how do i structure the pricing for a landscape commission

[alex_fricke]

<p>Hi all,<br /> I have received a photography commission to take some fine art landscape images of the clients property ( a small hobby farm ). the type work is right up my alley and I'm confident of getting some nice shots. The problem I'm having is that I have no idea how to cost such a job. I've done a few weddings, portraits and studio product work in my journey of finding the niche that suited me and I've found that costing those jobs was relatively straight foward. The difference here is the amount of variables involved. As most of you might know, landscape work requires good forecasting, local knowledge and some luck. I might travel to the property only to find that the weather is different than the forecast, can i charge for a trip out to the site if I'm not getting shots? I'll need to scout out the place first to plan my shots so I'm in the right place at the right time. Can i reasonable charge for that as well.? Also I'll need to charge for print production and framing, which means proofs etc. And so on and so forth. Any advice or ideas would be helpful. If anyone has had a similiar job I would welcome some insights into how they structured the pricing, and how it was presented to the client. I hope this question makes sense. <br /> regards <br /> alex</p>

[tonybynum]

Unless this client is very weathly the only way to shoot this job is to price it by the shot. Sell them on the number of images you will deliver, not the amount of time you spend on it. charging time on a job like this is likely to lead to hard feelings. price it out based on your costs and present them with a figure. You are correct, it is a very risky

project. Only you know how much it will cost you and how much you need to make. Once you do the math and figure in

the likelihood of multiple trips, it's easy to fine out how much it will cost. If you have a vision in your mind of the shot, it

should not take too many trips. I've shot these kinds of projects before and you really have to decide how much risk

you're willing to tolerate and how confident you are in your skills. Good luck.

[acedigital]

<p>Have you discussed a budget for the client? Do you have any idea what they are expecting to spend? You could start there if you wanted to charge a flat fee for the entire project.<br>

Otherwise, look out your window and only go out there when you know conditions are good, go early AM/late afternoon (Golden Hours) to try and get things looking their best.<br>

If this is not going to take many, many trips, just charge one fee for the photography time (based on your hourly rate) and then add in the prints and framing.<br>

Have fun!</p>

<div></div>

[alex_fricke]

<p>Thanks Tony and Mark. Some good stuff there to add into the thought chamber, appreciate your responses! And yes Mark, remembering to have fun will be in the back of my mind the whole time...lol. :) Tony, the client is wealthy but I'm still emerging as a professional and this client could offer some very valuable networks and referrals, so your advice is appropriate.<br>

thanks again! </p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>Sometimes asking what the budget is can be helpful. You might find it's twice what you were ready to charge.</p>

[tonybynum]

This is not a typical "do you have a budget, or how much is your budget." In cases like this, people generally don't have a budget because this is not a

budget type expense. people who hire photographers to shoot their homes or property often just want it done. Moreover, people who hire

photographers to shoot their private dwellings usually never have a clue what it costs. You are better off delivering to

them a price based on what they want - how many photos - than you are trying to find out how much they want to spend.

People like this are coming to you as the expert, don't tip your hand at this point. This is not the strategy I would have for

some other commercial clients, but in this case your job is to figure out what they want and give them a cost estimate

then let them modify their wants based on your estimate. If you come down in price, take something off the table, don't just reduce the price!

[KyleE]

<blockquote>

<p>Thanks Tony and Mark. Some good stuff there to add into the thought chamber, appreciate your responses! And yes Mark, remembering to have fun will be in the back of my mind the whole time...lol. :) Tony, the client is wealthy but <strong>I'm still emerging as a professional and this client could offer some very valuable networks and referrals</strong>, so your advice is appropriate.<br /> thanks again!</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>I just want to point out on the bold statement that I think it is rarely a good idea to devalue your work and take less because your client is going to provide valuable networks and referrals. In my experience either the client will never follow through with this and you gave them a discount for nothing or they follow through with it because your work is good and they would have given you networks and referrals without the discount because you did a great job and they think that your value to quality ratio is high. </p>

[alex_fricke]

<p>Kyle i hear you, no discounts and the word i used was could!, not would :)<br>

Tony, that's an accurate description of my client, they just want it done.<br>

cheers for the input! Always happy for more. <br>

regards</p>

[john_macpherson]

<p>I've had a few jobs like this. Last one was to photograph a highland estate over 4 seasons. I simply charged a day rate (and extra for post) and agreed that I would travel to the location in each of the four seasons and whatever the weather was, was what the images would reflect.</p>

<p>Worked just fine, happy photog, very happy client, with rain, snow, sun, wind and clear!</p>

<p>You have to be up front when you discuss this type of work and make sure the client has realistic expectations. Sometime trying to present what YOU want weather-wise and ignoring the variety that marginal conditions brings, can miss out on work that will please the client who knows their property in all conditions.</p>

[alex_fricke]

<p>Cheers John, your response is very helpful.<br>

I've another 8 days or so before the initial client meeting, so I'll let you all know which way I've gone and how it went. (in the interests of thread resolution lol) <br>

regards</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>Assuming that the property isn't a long way away, and you have some flexibility when to go and when not, I'd budget to go there three times /spend three days on site and hand over the best that I could achieve in those three days. To that I'd add whatever time it would take to select and edit the agreed number of images to show client, and the time and materials associated with printing and framing. <br>

I don't think its necessary to add in a day to recce. If the first day you go isn't so useful, its a recce day, otherwise it would be silly to waste good conditions because in your mind its a recce. If its close by, I wouldn't add on for mileage and subsistence either. Just set your daily rate at a point where you're happy to absorb a few incidentals.</p>

<p>In my experience, clients tend to want a fixed price- to know what they're in for. Also they don't want a fixed price made up of zillions of elements some of which look debateable. So as I say, better to include travel and subsistence in the day rate than have him fretting over how much you're charging for a lunchtime sandwich and driving your car. You should tell him that you'll attend on days when the weather looks like its condusive to decent photography, but that if the weather changes its still a day used, and you'll flip into recce mode. </p>

<p>Think about how you want to handle mounts and frames. I have to say that I pass that job to clients and/or galleries with pleasure. Getting a client to choose a frame when you don't have samples can be a nightmare. Personally I'd try to get him to settle for a fixed size of print and a mount in a plain off-white to a size that fits with std frame sizes and leave him to it if you can; if not well try and agree a frame style that leaves little room for interpretation. For example if I sell framed b&w it comes in Neilsen Classic matte black in an antique white single mount. If you want something different well I'm happy to sell a print mounted to a std size and unframed so you can choose your own. </p>

<p>So honestly keep it simple, viz</p>

<p>3 days photography at $xxx per day<br>

1 day review and edit at $xxx<br>

Supply Y# 20" x 16" prints @ $xxx each, to include mounts and mounting materials<br>

Frames and framing (if supplied) at cost plus 25%. </p>

[alex_fricke]

<p>Cheers David, absorbing these bits of advice is really helpful. <br>

Well so far, I can't even raise the client on his mobile. I am aware that his business is vying for a large and profitable contract at present so I'm being patient. So nothing to report back so far, unfortunately. Ahh I live in hope! </p>