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How much to charge for prints
Sep 27, 2016 19:24:40   #
orrie smith Loc: Kansas
 
using a canon pro 100, what would you charge for prints, 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10? with places like target and Walmart out there, I have no idea what to charge for individual prints, and be fair to family and friends. not looking for a profit, just a way to break even. maybe I would be better off just giving them the jpeg file and let them get their own prints???

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Sep 27, 2016 19:43:10   #
jim quist Loc: Missouri
 
Instead of printing them yourself why not upload the images to a site like zenfolio.com and let people order what they want. That way you know what your expenses are for each individual print and you can put a small mark up on each print.

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Sep 27, 2016 19:50:36   #
tusketwedge Loc: Nova Scotia Canada
 
Firstly the quality is never as good in place like Wally World as a place like WHCC. If you feel that your work is good enough to sell, go with the best printing possible. A good printer can suggest a paper that will augment the quality in you picture. Good quality commands higher prices. As far as pricing ,figure what your cost is, include time shooting ,processing and getting it printed. Put an hourly price on your time and cost of printing and multiply by at least 3 to 4 times. Good luck and don't sell yourself short.

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Sep 28, 2016 06:04:49   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
tusketwedge wrote:
Firstly the quality is never as good in place like Wally World as a place like WHCC. If you feel that your work is good enough to sell, go with the best printing possible. A good printer can suggest a paper that will augment the quality in you picture. Good quality commands higher prices. As far as pricing ,figure what your cost is, include time shooting ,processing and getting it printed. Put an hourly price on your time and cost of printing and multiply by at least 3 to 4 times. Good luck and don't sell yourself short.
Firstly the quality is never as good in place like... (show quote)


The best and only answer worth considering!

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Sep 28, 2016 06:39:40   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
orrie smith wrote:
using a canon pro 100, what would you charge for prints, 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10? with places like target and Walmart out there, I have no idea what to charge for individual prints, and be fair to family and friends. not looking for a profit, just a way to break even. maybe I would be better off just giving them the jpeg file and let them get their own prints???


So this is not for a business but to at least break even with family and friends. Figure the cost of the paper and double it for the (high) cost of the ink.

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Sep 28, 2016 08:45:33   #
burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC
 
jim quist wrote:
Instead of printing them yourself why not upload the images to a site like zenfolio.com and let people order what they want. That way you know what your expenses are for each individual print and you can put a small mark up on each print.




Check out FineArtAmerica.com, too. Same idea, somewhat different product line. I like them and Zenfolio.

Take a tip from modern pros. If you are doing photography for pay, don't bury your fee or profit in the price of prints. Charge that up front, and let the media costs be the responsibility of the client. Don't post images, deliver discs, or deliver prints until you're paid.

As for making your own prints, I'd be sure to amortize the cost of the printer over the first 1000 8x10s. I'd also take my materials costs and multiply by 3 to 5 times.

You can easily charge $8 per sheet of 8.5x11.

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Sep 28, 2016 11:31:27   #
amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
 
My prices are low. I know photographers who charge 3X as much.

For the sort of thing you're wanting to sell, I charge $8 for 4x6, $10 for 5x7, $20 for 8x10.

I don't print those myself. They're printed through Exposure Manager (but can be handled through any number of online printing services).

For limited edition, signed, fine art prints, my prices start at $60 for 8x10, $100 for 11x14 or 12x16 (matted, but not framed... + $15 to $20 for framed). I print those myself using a pigment based printer (est. 200 year print life) and 100% rag papers. That paper alone costs about $2 per print. My printer makes approx. 120 13x19 prints per ink set, which costs $330 for a full set for that printer. So I'm pretty close to $5 a print for materials alone (plus a mat, bought in bulk costs another $5 to $10 depending upon size). This doesn't allow for wastage, some of which occurs whenever you make your own prints, though of course I try to minimize it.

I use a more basic, dye-based inkjet printer to make catalogs of thumbnails of select images and estimate they cost about $1.50 to $2 per 8x10 page: paper, ink, plus a low cost binder... not allowing for my time spent making them.

If you do a true cost analysis, I think you'll be surprised what your actual cost per print is! Camera gear wears out and needs replacement.... so do printers. (I've bought two cameras, two lenses, a hand full of batteries and memory cards, and a printer so far this year). Setting up a decent work station with software, plenty of data storage space, calibration and a graphics quality monitor adds up to a significant expense. While high end, photo quality inkjet printers are relatively cheap, the quality ink and paper consumables that they require aren't.

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Sep 28, 2016 23:20:33   #
BudsOwl Loc: Upstate NY and New England
 
It really depends on how many prints you are talking about and how close the family and friends are to you. While I will sell matted and framed prints to friends and others, I would never charge my family. In many cases the family member only wants something they can show off on their cell phone or iPads. If they ask for a photo I usually give them a copy that I have printed by my favorite processing company. For non- family friends who would like a print I will only charge them my actual cost rounded up to the next $5.00. I'm not in it to make money.
Bud

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