I’m shooting an event for a group of fraternities and sororities at a picnic kind of event. Should I charge a day rate as I probably will be there from start to finish; or should I provide per shot fee?

I think it would be better as a day rate because the event will have people coming and going throughout the day. But your opinions could help me change my mind.

More details: Event will last roughly 6 hours, 9 total fraternities/sororities. Dallas Metroplex.

I’d love to see some more working examples though on how you charge per image. I’ve used photo quote and whenever I try to license an image off of those numbers I always loose the estimate. Any one have any working numbers on how the they license images?

-Steve

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve arrived on location to shoot a job only to discover that the shoot we planned couldn’t happen due to circumstances beyond my control. The space or facility we were scheduled to shoot was in use or under construction, weather caused delays, or the client wanted some change in how the subject was shot (still the same description, but the change in what was being shown meant a whole new approach to lighting, time of day, perspective, or subject availability). If I had quoted my price based on a per shot amount, I’d be stuck eating all the costs for the delays, changes, or waiting around.

Much of my work in recent years has been VR (primarily panoramic) photography. If I go into a corporate facility or even an architectural environment, I can usually make a good estimate before hand of how many panoramas I can photograph in a given day. For example, photographing a NASA wind tunnel interior required three full days to light and prep for a single panorama. For an architectural show home, we were able to average 15-20 per day over three days. However, I cannot always anticipate what problems we might run into that are going to completely screw up my expected shooting efficiency.

What was originally expected to be a three-day shoot, could turn into a 7-to-10-day shoot due to circumstances entirely outside of my control. Or I might only be able to complete 10 shots over that three days, when I expected (and quoted fees for) two dozen. If I’ve quoted the client on a per-image basis, I get left holding the bag for situations completely beyond my control or influence.

Instead, I tell the client that based on my experience with a given type of shoot or subject matter, I believe we can probably create X number of images in a given day — assuming all goes according to plan. I charge so much per day (often with a half day rates for travel or other non-shooting/delay days), which usually includes specific usage rights that they need. Often times, I will specify a minimum fee, as well. If the shoot takes longer than expected, they know it will cost more. If it takes less time because we are collectively more efficient, then it will cost them less.

if a three-day shoot winds up being accomplished in a single day, why shouldn’t the client realize some savings (remember that including a minimum fee allows me to make sure I make a minimum amount)?

There are real estate VR photographers who charge less than $50 to shoot four to 10 panoramas of a property (which includes stitching and post production). That works out to $5 or $10 per shot. That’s not the sort of comparison I want my clients to be thinking about when they hire me and hear that I charge similarly but that my “per image” rate is so much extraordinarily higher.

I WANT my clients to know that my time is valuable, just as they want me to appreciate the value of theirs. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about for earning whundreds of dollars per hour for the days that we’re actually shooting. It’s these days that have to make up for all the other days that we work to keep our businesses running that we’re NOT getting paid.

Scott Highton

This leads me to rethink my pricing structure.

Cheers,

Eric