How to price beginner photography?
I'm a 21 year old beginner photography but i've been taking photos since I was younger just not professionally. I've had my nikon for about 3 months now and I have been making some money doing portraits for people with basic internet knowledge which is great because i catch on fairly well. The independent photography life is fine but I really need help with pricing my services. Thats something i'm not too good at. I feel like my talent is worth more then what I charge but I don't want to over do it. I do events, family portraits, cherished items and more. What do you guys thing of my work? And any advice on pricing would be truly appreciated, some examples of your own pricing is as well and tips thank you
Photos of my male model and his brother Nikon d3200 18-55mm lens and natural lighting.
Your 21 now and say you've been taking pictures since you were younger. Younger how? 19? 16? Let me use myself as an example. Because length of time using a camera doesn't always mean you're ready to start selling your work.
I've been a photographer (Notice I didn't say professional photographer.) since I was 15 and I'm turning 48 this year. So what, 33 years behind the lens? If I'm brutally honest with myself and really critique my work the way a pro would, I'm no where near ready to start charging for my work. Why? I mean after all I've got more years in than a lot of the pros do! I should have my own frickin' studio by now! Doesn't work that way. Because, while I was having fun with a hobby and taking casual snap shots and maybe getting in a decent photo from time to time, the other guy/girl was honing their skill and really practicing. You however, being a good many years younger than me, can use all that time ahead of you to get better and better and maybe one day sell your photos. But based on the sample photo you gave, which is a nice snapshot, you are not ready to go into business… YET!
And you say people actually PAY you to take that sort of photo!
If you want to become a professional photographer then go to college and learn photography, you might also want to approach some established photographers and ask if they are looking for an assistant…
That's how you find out just 'how good you really are'… Or more importantly… How bad you are.
I'm not a photographer… I'm a photography enthusiast… I enjoy photography, have over 35 years experience within photographic circles and regularly get asked to 'cover events'… I haven't ever thought that my 'talent' is worth more than the 'contribution' that i'm already getting… My opinion is that people that 'feel' this way tend to be more interested in 'making money'… Than photography.
Here's a clue: the price that you charge has little to do with your estimation of how good a photographer you are. It's wholly dependent on how much people are willing to pay you. That depends on quality as well as reputation and marketing skills. There's no single number that anybody can give you. If you find yourself with more on your plate than you can handle, raise your rates. If prospective clients turn you down, then lower them.
Joel is right on the money. There are no rules or formulae for quality and cost.
Personally, I think the picture you posted above is not bad. The sky in the background is so blown out that I think you just invented 256, but other than that there isn't much to complain about. The models in the picture may know nothing about photography, and if that's so then they would be delighted with that shot. If you showed that picture to a full time, professional portrait photographer he would probably tear it to shreds. Everything is relative.
If people are paying you to take pictures, then you are charging an appropriate amount. It's about that simple.
Jay Maisel charges up to nine thousand dollars for a print, and you know what? If I had nine thousand dollars hanging around, I'd probably get one, because they look like this:
http://studio.jaymaisel.com/collections/portfolio#statue-of-liberty-in-mist
People are presumably willing to pay that much for a print, otherwise he wouldn't price them that way. If you priced that portrait above at nine grand you would be laughed out of the room (but I assume that you set a somewhat more modest figure!)
Just one thing (and this is just my take on it): there's more to photography than money.