Thank you for the post Pentony, you offer some good points. I have cards, seperate website that is password protected for the pages so they can view the images. As far as showing them the images on a laptop or printing them I guess you guys are way better than I am because I like to preview my work and crop, touch up if needed, and check color before I show them to a client. I may take 30 of a family in order to feel secure I have at least 5 that are great and 5 more that might work for them.
Pentony wrote:
You want to generate future business? Charge the restaurant zero and a dinner for the first time, telling her "let's see how this first time works out?"
If it works out well I would negotiate a fee with her for the next time. Just remember, it's her restaurant and she gets nothing off you being there unless word gets around from the customers saying to others, "hold your party at that restaurant, they have a photographer." Then you are helping to generate more business for the restaurant.
As for photos of the customers? Have a laptop available to show off the SD card on a larger screen than your LCD. Your decision on how much to charge customers sounds good but be tempered by your desire to get repeat business. After all $25.00 from one customer is not the same as say getting $15.00 from several customers.
How much does a DVD cost? How much is your time worth? How are you going to get the DVD to the customer?
Keep in mind you want to generate repeat business. Don't be greedy. Consider upon completion of the first time, surprise the restaurant by giving her a $1.00 or $2.00 for each customer or DVD you sell?
Also set up a separate photo e-mail account for customers to contact you for more photos and repeat business. That means having printed business cards or blank ones available.
Oh make sure your laptop can't walk off behind your back (lol) :-P
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Someone brought up payment. I have a consulting business also so I am getting one of those readers that attach to your smart phone and will collect payment right then and there. If they don't trust me to send the disc then I move on the next table.
That is exactly what prompted me to do this Ace. I love photography and especially people shots and do a good job, why not make something while I am having fun. If I made $200 at one of these events I would be ecstatic.
ace-mt wrote:
I read a lot of threads on UHH, in which members urge other photographers not to charge for their services. Can anyone think of another profession who's members urge each other to work for free?
I give away way more photos than I sell. I am starting to question my reluctance to charge for what I do. None of my equipment was given to me. The classes I took were not free, and I do value my time. I expect to pay everyone who works for me. Why are we so quick to dismiss the value of what we do?
That is also a good idea. I have a feeling when this post is over there will be enough great ideas to put a package together for all of us with an interest. I can report back as it goes with what the results are.
rmalarz wrote:
jtipps wrote:
There is a Mexican restaurant that we go a lot that has a large banquet room attached and she has birthday parties, family gatherings, etc and she has asked me if I was interested in coming and taking pictures of guests, their kids, groups and so on. She said she might could pay me some just to be there but I would charge the guests individually for what they want for themselves. Quite honestly it sounds fun to me because I love photographing people and it would be good experience. I was thinking of asking the owner to pay me $50 to show up and charge individuals or families $20 for about 10-15 shots and that will includes a disc with hi res jpegs and also internet ready pictures. If they want prints they can take them anywhere or I will print them for a fee. there are as many as 100 people at some of these so if I can make something, have fun, gain experience, and maybe gain a setting for better pictures and more money it would be a good idea. If I try it and don't like it I can always not go back. Any thoughts or ideas?
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I have a similar deal with a restaurant here. They have a banquet room. The coordinator for the banquet room asks if they'd like "the house" photographer to photograph their event. If so, they tack on the equivalent of $85/hr. The person booking the room gets a disc of both 4x6 prints and email size images, included in the price.
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Thanks Jerry. They mostly are at night lasting around 4 hours but unless activity was good I doubt I would stay that long. I would price the prints enough to force them to go to Walmart or something. I am thinking no more than 15-25 shots per party but you got me thinking that it might be a good idea to make an event disc with photos that all could enjoy and offer it for 10-15 dollars.
jerryc41 wrote:
jtipps wrote:
There is a Mexican restaurant that we go a lot that has a large banquet room attached and she has birthday parties, family gatherings, etc and she has asked me if I was interested in coming and taking pictures of guests, their kids, groups and so on. She said she might could pay me some just to be there but I would charge the guests individually for what they want for themselves. Quite honestly it sounds fun to me because I love photographing people and it would be good experience. I was thinking of asking the owner to pay me $50 to show up and charge individuals or families $20 for about 10-15 shots and that will includes a disc with hi res jpegs and also internet ready pictures. If they want prints they can take them anywhere or I will print them for a fee. there are as many as 100 people at some of these so if I can make something, have fun, gain experience, and maybe gain a setting for better pictures and more money it would be a good idea. If I try it and don't like it I can always not go back. Any thoughts or ideas?
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This is why I don't make money with photography - till I sell a camera or lens. Showing up and spending the day taking pictures of people with no guarantee of income is risky. Since the owner is billing you as the "Restaurant Photographer," you should receive something just for being there. Selling disks with pictures sounds like the best idea, and I think $20 is a fair price. That could give you $200 for an afternoon's work. Depending on how long the event lasts and what it's all about, the disk could include a hundred or more shots. The guests could do their own printing, or you could arrange that separately. A big question is post processing. Will you want to spend hours processing images for a minimal income?
This sounds like a good opportunity, and you should discuss the details with the owner.
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That is a good thought. Thanks Wayne
waynzphotoz wrote:
I would offer the restaurant owner free PR shots in exchange for endorsing me as a photographer and providing the opportunity. I agree on the DVD price.
I am not so concerned about the owner right now, if I make much of anything I don't expect her to pay me to show up. My main question was about charging the guests.
Not $50 a shot Sarge. She is a freind and her idea is that it would be something else to offer to make her package better which may increase her business. She is willing to pay me for just trying it to see if it works for everyone.
sarge69 wrote:
$50 a shot to show up ? Certain days or 7 days a week which would mean about $350 the owner has to pay out of profits for actually nothing.
Rethink that part.
Sarge69
There is a Mexican restaurant that we go a lot that has a large banquet room attached and she has birthday parties, family gatherings, etc and she has asked me if I was interested in coming and taking pictures of guests, their kids, groups and so on. She said she might could pay me some just to be there but I would charge the guests individually for what they want for themselves. Quite honestly it sounds fun to me because I love photographing people and it would be good experience. I was thinking of asking the owner to pay me $50 to show up and charge individuals or families $20 for about 10-15 shots and that will includes a disc with hi res jpegs and also internet ready pictures. If they want prints they can take them anywhere or I will print them for a fee. there are as many as 100 people at some of these so if I can make something, have fun, gain experience, and maybe gain a setting for better pictures and more money it would be a good idea. If I try it and don't like it I can always not go back. Any thoughts or ideas?
Wow, glad you sent that, a lot more stuff than I would have done. Thanks again.
I want to duplicate my library on my PC to my laptop. I have lightroom installed on both. Do I just copy the back up to the laptop and open new in the file menu on the laptop? Will that not only duplicate the library on my PC but also move the photos as well or do I need to move the photos to my laptop first? Thanks so much.
Listen to what the others have said. When I first got serious about DSLR's I spent most of my time reading, surfing the internet for tutorials, buying new gadgets and a little time shooting. Didn't ever get much better until I stopped all the nonsense and just went out and shot 100 or more shots per day and looking at the Exif data to figure out what made an image better. Shoot, shoot, shoot! Once you learn your camera and see an improvement in your work, then read, watch, and buy.