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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> Help with Pricing Please
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 06/04/2007 06:50:46 PM · #1
I've been asked to shoot about 20 to 25 family and friends, bride and groom shots after a small informal private wedding, I won't actually be shooting the wedding itself but I will be shooting family groups, some large after a private ceremony and some shots at a rather large reception, any help on shooting large groups and pricing would be much appreciated.

BTW this will all be shot with natural lighting and available light.

Thanks for any help or advice that anyone can give me.
 06/04/2007 06:58:01 PM · #2
shoot with a fill flash in almost every shot - that's my first advice - even in the blazing sun I'm shooting with fill flash.

Take the time you shoot - multiply it by 2.5 to allow time for processing - and multiply that by $75 - $100.

Are you selling prints or just handing over a CD? Factor that in - I charge more for the CD handing scenario.

Generally I don't want to do these gigs - so if the mother seems like she's going to be a pain - +25% - if the bride is cool and open to creative ideas on how to shoot - -15% Sorta like that. It has to be REALLY worth my time to do these.

If you LOVE this stuff, offer a discount just for the joy of shooting these lovely people.
 06/04/2007 07:19:31 PM · #3
Originally posted by digitalknight:
shoot with a fill flash in almost every shot - that's my first advice - even in the blazing sun I'm shooting with fill flash.

Take the time you shoot - multiply it by 2.5 to allow time for processing - and multiply that by $75 - $100.

Are you selling prints or just handing over a CD? Factor that in - I charge more for the CD handing scenario.

Generally I don't want to do these gigs - so if the mother seems like she's going to be a pain - +25% - if the bride is cool and open to creative ideas on how to shoot - -15% Sorta like that. It has to be REALLY worth my time to do these.
If you LOVE this stuff, offer a discount just for the joy of shooting these lovely people.



I would have to practice up using my flash, I do own a Sigma EF-500 DG ST but haven't used it very much.

I started off with just the cd senario but did mention that I could also do prints and that would be extra, factor in also that this is for someone that my wife works with whos son is the one getting married and also my first real paying shoot, I will be willing to compromise some on price for practice, good reveiws and advertisement via word of mouth.

Thanks for the advice.



Message edited by author 2007-06-04 19:21:14.
 06/04/2007 08:44:40 PM · #4
we just did our first "real" paying gig Saturday night. It was a 50th birthday party, semiformal. Party was held on a rooftop terrace overlooking the Washington Monument. Great backdrop. We were there to catch all the candid shots and some setup of family groups etc. My husband did all the planned shots and then candid, while I did all the candid shots and got the shots of him setting the large family shots up. Flash was a must, you have no time to make sure your settings are perfect with natural and avaliable lights.
We did this based on an hourly rate and turn over the cd pictures. We have weeded through the 400+ photos and got it down to about 250 really great shots. He is doing a quick crop, and converting them to jpg.

You will be surprised how many cards you will hand out. We have our fingers crossed for more bookings.

Be sure to ask whom ever is hiring you what is expected. What pictures do they want you to take. Get a list of names. The guest are sure to direct you to some must have pictures. I also checked where the little cameras were going off and got those pictures too.

We worked for about 4 hours and so far it has taken another 4 hours to post process, it will probably be 6 or 8 hours of post when finished.

We certainly under charged but this was a bigger risk for them than us because the only photos we could show them was purdy pictures.

I have to say after doing this type of event I will never ever shoot a wedding, too much structure in a wedding. I much prefer the freedom of the candid shots, people having fun.

We used our SB-800 on a stroboframe pro rl. Not overly please with the quality of the stroboframe it was a little wobbley but it held the flash about 12-18" above the camera.

Hint from me wear really comfortable shoes..

Message edited by author 2007-06-04 22:51:30.
 06/04/2007 08:51:58 PM · #5
This sounds like the same scenario that we gave the photographer for my wedding. He charged us $250, and then prints were extra, obviously.
 06/05/2007 12:22:52 AM · #6
Thanks guys, I appreciate the input and have already started working with my flash and still have time to perfect it before the shoot.

$250 was the initial price that came to mind and any prints would be extra, I can get my foot in the door that way and test the waters a bit, I already have another CF card on the way which will give me (2) 2 gig cards and a 1 gig card so I should be able to get plenty of shots, I'm picking up new rechargable batteries for my flash tomorrow, I know that a strobe frame was mentioned, is this a must for group shots or will the hotshoe flash be enough?

I also have two different diffusers for the flash, a softbox type and a plastic diffuser that snaps right over the flash.

Also if anyone can post any group shots that they have or links, that would be great and most appreciated, any advice or input that anyone else has would be greatly appreciated also.

I want to thank the folks that have already posted advice as well, You guys are awesome, Thanks again.
 06/07/2007 02:26:33 PM · #7
Digitalknight is right about the calculations for time. I originally quoted 100/hr...that was for me and my wife khdoss, shooting, with a minimum of 3 hrs. We ended up being there for 6hrs, I charged him 500.00. I also took a headshot w/background of the customer (attorney). This has turned out great and I think may bring more work. The headshot alone would normally be at least 200.00, closer to 500.00 in DC where we were. I have had to go through 500 pictures and weed them out, get them on a CD/slideshow type thing. We made no further arrangements for prints but I will present that option when I deliver the CD. I have easily spent another 5-6 hours prepping this CD.

Learn to use fill flash and slow synch at a slower shutter speed to capture the ambient light if possible. I was able to rely on Nikon's Creative Lighting system, (basically the flash controlled by the camera and this was pretty nice. I still have a whooooole bunch to learn about flash but I would not think of trying this without flash.

Good Luck!
 06/09/2007 03:59:02 PM · #8

We used our SB-800 on a stroboframe pro rl. Not overly please with the quality of the stroboframe it was a little wobbley but it held the flash about 12-18" above the camera.

Get yourself a small Chimera soft box that attaches to your flash - The quality is like using a proper soft box close up - Well worth the investment if you will be doing more of these things
Jeff
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