Photography Pricing

[GJestico]

Well, on another forum I was watching some good discussion on Pricing for AP work. Then it got closed for some reason. I bet many of you here saw it too, so lets continue the talk here.

What can we charge ? A basic rule of business is charge what the market can bear. For custom photography work, I dont think any Fullsize can compete with us. We can probably charge $200-$400 for each site maybe ? Our costs dictate our profit.

What about those condo jobs where they want a 180-360 pano of what the view would be like from each floor. I thinkwe have the ultimat tool for that in the heli. Could one charge $5000 for a 30 floor job ?

There was also some talk about the appearance of yourself and your heli rig, trying to get awaya from the "Grungy guy with a toy heli" image.

Lets talk without the BS of that other forum.

Greg

[fitenfyr]

Greg,
The other thread was closed by the originator.
Something came up off the board that required Brett to close it.
There were no "forum games" involved with this one.

I don't know what the issue was/is, but it was not related to the "wandering" of the topic or anything that was said.

This came directly from Brett Horton (copterviews).

[MLaBoyteaux]

I approached a roofing contractor about aerial's of their jobs. They're paying a full scale outfit $200 for an aerial. But, the fullscale company only flies twice a month, so if they need something done urgently (like a before shot) then sometimes it doesn't get done.

They asked if I could do jobs all over the state of Texas, or just locally.

I agreed to match what they're paying for the full scale photos and let them see what I can do.

It's paying off big time. They hired me to take over their website, develop a new website for their custom homes division, and do all of the photography/video for their marketing.

They fired their current web guy.

I'm not making a killing on the aerials, but I've now earned a steady client that will keep me and Mike busy. This is going to be our foot in the door for doing high end real estate photos and virtual tours.

[Xcellgasman101]

Way to go Mark,, Congrats,,, I knew that it would kick in for you, You do great work, Again Congrats.. Good luck, Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.. XGM

[Cryofix]

I plan $250 per site visit as my base, easy no hassle shots maybe $200 and some more difficult areas such as water or trees I may go to $300.

I also plan on rights for photos with $150 max on full rights.

Hopefully being able to make $400 a shoot.

[fitenfyr]

Mark,
200 for a shot is not out of line at all.
Plus they are of a "continual" nature so a discount is appropriate in my mind over a "one time" shot for a client you may never see or hear from again.
Contractual work should always have some consideration for the volume involved when pricing.
Obviously if you know the money is going to come in and you can schedule the shoots around other work then getting the "top dollar" is not so important.
Chances are you will be able to do the contract job and maybe a few others the same day all because you have some control over the work schedule.
That is where you will capitolize on the "discount" in my opinion.

[Tonystott]

I just found a website for a service operating a mast and a tethered blimp here in Oz (not in my area, so no direct market conflict). His charges start at $AU420 (a bit over $US300). That changed my thinking about prices, and I will have a chat about how well his clients accept his pricing

It got me thinking that maybe a blimp is a better option for multi-floor panos. Anyone able to comment on this alternative (sorta off topic but related)

[MarkWebber]

What torques me is I offer my 'regular' employer a fair discount for progression shoots. Today one of their project managers forwards me an email from someone within the company suggesting they use a full scale operation charging twice the rate I charge them.

Are people just stupid, or what?

I'm seriously concidering blowing them off completely. It's just not worth the hassle. I'm getting to the point that if I don't make the going minimum, I won't do the job.

[fitenfyr]

Mark,
Well I would take that as a concern not in the pricing, but in my work.

The questions I would ask are....

Why does this employee think they need to go full scale?
Personal motive? Sucking up to the boss...buddies business...etc..

Is the quality of my work less than desirable for the client?
Maybe the last couple jobs were slow, not good quality, etc...

Not saying any of this is the case, but I wouldn't immediately jump to the conclusion that my boss is out to screw me.

Course maybe he/she is......:D

[MarkWebber]

Jason

I do intend to get to the bottom of this. I'm certain it's not from lack of quality. I've been told that everything I've charged for is consistant with what they purchase from other sources. (I'm not the only one doing this for them).

We have numerous project managers within the company. Others have been satisfied with my work. Maybe this guy is just a tool.

The person that forwarded me the email is hunting in my woods right now. As soon as he's out I'm going to find out what's going on.

Even if my shots were somewhat lesser quality than what the other guy is offering, it would seem insane to pay so much more when all they use them for is keeping an eye on the sites.

[Tonystott]

What torques me is I offer my 'regular' employer a fair discount for progression shoots. Today one of their project managers forwards me an email from someone within the company suggesting they use a full scale operation charging twice the rate I charge them.

Are people just stupid, or what?

I'm seriously concidering blowing them off completely. It's just not worth the hassle. I'm getting to the point that if I don't make the going minimum, I won't do the job.
Of course another approach would be to contact the company offering to switch to using full-size (at double the price) and then explain why you don't think it would make sense, but you wanted the company to be fully informed of their options. (without letting on that you are aware of the internal email).

That way, the "white ant" gets stymied because you keep the gig either way.

Just a thought....

[SeaHawk]

You're going to have to explain the 'white ant' thing to most of us non-Australians. :?

[Crjbenny]

Mark,
You could allways offer full size AP to them. Just go hire a local flight instructor or any other commercial pilot for that matter and have him remove the travel limiter on the window of a Cessna 172 and you have a full size AP platform. The bill should come in around $110.00 an hour.

Sell your services as BOTH full size and RCAP. With full size you can fly several jobs in a half an hour, Each being worth what your competition is charging. The expense of the aircraft rental can also be deducted from your taxes at the end of the year. :lol:

[Tonystott]

You're going to have to explain the 'white ant' thing to most of us non-Australians. :?
Sorry :) The expression "white ant" refers to termites, and the way they quietly undermine things so you only find out when it is too late as the damage is already done.

[MarkWebber]

Sell your services as BOTH full size and RCAP

I do offer both. I just don't know what's up with this one person. He had already asked me to do another shoot of his site late this month or beginning of Dec. Flaky, I guess.

[Crjbenny]

Mark,
I guess your probably right about him being flaky.

I had a customer try to get me to lower my price by more than half because he said his "friend" had taken the previous picture for him and only charged him $90.
He said he wasnt prepared to pay any more.

I cut him a deal which was my first mistake, I told him he could go up with me in the plane and take some pictures with his own camera while I took some I needed. When we got to the airport he had the picture his "friend" took as an example and wouldnt you know it the picture was one WE HAD TAKEN that he had obtained through another customer.

I was silly to give a single inch on my price but I learned a realitively cheap lesson out of the deal. You can turn poeple away. And it might save you the embarassment of getting taken, and save you a pain in the A#$.

[MarkWebber]

You can turn poeple away. And it might save you the embarassment of getting taken, and save you a pain in the A#$.


I couldn't agree more, Ben. I expect this nonsence from the general public but from my employer...geez :arggg:

[Crjbenny]

Mark,
That is a bummer.