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What price is fair for digital pictures?
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Dec 5, 2018 12:49:39   #
tommystrat Loc: Bigfork, Montana
 
Unless you are the Grinch or Scrooge, pics for the family should totally be free - especially Christmas pics. My $.02

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Dec 5, 2018 12:53:03   #
scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan
 
dsmeltz wrote:
A frame is additional. Perhaps tequila with a worm?



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Dec 5, 2018 13:01:51   #
repleo Loc: Boston
 
Do them for free or don't do them at all. Just say you didn't bring your camera and offer to take one with their cell phone.

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Dec 5, 2018 13:06:03   #
traderjohn Loc: New York City
 
AzPicLady wrote:
May I ask all of you a question? (I'm not asking this to indicate I'm either for or against the way this conversation is going.) If you ran a store and a member of your family came in to purchase an item. Would you give it to them for free?

Another question: How far does "family" go? Your brother? Your mother? Your kid? Your son's cousin's mother-in-law?

Another question: Does it make a difference if you're giving them something that costs you about $1.50 and a few hours of work (like a disc burned) versus 100 8x10's mounted and matted that would cost a LOT more?
May I ask all of you a question? (I'm not asking ... (show quote)


Would your mom's kitchen be a store?? Did she charge you for your meals?? If you have to put a $$$ value for things you do for the family then you are on the lousy end of the stick.

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Dec 5, 2018 13:11:02   #
traderjohn Loc: New York City
 
Country Boy wrote:
You did not charge them a sitting fee? Did they charge you a model fee? If not I guess you break even. It's family, be the family hero and do it free or at cost.


To some the greatest family members are named, Jackson, Grant, and Franklin.

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Dec 5, 2018 13:14:34   #
traderjohn Loc: New York City
 
burkphoto wrote:
A few things to consider:

Usage rights: Personal use for social media, Personal use for printing, Business one time use (or scope limited use), Business time-limited usage, Business unlimited usage

Resolution: Social Media scale vs. Sized for specific print sizes vs. Full Size

Your time: hourly or day rate plus expenses

Distribution cost: CD? USB flash drive? Email? Text message? Web post?

I would highly advise against giving away any digital files. I would highly advise against selling any raw files. Finished, processed, retouched, color-adjusted images should be JPEGs in sRGB color space.

The hardest thing to do is to separate the VALUE of your work from physical entities (i.e.; prints). Your photography time, post-processing time, equipment costs, and risk of failure all come into play. In a business, you would have to add overhead — taxes, power, Internet, phone, rent, hardware and software, insurance, wages/salaries/benefits, marketing, PPA dues, transportation, etc. etc.

In an age when smartphones are in most folks' pockets or purses, it's imperative that you put a respectable price on your work, especially when a digital file is all a client wants.

When it comes right down to it, I charge $10 for social media scale images (1024 pixels on the long side). I charge $25 for a formatted layout of different sized images, ready to print on 8x10 (3000 pixels on the long side). I charge $20 for a "1-up" full size, properly finished, ready to print image. Prices should include conversion from raw files, pose editing, color adjustment, cropping, retouching, and any other embellishment.

Those prices are for family usage only. I don't charge for a one-off favor for a family member here and there. But in your case, with 100+ folks, I would hope no one expects free images! You were working.
A few things to consider: br br Usage rights: Per... (show quote)


"it's imperative that you put a respectable price on your work", Doing things for the family is never work. I wonder what kind of bill good ole mom and dad would have? Did they expect monetary payment? What would be their price? I guess for some family is a big word that gets lost for a few bucks.

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Dec 5, 2018 13:23:47   #
cinnamonb
 
If it is not family, say a neighbor asks me to do senior pictures or a family photo, I am charging $40. This price includes giving them a memory stick with all the unedited pictures on it. If they want me to edit a few of the good photos, it is an extra $10. This price is relatively low compared to many "professional" photographers that I know. One of my photographer friend charges $175 for the sitting fee. Right now, I do not feel I am worth that kind of money (yet).

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Dec 5, 2018 13:35:10   #
SAVH Loc: La Jolla, CA
 
I agree with the majority - no charge for family. If you feel you are being taken advantage of for some reason, maybe you could charge a token amount just for the effect. In my opinion, if you don't give them away and maybe have some thought of doing some professional work later, you will have established a low price standard for those who paid something for them now. I take family pictures every year and not only send them the copies and sometimes the files, if they ask, but also make family calendars to send not only to the immediate family but to their in-laws as well. Were I to start charging, I would have to consider far too many tax and legal issues to make it worth it. If they stress that they really want to compensate you for your effort, then I would try to figure out a reasonable figure for what it costs to take digital pictures and provide a file - which is not much. If you start trying to figure the price of your camera, the cost of the chip or card, etc., you are going about it too seriously.
Scotty

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Dec 5, 2018 13:35:54   #
frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.
 
dennis2146 wrote:
If these pictures are for family then why not put the photos on a disc and give them to family members? Sorry but from reading your post these people are family. IF you were in a studio and IF you were/are a professional photographer who does this type of photography for money, then I could see charging them your standard fee. But if these are just photos you took at your family get together then I don't understand why the charge. Perhaps I am missing something here.

Dennis



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Dec 5, 2018 13:58:10   #
cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast
 
Definitely, family is free.

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Dec 5, 2018 14:06:59   #
AzShooter1 Loc: Surprise, Az.
 
I load everything onto IMAGE EVENT.COM and let everyone see the pictures for free. If they want a hard copy it's very reasonably priced.

I normal make a disk for anyone that asks for it. Disks are cheap and for family they will appreciate it.

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Dec 5, 2018 17:09:16   #
Jim Bianco
 
I agree with Dennis why charge family, give them as a gift. Jim Bianco

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Dec 5, 2018 17:24:10   #
User ID
 
`


If you can't afford to give
it all away, then don't get
involved in the first place.

Just try paying fair wages
for all the efforts relatives
put in family events. Real
cost will be astronomical.

Get real or get out.


`

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Dec 5, 2018 17:57:37   #
PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place
 
For family I charge actual cost of prints, digitals are free.

Don

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Dec 5, 2018 18:48:12   #
Ron Dial Loc: Cuenca, Ecuador
 
The price for the media should be the same for film or digital.

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