work on a Time and Materials basis. Tell him what your hourly rate is (base it on how many hours you think it should take, if he were reasonable, and what your total should be). Determine before you begin (too late!) what the deliverables will be. That way, if things start to get piled on, he pays more.

 

[I Love Film]

You made three big mistakes already:

1) Not agreeing on a price before you did the work.

2) Not doing some sample shots for the client to approve and sign off on before shooting all.

3) Not getting it in writing.

I'm going to guess you'll end up with very little or nothing for this job.

 

[I Love Film]

PS: I'm not crazy about your model. You should have the client select and pay for the model.

My psychic sense thinks his client feels he should pay $2000 or less for the job. Probably MUCH less. This is a slow motion train wreck.

All you people who think he is going to get $24,000 for the job are in cloudcuckooland. I can see this situation clear as a book.

 

[AncientCityPhoto]

I do not "think" he is going to get 24,000 in any way...I think he is going to get $50 and a pat on the back from someone who is too cheap to appreciate how photography can make or break selling their product to people who can't actually see and hold the item in person. I know many people like this, many of my colleagues have gotten into the same situation. I also have people calling me all the time trying to get work like this. Its amazing the nerve some people have.

You would be surprised when you factor in expenses and time and everything that goes into a photoshoot how many photographers still work for what is equal to or well below their city's minimum wages. That is a set up for failure, not a career in photography.

I was just breaking down how many professional photographers in real commercial markets value work for this kind of use. And many clients that understand value are more than willing to pay this kind of thing.

Not only is this NOT this kind of situation...as has been said, the work is already shot, there is no contract, etc... This was set up from the beginning in a way for someone to get taken advantage of.

Number 1 rule... no contract, no deposit...no photographs taken. Second rule...no final payment no delivery of images.

 

[Fraser]

I would charge by time say £250 a day for how many days it takes you

 

[AncientCityPhoto]

"But for some reason they believe that anybody with a camera can do this in two seconds? I'm having trouble valuing my worth."

That is because anyone can take a basic photo in two seconds. Even cell phones can make a basic product shot. The difference comes in a real photographer that has vision for a product. Product shots are one thing, but the posing, the lighting, and even environment shots that place the product in a life setting involve vision. Getting people to see themselves wearing the clothing and relating to the company's vision is part of the image. The photographer must be able to convey emotion, style, desire, etc... in their photographs in accordance with what they company is trying to sell. This is where the value comes into place. And not everyone can just walk in with a camera and pull this off successfully.

 

[Hiyawaan]

Thanks for all the feed back. Let me clear some things up here cause I was a bit flustered when writing the first time and did not lay out all the facts. First, I did have a contract, second, the model was the clients wife and third, the client was there and signed off on all the pictures, I wanted to give him something else but he was insistent. He confided with me after day two that what he really wants to do is set up a studio in-house so one of his employees could take pictures as his merchandise come in, ghost mannequins of course, which he seemed confident anybody could do with photoshop in "2 minutes". I chuckled, told him hire a photographer. I was just wondering what these kind of product shots go for. It's nice to know that some where out there some photographers are making 20 G's but I wasn't expecting that for this job.

Once again, thanks everyone who chimed in. All the best for the holidays.

Kali Christouyena

AncientCityPhoto, thanks for the Shakodo.com info very helpful.

 

[Hiyawaan]

Oh I forgot, I got payed today.