 Tammy Comer |
Session fees, anniv. party charges I have been working at getting my prices together for sometime. I've checked out the area market, etc. I think I'm set for the individual prices and packages. However, I am still stumped on the session fee! It seems like the session fees around here start at $30 and go up from there. I don't know how I can charge that low. I want to cover myself in case they don't order other pictures. I messed up a couple of times by letting the proofs go out the door. I did not charge a session fee, told them I would put it on their order. They never returned with the proofs. I lost money big time. Is it standard practice to cover your time, film cost, and developing cost? Also, how do you charge for an anniversary? My SIL asked if I would take pictures of all of her family at her parents 50th anniv. party. She had to go out of town and therefore we did not discuss fees. I made a list of the groups of families I thought she would want pictures of but on that day she had another list with twice the pictures. She also at the last minute asked if I would take pictures during the ceremony (renewal of vows) and openhouse. I was supposed to get there one hour before the openhouse and go to their home after the openhouse to take casual family pictures. I had a fee in mind but it was for two hours of work and less film. When she added more to the job, I didn't know what to do about the fee, so we are supposed to discuss it this week when she gets back in town again. I worked 4 1/2 hours and used 9 rolls of film. I have no idea what to charge. What I do know is that I will not take another job, family or not without giving them a paper with the fees. I love doing this and honestly my SIL supports me and wants me to be able to do it for a part-time income. I just can't keep doing it if I am going to lose money at it and it is very hard for me to discuss fees after I've already done the job. Looking for some good advice, please be kind. I know I kind of messed this one up. Tammy
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Danielle E. Rutter |
Tammy - it's a little hard for me to give advice because I use digital and I think a lot of other photographers do too, these days. Therefore, quite possibly, when they say the session fee is only $30 they don't have to take into account nearly as many things as you do. We just say... online proofing and if you want prints you gotta pay for it. So that's the biggest difference there. But because you are film and you are providing proofs, I think you have every right to make sure your session fee covers those costs. I would also recommend that upon doing the photos you have them sign something that says that they can't run away with the proofs or they legally owe you such and such an amount of money (only said in a much more professional tone). Give them a time limit to how long they can keep them or some such thing. I also think you have every right to charge you SIL more. She changed the workload so you changed the price. In any other situation, the customer would then have to pay more. Your quote was directly proportional to the amount of work she said you'd have to do. Seems fair to me if you up it. Granted this is all from somebody who has never really shot film (professionally) but it's just my two cents.
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