Pricing Question: A Week of Headshots

Hi, all.

 

I know pricing is subjective. I know it's based on expertise, experience, location, etc. I get all that.

 

I have a simple question. If you were approached by a client who asked for the following, what would you charge them?

• 70 location headshots, spread out over a week (30 to 45 minute intervals between shoots)
  
• Monday through Friday
  
• Informal, "environmental" background (not studio)
  
• Window-lit look preferred
  
• Two delivered, lightly retouched images per headshot (two outfits) delivered via Dropbox
  

I'm interested to hear what you all think. Thanks!

Impossible to say with the information you've given.

 

What is the company's budget for the project? How big is the company? Are the photos going in an annual report or being used in an advertising campaign? Are you being given travel expense? Are the locations close to each other? Are you providing incidentals? Do each of the photos need to be decidedly different? How much time are you being given for each shoot? Can you reasonably make it to each shoot with only 30-45 minutes between shoots or do you need an assistant to set up the shots before you get there? Are you giving up all rights?

 

Personally, I don't think I would want to do 14 photo shoots a day with traveling between them included. Even at only 30 minutes per shoot, you're looking at a 14-18 hour day.

 

Lots to think about.

 

If I had to give a number based on my shooting and the virtually impossible schedule to make, I'd probably say $7,500 to 10,000.

Impossible to say with the information you've given.

 

What is the company's budget for the project? How big is the company? Are the photos going in an annual report or being used in an advertising campaign? Are you being given travel expense? Are the locations close to each other? Are you providing incidentals? Do each of the photos need to be decidedly different? How much time are you being given for each shoot? Can you reasonably make it to each shoot with only 30-45 minutes between shoots or do you need an assistant to set up the shots before you get there? Are you giving up all rights?

 

Personally, I don't think I would want to do 14 photo shoots a day with traveling between them included. Even at only 30 minutes per shoot, you're looking at a 14-18 hour day.

 

Lots to think about.

 

If I had to give a number based on my shooting and the virtually impossible schedule to make, I'd probably say $7,500 to 10,000.

 

That range is what I was thinking. $7K on the low end and $10K+ on the high end. Thanks for the feedback.

I agree that you need to supply more detail and also some clarification.

 

In addition to the questions Jerry asked:

 

> you've 70 head-shots (i.e.70 different people) and each will have two changes of clothes - or is it only 35 different people each with two head-shots - or something different ?

> there might be a variety of locations, but there might not be 70 different locations - how many locations?

> are the Subjects 'professional talent people' or 'day to day typical people'

 

The answers to these three questions go to two elements that are integral to how price: my TIME and (for want of a better way of putting it) PROFESSIONAL ENERGY expended.

 

The first (TIME) should be easily understood, obviously if the job is: 35 people and 2 changes of clothes for each; 5 locations; you might be shooting 7 people per day and each day is a separate location - that seems quite manageable, you'd be on location for let's say about 8~10 hours and you'd have a time slot for each person and that would provide a comfortable approx 40~60 camera time for each person. On the hand if 70 people; with two outfits each; and each at a different location - then those logistics are quite different.

 

The second point (PROFESSIONAL ENERGY) is a lot about the type of role you need to play as the Photographer: perhaps it is easiest to give a simple example. The majority of my work over 40 years has been Wedding Photography. In that time I have photographed fewer than ten 'professional talent people' and close to 1500 B&Gs who are 'day to day typical people'. My point being (the way I do Portraiture), working with 'professional talent people' is less demanding is so far as the communications is more direct and simple and there is much less nurturing and directing required. So, if for example these are 70 head-shots of pro models it will be (should be) easier to work 'with them as a team' than if you are directing and encouraging, for example, 70 Account Executives.

 

Certainly I am more toward being highly interactive, but no matter how you approach your work, and how interactive you are with your Subjects, I do think this is an important consideration for sustaining your creative stamina over a period of a week.

 

For example, at my peak level, I would not take on more than three full weddings on consecutive days: by day three I needed a day's rest I knew that could not perform day four, for eight hours at my best and to try to do that could have put my company in jeopardy.

 

On the other hand, I have sustained consecutive ten days working 14 hour shifts at (high level) international sporting events - but that does not involve directing and initiating responses in the talent - it just requires: mental alertness; stamina; quick reactions and focus, discipline, technical brains... etc.

 

***

 

Down to the bottom line question you ask – “How much?” –

 

I work in SYD AUS – which is a relatively expensive city, so you do the calculations that you deem necessary to convert to your cost of living and from AUS $ to your money.

 

My thinking is, that before any other considerations that may come from the answer to all questions you now have in front of you, is that you have to cover the cost of your wages (TIME) for the week; secondly you have to cover the cost of you wages (TIME) for all the pre and post production.

 

In simple terms, it appears this job would take me out of action for week where I must be single minded focussed and I cannot be FLEXIBLE and thus I cannot attend to other elements in my life, for two examples - either making money elsewhere or relaxing (like reading Photo.net, for example) - that week’s time has a value and I currently value that at around $8,000 to $12,000. So that would be my base.

