New photo business-looking for advice

[cheryl_lynn_madigan]

I am looking to start a small photo business out of my home, shooting either in

a studio in my home or on location. I want to focus on intimate portraits in a

photojournalistic style with a fine art feel, staying away from overly posed

"sears portrait" type of shots. My main interest subjectwise is family focused,

specifically children and pets. I want to present the sessions as relaxed and

fun, very personal, and I want to present the finished products as pieces of art

that are a lifetime investment. Quality of the finished product is very

important to me.

 

I am rather clueless as to pricing. I took a slew of photo classes but none on

the business aspect of it. I live in New Jersey, about an hour outside NYC. I am

not afraid to ask for a decent fee and prices for prints. I would rather charge

per sitting than per hour. I typically would use film (35mm and/or medium

format) and have it scanned, and I usually spend a good amount of time on a

photo in photoshop making it look good/unique etc. I print myself on my epson

2200, usually on premium luster paper.

 

 

Any tips, input etc would be really appreciated!! Thanks so much.

[art_haykin]

Assuming you have all the necessary photo skills, and are adept at gaining clients, then pricing will be your final challenge.

In nearly 40 years as a pro, I never had a printed fee schedule, but rather, I estimated each gig. Your purposed style of shooting will doubless be more time consuming than traditional work, so you must estimate all factors such as time spent shooting, travel, if required, film, processing, and computer time. Customers will seldom know exactly how many prints they'll want, and in what sizes, so time spent in sales must be considered. Other things to consider are albums, mounting matts, frames, etc., cancellations, failure to entirely please, resulting in re-shoots, and occasional deadbeats who will try to stiff you. You have to get local city and or county business permits, and secure the necessary insurance and an accountant. You'll need a good answering machine and reliable transportation. Considering everything in the way of fixed overhead and other costs, you MUST get a fee sufficient to cover everything and make you a modest profit even if they don't buy a single print. It happens, believe me.

 

Remember, shooting a single person, or a couple, or a family, or a pet, are all different things, so be advised. If you are dealing with the middleclasses, I'd say that a $200 sitting fee will do for starters if you can pull it off in 2 hours. You can always raise you prices. Add to that all other costs in terms of time and materials with a generous profit for your talent and labor.

In time, pricing will all fall into place.

Finally, make up an uncomplicated contract form and get it signed. Some shooters sell 8x10s for as little as $25.00, while others get more. You must decide if you are a 25 buck photographer,

or a 35 buck photographer, or a 50 buck photographer. Good luck.

[medina photography cherry]

Cheryl,

I have some comments to make, I am not the leading source on art so take it for what it is worth.

I looked at your website- I found it hard to navigate and found alot of the images to be very soft. I would only show your best work.

 

I read that you're a Photography Major- I don't know what they teach you in college, but here is my $0.02 worth.

 

If you want to shoot families in a PJ style, then try to find families that you could do that for ,for free perhaps to build your portfolio. I have found that it is easier to get someone to buy into your idea if you have some examples. People sem to have no vision. They go to the store to buy a frame, like the picture in the frame and want something like that and then go to sears or walmart and get a crappy picture in front of a boring backdrop.

So the burden is on us to show people what can be done.

 

Good luck.

 

Rob

[cheryl_lynn_madigan]

Thanks for your replies. I agree that my website is in need of help. I have a portfolio and a photoblog where I was posting pictures daily, but more snapshot quality over portfolio quality. I have had some trouble communicating with the person that designed my site and have been unable to really change things myself. That is an absolute priority. Once that has happened, I will be able to put up pictures related to the subjects I wish to concentrate on in the business.

 

I am no longer in school, so that needs to be updated as well.

 

again, thanks!