Starting out.....what to charge friends? Or do you?

[suzie_ng]

I'm getting started in a home photo studio, main focus: babies, kids &

families. I've done some photography in the past (small weddings and some

portraits of adults). I've taken alot of pix my own baby and i'm really hooked

on the fun and the challenge of it! My first "client" was a good friend who i

did not charge since we are close and she will help attract future clients my

way. Now that i'm ready to take on real clients, i don't know what to charge.

Local photographers charge around $200 for their sessions (prints extra).

Asking that much right off the bat doesn't seem right for some reason, but i

don't want to give it away either. So what should i charge as a newbie to the

business? And what, if anything, would you charge friends (good ones and/or

acquaintances)?

 

I'd really appreciate any advice!

 

One more thing.... if a friend asked for a cd with all the images you took of

their kid(s), would you give it (free) or charge? If so, what the heck is

reasonable?

[cindyp]

One thing you could do is charge a sitting fee of $200 and let like $150 of it go towards any photos they want to purchase. A friend of mine does that. Also, she charges $150 for a cd of 20-30 pictures (the $150 credit cannot be used for this) and her customers can make any prints they want from that...

I personally would never give a cd of ALL of the pictures I took. You don't really want anyone to see your less that decent work, would you?

[karen_lippowiths]

Straight percentage discount across the board. No exceptions (except my mom and

sister). The sooner you start doing this, the more friends and family you'll keep. Also, if

they're friends and family, they should WANT to support your business. The less people

have invested in you and your product, the more likely they'll take advantage and

complain. I've learned this the hard way. It's infinitely harder to institute a "friend /

family" policy later on after half of them have gotten freebies and all want to come back

year after year for an October shoot (busy time!) for holiday cards or every year on so-

and-so's birthday.

 

Good luck! :)

 

Karen

[tonybynum]

"Straight percentage discount across the board. No exceptions"

 

I agree 100% and also with the rest of karen's reply!

 

I always put the full charge on the slip and them mark it down with a percentage discount. I only want people to see my rates and if I've giving a discount so be it. . .but it will show up on the slip. . .

[giggles]

When I started, I set my prices close to the competition in town and then I gave a 50% discount to my first few sessions until I was comfortable with my results. Once strangers started calling, I nixed the discount and left the prices as is. It is so hard to raise prices once you set them but it is easy to give a discount. People see it and will appreciated that way as well. Good Luck!

[john_h.1]

"what, if anything, would you charge friends (good ones and/or acquaintances)?"

 

If you were actually learning, practicing or building a portfolio there is justification to provide the service for free. Obtaining written permission (model release) to use the resulting images for your own promotion and advertising seems to be a fair exchange. If you are not doing any of the above, its a matter of whether you tend to work for certain people for free. The criteria is subjective. The danger is people start expecting free services or discounts for themselves and create undesired expectations in others as well as word and custom gets around. Doing this with mere acquaintances will multiply the effect.

 

"if a friend asked for a cd with all the images you took of their kid(s), would you give it (free) or charge?"

 

I give essentially the same answer.

 

Also, if you don't want to be guilt tripped into shooting someone's wedding one day, don't create a reputation of working for free or at cost.

[alan_myers]

What would your friends and family have to pay for the same services if they went to the competition?

 

Won't the fact that they are getting every bit as good deal *and* working with someone they know, trust and enjoy be great for them?

 

The idea of discount coupons is not a bad one, but be very careful of selling yourself too cheap. Once you are labeled, you'll stay labeled.

 

Better to make them say "wow!" and give them more than they expected, than to give them a low price.