Professional Photography Proposal

I am a relatively new freelance photographer, and have been asked to

submit a photography proposal for a web and print-based ad campaign

that will involve architectural and model photography, with travel to

various regional locations. My initial interview with the company was

positive--and they already have my day rates. (Which I based on what I

learned from reading the business forum here.) I'm looking for

examples of proposals, so I can make sure I'm giving them the

information they expect in a format that is easy to understand.

Make sure you put down your day rate, how many days it will take to complete the job + expenses (mileage, ect) and seperate the "fee" from the actual "product" you will be giving them. (prints, cd, ect.) that way you will only have to charge taxes on the prints instead of the whole thing. I'd love to see an example of a proper proposal myself! :)

I think that if you join the ASMP, and probably some other photo organizations they send you forms and paper work right away. In the ASMP paperwork is a very good proposal outline.

 

I have a simplified proposal outline, I don't have it handy though, sorry.

 

Off the top of my head, it starts with a shooting fee, based on usage, that is, for web and print. It could be in day rate, or it could just be a number. This is the base number that they will use to compare your service to others, if there are others. If the bid is not competitive, that it, the job is yours, it gets simpler.

 

Then I break down the expenses, materials, props, and travel costs.

 

weigh your expenses towards materials, props, and assistants, keep your day rate and travel costs fair and you'll look better than the rest.

 

I'm sorry I can't post more, someone here should be of more help, if not, go look at the ASMP.

 

David: Are you related to the folk singer? I'm a David Massengill fan.

Hi guys/gal;

 

David, I trust my question was not forward, you obviously don't have to answer if you don't care to.

 

I took a moment to dig up one of my old estimates, I haven't done an estimate in over a year, and the one I dug up is a little sparce, but it might be of help.

 

You might also look at the PDN website, they have two good articles on doing estimates.

 

My layout for a simple job looks like this:

 

My letterhead

 

Addressed to and dated

 

Description: lists the scope of the job, the number of locations and the usage.

 

Proceedure: (optional) tells how the shoot will be handled. Mostly a promotion for me, tells that the studio will be ready or that my assists (crew) will arrive early, first shot one hour, additional shots one half hour, end at 6:PM. Client and art director on the shoot. Might go into digital proceedure, these days. Might include scouting or premeetings.

 

Schedule: (optional) about the same as proceedure, I list it either as proceedure or schedule, important if you're shooting a group of execs or models, to put in writing how they should be scheduled and perhaps what they should wear.

 

Fees and materials: Start with the materials, such as film or equip rentals, then fees such as assistants, and then travel (I don't travel much, I'd knock off most of the assistant's travel fees and move it to his or her day rate. Clients don't blink so much at assistants day rates as long as they are half or less than yours.)And then all the fees associated with producing the job, such as proofs, emailing images and burning CDs. Also note that messenger service is to be paid by the client. Then I note that if the job has been explained correctly that I will never bill at more than 10% of this estimate, good for 60 days. See terms below.

 

Terms: A standard, but tweaked note of services and what's fair, basically the legal contract. Covers payment, cancelations, and blown shoots. Have a place for the client to sign and add a PO#, and have that faxed back to you as a job confirmation.

 

Layouts: A seperate page of thumbnail sketches and ideas that the art director can keep or discard depending on local politics.

 

That's basically it, keep in mind that estimates have to done easily and quickly because it is a cost of doing business. But if the job changes on day one, I'll go back to the studio and re-type the proposal for the next day and have it signed.

 

This is my personal proposal/estimate outline, it's based on other professional proposals but has been tweaked over the years to meet my needs and experience. Using the ASMP proposal forms is a great ideas for someone starting out if only because in a competitive bid, yours will be comparable to others who have perhaps sent in the same form. Puts you on a pro level.

 

Good luck!

I forgot my shooting fees !!!!!

