Amateur Photographer hired for sweet 16, what should I charge!?

[tiani_kayden]

<p>So I'm 16, and this girl wants to hire me as a photographer for her sweet 16. Shes thinking of a pre-photoshoot to show at her party, then to take pictures at her party like from 5-8. But I dont know what to charge.<br>

I dont own a DSLR camera and all my work is from my canon powershoot digital camera. Im a self-taught 16-year old photographer, and this would be my first paying job. If you look me up on facebook you can see my work.</p>

<p>But what should i charge? im not sure, i dont wanna like rip her off or anything, yet i dont wanna charge her and its like coming from this nonprofessional 16yearold photographer. what do you think?</p>

[goldbergbarry]

<p>First, congrats on the gig! Sounds like you're off to a great start.</p>

<p>Since you have no experience and you are using a P&S, I would recommend something about $10/hour range. If you had a lot of experience and a portfolio, then you can start charging much high rates but for something like this, you should view this as an opportunity to start developing a portfolio and client references.</p>

<p>Also you might consider looking at the weddings forum for great tips about getting people to smile when you take pictures and things like that.</p>

<p>Other things to think about. How are you going to deliver the images? Will you do post processing? Will you give her the rigths when you deliver the photos (you should for something like this)? Don't forget to bring an extra battery and extra memory card with you.</p>

<p>Wish you the best of luck!</p>

[brucecahn]

<p>Charge enough so they respect you. Do not give it away. A few hundred + all expenses, including something for equipment and something for travel. Prints are extra. As far as the smile thing goes, you might want to take the opportunity to develop a more personal style. Not all smiles, not the standard shots, but what is really happening. Maybe black & white. If you do something like this, better let them know in advance. Also, do a written contract. If you are not going to shoot the bride cutting the cake, or the tossing of the bouquet, you better specify what you are going to deliver.</p>

[justin_greene]

<p>The only Tiani Kayden I see on Facebook is someone who looks 30. Next time, provide a link.<br>

.<br>

Sounds like you're a teen with a point and shoot camera who's just going to roam about taking snapshots with the tiny on camera flash. I don't know what "self taught" means with a P&S. Charge her $35 and give her the pics on a cd and put the money into a savings account for a Rebel.</p>

[justin_greene]

<p>Maybe you meant flickr? http://www.flickr.com/photos/tki_photography/<br>

.<br>

Images there are adequate enough, but they are all in bright sunlight. A party doesn't have that kind of light.</p>

[farceur_coince]

<p>I wouldn't charge hundreds. Somewhere between 10-30 dollars at most - I'd go or about $20 if you're keen on charging.<br>

Personally, I wouldn't charge until you had gear capable of consistently doing this.</p>

[john_macpherson]

<p>You need to be confident and competent to capture images in difficult lighting - as pointed out previously it wont necessarly be sunny. Small on-camera flash is hard to be creative with if you have little experience.</p>

<p>There's more to this than "what do I charge". Bear in mind that once you pitch a price and accept the cash, thats a contract, and holds you liable to produce 'the goods'. Expectations in these situations can vary wildly - the 16 year old might have seen your flickr page and think 'nice' - being a non-photog she sees sunny days, strong light, cool pics.</p>

<p>Twilight party time with excited, constantly-moving teens is another ball game altogether, and if you dont manage to fulfil your promise there could be repercussions - see some of the previous threads in here where folk try to get themselves out of a mess created by differing expectations (and lack of experience).</p>

<p>Not trying to put you off - I think its great you got the gig - but in accepting this with limited gear and experience you're putting yourself in a potentially difficult situation should it all go pear-shaped.</p>

<p>Some of the bigger of the Canon powershots can take auxiliary flash - I'd check that out if I was you - see if you could borrow or rent one for the evening to give yourself a bit more leeway.</p>

[ben_goren]

<p>Tiani,</p>

 

<p>You might want to consider doing this for her as a gift. Do everything the same as you would if

you were doing it professionally. Send her an invoice with whatever you would charge if you were

making a living at photography but put “100%” in the “discount” column

and add a handwritten note to the effect of, “Happy Birthday!”

 

<p>I suggest that for two reasons. First, because you, quite bluntly, aren’t anywhere near

ready to be a paid professional event photojournalist. Second, because your friend certainly

can’t afford to pay for such a photographer. This way, she gets somebody to take pictures of

the party and you get some much-needed experience at a fun-but-very-challenging job.</p>

 

<p>Cheers,</p>

 

<p>b&</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>I agree with Ben. If you're not qualified to do a job and don't even have the right equipment, you really don't have any business charging. It's extremely important to get yours skills down cold before you hold yourself out as a professional, even a beginning professional, and start accepting people's money. First of all it's a matter of being ethical. Secondly if you go out and start charging before your work is up to what someone would expect to pay for, you're going to harm your own reputation and make it difficult to get work later. Two years later, people will only remember that you botched their sweet-16 assignment, not how much you've improved since then.</p>

[aimee_pieters]

<p>Do it as a gift as a friend. It doesn't appear that you're properly prepared to accept the responsibility for this if you're charging them....-Aimee</p>

[greg_peterson3]

<p>Charge nothing: Maintain your armature standing, gain some experience and make a friend happy.</p>