Bid for Service : Phographing new city hospital?

Olympus 12-45mm /f4.0 Pro

11/16/2009 10:24:25 AM · #1

Good morning all,

I have recently received a request for a bid to perform photography services for my town's new multi-million dollar Hospital. They are requesting all in all a total of 170 images, ranging from mainly interior shots to 10 exterior shots. The pictures will be used anywhere from low-resolution websites to high res applications in brochures, newspapers, posters, tradeshows backdrops, etc.

They will receive a disk of high-resolution images fully edited with no watermarks, etc. The clinic will retain the copyright to all of the images taken under the contract.

I do my photography business on the side of my regular 7-5 day job as a network administrator, but my business is competing head to head nicely compared to the competition that has been in town for years. I believe this to be a great chance to get my name out to the part of the community that has yet to use my services, but I also do not want to undercut myself, or competing firms. In the same light, I do not want to overcut them and lose the bid due to this reason.

I have thought about comparing my prices to a full days of service that I get paid for a wedding, which my package price w/ CD involved is $2,800.

Thoughts / comments?

Thanks so much in advance!

AJSullivan

11/16/2009 10:44:16 AM · #2

I would up them a lot more since you are giving away the copyright, meaning that you can't use these images after you've given them to the hospital.

OdysseyF22

Panasonic DC-G9

11/16/2009 11:06:10 AM · #3

Originally posted by AJSullivan:

I would up them a lot more since you are giving away the copyright, meaning that you can't use these images after you've given them to the hospital.

He's right. Buying the copyright will cost them much, much more. I'm thinking that $5000 might be a good starting point. You have to keep in mind that with the copyright, they won't have to pay for any licensing...ever. So figure that they'll use your images for years, in all manner of publications. Selling them the copyright gives them the ability to do this, but you still need to be compensated for all the use they'll get out of it, hence the high price.

AJSullivan

11/16/2009 11:11:59 AM · #4

Don't feel you need to be the lowest guy either. In bid situations, the midrange guy takes the cake for the most part.

Also, remember that its a hospital....a place that will charge you $10k for an over night stay...they can afford it.

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

11/16/2009 11:21:05 AM · #5

it all depends on your market and what they have budgeted. in reality, this is more of a $20,000 - $30,000 job, if done properly. not only are you going to have a shot list, you are going to have to scope out how each shot is going to be executed. your may wind up with multiple scouting trips. you are going to have to plan for all types of lighting and lighting compensation. you may need multiple assistants. you may need multiple days, especially considering time of day, weather, let alone availability of people or the need for lack of people. if you are shooting night shots, you are going to need coordinating which lights are on and which ones are off.

this is real work, and there are a lot of variables involved. this is nowhere near the same thing as shooting 800+ images during the course of a 4+ hour wedding gig in order to have a couple hundred images for the bride to choose from. it is going to take serious planning in order to meet their expectations.

unless, that is, they're just looking to spend 3K and have you run around snap-shooting everything on the list during the course of one day ;-)

AJSullivan

11/16/2009 11:29:19 AM · #6

Yeah, when I read the title, first thing that came to mind for me was "Bucket Truck" to get those nice angles. Add a nice long exposure night shot on your shot list too.

11/17/2009 12:58:03 AM · #7

you all as always have given me some great pointers, and great information. I really do appreciate it!

If you all can think of anything else that would be of great help, please do tell!

Skip, it's always a pleasure hearing your insight, you really opened my eyes to quite a bit I was overlooking. Thank you:)

Tez

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/17/2009 02:04:06 AM · #8

up your price. You're losing the copyright which is of paramount importance. If you want to licence a photo from an agency, it's gonna cost money for 3 months, then again for another 3 months, then again, and onward until they decide not to use it anymore or just buy the whole image.

I can tell you that to buy an image from an agency like Getty or Corbis or AP sometimes runs over $65,000. The amount swings either way depending on what it is.

Don't be afraid to play hard ball with these guys or to give them a fair price. Personally, for the work involved and the scale of the job, $2800 is nothing. This isn't a wedding.

smardaz

11/17/2009 02:11:48 AM · #9

I'm confused by the title, does "phographing" have something to do do with mapping a bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup?

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

11/17/2009 11:01:27 AM · #10

sent you an email, jon. good luck!

11/19/2009 10:25:18 AM · #11

smardaz, my other issue is being able to spell correctly ;)

skip: very much appreciated!!!

Simms

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

11/19/2009 03:51:17 PM · #12

Hello stranger!!