 

I understand that a big range – but I look at it this way, pricing is also depended upon Client’s urgency and also my situation: here is another example which might better explain -

 

Tomorrow is Good Friday and I have a planned four days off over this Easter break and I will be traveling and enjoying myself: let’s say this Client wants to start the shoot next Monday – that means to do the gig I would have to rush today for the prep (probably doable) and cut my holiday short by one day to be on site, fully charged and ready to go on Monday morning – for that effort, there has to be a premium paid.

 

Then there is the pre-production and the post-production TIME which, depending upon how ‘flexible’ that time frame is, I would price it accordingly, and notionally at a rate less costly than the shooting time.

 

Then there are are all the other bits and pieces, which do add up: not the least of which are the USAGE RIGHTS.

 

Trust that helps.

 

WW

I agree that you need to supply more detail and also some clarification.

 

In addition to the questions Jerry asked:

 

> you've 70 head-shots (i.e.70 different people) and each will have two changes of clothes - or is it only 35 different people each with two head-shots - or something different ?

> there might be a variety of locations, but there might not be 70 different locations - how many locations?

> are the Subjects 'professional talent people' or 'day to day typical people'

 

The answers to these three questions go to two elements that are integral to how price: my TIME and (for want of a better way of putting it) PROFESSIONAL ENERGY expended.

 

The first (TIME) should be easily understood, obviously if the job is: 35 people and 2 changes of clothes for each; 5 locations; you might be shooting 7 people per day and each day is a separate location - that seems quite manageable, you'd be on location for let's say about 8~10 hours and you'd have a time slot for each person and that would provide a comfortable approx 40~60 camera time for each person. On the hand if 70 people; with two outfits each; and each at a different location - then those logistics are quite different.

 

The second point (PROFESSIONAL ENERGY) is a lot about the type of role you need to play as the Photographer: perhaps it is easiest to give a simple example. The majority of my work over 40 years has been Wedding Photography. In that time I have photographed fewer than ten 'professional talent people' and close to 1500 B&Gs who are 'day to day typical people'. My point being (the way I do Portraiture), working with 'professional talent people' is less demanding is so far as the communications is more direct and simple and there is much less nurturing and directing required. So, if for example these are 70 head-shots of pro models it will be (should be) easier to work 'with them as a team' than if you are directing and encouraging, for example, 70 Account Executives.

 

Certainly I am more toward being highly interactive, but no matter how you approach your work, and how interactive you are with your Subjects, I do think this is an important consideration for sustaining your creative stamina over a period of a week.

 

For example, at my peak level, I would not take on more than three full weddings on consecutive days: by day three I needed a day's rest I knew that could not perform day four, for eight hours at my best and to try to do that could have put my company in jeopardy.

 

On the other hand, I have sustained consecutive ten days working 14 hour shifts at (high level) international sporting events - but that does not involve directing and initiating responses in the talent - it just requires: mental alertness; stamina; quick reactions and focus, discipline, technical brains... etc.

 

***

 

Down to the bottom line question you ask – “How much?” –

 

I work in SYD AUS – which is a relatively expensive city, so you do the calculations that you deem necessary to convert to your cost of living and from AUS $ to your money.

 

My thinking is, that before any other considerations that may come from the answer to all questions you now have in front of you, is that you have to cover the cost of your wages (TIME) for the week; secondly you have to cover the cost of you wages (TIME) for all the pre and post production.

 

In simple terms, it appears this job would take me out of action for week where I must be single minded focussed and I cannot be FLEXIBLE and thus I cannot attend to other elements in my life, for two examples - either making money elsewhere or relaxing (like reading Photo.net, for example) - that week’s time has a value and I currently value that at around $8,000 to $12,000. So that would be my base.

 

I understand that a big range – but I look at it this way, pricing is also depended upon Client’s urgency and also my situation: here is another example which might better explain -

 

Tomorrow is Good Friday and I have a planned four days off over this Easter break and I will be traveling and enjoying myself: let’s say this Client wants to start the shoot next Monday – that means to do the gig I would have to rush today for the prep (probably doable) and cut my holiday short by one day to be on site, fully charged and ready to go on Monday morning – for that effort, there has to be a premium paid.

 

Then there is the pre-production and the post-production TIME which, depending upon how ‘flexible’ that time frame is, I would price it accordingly, and notionally at a rate less costly than the shooting time.

 

Then therae are all the other bits and pieces, which do ad up: not the least of which are the USAGE RIGHTS.

 

Trust that helps.

 

WW

 

Thanks for the in depth response. Very helpful.

Estimate the total number of hours you need to deliver the work, and multiply by your hourly rate. Quote a fixed price to the client, and spell out the number of images the client will be received, how the images will be delivered, and degree of postprocessing that will be applied. And spell out the delivery date.