alexlink

If you are paid $50 to $100 per hour for your time charge $5 to $8 for the prints. The canon Selphy does a great job on site.
If you are NOT paid for your time, charge $12 to $15 each.
Also, if you are NOT paid for your time then talk to 2 prior photographers (if possible) and get an idea of the participation numbers so see if it's worth your while. If not- PASS. Don't work cheap or for free. The COST of a 4x6 anywhere is IRRELEVANT ! Good luck- live & learn.
One additional note- if the organization is paying YOU for the attendees photos, participation may approach 50%, possibly more. If attendees are paying, it can easily be as low as 10% or less !

stan0301 Loc: Colorado

The real question you are looking at is "how much can I charge before it really starts cutting into sales?"--certainly less than $10--you probably will need a "Square Point of Sale Processor" to use on your iPhone
Stan

Billy Bob

I Print matted 8x10 at events for $15. my cost $1.
My cost paper .10 ink .10 matt .50 Check my web site.
http://snapshots2010.smugmug.com/ Good luck

Billy Bob

When I work an event, it will lead to other jobs. I work a 5 day event last it has brought my over $3,000 and still booking jobs. Think ahead.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

I have an idea, if you charge one million dollars for a print, you probably won't sell to many but you'll only have to sell ONE and you'll be a millionaire!!!! :lol: :lol:
SS

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Yeah, but he's in Newark, NJ, according to his profile. Cost of Living is much higher there than in Colorado.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Great points. If you're hired to cover an event, getting a contract that specifies payment for your time and services, plus so much a print, is a way to protect yourself. When organizations build YOUR price into the price of admission / the membership fee / the dues, etc., then everyone can have a photo.

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

double your costs.

Dannj

Building the cost of a photo for each guest into your fee is a good idea. I've been to a lot of events where photos were taken as soon guests arrived or at tables during the evening...got a nice remembrance a week or so later.
Leaving the photos up to the guests doesn't result in much participation.

Billy Bob

cOST of a spot at an event. Most spot are 10' x 10' for $10. up. I was going to try KY and IN state fair till the of $10. a sq ft. My set up is 400 sq ft

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

If you haven't done an event before, the biggest holdup to you making anything is time. Anything you can do to speed up the process will mean more money. Here are things we tried, when we first started offering the service..

1. First event. Did the portrait booth, gave cards with link to webpage to order prints. We were still taking photos when the place was shutting down. We were VERY excited about all the money we would make. In the end, not one person actually bought from the website. I tracked traffic, and after doing over 100 portraits, 4 people actually looked up their photos. Lesson learned. You MUST print there, while the emotion and excitement is still there.

2. Tried shooting the photos, helping people pick which pose they liked, taking the money, and printing them myself (and putting them in the folders) TOOK FOREVER. Charged $10 per 5x7, but since everything took so long, people got out of line and left. Got their photo taken, but didn't want to wait to see them, etc. Total made for that evening, probably $50, and a LONG evening wasted.

3. OK, not a one person job. Did about the same thing, except my wife started viewing, printing, stuffing folders, and accepting payment. Better, but still not making much for all evening. Started getting maybe $150-$200.

4. Got smart. Only one photo per group/person. They don't get to pick which is better. If eyes are shut, or they just don't like it, they can get a free retake. Better than 90% just take what we show them. Got a dye sub printer (DNP DS-80) which is blazingly fast compared to the old Epson printer. It's also nice, because the photo is dry, and you could use it as a coaster and it won't run. (because of the clear laminate that is on each print)

Now, I can make more money off the portrait booth, than I did off the actual wedding. Remember, the more alcohol there is the more money you will make.

I pay the 7% sales tax (Indiana) to keep making change easy, so I'm actually charging $9.35 each.

You will lose a LOT of business if you don't take credit cards. I use Square, but I do know you can do it through Amazon, and Paypal as well as others. REALLY easy to set up.

Whatever you charge, bring a lot of change.

JPL

If you take this approach, then remember to start using the free access bar only when you have finished the photo session ;)

Billy Bob

Call me at 812-365-9507

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

What Costco charges just to print is irrelevant. What DWU2 posted IS relevant.

Costco charges $0.13 for a 4x6 - I charge $55.00 to $65.00. They charge $1.79 for an 8x10 - I charge $85.00.

You think I care what Costco charges? This is not to suggest that a 4x6 in this environment should be priced at $55.00. Just that what someone charges to print it has NO bearing on what should be charged to the consumer.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Really? So if the cost is $.13 as mentioned above, then charge 26 cents for the artwork you created?

We aren't selling paper and ink, we are selling our work, talent, and vision.

If you are only in it to push a button and say "next", then you should probably just build an automated photo booth. Even then, you need to cover costs of equipment, setting up, tearing down, etc.