[Bcrary3]

I am looking to set up a photography studio (Crary Photography LLC) and as part of of planning stage I'd like to get some ideas about pricing and packages and what not, so as to make money but also be cheaper than the competition. Any help with this would be great!
Additional info:
I plan to do senior portraits, possibly weddings. Possibly year book photos?
I'd like to know how others here price that kind of thing out, and also what is included with each 'package' or what have you.
Thanks for the help in advance!

[magkelly]

Honestly with every place and photographer that's different. I could never charge here what I could in a bigger, more sophisticated northern town. The best thing to do is have a friend act like a customer and shop photographers in your area. You don't want them to know you're doing it, that you are setting up shop, but you do want to get a ballpark idea and that is the best way to find out what other people charge. Where I live it's really tough to sell packages, or prints. There's only one place to get really great prints and that's expensive.

Most people don't want anything but a CD of fully teched photos and they won't pay big city prices for that and still give you the business either. Weddings here cap at like 1K unless it's a big society wedding and the people getting married have a lot of $$$. I don't do them because I don't like doing them. I'm not really experienced enough for that yet, and because people here apparently break into a hot sweat at the very idea that they might have to actually pay a photographer like they pay the DJ, caterer, et all. I get offered $500 or less all the time to do weddings and by that I mean do it all from parties, showers, ceremony, studio shots, prints, album. They want EVERYTHING for a measly $500 (or frequently for free or for the barter of a meal or whatever) and goodness help me if I have the guts to say I want more. So, I don't touch weddings.

My average portrait shoot here is $250 and I am working my arse off to get that. Quite frequently I take jobs for far less just to get pics for my book, the website I am trying to set up. It's been really hard going pro and I'm probably making less than your average office or retail clerk when you get down to it, but I'm still happy. I'm finally my own boss and I am doing something I actually like for a change. It's murder getting jobs here, but it's what I want to do. I'm making my rent and that and I'm not quitting. I hope I will someday make a respectable $3-4K a month, make a decent living. That's the goal anyway but I am not kidding myself that I will get there quickly.

[jatrax]

so as to make money but also be cheaper than the competition.

Personally I think that is a mistake. You are setting yourself up to attract bottom feeders, and those folks not only demand more, complain more and cause more trouble, they are the ones who will stiff you when the bill comes due. If you do good work, then you should price yourself in the same ball bark as the local competition. Distinguish yourself with something besides price. Fast turn around, a special location, free coffee, extra special customer attention whatever. But if your business plan is to be the lowest price in the market you asking for grief. Just my humble opinion.

As noted above, pricing is different based on the local market. Do your research if you are really going to open a business. This is real work. Start online and compile a list of all the photographers in your market. List what they do, know their businesses front to back. Most will post online their pricing, if not call and ask for a brochure, or have your niece say she needs photos and wants pricing.

When you have all your info then ask yourself what can I do better than all those other guys.

[Kerrowdown]

also be cheaper than the competition

This is not the way to success, you will always be running to stand still.

Offer quality and service, people are prepared to pay for both and will find the money, think of perfumes, do you know any good cheap ones.

Folk who are not prepared to pay your rates are not your customers, let them go else ware.

[Bcrary3]

This is not the way to success, you will always be running to stand still.

Offer quality and service, people are prepared to pay for both and will find the money, think of perfumes, do you know any good cheap ones.

Folk who are not prepared to pay your rates are not your customers, let them go else ware.

The problem with is is that there are so many home based photo studios in my area it's sickening. And the way I see it (at least from the perspective from a 16 year-old in need of money and a future) the best way to bring people in is to be cheaper than everyone else. While that probably isn't the best mind set, I also need to find a way to bring people in, and keep bringing them back, while also funding setting up a studio location..

[jatrax]

The problem with is is that there are so many home based photo studios in my area it's sickening.

Then why on earth would you even consider going into competition with them? If the market is overloaded most likely half of the ones already going are one step from going bankrupt. I admire your intent, more than you know, but please take a step back and think this through. There are lots of ways to make money, but jumping into a saturated market where there is established competition who are most likely better and more experienced than you is not one of them.

Find a niche that is not well covered and focus on that. You have to be different to succeed, and different by being the cheapest is NOT a good plan. I've been in business all my life, owned my own business twice in two different areas so I've been there and done that.

If you think you are good enough why not start with stock photography, get your feet wet and learn the business. When you have a steady stock income then look at opening a studio or taking on clients. If you want ideas PM me.

[Giklab]

IMHO you should price yourself a bit above the cheap ones, but slightly below average. You won't be seen as cheap, but as affordable. There's a big difference.

[Ponosby Britt]

The best way to get customers is to offer something they really want. What do you have to offer? If its the same as "sickening amount of home based studios", its simply a price war and you are irrelevant. I know of no one who doesn't want to matter. If you can't sell yourself on the worth of your work, you won't convince anyone else. Think about the things you want, what you would be willing to spend your money on. What do you see and think, man, I'd love that. If all you have is cheap, you're going to hate the business pretty quick.

Start with a plan, a business plan. One page will do. Who will your customers be? Why would they buy my services? How much will my costs be (for real)? How much do I want to earn and how much time am I willing and able to invest? If you don't have good answers, you'll be much farther ahead in money, time and stress with a job. You can ruin a perfectly good hobby by trying to turn it into a business without any planning or business knowledge.

I get the edited CD question all the time. I do offer small, roughly edited event downloads for sales online, but also offer real prints that I make from DNG's which start at $30 for a 5x7 printed on 8x10 paper. They do get a web sized version to approve and keep of any purchased prints. I control the color and workflow from start to finish, its why I do well in Open Juried Exhibits. I meet with the customers beforehand, after they've received my Price Sheet and show them examples of my work. They can see and know that isn't possible at Wal Mart or Target and why I use pro labs with accurate ICC profiles.

