darrenbeattyphotography Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Hello all! I have always recieved such great feedback about things along the way, however, I have an issue. I have taken a few night shots for a real estate company, and they love the proofs. THey want to purchase them, and I made one a 6' wide panorama. Obviously i have some post processing time involved, but I dont mind, since this is my first gig aside from motorsports. Can I ask any of you to post your opinion on the price I should charge? He is ready to buy, but I dont want to ask too low or high. This is a condo, on the water here in Tacoma, Washington (Browns Point). I would appreciate any quick feedback asap! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 So much depends on market and all. I would think a single 6' pano would be worth at least $1500 or more, and I'd probably charge $2500 or so. But I would also nicely mount and frame it. You might add a couple hundred dollars to the cost, but you can often get more for a well presented image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenbeattyphotography Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 Michael, thank you for your quick response. I never thought to finish the product for him and present it. I was going to make a private gallery, for his photos (smugmug), and then give the CD of the final product to him so that he could always make more, later. I know the final price will be much lower than 1500. I have given away images so long, for free, it has even been hard to charge 50 dollars for a dozen personalized race photos. But I would think that this would be worth at least 100 dollars in its digital form. Just trying to see what you all think. If nothing more, I would charge more to finalize the panorama for him, and present it. Good thinking Michael. Much appreciated :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Michael Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Telephone studios / commercial photographers in the closest Capital or Large City to you and ask: `how much for a 6 feet panorama, shot on location of subject `XXX` and supply the print. Be sure to ask what equipment will be used Average three which are in concert with your gear and your operation, and then add 15%. I think that will be more reflective of your area and market, than me mentioning for us to shoot and supply would be around AUS$2,800 to $3,400, based upon a 2 hour call, on location, and we would shoot it on 4 x 5. WW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy_santos Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Your post says "Help with Prices" and yet it seems you can't wait to give it away as fast as you can. You're going to give him the image on CD so he can make as many copies as he wants? Why don't you just give him your cars keys too, and your checkbook? Charge him for it! Even if you see no value in your work he obviously does or he would want to make such a large print. Even to license the file for one time reproduction you can typically get more than the $1500 mentioned. Stand up for yourself for God Sake. Understand the value of your work. There is nothing wrong for being compensated properly for your work, You asked for opinions and that's mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenbeattyphotography Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 Hello Randy, I appreciate your feedback. I understand and am glad for your response. I spoke with my sister (a long time artist and part time "gig" work for a large card company) she said the worst thing she did as someone going pro was to charge too little for the work at the beginning. The only reason why I wanted to know as soon as possible was so that I could reply with an email promptly. I replied that I would give him the images on CD so that he could use the images over and over again in pamphlets etc. but I am not "releasing them." My watermark is still in the bottom right of the picture. As I stated, this is my first work in this area, and price isnt as much an issue as it is making a sale, a happy customer, a returning customer, and something nice to start out my 08 portfolio. I especially understand your last comment. Nothing worse than giving work away for so long, that you're not respected, and it also downgrades other photographers work and price compensation by doing so. Thanks again for your opinions. I went with $300 dollars since I was only on site for 2 hours, and spent 3 hours at the computer processing etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenbeattyphotography Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 Randy i should have gone higher. He accepted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenbeattyphotography Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 I should say that I was mostly having a little fun above. It was a good starting point in my humble ol opinion. THanks for the help guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qtluong Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Of course he accepted. No professional would ever take such an assignment ("I have taken a few night shots for a real estate company") at this price. If you are going into the photography business, that's a bad starting point in my humble opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenbeattyphotography Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 Quang, everyone starts somewhere. I'm sure your jobs went from free to 1,500 dollars overnight? Probably not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qtluong Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Nope, because I have never done free jobs. My licensing fees back when I started were at worse 50% lower than now. The idea that you should price stock images low when you are starting is just a fallacy, because the value to the client resides in the image, not in your experience (or lack of). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_brennan Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Just to reiterate what Randy said: It's extremely discouraging to pros here who try to help newbies price things correctly (for their own good), just to have our advice ignored. If you've made up your mind you were going to ignore the advice here, you shouldn't have asked for it. It's for this reason I've pretty much stopped wasting my time trying to help on these forums; it's like shouting into the wind. If someone has made up their mind they are going to be a low-end hack, and nothing better, they won't be changed. They will offer every retarded justification in the world for why they should act like losers: "I'm just starting out. It was fun. It's for the exposure. They said this was all they'd pay. My mommy will be very proud to see my credit line. I don't want to take advantage of them. It will get me other (low-end crap) work." Newbies: Feel free to cut and paste the above justifications in your future postings to save yourselves the effort of pretending you came up with something intelligent yourself. It has all been heard before. And it has always been the first step on the path to a failing business. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nealcurrie Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Wow. You gave away a 6 foot wide panorama and a CD with the file for $300? Of course the guy bought it! Even if you felt like low-balling yourself, $1000 might have been more appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenbeattyphotography Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 Well as I appreciate your opinions gentlemen, its all a learning curve. I was going to go with much much lower, but because I heard numbers like $1,000. I did not. So as much as you may think I did not listen, i did. I hear you, and eventually I will work to a higher price as my client list grows. I see both sides of the picture, but frankly, I know if I would have asked for 1,000 dollars he would not have bought it. I wanted this shot for my portfolio as much as the money. I wouldnt have gotten access to the back, and the penthouse level and deck area, without the job. Anyways, if you're still reading, and you responded, I DO APPRECIATE your help on this, and will keep everything in consideration for now and future jobs. Thanks again. If i angered you as a photog, I apologize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Michael Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 You didn`t anger me. You asked my opinion and I gave it: it was not an emotional issue, to me, whatever you decided to do. WW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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