Assisting Day Rate inculde 2nd Shooting?

For those of you currently assisting or who hire assistants that second shoot,

is this included in the standard day rate or do you bill differently for this?

Also, do you bill per day/half-day or hourly?<p>

 

The commercial photographers I've been assisting pay day or half-day rates and

I've been told that typical shooting rates for event type shooting is $150/hr. I

may be wrong in that $150/hr is what a photographer would charge a commercial

client rather than what an assistant would charge a studio.<p>

 

I'm specifically asking about when an assistant has his/her own equipment and

provides salable images <i>in addition to</i> the standard assistant's services.

If other circumstances apply (using studio's equipment) then maybe fees would be

different?

Sorry, off topic but if anyone is looking for an assistant in the Houston area I am available and eager for work. (Is a separate thread advertising this appropriate?)

The rate depends on the market. Typical rates here (hudson valley, NY) are $300-$400 per day for assisting and shooting/second shooting.

 

However, I will add a qualifier here. With all the digital wonders who get a consumer DSLR who suddenly think they can be part time wedding photographers for $300 a day, the market is becoming saturated with wedding "professionals." Some of this work is good and some of it is not, but brides ARE price conscious.

 

As a result, the photographers who use assistants are becoming more selective and are less eager to allow second shooters or assistants use any shots to build portfolios and are starting to sign contracts with assistants with no competition clauses.

Michael - I usually pay between $100-$125 for an assistant only. 2nd shooting is usually $30-$60/hour depending on how skilled the person is...

 

conrad

A number of the wedding pros around here who hire "second shooters" are requiring "non-competition" contracts.

 

While I might consider picking up some extra work during slower parts of the year, I wouldn't ever give up my personal business to be someone elses lackey at this point in my career.

Commercial rates are VERY different from private rates. A commercial photographer is

paid higher because he typically works on a work-for-hire basis; at the very least, the

client will be using the images in a commercial way, making profit.

 

Private work would be portraits, weddings, or any event where the photographer retains

the copyright and might even be selling reprints (such as at a corporate Christmas party).

 

Private assistants typically get paid anywhere from $10/hour, to $300/day, just to assist.

Second shooters are often paid on the same scale, but may make quite a bit more

depending on their level of involvement, and the amount of responsibility they have. A

half-day rate would be in the range of $200 - $500, and a full-day rate in the range of

$300 - $1000, depending on your market, they type of job, and whether or not it's a

work-for-hire contract.

 

If your employer/contracter is providing your equipment, you may expect a severe

decrease in your pay.

$150/hr. is more than I would expect to pay, but only by about $130/hr. ;-)

 

Still, if you can get that much, kudos to ya.

Geez... I need a raise... or go "pro"

Hey Michael,

 

I've made 250 for a full day assisting on a commercial shoot in arkansas. I've also made 35/

assignment for newspapers (which translates to 35 for an hour, 2 hours max). But in las

vegas, I've run into 10-20/hour to assist and 2nd shoot, depending on the wedding budget

or studio.

Man, I should probably start advertising for second shooters!

 

If I could get a second shooter at a wedding for $10 an hour, I would consider that cheap insurance. Especially if they had half a brain and knew something about photography.

An assistant for 8 hours at $10/hr would be less than my statics expenses for shooting a typical wedding (not including equipment rental costs). <p> Houston doesn't have much of a commercial photography industry so day rates average about $150. I think the highest charging assistant in Houston makes $250 a day. My rate is somewhere in between those two numbers and would not expect as much from private jobs. I still need to expand my client base to stabilise my income and since most of the commercial guys shoot on weekdays I am usually free on weekends. <p> No compete contracts don't completely make sense to me. I understand not wanting to support the competition but isn't it always good to have contacts with other shooters so if you fall ill before a wedding you can contract the job out?

oh I agree ... 10 an hour is like what, 3 dollars after taxes? And there's gas and sometimes

parking ... I wish I could make a living doing it full time. I think 20 is more than fair as a

backup shooter, but I don't rent additional equipment. I use the basics that I have - and it's

pretty basic.

I know of no commercial shooter that works on a work-for-hire agreement. Even when they shoot large advertising jobs they license the images. They do not transfer copy right. Commercial shooters are generally on top of IP issues better than wedding shooters, because of the variety of clients they get.

 

There are some newspapers and news agencies that have contracts that require a transfer of copy right, but that isn't work-for-hire either.

Michael,

 

I'm primarily a wedding and portrait shooter here in Florida.

 

I pay $12 per hour for an assistant here in Florida for weddings. For shorter gigs, it's more to make the time worth their while. Assistants help with carrying bags, setting up and breaking down equipment, and being gophers. They do not second shoot for me. A typical day is 8 hours, and I'll generally include an extra $20 in their check if they do a great job. Most assistants take the work for the experience.

 

Second shooters are responsible mainly for shooting, but have light assisting responsibilties as well, usually during any formals. I pay roughly $40 per hour. A typical 6 hour wedding would pay $250.00. My rules are really simple. It's a written work for hire agreement, your photos are captured as a contractor for my studio, therefore I own copyright. However, I allow my second shooters to display any key images in their print and album portfolio, but not online unless I grant them special permission. They may use the images in their blogs if they note they caprured the images while working for me.

 

For commercial work, I bill for my asistant seperately, usually at a rate about 50% more than I'm paying them because of overhead and logistics involved. I have one talented and knowledgeable photographer that I use as an assistant from time to time, and he gets $500 for the day. Normal assistants on a full day gig get about $300 for commercial shoots.

 

Hope this helps,

Chris