What are good grounds to base photography fees on?

Question

We live in a fair/poor community and I would like to help those that cant afford expensive photographers but I cant lose money either.

Answer 1

1. First figure price of material (your cost). // I mark up all my items 150%. This ensures that not only I make a profit, but I continue to make a profit if my dealer has to up prices or discontinues a product and I need to go to the next product up.

2. Figure out how much you are worth. // Are you qualified for the job or are you just someone with a camera whose parents told you that you are good? If you are the latter then you are going to be worth as much as a person who has years of experience and professional training.

3. Figure out how much your time is worth. // You will be putting a lot of startup time into this. Which means time away from family and friends. Spend some time thinking about how much you would prefer to be paid to miss out on time with family & friends.

4. Figure out starting expences. // Your first set of prices will be higher as they will help cover starting expences of equipment & materials. The prices will drop once the overhead has been paid off.

5. Figure out bills. // You will have bills to pay off, even if it's just gas bills. Figure out prices that will help cover your bills. Even if you are doing this out of your house. There is gas, electricity, heating, plubming, sewer, internet, phone, and garbage.

6. Figure out advertising costs. // You will have to do some advertising. Whether it's simple flyers or white page listings or even radio spots. Cover costs for business cards and brochures.

--

Bare in mind that all expences toward a business can be written off at the end of the year on tax. If you work out of your house, you can even write that off. Just figure out the square footage of the space you use.

Answer 2

First you need to figure out all your expenses. If you are shooting digitally, then that helps with the expenses as there are no developing expenses. What is your time worth, and will you have to travel around to locations or rent space, etc. Dont' forget the "invisible" expenses like insurance, advertising, etc. It all adds up. Find out what other area photographers are charging, and base yours on that. Or, promote your business in a more well-off area, and do jobs there to make a good income, and then give back to your low income community by doing low-cost/free photography for them.

Answer 3

It would depend on what style of photography you are doing? If it is studio work, then you have to base your price on how much you are paying for rent, Internet, utilities etc. Then the processing.
If you are doing the freelance kind of work where you are taking shots and then either giving them digital images at the end of the day, the biggest thing is HOW MUCH ARE YOU WORTH? When I started (this is the style that I am used to) I always under paid myself taking what ever they gave me. This was fine, when I first started, but not so good for the money. Base your rates on expenses both visible and invisible and the time you spent. Be firm with your rates, too.

Answer 4

i would suggest that something with stone would make a good base even the poor could do that and if you happen to drop some money you wont loose it if you pack the base enough.
it should hold any fees or photography well enough as well

Answer 5

Cutting to 40% of your daily rate is generous, maybe even droping to 30% if money is really tight. But most of all cover your basic expenses, don't be out of pocket.

Answer 6

Years of experience would be good.

Answer 7

experiance