| Author | Thread |
|
|
10/12/2004 04:34:09 PM · #1 |
| Ok guys I need some advise on a shoot that I am going to do. I love portrait photography but I am not very experienced in it. I would be doing it for my friends sister and her baby. Now my situation is I dont have any professional ($500) lighting systems however from reading popular photography and other magazines I have found more round the house items to make soft light and reflectors. So while my images should turn out great I am hesitant on what I should charge. Being that I am just getting into this and that we are friends, do you think that should have an impact on pricing? And as far as a package goes I was thinking 2 8x10s, 2 5x7's, and like 4-6 4x5's what do you think? |
|
|
|
10/12/2004 04:49:43 PM · #2 |
Message edited by author 2004-10-20 02:33:51. |
|
|
|
10/12/2004 04:56:20 PM · #3 |
If I need practice in a certain field of photography, I don't charge.
It's a learning curve and anyone who is stupid enough to ask me to take photos, gets them for free at first.
As you state you are just getting into it, put it down to a lesson and just say, give me a drink...a few beers etc. You will enjoy it and you can always go back at a later date and take some great semi-pro shots and charge for them. |
|
|
|
10/12/2004 05:25:07 PM · #4 |
The most that I would charge during the learning phase is the COST of your paper or any processing done at a lab.
I also don't think the cost of your equipment drives the price. You could have many of thousands of dollars in lighting equipment and still stink or you could have nothing but a reflector and deliver amazing results. I think you charge based on demand for your photographic time and the quality of your results.
|
|
|
|
10/12/2004 05:35:06 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by Formerlee:
If I need practice in a certain field of photography, I don't charge.
It's a learning curve and anyone who is stupid enough to ask me to take photos, gets them for free at first.
As you state you are just getting into it, put it down to a lesson and just say, give me a drink...a few beers etc. You will enjoy it and you can always go back at a later date and take some great semi-pro shots and charge for them. |
I agree whole-heartedly. Especially if you are working with new lighting equipment, I wouldn't charge. Lighting portraits can be trickly. Factors like where you set up, what the natural light conditions are, how much space you have in the room, etc, can have a big impact on your light settings. You might want to wait to charge until you get the hang of your equipment.
On the few occasions that I have shot friends and charged them, I only asked them to cover my cost for materials. Good luck. Please post the results and let us know what kind of equipment you used. Thanks! |
|
|
|
10/12/2004 05:41:02 PM · #6 |
I believe that you can't charge over and above your overhead if you're not using professional equipment and are just starting out with little experience.
How I did it in the past was give them the disc of negatives for ZILCH. They can do their own printing and the entire thing literally costs them nothing (until they get the photos printed that is). I still do that most of the time, clients love it once I explain how much I'll charge for my time to get their stuff printed.
:-) |
|
|
|
10/12/2004 05:51:50 PM · #7 |
I agree with what's been said about the charge, but would like to add that maybe you should ask her how many and what size prints she wants. That's a great way to gage what people want and satisfying your customer.
Best of luck and let us know how it goes :)
|
|
|
|
10/13/2004 08:05:14 AM · #8 |
Sounds good. Of course I dont have a problem with not charging, but you do understand why I brought it up. I want to appear professional and eventually become professional. Based on the work I have done with the work of local companies I can tell you I do at least as god of a job if not better. Of course a lot of this comes from the time I spend editing the photos themselves, which is something I dont think they do much if at all. Well anyway thanks for the advice, I think Im going to go at cost on this one at least.
p.s. You can get a high quality tungsten or strobe for 500 and a tungsten and 2 strobes for a grand. |
|
|
|
10/13/2004 09:45:25 AM · #9 |
I'm lucky enough to have a fancy lighting system but I have to tell you doing babies -- simple window light is the best. It's soft on that perfect skin and it's free. (best of all) I took this one with nothing but window light.
Take a look at where you'll be shooting and see if you can't make the windows work for you. |
|
|
|
10/13/2004 02:59:22 PM · #10 |
| thanks for the suggestion. I get the impression you want deep shadows when photographing babies, it really seems to add to the picture. But really Im probably going to get the best shot by just following the litle guy around. |
|
|
|
10/13/2004 03:21:55 PM · #11 |
| Absolutely right about natural (window) light. It's natural. It's what studio lighting constantly strives to be..it's what we gauge all light against, how can anything else be better? ;-) |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Prints! -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/24/2024 01:24:27 PM EDT.
