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What should you charge for your photography business? + Take a look at my pricing!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012 Posted inBUSINESS,CHATTY TUESDAYS

You love photography. You want to be a professional photographer more than anything but there’s only one problem – you have no idea what to charge.

The evil price list is something we have all struggled with at one point or another. When you first start out as a business owner, you are doing everything for the very first time -and that’s pretty darn stressful.

So today I am here to make your life easier. In this video not only am I going to give you tips on how to find your “starting point” for your pricing, but I’m going to give you the chance to take a look at my current pricing list – a little bit of inspiration never hurt, right?

Don’t forget to leave a comment below with any of your experiences or pieces of advice for Alexis!

Love this video? Tweet out this quote: ”It made me feel confident handing over my price list even though I had ZERO experience.” – Alex Beadon

And here’s the bonus I promised you: Click here to receive my pricing information package in your inbox!

Big hugs!
xoxo

Posted inBUSINESS,CHATTY TUESDAYS

  • http://www.cargocollective.com/collarbonesmile Emily Yeoh

    Hi Alex! Love today’s Chatty Tuesdays :) I am in a similar position to Alexis! I am trying to progress my photography as more of a job instead of a hobby and a friend of mine has asked me to photograph her wedding in July 2013. I personally work with film rather than digital so it is more of a processing cost that I will be looking at. I am also investing in new equipment such as lenses, flashes etc. so that will be considered when I am looking at pricing for my services for her wedding day.

    Thanks again for bringing up these vital points that will help with my pricing :)

  • http://www.judieannphotography.com Judie

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! You have no idea how I have been struggling to try and put together a price list for my work. I have been building my business now for almost two years and I am just now ready to create my very own price list where I won’t feel bad about charging what I want to charge. Its been such a journey for me and this video came at the right moment. Last winter I stopped offering “Specials” because I noticed that that was the only time I was being booked, whenever I would cut my rates in half is when I got work. I didn’t want to be that discount girl. I wanted to be paid what I thought I deserved. I think that now that you made the break down so clear, this will give me the jump start that I need. Thank you!!!

  • http://haleytetreault.tumblr.com/ Haley

    I just was asked today what my pricing was and I was like *OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH!*. So to kinda detress I went on facebook and youre video was the first thing on my home page!!
    Thank you so much for this video.
    I was asked by friends of mine so they espect a cheaper price.. Should I make it cheaper? Or just keep it the way it is (Once i find out WHAT it is)?

    Thanks Alex! I love your work so muuuuuch… !

  • http://www.tattyheaddesign.co.uk Jodi Whitby

    Another bad stumbling block I set up for myself is this:

    Once I have arranged my prices, the client has agreed the prices, I deliver my work (artwork, as I’m an artist), the client LOVES the artwork – I hear myself saying this: “AWWW SO GLAD YOU LIKE IT – YOU CAN HAVE IT FOR LESS MONEY THAN WE AGREED!”…..then I go kick myself for being so annoying and undervaluing my own work!! So my advice is to put a mental clause in your head to shut-up once the price has been agreed, take the money and say “thankyouverymuch!” – then leave!

    Thanks for you tips Alex – brilliant as ever. x

  • Leah

    Like usual…the advice is super helpful!!

  • http://www.orsiphoto.wordpress.com Orsi

    Hi Alex,

    I’ve spent the last month crunching out numbers, figuring out packages, products etc. I’ve used Jamie’s (The Modern Tog) pricing worksheet and managed to come up with a figure. I’m a little concerned that it came out to quite a high number. I should be making £270 profit each session to cover all my costs (tax, insurance, accountant etc) and I haven’t even put down anything fancy like my daughter’s nursery fee, new gear, holiday whatever. Just the absolute bare minimum. Since people quite stingy here in the UK, I’m a little worried that I won’t find enough clients who are willing to spend at least £300 with a start-up. I cannot go lower than that if I want to make any money out of my photography.

    I’ve looked at your pricing and was really surprised that you don’t give your clients any products other than those 15 high res images. How do you make money because what I’ve read in your info sheet, you must have huge production costs (hotel, hair/make-up etc).

    This is something that I was thinking hard when I was trying to figure out how to deliver my images: give them quality product or just the high res files and they do with them whatever they want. If I was going to offer digital prints, there’s no way I can compete with the cheap supermarket stuff. My concern about the high res files is that if they take it to some cheap place to print, they going to look poor and that might come down to me eventually that my pictures are below par. The other thing with the files, that I should be charging for a CD hundreds of pounds to make it worth my wile and there’s no way I can ask that much as someone who’s just starting out for a few digital files.

    Anyways, I’ve decided to follow Sue Bryce’s business model, that they’re always come away with some quality products, and give them a CD/app with web ready files (depending on which package they bought) of whatever they had printed. That way I ensure that only the “best of the best” gets printed and shared.

    I’ve read a lot about pricing and watched a few workshops and although all those photogs say it’s ok if you can’t afford yourself but it does freak me out a bit that I might go in a little too high. I have no problem with a higher volume at the beginning because I have budgeted for putting up my prices. In fact I should be charging double but I thought I’d start low and work a lot then gradually increase my prices.

    I’m off home in about a couple weeks and looking to shoot for my portfolio and when I return to the UK, I’m going LIVE :)

  • http://photosbyanahy.com Anahy

    Bahaha! I love the panicking voice!
    I wanted to say that you never want to be the cheapest photographer because of perceived value. Also, it’s ok if people think you charge too much because there will be those people at any price point. Not everyone’s your client and that’s fine. I wish I took my own advice..darn.

  • http://jamieraephotography.blogspot.com jamie

    love this alex! thanks for being so open and honest here about pricing. it is SO hard to figure out. for me, it was very foreign and uncomfortable when I raised my prices. but, you get used to it! thank you for the reminder of all the little things that we do behind the scenes that are so valuable! <3

  • http://www.dmphoto.fr Dixie

    Alex,

    You’re so wonderful. It’s so amazing to me how the photography community gives back and helps one another! There are definitely those who won’t share a word unless you pay them a nice sum (which, I understand). Yet some of us are in a position that we’re not able to pay and we scramble around searching for advice — and here you are.

    I’m an American, I moved to France six months ago to live with my French husband. I got married last winter, husband went back to France while I finished my bachelor’s degree (in English). Finally we’re together. And finally, for the first time since childhood, I’m not busy! For the last 6 years I’ve been working full time in a coffee shop in the mornings, and spending my evenings at uni. I am at a point in my life where I can do exactly what I want, which is of course, photography. My grandfather was a professional portrait photographer — I never got to meet him. I inherited his things, and since childhood, have absolutely loved photography.

    Before I left the US, I had gathered a small group of clients for engagements and weddings — and I have many begging me to come back, or let me know when I’m visiting, to shoot them. Here in France, nothing. I have people interested but they never follow up. The language barrier is insane. My French is ok, but not professional by any means, but I’m getting there :)

    Simply, thank you. You’re making my life so much easier. You’re so sweet and helpful. Thank you for giving back. I’m grateful.

    –Dixie