Hourly Pricing

<p> I recently shot an event that I agreed to do hourly pricing on. The event was 2 and 1/2 hours. With breakdown time shoot was 2 3/4 hours active on site time. I don't like hourly pricing and feel that I didn't price this event right, but now I'm stuck with it. The question is this: Do I invoice for a full 3 hours or for 2.75 hours? Advice? Best practices? </p>

<p>Did you bid hourly or did you bid by the minute? It is really pretty much based on the understanding and expectation you had. If you bill for 3 and they come back with 2.75, then you will know their expectation.</p>

<p>There is no rule, it is always about the understanding between the parties. </p>

I round to the hour, minimum of 4 . . . meaning, 1 hour will cost you the same as 4. I include costs, travel, post production on top of my hourly rate - unless otherwise agreed . . . Depending on what model you choose to use, your hourly rate must cover

your total costs and provide some profit. Nobody knows the details of your business, so no one can

really help you that much . . . I would encourage you to listen to the adorama video about pricing your

work. I've posted it a dozen times I'm pretty sure if you google adorama video photography pricing you'll

find it . . .

 

If you dont mind, what did you charge per hour, how did you figure out that number, and was it enough to

cover all of your costs and provide you with a profit? Please help this community by offering help to

those that help you . . .

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<p>Do I invoice for a full 3 hours or for 2.75 hours?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That depends on what your contract/terms and conditions say. If they say that you charge by the hour and that any part hour will be rounded up then charge for 3. If they don't then charge for 2.75.</p>

<p>The American Society of Magazine Photographers (now American Society of Media Photographers) used to say for every hour you spent taking photos you spend three hours doing something else related to the shoot. And you should bill to reflect this time. When you get your car fixed does the shop charge $60 an hour and pay the mechanic $20 an hour?<br>

Do you charge for travel time, expenses, waiting time, and so on? A plumber charges per hour even if he forgot his tools and has to go back for them, I am told. Billing per hour is not so hot, as you have figured out. It's hard not to sound overpriced but something like $22 an hour is the average wage in this country....times four equals....</p>

<p>I took the deposition of a neurosurgeon recently. He charged $600 per half-hour, or any part thereof, for his time. So 65 minutes costs the same $1800.00 as a full 90 minutes of his time. <br>

Maybe that is how you ought to calculate your bill. $x per half hour, or any part thereof. </p>

<p>Does a client care more on the final print (end results) regardless of the amount of time spent on the event shoot? Or is ... common (standard?) practice to quote in time intervals? (eg. an hour? or even 15 minutes or half hour intervals?)</p>

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