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Thread: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

  1. #1

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    What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    Hey All:

    I have recently received a number of requests to take some portraits on a commercial level. I have only done portraits in the past as part of my personal photography projects, so I am not familiar with portrait pricing out in the real world. I know there are some portrait photographers that charge for the sitting and then charge for the final prints - but I don't know if there are other business models out there.

    I shoot 8X10, black and white in studio. A normal sitting takes me about two hours of time including prep for a total of 6 to 10 exposures. Most of my final prints are between 11X14 and 16X20 in size. These will mostly be personal portraits - parents, children, formal wedding portrait.

    I would appreciate hearing from any of you who have charged for your work, what business model you use and what price range you typically charge. Thanks!

  2. #2

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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    "portait pricing out in the real world" the real world is every mom owns a dslr she picked up at target and became a portrait photographer overnight who now charges $25 per sitting. That won't work in your world since film, paper, and chemicals aren't getting any cheaper. Charge as much as you think you can get away with.

  3. #3
    Analog Photographer Kimberly Anderson's Avatar
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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    Find out what their budget is. Take all of it.

  4. #4

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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    An 8x10 portrait is special and anyone coming to you knows and expects this.

    You have to decide whether you are going to be directed or take charge. Once personal vanity comes into play, collaboration usually fails. So decide what kind of photographer you are - someone who does whatever the client wants or someone who will take charge and edit and control things?

    I'd either do free or full price, which would start at $2000 plus expenses. More if you can tell they are going to be difficult and/or they can afford it. This is for personal portrait and display usage only. If it's for an ad or commercial use, start multiplying.

    I am controller, I will offer them my pick and perhaps an alternative if I notice they aren't gushing. I do not let people see the outakes. If you do, you'll be trapped in a circle of Hell known to digital wedding photographers and Clik Studio employees. Remember Avedon and Penn didn't let their subjects paw through and art direct unless they were paying 4-5x more than personal portrait rates.

    Even if that seems high to you, it isn't if you calculate your cost of doing business and how much you've had to learn and do and waste in order to make a consistently good 8x10 portrait. It's really lowballing to be honest.

    If they can't afford it and you find them interesting, then do it for free and make it yours and be explicitly in control, don't let them direct you whatsoever. Quibbling about price devalues everybody. Either give it up generously because you want to make a great photo or say no, I won't do a bad photo for peanuts.

    Whenever I have given a "Bro" discount to nice people, it turns into a cluster#$k. No matter how little you charge, they still feel like it is a lot of money and you're working for them instead of doing them a favor and it sucks. They no longer become nice people. Doing anything for a few hundred bucks is a huge mistake and you'll be tempted to many times because you're a nice guy - but learn from my mistakes!

    I don't mean it to sound harsh, it should be warm and fun. But be the Alpha here.

  5. #5
    Scott Walker's Avatar
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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    I agree 100% with Frank

  6. #6

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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    Thanks Frank. It sounds like you are speaking from experience. I appreciate your candor.

    Bob

  7. #7

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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    Bob

    The first thing you need to do is research local market to get an idea what others are charging. You are obviously going to have to charge at the high end of what's available locally, probably you'd have to be the most expensive out there.

    look at this site (I presume she's local to you) she charges $300 for a weekend studio portrait and requires a $350 minimum spend on prints. If you can educate the client you could probably charge the same or bit more than this. So it is certainly viable even with your extra costs. You could look to net around $500 per session with out being totally out of whack with the local market.
    Last edited by Tobias Key; 2-Apr-2012 at 11:26. Reason: grammar and content

  8. #8

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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    Hey Tobias:

    Thanks for the information and good advice. You are correct - the photographer you selected is local to me. I found that many photographers would not list their rates, but instead would say something like "call for a quotation". This site was very helpful.

    Thanks!

    Bob

  9. #9

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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    Don't worry about the local market. If you were opening a restaurant, would you research local fast food prices? Turn up any rock, and a DSLR shooter will crawl out offering to shoot a wedding for $150 or do a portrait session for $50. No research needed.

    Look, you can't compete on price. You have to emphasize the unique experience and quality of an 8x10 portrait session, and charge accordingly. Listen to Frank.

  10. #10

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    Re: What Do I Charge for a Portrait Session?

    What Frank said is spot on. The problem is that when people spend money, they think they have the right to control things. And some photographers may feel inclined to let clients take control. But clients aren't art directors, they're portrait clients, and as a photographer you should have a better concept of what makes a quality 8x10 portrait then they. So control everything, and usually portrait clients actually feel as though they are in the hands of someone experienced who exudes confidence, and will understand that the money they spent and your control and direction is done to produce superior results.

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