 

Sometimes I list that seperately, as a "shooting fee" or a "creative fee" before the fees and materials. It can be day rate or per shot, keep in mind that your "rates' are not written in stone, your rates should vary depending on the usage.

 

The practical exception is to ad agencies who want to know a day rate so that they can budget projects without having to call you in each time.

 

 

The shooting fee is what they'll be looking at to compare you to other photogs. That's why I keep it fair and push my profits in the other areas.

 

Sometimes I include the shooting fee under fees and materials, right at the beginning.

 

I'm sorry if my info is scattered or incomplete, I'm very busy, but I wanted to help.

 

Now a days there is often a digital processing fee, there's a better word for it, I forget, but I usually push that over to my assistant's fees by booking them for an extra day. Photogs try to get their full fees for processing but I an not sucessful at that.

 

Good luck!

I spend 45 minutes thinking, considering, and spilling my guts, albeit scattered and of questionable pertinance, but no response?

 

Well, that figures. I was trying to help, spent my own valuble time to what I thought would be the betterment of others and a base for valuble discussion, but again, the Internet proves itself to be an overrated and irrelevent medium.

 

Thank God I don't base my own self worth and reality on people I can't see.

 

Or is it just that I babble on too much and don't have anything to say?

 

Sorry, nothing personal against you, it's just a minor irritation. Nothing new here, let's just move along.

John,

Hey. No I don't believe i'm related to the folk singer, but I know who you're talking about. Every time someone types my name in on Google, they have to sift through about 10 pages to find ME! haha. We are from the same area, and there are two different Massengill families (the rich ones and the poor ones) Guess which part i'm in, hehe. But anyway, yeah i'm sure we're related down the line somewhere, I just don't know the guy. Pretty cool to be semi-famous for something other than a douche:)

Thanks for the replies. I actually do own an ASMP book (a few years out of date) and I wound up using some of it, but also using some other tips on "business proposals" I found on the web.

 

In a nutshell: I kept things short and sweet, but felt strongly about submitting a proposal that marketed my photography and understanding of the client, not just a bare bones cost estimate. I used the subject headings "Objective" (described the work--for whom, target audience etc) "Planchet Photography" (described my experience, how I work--basically my photographer's statement) and "Scope of Work" where I described the work to be done in detail--how many photos, of what and what the usages would be and for how long. Then came the estimate, and a page of copyright arrangements, usages, kill fees etc (taken from ASMP book.)

 

The comments about putting "creative fee" a little lower than the competition but tweaking the prices of other estimated costs sounds reasonable... however, I had to have the proposal in the client's hands before that was posted. I'll have to remember that next time. Even not knowing that technique, and making up a proposal form based on only some of the comments--I'm happy to say, I got the job anyway!!! Yippee! Thanks to all for the advice. Oh, and they did negiotate the price down even though I won the bid... rather than give them all the same services for less money, we agreed some of the post production work would fall to their graphic designers.

john...

man, don't be so impatient. It takes time for people to answer these things. thanks for putting your information up and I know I'll defenately use it, but don't be so uptight. Ya never know what's happening on the other side of the net. It may take some time for people to get to the site.

<p>6 years later and this was helpful to me. I am going to do one tomorrow so if anyone else has any input I will gladly take it.<br>

<br />Thanks</p>

<p>Thank You all for posting this info. I have already done a business proposal for a grant but now they want me on a phone call to present it. Its hard to forecast out 2 years and predict customers when you are just starting out.<br>

BTW: what is the normal hourly rate for a photographer alone minus expenses? $100-300 per hour?<br>

I am not a professional so consider me as a start up learner. Great at photography but not so great doing it as a business.<br>

So much to do with little time.<br>

Mikel Gunn</p>

 

<p>On a large job you might want to consider 'milestones', so you are getting paid along the way and don't have to wait for everything to be submitted before invoicing. <br>

For example - third in advance, third upon finishing photography, third upon completion of post production. </p>