what to charge for a very large print

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click

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A client of mine wants me to print a picture 10'x7'. I'll have to send it out because there's no way I can manage that plus I don't print color. I have no clue what's reasonable to charge for something like this? The image is for a 20'x20' wall in an office building and will be illuminated by a skylight, which is kinda cool. Sadly he wants it in color and it's definitely not the most interesting picture I've ever taken but I give the customer what they want. Okay enough babbling, what's a fair price for this?

Thank you for your insight,

Click
 
Or how about this: Decide what the image itself is worth, for the stated purpose; then add the printing cost plus some handling fee for your time and trouble in dealing with the printer.
 
I don't know yet the printing costs. I assume it will be at least $1000. I'm specifically wondering what others have sold large prints for so I can give a fair price for the client and me. While I like making a profit I also believe that I must be fair to my customers so they keep coming back and recommend me to others.
 
Click,

It might be tough to help without more info. Do you have a standard size/cost ratio for your work? If so, you could just run the ratio for 10'x7'. Another option is to apply a set upcharge to the cost of outsourcing--like 8x or 10x your cost to have the item printed.

One fellow I know who prints really large is Clyde Butcher, but that is limited edition, fine art, silver gelatin stuff. His 52"x100" (4.3'x8.3') prints start at about $17,000.
 
In the art world they calculate by square footage. Take that you would charge for an 8x10 and multiply it. If it seems like its too much, its easy to knock something off.
 
click said:
I don't know yet the printing costs. I assume it will be at least $1000. I'm specifically wondering what others have sold large prints for so I can give a fair price for the client and me. While I like making a profit I also believe that I must be fair to my customers so they keep coming back and recommend me to others.
Click to expand...

Well, I sure wouldn't quote a price without first getting the price for your costs! I mean, I wouldn't base it on what someone else says, because their cost might not be your cost. I like it that you are fair, but I would not like you to lose money.
 
Perhaps ask your printer if they know of any photographers who are more experienced in this field (they probably print for some) that can advise you.

Figuring out your cost and marking up from there is the obvious first step, though.

No one can fault you for at least recouping your costs -- and frankly, anyone who does is not a client worth hanging on to, anyway.
 
I have yet to quote a price to the client. I sent an email to a few large format printers and hopefully they'll reply quickly. Also I like the customers, they run a small company and are very decisive people who realize that advertising and photography are worth paying for. They hired me last year to reshoot their entire product line, later I did lots of arty stills for them then I shot a short movie and product transitions. We have discussed doing a full length documentary as well. These are certainly people of action so I don't want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs with an outrageous price for this picture.

Typically, I charge whatever I think is reasonable for a person to afford. In the area where I live the scope of inequality is great, there are very rich people and very poor and virtually no middle class. I charge the rich to the tune of the emporers new clothes and practically give away well done prints to people I know cannot afford it. As a marketing tool I believe that it's pivotal as a person I believe that everyone deserves at least one beautiful picture of themselves whether they can afford it or not.
 
There are several ways to print and mount it, and you have extra handling and transport costs, you have to supervise the installation... all of that and you have to charge for every part of that.

But then the creative fee really isn't a whole lot different from selling a small display print or another display usage. Go with the high range of the because it's big and the client thinks it's special.
 
Find the price you like and double it. Seriously.

While you are at it, consider what the print will look like enlarged to 10' x7' (120 x 84 inches). Starting from a 4x5 negative, that is 500 times enlargement (on an area basis). For a 35mm negative that is 7500 times. If you can get the print to look good at that enlargement, you are doing wonderfully.

Assuming that the viewer is far enough away, this becomes less important, but you said it was an indoor.
 
I'd suggest you get it drum scanned for a print that big.
Go through and work out all the individual costs including your time. Then add that to whatever you think you'll be happy with for a big image. If they are good client already don't risk over charging cos you don't want to upset them.

p.s. the 500 times enlargement thing is nonsense. You always talk linear enlargement with prints and that is 24 times. A print that big viewed at a sensible distance only requires between 75 and 150 dpi output. Just so long as your client understands that if they stand right next to it it won't be sharp like a normal print there won't be any problems.
Infact you should be able to get 200 ppi output at that size from a 5x4 neg if scanned on a highend drum. File will be huge and will cost to have done but it should be worth it.
 
I had a 10' x 8' image printed at 180dpi from a crop sensor dslr. I went with a fabric backed medium and the total printing cost was $1500. The printers optimized the image for me and the results were fairly good. It wasn't framed but the print is theoretically colorfast. It was part of a larger project but for that piece I installed it and billed them for triple the printing costs. As for what to charge your client... start high, it very easy to sell yourself short in these situations. For a piece that large I would think $5000 is a median price.
 
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