so, I recently created a new label, and I wanted to update the 2 product photos on my website. The last photos I'd done myself, but I wanted something a little nicer, so I figured I'd get a professional photog involved
I looked on craiglists where a bunch of local photogrpahers adverstised their services. One person offered to do the job for free, in return for having the imeages in their product portfolio. I initially jumpoed on that, but it turned out that person was pretty unreliable, and so I quickly gavce up on that idea.
Another guy offered to do it for $75 an hour, with an estimate of 2 hours, and that price would include the high res digital images.
That sounded reasonable, and I was all set to give him the work, when I was introduced to a photographer by a friend at a social event. She is a recently divorced lady in her 50's, struggling financially, so I figured I'd give her the work.
We discussed the project, but didn't talk price (my bad; last time that will happen). She said she was busy but would fit me in if I didn't need the work done urgently
Day 1: We arrange to meet somewhere convenient to both of us so I could drop off the samples. She's a no show, doesn't call me, doesn't pick up her phone when I call her
Day 2: She calls me, apologized profusely, says she got caught up in another project and forgot to call. Hmm , ok. My instinct says run away, but I press on, because I'm helping out a friend of a friend, right? So I go out of my way to drop off the samples at her house. I brief her on what I'm looking for (plain white background, with a slight reflection on the base, a common technique, there are lots of examples on the web, including apple.com)
A couple of weeks go by, I get the low res proofs - she makes a few tweaks and we are done. Images look good. She sends me the invoice:
2 hours of photography work at $150 per hour
1 hour photoshop at $75 per hour
$150 per image for hi res digital images
Total of $675 for 2 pictures
I almost fell off my chair
I feel like an idiot for not establishing the price up front, but I also feel taken advantage of. $150 per hour in this economy? Seriously? Plus $150 for per *digital* image? Those are some expensive bytes
Any recommendations on what I should do here? I have not spent that much money on *anything* setting up this business
I looked on craiglists where a bunch of local photogrpahers adverstised their services. One person offered to do the job for free, in return for having the imeages in their product portfolio. I initially jumpoed on that, but it turned out that person was pretty unreliable, and so I quickly gavce up on that idea.
Another guy offered to do it for $75 an hour, with an estimate of 2 hours, and that price would include the high res digital images.
That sounded reasonable, and I was all set to give him the work, when I was introduced to a photographer by a friend at a social event. She is a recently divorced lady in her 50's, struggling financially, so I figured I'd give her the work.
We discussed the project, but didn't talk price (my bad; last time that will happen). She said she was busy but would fit me in if I didn't need the work done urgently
Day 1: We arrange to meet somewhere convenient to both of us so I could drop off the samples. She's a no show, doesn't call me, doesn't pick up her phone when I call her
Day 2: She calls me, apologized profusely, says she got caught up in another project and forgot to call. Hmm , ok. My instinct says run away, but I press on, because I'm helping out a friend of a friend, right? So I go out of my way to drop off the samples at her house. I brief her on what I'm looking for (plain white background, with a slight reflection on the base, a common technique, there are lots of examples on the web, including apple.com)
A couple of weeks go by, I get the low res proofs - she makes a few tweaks and we are done. Images look good. She sends me the invoice:
2 hours of photography work at $150 per hour
1 hour photoshop at $75 per hour
$150 per image for hi res digital images
Total of $675 for 2 pictures
I almost fell off my chair
I feel like an idiot for not establishing the price up front, but I also feel taken advantage of. $150 per hour in this economy? Seriously? Plus $150 for per *digital* image? Those are some expensive bytes
Any recommendations on what I should do here? I have not spent that much money on *anything* setting up this business
)
