I'm not surprised, but how to charge?

little laker · 08-06-2008, 08:30 PM

I just had one I expected a few months ago dumped on my lap.

On family was going to hire me for some grad photographs in early May, however a friend offered to do the pic's instead.

I was expecting a call the next day or two after the grad, asking if I could pull the shot off again.
That call came today. telling me that they made a big mistake, and every photo was awful.
They're daughter has moved to Vancouver, and the lady's mom is arriving next week, so it's now impossible for me to re-do anything.

They then asked me if I can possibly salvage some of these pic's. I'll be taking a look at them all this weekend, and trying some of my off camera magic. Hoping for the best.

Since there's potential for a lot of business through them, especially now that they've seen what bringing in the wrong photographer can do. I really want to do my best, and hopefully get more work through them.

However I really don't know what, or how to charge them.

If you had this asked of you how would you charge them.

I'll see if I can post both before, and after photographs, hoping that others will see it and hopefully avoid a similar disaster in the future.

*rmtagg* · 08-06-2008, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by little laker

I just had one I expected a few months ago dumped on my lap.

On family was going to hire me for some grad photographs in early May, however a friend offered to do the pic's instead.

I was expecting a call the next day or two after the grad, asking if I could pull the shot off again.
That call came today. telling me that they made a big mistake, and every photo was awful.
They're daughter has moved to Vancouver, and the lady's mom is arriving next week, so it's now impossible for me to re-do anything.

They then asked me if I can possibly salvage some of these pic's. I'll be taking a look at them all this weekend, and trying some of my off camera magic. Hoping for the best.

Since there's potential for a lot of business through them, especially now that they've seen what bringing in the wrong photographer can do. I really want to do my best, and hopefully get more work through them.

However I really don't know what, or how to charge them.

If you had this asked of you how would you charge them.

I'll see if I can post both before, and after photographs, hoping that others will see it and hopefully avoid a similar disaster in the future.

Stu will there be any problems with copy rights since they are another photographers photos????

little laker · 08-06-2008, 10:00 PM

There shouldn't be Rosemary, although I don't want my name associated with the work even if I do a wonderful job.

*rmtagg* · 08-06-2008, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by little laker

There shouldn't be Rosemary, although I don't want my name associated with the work even if I do a wonderful job.

I think you are going to have to see how bad they are before you can figure out what to charge them. I would love to see some befores and afters when you are done

innershell · 08-06-2008, 10:07 PM

I charge $50/hr for graphic work. Nobody has complained yet.

ll_coffee_lP · 08-07-2008, 05:16 AM

Hi Little Laker

I recently had a similar experience. A lady that I work with had her wedding photos done and they turned out terrible - she asked if I could do something with them to salvage them.

I made sure that she had the rights to the photos to do what she wanted with them.

The photos that I redid I charged $2.50 each. Most of the corrections were more dynamic crops, WB issues, colour correction, some selective exclusions, and evening out the exposures (the wedding occurred on a very sunny day). I could have charged more, but I wanted to do this favour and was hoping that I would get some further business in the future. Shortly afterwards we had a session booked for one of her family members.

I hope this info is helpful in some way.

c[_]

maxwell1295 · 08-07-2008, 05:57 AM

Originally Posted by ll_coffee_lP

Hi Little Laker

I recently had a similar experience. A lady that I work with had her wedding photos done and they turned out terrible - she asked if I could do something with them to salvage them.

I made sure that she had the rights to the photos to do what she wanted with them.

The photos that I redid I charged $2.50 each. Most of the corrections were more dynamic crops, WB issues, colour correction, some selective exclusions, and evening out the exposures (the wedding occurred on a very sunny day). I could have charged more, but I wanted to do this favour and was hoping that I would get some further business in the future. Shortly afterwards we had a session booked for one of her family members.

I hope this info is helpful in some way.

c[_]

Good post. That seems like a great way to go about it.

innershell · 08-07-2008, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by ll_coffee_lP

The photos that I redid I charged $2.50 each. Most of the corrections were more dynamic crops, WB issues, colour correction, some selective exclusions, and evening out the exposures (the wedding occurred on a very sunny day). I could have charged more, but I wanted to do this favour and was hoping that I would get some further business in the future. Shortly afterwards we had a session booked for one of her family members.
c[_]

From my experience, once you set that expectation, changing it is not easy. You also under-valued your work and unless you made it clear that $2.50 is ONLY for you this ONE TIME only, when you change the price to $10/print later, you will be seen as blasphemy. It's the same predicament I am in with graphic design...

*Ed in GA* · 08-07-2008, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by innershell

I charge $50/hr for graphic work. Nobody has complained yet.

Which is a good price if you're doing work in which you had the beginning hand.

To straighten out someone elses work I would get, at least, half again as much. $75 or more per hour.

I do the occassional contracting job on the side. I always charge a lot more to finish/straighten out what someone else started and screwed up.

Ed

*daacon* · 08-07-2008, 08:47 AM

I agree with being cautious with undercharging....