You need to create some buzz about your work. Girls who are HS Juniors and have seen the photographs I made of this years Seniors tell their Moms they want me to photograph them, not Prestige or Lifetouch. As a 16 year old in HS, you've got a sales opportunity no adult has.

Get creative, skip the home studio and really learn lighting and make great photos in real places that mean something to the subjects instead of the corny studio backgrounds. Shoot like a 16 year old who knows what HS Seniors want instead of them getting in the long, impersonal line at Prestige or a "Mom with a Camera" studio. Never, ever use the word smile. Talk, make them laugh, be a director. A reflector and or $50 manual flash with $20 wireless trigger will do. Okay, you need the trust of your subjects and you need to understand posing. Go shoot friends until you get it. Make great prints that they want and show them. Crank up a free blog & Facebook fan page.

Photography as a business is mostly admin, sales, psychology and about 10% photography. If you do get going, don't wait too long to track expenses, get a local business license, a business liability policy, file sales tax returns and declare the income to Uncle Sam or the Man will find you.

[magkelly]

Then why on earth would you even consider going into competition with them? If the market is overloaded most likely half of the ones already going are one step from going bankrupt. I admire your intent, more than you know, but please take a step back and think this through. There are lots of ways to make money, but jumping into a saturated market where there is established competition who are most likely better and more experienced than you is not one of them.

Particularly at 16. No offense I don't think being 16 precludes you from being a good photographer but it will seriously limit what jobs you can take and what clients will accept from you. Under 18 your subjects can't do any kind of boudoir work with you or they could risk getting into legal trouble. You can't be hired for a lot of events that involve alcohol. Most wedding planners won't hire under 18 because most receptions have an open bar. Most women won't want to work with you because of your age and most men probably won't think you're experienced enough to even rate consideration. As an adult it's really hard to get work in the field. Being seen as a kid that's going to really keep you from getting places for a long, long time. I would try to get an older photographer to mentor you, take you on as a second shooter. Given his or her support you might get more work eventually than you would on your own but jumping into this at your age probably won't do you much good. You're going to need an older photographer there to mentor you and lend you some credibility if you want to do those jobs you mention, at least for a while. No one is going to hire a 16 year old kid to shoot a wedding unless they are dead broke and desperate and yo don't want those jobs. You'd make more second shooting and at least you'd get the mentoring out of it...

[Bcrary3]

Particularly at 16. No offense I don't think being 16 precludes you from being a good photographer but it will seriously limit what jobs you can take and what clients will accept from you. Under 18 your subjects can't do any kind of boudoir work with you or they could risk getting into legal trouble. You can't be hired for a lot of events that involve alcohol. Most wedding planners won't hire under 18 because most receptions have an open bar. Most women won't want to work with you because of your age and most men probably won't think you're experienced enough to even rate consideration. As an adult it's really hard to get work in the field. Being seen as a kid that's going to really keep you from getting places for a long, long time. I would try to get an older photographer to mentor you, take you on as a second shooter. Given his or her support you might get more work eventually than you would on your own but jumping into this at your age probably won't do you much good. You're going to need an older photographer there to mentor you and lend you some credibility if you want to do those jobs you mention, at least for a while. No one is going to hire a 16 year old kid to shoot a wedding unless they are dead broke and desperate and yo don't want those jobs. You'd make more second shooting and at least you'd get the mentoring out of it...

That is the whole reason I am doing this, nobody is willing to help me, or take me under them, so, why not compete against them? I'm not as inexperienced as some may think, and if people feel that I am then, that is fine also. You never really know unless you try, right?

[jatrax]

I'm not as inexperienced as some may think,

Certainly no one here has said you are inexperienced as a photographer. But the questions you ask clearly indicate you have no experience in business. MagKelly makes some very good points. In the old days you would apprentice under a master in whatever trade you entered, carpenter, mason, photographer. The apprentice learned the trade by doing. But more importantly they gained the contacts needed to be successful once they struck out on their own. They learned the business side as well as the craft side, policies, procedures, how to get paid, how to deal with customers, what to do in ugly situations. In this case, what to charge, what printer to use, the names of the wedding planners that will get you gigs, what equipment works what doesn't, what gear you need what you don't, what is in fashion what is not.

nobody is willing to help me, or take me under them

How many have you asked? Have you ever shot a wedding? Done the post process? Got the prints made and delivered? Apologized to an irate crying bride because the one shot of her and Uncle Victor makes her look fat? And don't say no one is willing to help you. A half dozen people have taken the time to answer your questions with well thought out answers. Please take a moment to consider that 20 or 30 years of experience just might have some insight into this business.

Here are some suggestions:
1) Make a list of all the photographers within say a 20 mile radius (or more if you think it practical). Go knock on the front door of every single one of them. Simply say you are trying to start out in photography as a career and you are looking for summer work as an assistant or second shooter. Dress nice, comb your hair and have a business card with nothing but your name and phone number on it. Don't worry about a business name or anything else, just name & number. Explain what you want, hand them a card and shut up. If they say get lost go to the next one. Somewhere along the line you will find some old guy looking to teach somebody. That's the guy you want.

2) Take a serious look at stock photography. Nothing is a more brutal learning experience. Nobody is going to look at your work and say "ooh nice", it either sells or it's junk. Instantaneous feedback. If you can make it in stock you can do anything in photography. I learned more in the first year of doing it than I did in the previous 25 years. You won't make a lot of money, at least at first until you have a good sized portfolio but you can make money at it. And you will certainly learn a lot. I don't want to post stock agencies here but if you are interested PM me.


I'm not trying to discourage you, rather I'm standing up and applauding loudly. Your ambition and determination are admirable. Just, please do your research first and learn the trade before jumping in.