The purpose of this blog post is to educate photographers who are looking to understand how they should charge for their services. The blog post seeks to help photographers develop their service costs and share justification for their prices.
What is photography, and what does it entail as a business.
Photography is an art of observation and capturing moments in time and freezing them. I have enjoyed thousands of hours of enjoyment, taking photos, and editing them. When creating your cost, consider the following:
- Time: Event photographers charge between six hours to an unlimited amount of coverage. In short, the more time you spent photographing an event, the more a client is expected to pay.
- Travel: Some clients will host their events at far distances. You might have to consider pay a per-mile charge and accommodations for any client event. California’s current travel rate is 57.5 cents per mile; in 2019 was 58 cents per mile.
- Eqipment and Technology: A large part of your photographer’s time will be spent editing and retouching your event photos to make sure they look absolutely amazing. Tracking your production per hour (how many photos you can edit in an hour) determines an hourly rate.
- Images: You should consider an average of photos to create packages to charge.
How to Justify your photography cost
Cost justification is mandatory for anything you do with your business. A photographer will need to document any service, which may require the business owner to explain the reasons for the cost, which will showcase to the client what is a fair cost.
- Time: 8hours x $20 (minimum wage) =$160
- Travel: 10 Miles x 0.65 = $6.50
- Editing: 10min per photo (6 per hour) x minimum (500 photos)= 83 hours of possible editing time, so $20 an hour x 83 hours =$1,660
- Total Cost: $1,660
Post Photography Turn Around Time and Expectation
Clients should have a clear understanding of the post-photography process to manage their expectations and appreciate the effort involved in delivering high-quality final images. Here’s what clients should know:
- Culling and Selection:
- The photographer goes through all the captured images and selects the best shots based on various factors like composition, focus, lighting, and expressions.
- Editing and Retouching:
- Selected images undergo post-processing, which includes color correction, exposure adjustments, cropping, and retouching to enhance the overall look and feel of the photos.
- Turnaround Time:
- Clients should be informed about the estimated time it takes for the photographer to complete the post-processing and editing, usually ranging from a few days to several weeks, depending on the complexity of the project.
- Communication During the Process:
- Open communication is key. Clients should know if they’ll be updated on the progress, and they should feel free to ask questions or provide feedback during the editing phase.
- Style Consistency:
- The photographer maintains a consistent style during post-processing to ensure a cohesive look throughout the set of images, aligning with the agreed-upon style or theme.
- Originality and Authenticity:
- Clients should understand that the editing process aims to enhance the original photos while preserving the authenticity of the moment captured.
- Revisions and Feedback:
- If the photographer offers revisions, clients should know the process for providing feedback and requesting adjustments to the edited images.
- Final Delivery and Formats:
- Clients should be informed about how they will receive the final edited images, whether through an online gallery, USB drive, or other means. The format of the images (e.g., JPEG, TIFF) should also be discussed.
- Usage Rights and Licensing:
- Clients need to understand the usage rights and licensing terms associated with the delivered images, especially if they plan to use them for commercial purposes or share them publicly.
- Backup and Storage:
- Clients should be advised to properly store and backup their images to prevent loss or damage, as photographers may not keep the images indefinitely.
Conclusion: By educating clients about the post-photography process, photographers can establish transparent and trust-based relationships, ensuring both parties have a clear understanding of the journey from capturing images to delivering the final, polished results.