It it were me - I would do the following;

An initial consult reviewing all the pcitures to get an idea of what can be saved and how many - this would be a $100 - $200 non refundable and applied to final charge.

Then you should have an idea of exactly how many pictures you are dealing with. From there you can do a per picture / hourly rate / fixed bid whatever. Most people would like a pre picture / fixed bid as opposed to a hourly rate (Time and Materials kind of thing) is too opened ended. You can put a max price to aleviate the hourly rate thing.

The finished product is yours until payment has been made or at least arrangements have been made.

It should be costly to fix someone else's misktakes. Don't undervalue the time you spend. This is your job. When I first starting consulting (side gig), my first contract netted me and my partner about $2k each - while we charged a resonable hourly rate at the time - the actual amount of hours I put in brought my true hourly rate to something like $5.00/hr - first and last time I made that mistake

You will have a good read on what they are willing to pay. I might say something like , ok to fix all 400 of those pictures is going to cost about $3000.00 to give them an idea this is not a trivial task and is a valued skill set.

Once they get over that shock you may be able to fix a few for good will (plus the intiial consult fee) and then just become their photographer of choice. Or they may be more slective in which ones and how many they want fixed.

Edit: What I do is usaully bid TM with an hourly rate. I also put a max hours/ price where the client can then decide if I should continue on or stop. I also indicate any roadblocks or estimates when / if I can. Sometimes I am well under the quote , sometimes unexpected events put me over - the key is communication. This approach (while not Photo shop skills , still consulting in general) has worked well for me.

Good Luck.

*Gruoso* · 08-07-2008, 09:12 AM

Dont go cheap thinking on having them happy for future potential bussiness. If you are cheap now you will have to be cheap always.

Just an opinion.

*Gaelen* · 08-07-2008, 09:14 AM

Stu,

if she's in my neck of the woods, you could always come down here

If she wants some better pictures I could always do some for her through you (contracting out is fun).

I've been in similar situations trying to fix pictures and to be honest it's just painful. For my design work (3D modelling) I charge $40/Hr, for retouching I charge $60/Hr, it hurts and I have been known to spend 45 minutes on a single picture cause I'm a perfectionist sometimes.

Stu, if you want to come down here I got a couch for you

Good Luck

ll_coffee_lP · 08-07-2008, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by innershell

From my experience, once you set that expectation, changing it is not easy. You also under-valued your work and unless you made it clear that $2.50 is ONLY for you this ONE TIME only, when you change the price to $10/print later, you will be seen as blasphemy. It's the same predicament I am in with graphic design...

I completely agree with you innershell. This was made clear that it was a one time request as I'm not in the business of fixing other people's mistakes.

c[_]

ll_coffee_lP · 08-07-2008, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Gruoso

Dont go cheap thinking on having them happy for future potential bussiness. If you are cheap now you will have to be cheap always.

Just an opinion.

I certainly respect your opinion and views however, I couldn't disagree with you more. Doing a favour for someone you know to drum up future business is simply networking.

c[_]

Duplo · 08-11-2008, 06:45 PM

What Dave writes here is sound advise, based on what I would say is pretty common consulting terms.

Doing consulting work myself I would go along exactly the same lines.

Now on your issue at hand Stu,
I am not sure I would even attempt to salvage the job gone bad, unless you think there is sufficiently newbizz in it to make it worth while.
Offering to reshoot the thing and knowing you will have the base material done right will be a much easier/pleasant job.

Just my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by daacon

I agree with being cautious with undercharging....

It it were me - I would do the following;

An initial consult reviewing all the pcitures to get an idea of what can be saved and how many - this would be a $100 - $200 non refundable and applied to final charge.

Then you should have an idea of exactly how many pictures you are dealing with. From there you can do a per picture / hourly rate / fixed bid whatever. Most people would like a pre picture / fixed bid as opposed to a hourly rate (Time and Materials kind of thing) is too opened ended. You can put a max price to aleviate the hourly rate thing.

The finished product is yours until payment has been made or at least arrangements have been made.

It should be costly to fix someone else's misktakes. Don't undervalue the time you spend. This is your job. When I first starting consulting (side gig), my first contract netted me and my partner about $2k each - while we charged a resonable hourly rate at the time - the actual amount of hours I put in brought my true hourly rate to something like $5.00/hr - first and last time I made that mistake

You will have a good read on what they are willing to pay. I might say something like , ok to fix all 400 of those pictures is going to cost about $3000.00 to give them an idea this is not a trivial task and is a valued skill set.

Once they get over that shock you may be able to fix a few for good will (plus the intiial consult fee) and then just become their photographer of choice. Or they may be more slective in which ones and how many they want fixed.

Edit: What I do is usaully bid TM with an hourly rate. I also put a max hours/ price where the client can then decide if I should continue on or stop. I also indicate any roadblocks or estimates when / if I can. Sometimes I am well under the quote , sometimes unexpected events put me over - the key is communication. This approach (while not Photo shop skills , still consulting in general) has worked well for me.

Good Luck.