Genessi Loc: SoCal

I recently took photos for a friends bridal shower. Now she asked If I could take pictures for a friend of her’s sixth Birthday and they will pay me which is great since hers was a freebie. This party starts at 6pm is about 22 miles away. Also I don’t want to take a bunch of photos and maybe do three hours only.
I don’t know what to charge.
I was thinking charging $25 an hour but what do they get with that. Of course a flash drive is easy. Can I have some advice please..

Harjan2

I don't know how good of a photographer you are. But if you are good, I would charge double that price. How many professional jobs have you done?

Anna M-W Loc: New York City

minimum wage is $15 an hour $25 an hour is what is putting photographers out of existence if you could do 2 jobs a week you should be able to live on it. $150 on hour is minimum and a steal.

Anna M-W Loc: New York City

minimum wage is $15 an hour $25 an hour is what is putting photographers out of existence if you could do 2 jobs a week you should be able to live on it. $150 on hour is minimum and a steal.

Genessi Loc: SoCal

I have not done any professional work. I once took photos for a friends wedding at her home. Free for her and experience for me. Few weeks later she left very nice bottle of champagne and a gift card at my door. These two pic were taken at my friends daughters bridal party

TBerwick Loc: Houston, Texas

Charge enough so that the inevitable referrals you are likely to get won't expect a sweetheart rate. You should establish up front your per hour rate, roughly how many photos you will deliver and on what medium, as well as how many hours you will work. You should lock that in with a contract and an up front payment. This is a business transaction & should be treated as such. Don't be embarrassed to set your rate and based on your samples, $75-150/hr is not out of line. With that said, backup batteries & camera bodies are a must.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

Working for free is easy, no complaints because, well "you get what you pay for" but now as a professional do you have back up equipment, experience shooting multiple kids (they don't take direction like adults), ideas of shots you will take to tell the birthday story, practice at shooting blowing out candles and getting the glow, how will you deliver photos, paper or digital, what about reprints, who owns the photos, when is payment due, etc. $25/hr was my going rate too... but that was in the 1970s so need to factor in 40+ yrs of inflation.

ELNikkor

Don't be surprised if you get a response, like, "What!? $25 an hour? I'll do it with my hand phone!"

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

The fee you establish for this will set a precedent among your acquaintances, i.e., “she’ll photograph your event for $25 an hour”.

GEL Loc: South Carolina

If the balk, remind them of the time it takes to drive to and from the event. Then the cost of the hardware and software that has to be maintained. There should also be some post processing. Quote closer to $75 if you want to get paid. Otherwise you’re donating your hobby.

BebuLamar

If you are ok with $15 an hour then charge $60 an hour. Business often charges 4 times what they pay the employee.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

Myself, I would rather pick an amount that would be fair for the time and equipment used rather than a by the hour rate. I hate by the hour rate myself especially with friends.

russjc001 Loc: South Carolina

Since they are friends, charge $150 and you can only stay for 3 hrs max. As you get more experience and equipment you can charge more.

ppkwhat Loc: Gibsonton, FL

Genessi,
My opinion is "don't sell yourself cheap". Based on what your pictures show, they are excellent, professional quality and you have the right to charge a fee that could be maybe less than a hired "professional" but high enough indicating you are proud of your work, your are good, and willing to do more if needed and they will not be disappointed with your work. I certainly would charge around $75 or more an hour with a minimum of 3 hour shooting time and go for it. Few years ago I photographed a friend's daughter wedding, staying at the same hotel resort they stayed for two days (one hr drive from my home)with everything paid for (meals and room) plus $60.00/hour for the rehearsal time pictures the day before, and next day the wedding itself. I was e beach wedding under very hot Summer day, very clear sky and not that easy to photograph due to the sky being so bright. I gave them as "wedding gift" the time spent at their reception & dinner on the wedding day. I sat at the bride's dinner table.(about 2 hrs shooting) I came out at $840.00 with 6 hrs shooting on the first day, and 8 hours on the second day. Photographed the dress rehearsal, including the friends "dressing" of the bride and the "lady's bridal party" in their hotel room before the wedding. It came out at $840.00 they gave me $1,000.00 with a "keep the change thank you". Frankly I found spending a weekend on a excellent resort and getting paid a thousand bucks doing something I love and meeting a bunch of very nice people was well worth the time. I gave them all the pictures taken, downloaded into 2 CD's and they agreed I could use the pictures taken for any publishing on my part (got that in writing). My equipment was a Nikon D-300 with a 50 mm f.1.4, a 24-120 mm and a 70-300 mm lens. I also took my old D-80 as backup. The shooting was done 5 yrs ago. I hope this helps - good luck!

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

What ever you decide to charge make sure to call the client with enough lead time so that the potential client has enough time to graciously decline your offer. Tell them if they need time to think it over, no problem, just get back with you the next day. DO NOT BE CHEAP.