E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

The last part of this response is interesting and a good question to discuss. Of course, you can't just start off a new business by randomly charging higher prices than everyone else. You, however, have to stick to your guns and abide by your business plan. You should not start off by running your business as a loss or a loss leader. As your reputation and referral business builds you can incrementally increase your fees- that's natural, expected and will be acceptable to your clientele. You may price yourself out of a lower-end market and land in a higher-end market.

If you somehow start off at a very low price point and garner a reputation as the low-ball guy or gal, that is a hard rut to get out of. Your goal should be to establish a FAIR price. A price that is too low is not fair to you or your clients. If you can't turn a decent profit and benefit from your efforts that obviously, is not FAIR to you. If you discontinue your business and are no longer available to your clients- it's their loss as well. If you underprice yourself to a point where you can not complete your assignment and deliver the work, that is extremely bad. If your price is so high that it is perceived as exceeding the value of your work, that won't work either. Offer value for the price!

You can not offer you work as a LOSS LEADER- you are not a supermarket or a department store. Some retail business can offer a certain item at cost or even below cost to attract customers to their stores. They recoup the loss and then some from good profits on other items or add-on sales. There is nothing wrong, however, with calculated speculation. Some portrait photographers, as an example, may offer a reduced price or free session and do well on an average of good sales. This is a calculated risk and the folks who are successful with this know what are doing, know their marketplace and the averages and do extremely desirable work. If you are selling your work as art or doing specific jobs on contract, you have to cover your costs and provide for a good profit margin on each and every job- there are no recoup on a loss.

Some potential clients will ask you to reduce your price so the will send in all there friends and family. Problem is, all their friends and family will expect the same low price. This is especially important to remember when you are serving a small or close-knit community.

I think we should have a section, here on the UHH forum, devoted to the BUSINESS of photography for the folks that are seriously interested in improving there work and evolving into professionalism. Whadayathink ?

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

If the picture is sharp and of good quality with a single color matt and mounted on acid-free foam core, I would charge a minimum of $150 if not more. It depends on whether you want to undervalue your work, its quality etc.

DrJoeS Loc: Tampa Bay area (FL)

If a friend agrees to hang my photo and display it, I will give it outright. If they insist on paying, I will ask for my materials cost OR tell them to put into a nice frame at their cost.

Paradise Pirate Loc: Cape Coral, FL

Look at a 16x20 matted print from a lab, you will think twice about $25.

bcplimpton Loc: Southern New Jersey

I've sold 8x10 prints in 11x14 mats with 11x14 foam board backing at $20 each 3 for $50. A 13x17 print in 16x20 mat with 16x20 backing goes for $60 each.

bcplimpton Loc: Southern New Jersey

I've sold 8x10 prints in 11x14 mats with 11x14 foam board backing at $20 each 3 for $50. A 13x17 print in 16x20 mat with 16x20 backing goes for $60 each.

Doc Barry Loc: Huntsville, Alabama USA

Hi Jayw,

If the coworker is someone you like and are friends, I would just give it to him/her and, when asked how much $$$, just say "How about you buying lunch?"

Lots of clients out there, but few friends...

Doc Barry

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

First of all, you're probably talking about an 11x14 print (not 16x20). That's the size that most typically fits precut mats in 16x20" size.

$25 is way too cheap. I'd say at least $60 to $75 for a matted print. $120 to $150 for matted and framed. These are bargain prices. Your prices are "at cost" or below.

Buy a precut mat. There's no way you can cut one yourself for less than the cost of a precut.

I found a much better selection of mats and frames at Aaron Brothers, than at Michaels.

When I was framing a lot, I ordered precut mats in bulk from Matcutter.com. Very high quality.

RodeoMan Loc: St Joseph, Missouri

I agree with you. If I brought homemade cookies to work, and someone really liked them and there were some extra ones left, I would not be calculating the price of sugar, flower, salt and shortening, I would just say "enjoy them".

RodeoMan Loc: St Joseph, Missouri

I'm confused. Are you in business as a photographer or plan to be? Or are you a guy who works in another line of work who happened to take a picture that a co-worker happened to like and asked for a copy? If you are a photographer, then listen to the advice of those folks on this site who know about pricing. I would tell my co-worker up front what the photograph was going to cost him or her, framed and matted, just matted or just as a photograph before I presented the completed job and say "That will be $60.00" or whatever.
If I weren't a professional or planning on becoming one, I would just offer a regular size print and say to the person "If you want a larger one, I can make you one and put it in 16 by 20 frame for what it costs me"

fehutch Loc: gulfport, ms

You are opening Pandora’s Box if you cheap out for a friend / co-worker. Word gets around and you become perennial bargain basement with acquaintances. You have to live with them like forever.

That said: I price my time at $20 an hour. Shooting, Printing, Matting, whatever. Really hard to come out under $100 with that math. And that is cheap. I do not consider materials; those are expendables. This is your original work and it doesn’t matter if you used your cell phone or your Hasselblad. The image is the thing.

A few years ago, I had 13x19” HDR print ( framed, meted, etc.) in a gallery at $125. Collector came in from New Orleans and saw the print. He refused to pay the $125. Wrote a check instead for $175. He thought it was a steal at that price. Big lesson there.

Cut your friend a deal. Privately discount him or her from your standard fee. Just remember you are selling the image / your skill - not ink, paper, mat, etc.

Wyoshooter

If it is a close friend ask them to buy you lunch somewhere decent-not McDonalds! A friend price is always a tough call but a photographers work deserves respect.

PFGaecke

You’re way undervaluing your work. Forget whether you used a smartphone or a Leica, or whether you printed the image yourself or sent it to a premium printer for printing and matting. Your potential customer didn’t ask any of those questions. He valued your work based on the image he saw. In our local photo club we’ve agreed that a 16 by 20 matted print should sell for a minimum of $100. Some members charge more.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Maybe I do. My friends will pay what something is worth. They won't ask for something for free neither did your coworker. You asked the question not me and not the others on this site, what the print is worth. Do not knock me down or anyone else for answering your question. to be honest with you the $65 price I gave you was about half price minimum you should be charging $150 for that print, but if your time isn't worth that and you want to and you don't think that much of yourself then give it away, but don't knock me or anyone else for answering your question with an honest appraisa.

BTW, once you lowball your services and give stuff away everyone will expect it. the only time this should happen is if you give it as a birthday gift or something like that one-time deal and it must be understood what your regular prices are.

thank you have a nice day.