 Danea Burleson |
Professional Portrait Pricing Options? This question is geared towards those who have a portrait business, including kids, family, senior style shoots, not really applying to weddings, but all input is welcome! I have been doing lots of research on pricing and this includes visiting lots of different studio websites. I have noticed a trend towards offering prints on cd's. Most offer all photos for a set cd price, some offering a cost per image with a minimum amount of images. There are also some photographers that seem horrified by the idea of selling the images to the client to print and have rights to. Those who do offer CD's seem to also state they have lab recommendations. This is understandable since some one hour photos can botch some decent prints and what photographer wants their name attached to that!? With that said, those who offer prints on cd for the client to have and do with as they choose state that this has become a favorite with clients over choosing select images and sizes at the time of ordering. So does anyone have experience with either or both? Pros and cons?
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Mark Feldstein |
I'll offer an answer Danea, albeit a brief one. Traditionally, studio / portrait shooters have a two tier pricing structure. One involves a "sitting fee" to cover overhead (inside or on location) and allows the subject to purchase prints. The larger the print the more profit. Likewise, framed can add profitability, package deals, etc. If you're giving your work away on CD, you need to make up the profitability issue by charging a higher sitting fee and getting those fees up front before you deliver any work in any form. This is a subject that's been discussed a lot here. Check it out with a keyword search. Try "How much to charge" for openers, or portrait fees" among others.
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Debby A. Tabb |
Good day Danea, I teach for a Major Portrait Company and have my own businesses as well in both Portrait & Sport photography and after years of looking at the reorder issue I must say I didn't see a reason not to. In most cases there is very little re-order monies. So. I have been selling the Images on CD for some time and found it to work for me very well. I myself like a job to be considered done with not much follow up such as printing or any complaints that come with that,Last minute Changes of ones mind in sizes and amounts ect. So editing and offering the Cd has become a enjoyable way for me and it seems to bring many more clients my way as well. Now on a Corprate level, the company faught this idea, but has recently decidied they to would go this route and offer full rez Images on thier new CDs. Time will tell if it will work for them. But with all those who just go home and scan anyway,why not offer a way that You make the monies through a Cd sale, instead of them owning through scan for free? This has been a contraversy here for some time, but what works for one business does not always work for another business owner. Just my thoughts on the matter I hope they help, Debby Tabb
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Pete H |
Tough question Danea. Much of the answer is in the "final use" of the photography. Although I shoot mostly commercial stock, I often compile a DVD of images with a "Limited Use License" agreement. In other words and as a example: If "Joe's Rock band" needs a shot for their CD cover art; then that is ALL they get in the license. My fee is fixed and they may have my master file. Now if the band wants to advertise with posters, TV, web site useage etc...Then my fee is structured based on "pro-forma" earnings from such media outlets...or simply, what they expect to earn..how many times it will appear, circulation numbers etc... So how does this relate to you and portraits? Let's say you did portraiture for a family..Yo ugive them the CD or DVD and say goodbye. Next thing ya know, the family is in some business and uses the photo for advertising. Well; in my opinion, you just shot yourself in the foot! Limited rights and useage rights are something all pros need to deal with..Now and for their future. Sound far fetched that your photos might be used for more than just Aunt Sally making prints? It happens a lot! Don't let it happen to you.
Pete
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