Posted by: Catherine Morley
Category: Designers Working With
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Designers and writers charge mostly by project, based on hourly estimates and external expenses. Photographers have other details to consider, but what exactly are they?

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Bill

By the project. Time is only one consideration. The technical difficulty of the photography; the amount of equipment, assistants and stylists needed for the project; and the usage rights to be licensed are all other factors that go into the price.

Bill Wisser | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Bill Wisser Photo.com | The Naked Eye

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Bruce

I charge based on the scope of the project and copyright use. Production costs are as detailed as needed and the creative fee is separate from copyright fee. The trend these days is to lump creative fee and copyright but I prefer they stay separate since copyrights purchased can change mid project – it just seems easier and more transparent to keep it separate. That said, if there is one thing my 25+ year career has taught me it’s to stay flexible. Especially since I’ve been on the client side, I understand how frustrating cost structures can get.

Bruce DeBoer | Photographer
DeBoerWorks Photographic Productions

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Dave

By the piece.

Dave Beckerman | Photographer / Owner
Dave Beckerman Photography | Black and White Photography

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Jeffrey

I base my fee on how the image will be used, complexity to execute and production costs. I have a base fee then add the usage based on the distribution or media buy. That way I don’t have to regulate my creativity based on money and if a simple local campaign expands regionally or nationally then my fee expands. I feel this is a very fair way to price assignments and it inspires me to always take the project to the next level regardless of the original fee. Besides, the better the image the better my client will look to their client, which brings them back, I maintain my reputation for providing quality and I have the potential for residual fees. The better the image the higher fee it commands in the after-market as stock imagery so it is always a win win. Beware of the bargain-basement creative you often don’t even get what you pay for.

Jeffrey Jacobs | President
Jeffrey Jacobs Photography Inc.

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Jon

Like all good professionals :) I charge on usage. How the image is used, where, when and for how long. This way the client gets exactly what they need and can re-licence should the images be a success and further or extended use is required. The client is actually buying the USE of the image and the costs of its production.

The estimate will include the base usage (normally 1 year one country in two types of media - or 2 years one country in one type of media). As per the Association of Photographer’s guidelines I include the initial usage in the estimate and further uses as a % of the initial estimate Base Use Rate (BUR) figure. This gives the client the ability to budget further uses.

AoP Example: You have commissioned a shoot for use in the UK, in press and posters for 1 year. You now want to expand the media coverage to point of sale. BUR has been negotiated at £2000. Extending the licence to point of sale in the UK for 12 months should be 25 - 50% of the BUR (see AOP Re-Usage Guidelines) depending on the amount of coverage, therefore the cost of the additional licence would be £500 - £1000.

So as you can see, it’s like menu driven pricing - or like hiring a car. You pay for the amount of miles you drive and the petrol used! For further reading see www.copyright4clients.com which covers the licencing of professional imagery.

Jon Boyes | Advertising and Editorial Photographer
Jon Boyes

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Patrick

In most cases by the shot.

Patrick Chuprina | Photographer
Chuprina Studios

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Rochelle

I typically use contracts, and the size and length of a job determines if I take a percentage up front. I charge by the hour or by project for my photography and video production services, since my jobs can range from providing untouched stock photography to a complete video production (to me, video is a three-dimensional version of photography).

Rochelle Dahl | Photographer & Designer
Rochelle Dahl Designs

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Tom

I like the tried and true method of developing a proposal for each project. In photography there are a lot of X factors that can affect the project and the outcome. I have a day rate (or studio rate) which is always the base price for projects. Then I consider the usage of the pictures and their overall worth and apply that to the price. Finally, I add in the extras which are involved in the project, whether it’s time behind the computer, assistants, rental equipment, etc.

Tom Smalling | Photographer
Tom Smalling Photography & Design | Tom Smalling’s Photography Blog

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Will

I’m guilty of being an artist here. If the subject of the project appeals to me a flat rate, otherwise I provide an hourly quote.

Will Williams | Photographer and Designer
Perspective-Images.com

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For more, check out How do photographers charge?, Understanding the Estimate for a Photographic Assignment and Controlling the Cost of a Photographic Assignment. (Thanks Jon!)

until the next
Designers WW,
cat