Here's the deal. I do business head shots, I've done commercial including for a company in CA...yes, the California. I've done events. They all require I know what the heck I am doing. Why should they cost less than what I would charge for a portrait session? Which also requires I know what the heck I am doing....I am not a noob.
Ok, events not counted since, as with sports team photos, it's in quantity...and another blog post.
But for commercial/model/business head shots...it's about YOU and you making money. You, as in the person I am photographing or who's product I am making look, so "I gotta have that!"
But most business owners feel (I did not say all) that this service should be cheap, as in $29.95. Do we really need to refer to past posts here?
What does the client really get out of that image?
- A professional photo of themselves for professional use.
That means...
- They can use it just about anywhere, a business card, a yard sign, a billboard, a website, Facebook, Twitter, brochures, commercials?,
See, every time that image is shown several things are happening. A potential customer is seeing it a deciding if they want to work with you and can trust and even want the service you are offering. If you are a lawyer, they are going "yeah, they look tough, they can win this case for me" A stylist, "wow I love her hair, I want her to do mine" (I know stylists don't cut their own hair, but it's about looks) A Realtor, "she looks friendly, outgoing and I bet she can find/sell my home in no time!" Etc.
In short, every time a potential client finds your business and sees your professional image, they are potential income. Every single time whether it's 200 times a day or 200 times a month. That is the potential for a sale over and over and over.
The photographer made $29.95 one time. Once. Why should professional head shots be so cheap? They shouldn't. The photographer is putting in time, equipment, experience. So at the very least...PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS...you need to figure how much time you have in this job. The phone call, the session, the retouching ( cause you are not going to let the professional image leave your hands unretouched....are you?), cropping, resizing (you are not going to give them the copyright are you? Hint, no, you are not) Sending prepping the file for CD or email AND getting the Limited Usage License Release ready. Personally, if I took 5 images I'm going to have at least an hour to an hour and a half. Start to finish. Plus the wait while the client decides which image they want to show the world and can you retouch them back to their 20's. It happens. So, you just made less than $30/hour. Hope that covered your business insurance and made you happy. I charge $125 and believe me, I'm told it's too much. But I've been told $50 is too much too. Which means $29.95 is too much also. There is no happy here, I charge what my time is worth.
Oh, and I've even offered to barter for business pics, even that was too much! So, in the end, while I offer business headshots, create a great professional image for you representing your business and your livelihood, I refuse to eat Mac and Cheese to do it.
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