Someone wants to buy a photo from me ... how much should I charge?

[uhligfd]

How much money do you need, Keith?

You have been living well without/before selling prints, right?

One more print is one more print, right? Won't make you rich or poor, right?

So charge her 20 something or the equivalent of one bottle of wine, sort of.

Be civil and do not think of professional prices of a Karsh or Ansel ...

But if you need the money badly, tell her you regularly sell hand prints for $ 2,000. By all means do that if, if you need the money that badly and are starving.

 

[Al Kaplan]

This wasn't an asignment. You shot it on your own. You own it.

She should be grateful that you were there, made the exposure, and didn't delete it. What would it have cost her to hire somebody for the event? $500? $1,000? More?

Certainly no less that $100 U.S. for an 8x10 "...but I can give you a break on multiple copies".

It has nothing at all to do with what Keith "needs". It's all about establishing a value on his prints and services. Charge $10 and all of her friends will be inviting "The Ten Dollar Photographer" to their parties on the off chance they might want a picture later.

 

[Brennotdan]

The larger issue is that it helps create, or perpetuate rather, a common perception of value for yourself and other photographers.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Ask for some nice bottles of wine

 

[George S.]

I think it matters how Keith got the photo. If he was a participant in the social function and just took his camera along to play around like all of us photonuts here do from time to time, that's one thing. Somewhat different is if he was there "on assignment" or actually considering himself "working". I know it doesn't change the end result, but I would charge more if it was known that I was there and "working" and someone asked for a print, and less if I was just there just enjoying myself having fun with my camera.

For the latter scenario, I'd charge an amount that would cover the cost of the print plus the cost of a couple of bottles of my favorite wine or a few of my favorite cigars and consider myself even. After all, I assume she's not reselling it or using it in her autobiography.

edit- I would also tell her that I was doing it as a "favor" to her and to please not tell everyone what she paid as my customary rate is much higher.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

This is a very old thread. 2007.

Keith- what did you end up doing?

 

[willie_901]

I would charge $50 for a non-exclusive 50 year license and add a printing charge at your cost. I would give them a medium resolution jpeg as well.You make your profit (using the term loosely) on the license.

I do all my sales this way. My creative (using the term loosely) fees and the printing fees are always separate. I tell customers this method is more transparent as I am under no pressure to sell them printing services they don't really want or need. But I do control the printing by selecting who makes the print. I always out-source printing. It's just too expensive time consuming and frustrating to do it myself.

 

[colker]

I would charge $50 for a non-exclusive 50 year license and add a printing charge at your cost. I would give them a medium resolution jpeg as well.You make your profit (using the term loosely) on the license.

I do all my sales this way. My creative (using the term loosely) fees and the printing fees are always separate. I tell customers this method is more transparent as I am under no pressure to sell them printing services they don't really want or need. But I do control the printing by selecting who makes the print. I always out-source printing. It's just too expensive time consuming and frustrating to do it myself.

you make a living out of 50 bucks a picture including rights? where do you operate, Sudan?

 

[colker]

I think it matters how Keith got the photo. If he was a participant in the social function and just took his camera along to play around like all of us photonuts here do from time to time, that's one thing. Somewhat different is if he was there "on assignment" or actually considering himself "working". I know it doesn't change the end result, but I would charge more if it was known that I was there and "working" and someone asked for a print, and less if I was just there just enjoying myself having fun with my camera.

For the latter scenario, I'd charge an amount that would cover the cost of the print plus the cost of a couple of bottles of my favorite wine or a few of my favorite cigars and consider myself even. After all, I assume she's not reselling it or using it in her autobiography.

edit- I would also tell her that I was doing it as a "favor" to her and to please not tell everyone what she paid as my customary rate is much higher.

less than 300... just give it away. srsly. it's depressing to watch someone sell a picture for less than 500 dollars.

 

[Sisyphus]

I sell my 8x10 prints for a minimum of $350 (Depending on the image), which includes matting; framing is a bit more. I charge more depending on the image and the size of the print. Some people may think that my prices are too high, but I feel it is a matter of principle given the amount of time and effort that it took me to capture some of these images.

I hope that is helpful,

:s:

 

[Keith]

This is a very old thread. 2007.

Keith- what did you end up doing?

My god it is an old thread .... and the story of that pic is interesting.

I did print out the photo on high quality Ilford Gold Silk and passed it on to a friend who works with the subject occasionally and handed it on to her.

I decided on fifty dollars, because after all it was just a casual snap taken at a social function, which apparently she was very happy with and said she would leave the money with my friend when she saw them again the following week. A week or so later she (the subject) and her partner left the state and relocated to another part of Australia ... with my photo of course and unpaid for of course!

Sigh ... my own fault of course for trusting others to do the right thing! 😛

 

[George S.]

less than 300... just give it away. srsly. it's depressing to watch someone sell a picture for less than 500 dollars.

You know.... you don't have to watch! 😀

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I used to shoot weddings as my present to the couple. Usually ones that were paying for it all themselves and did not have much money. I enjoyed it and they appreciated it.

 

[JohnTF]

Glad to hear you are taking it in the right way. Assume it was an oversight, am pretty sure I owe a few people a few bucks, and am sure a few owe me much more, not a bad balance sheet.

Agree with the concept of selling a fine print for a respectable price, or give it away.

Regards, John

 

[colker]

My god it is an old thread .... and the story of that pic is interesting.

I did print out the photo on high quality Ilford Gold Silk and passed it on to a friend who works with the subject occasionally and handed it on to her.

I decided on fifty dollars, because after all it was just a casual snap taken at a social function, which apparently she was very happy with and said she would leave the money with my friend when she saw them again the following week. A week or so later she (the subject) and her partner left the state and relocated to another part of Australia ... with my photo of course and unpaid for of course!

Sigh ... my own fault of course for trusting others to do the right thing! 😛

also your own fault to charge too low and make it too casual.
she wants to buy? she pays upfront. you give the pic, signed and numbered and she gives you money.
that's how it's being done for ages.
you did it different your own way.. and it all screwed up. you charged and were not paid.
next time, unless you do it conservatively and right, just give the photo away.

 

[colker]

You know.... you don't have to watch! 😀

yeah... amateurs.😀

 

[colker]

I sell my 8x10 prints for a minimum of $350 (Depending on the image), which includes matting; framing is a bit more. I charge more depending on the image and the size of the print. Some people may think that my prices are too high, but I feel it is a matter of principle given the amount of time and effort that it took me to capture some of these images.

I hope that is helpful,

:s:

that's a good price. a bit on the low side but still coherent w/ market prices.
good for you.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I used to shoot weddings as my present to the couple. Usually ones that were paying for it all themselves and did not have much money. I enjoyed it and they appreciated it.

Dear Brian,

YES!

Anyone who shoots a wedding otherwise, for less than $1000 or even $2000, is devaluing photography as a skill. But we all have friends who are short of money, and usually young, and pay for their own weddings.

One of my friends who was a professional wedding photographer used to have a range of packages starting at £1500 (call it $2,200) and going up to £5000 (call it $7,500). And she still got clients who wanted extras. I think she charged $10,000 once.

Likewise, give away 'happy snaps'. If you're as poor as they are (and if they're friends, they'll know) then by all means ask for payment for materials, if it's over (say) $25. Otherwise -- a present.

Something else I've taken to lately is, "It's a present, but make a contribution to your favourite charity. Mine are cancer and Greenpeace." Charity lays a trip on them; NAMING the charity lays a heavier trip.

Tashi delek,

R.

 

[JohnTF]

Dear Brian,

YES!

Anyone who shoots a wedding otherwise, for less than $1000 or even $2000, is devaluing photography as a skill. But we all have friends who are short of money, and usually young, and pay for their own weddings.

R.

Amazing how being well paid for a wedding helps my attitude and increases my patience. ;-) Am showing my age when I talk about studios paying $30/ day for their photographer to shoot a wedding, that is, if it went more than 12 hours.

I think Johnson was president, the Pound very high ($5?), Canadian TV played "God Save the Queen" every night, and it paid off my Rollei and Braun RL 515, plus I got a lot of very good experience. They sent me out on two weddings to shadow two of their regulars to find out if I could focus and adjust the diaphragm, shooting Verichrome to save money, then tossed the negatives. Nice to see some of my work in their studio windows during my brief tenure. Boss and wife looked at every proof, sent the bad ones back, and let me know what was wrong.



There are tons of people to shoot a wedding cheaply right now, bless automation and cheap digital. ;-)


One of the photos I posted in the Gallery happened to be a shot of a young man related to the Ambassador from S. Africa, he asked, and I gave him a 12x16 print, I was shooting for myself, testing a new film, Foma positive B&W in Prague. Skoda did a great job in the printing. I had gotten what I needed and they were nice people. I think I may have a print for your neighbor, from the old magazine days and the "postcard exchange" ?


Regards, John

 

[George S.]

yeah... amateurs.😀

Exactly why you shouldn't judge too harshly. We're talking about ONE photograph. That isn't going to make someone a professional. If he and you were both pros working the same neighborhood and he was charging $50, then and only then would you have a legitimate b*tch.