COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY PRICING
Commercial photography will increase the perceived value of a product or service and elicit profitable action from your customers and assist in building your brand’s visibility, credibility, and profitability.
Pricing commercial photography is challenging because there are various factors that need to be considered. First, the type of project and the client's requirements can vary greatly, which makes it difficult to come up with a one-size-fits-all pricing model. Each project may require different amounts of equipment, time, and resources, which can affect the final cost. Additionally, commercial photography involves different types of photography such as product, architectural, portrait, and event photography, each requiring different levels of expertise and equipment.
Another consideration is the licensing and usage of the images. The client may require exclusive usage rights or may only need limited usage for a specific period. The licensing fees can significantly impact the overall cost of the project.
Moreover, commercial photography often requires a team effort, which adds to the complexity of pricing. The photographer may need to work with assistants, stylists, and post-processing experts to ensure the final images meet the client's expectations. Each team member will need to be compensated for their time and expertise, adding to the overall cost.
As a commercial photographer, I take a comprehensive approach to ensure my clients get the best value for their investment. With years of experience and expertise, I deliver high-quality images that align with your brand's values. Contact me today to learn more about my services and pricing.
ESSENTIAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER
As a commercial photographer, it is essential to communicate the various factors that influence pricing. When discussing pricing, I ensure to cover the following areas:
1. Scope of the project - I provide a detailed breakdown of my pricing structure based on the scope of the project, including the number of images required, the length of the shoot, and the complexity of the project.
2. Licensing and usage rights - I explain the different licensing options available, and the corresponding usage rights for each. This includes the duration of usage and any restrictions on usage.
3. Post-processing - I discuss whether post-processing work is included in the pricing, and if not, I provide a separate quote for any retouching or editing required.
By being transparent and clear about my pricing structure, I help clients understand what they can expect from my services and ensure there are no surprises later on. I believe that open communication and collaboration are key to building a strong professional relationship with my clients.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There is a spot right below the contact form, where you can upload as many pictures as you want, so I can get a better feel of the style you're going for. Or feel free to send over a style guide.
Payment is due 15 days after the shoot date (net15).
After the shoot is done, within a day I will send over a proofing gallery where you can select the best images(s). There will also be a detailed questionnaire to fill out to let me know how you would like your image(s) retouched.
Once I'm finished retouching, I will upload all files into Dropbox where you can download them and save them to your computer.
Planning is key to any successful commercial photo shoot. There are often many players in the planning stages of a shoot. Sometimes the ball is in my court to come up with visuals for a given clients needs. Other times there is a creative director conceptualizing the ideas.
Often times however, this is a collaborative effort between all parties involved. Once the ideas are drafted on paper, my job as the photographer is to execute this idea as a deliverable to the client.
PREPPING
It is very important to prep the space we will be shooting, and it will be so much easier to prep than to have to photoshop certain elements out later. This can save lots of time and money in the post production process.
LIGHTING
Another important aspect for commercial photography is the look. Depending on what we're capturing, whether it's people, or the space, lighting is a huge factor when capturing these types of images.
Good lighting is always going to make any image look so much better, so in a nutshell we want to think about a good space where there is either natural light, or a place to add artificial light.
POST PRODUCTION
This is really where the magic happens. After lighting the scene and creating beautiful images in camera. Here, we can start styling the image. Again, depending on what is needing to be done, certain things can be added, and taken away.
Some clients like more grain, as well as color grading in their photos to have a cinematic type look. Others may like more natural, or "true to color". All this info should be worked out before hand in the planning stage.
The differences are as follows:
PHOTO EDITING
This involves adjustment like white balance, color, exposure, contrast and sharpening. If there is a minor skin blemish that is distracting, for instance, I will usually remove it.
BASIC PHOTO RETOUCHING
This process is more involved than simple editing, and therefore, can take longer amounts of time. In addition to the color and balancing depicted above, retouching includes softening and blending of the face and neck; blemish removal; teeth whitening; brightening and red eye-removal; and hair taming around edges.
The end result is a polished, professional image that will be flawless, while still looking completely natural.
HIGH-END PHOTO RETOUCHING
This goes beyond the initial scope of basic retouching and includes things like, swapping heads and body parts, complicated hair adjustments, removing unwanted objects, smoothing clothes, changing background colors, changing clothing colors, changing the shape of face and body parts, and color grading.
High End Retouching Pricing starts at $100 per hour and time can vary depending on the size and scope of retouching wanted.
Used to sell or promote a product, service, or idea. Advertising, marketing, and promotional activities all fall into this category.
EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Used primarily for journalistic or educational purposes. Images featuring people and things not licensed for commercial use can be used in newspapers, magazines (print and online), as well as text books and educational blogs.
RETAIL PHOTOGRAPHY
Generally commissioned or purchased for the client’s own personal use (e.g., wedding photography, senior portraits, pet photography, fine art, etc.). Licensing issues do not arise as often in this category. While the photographer retains the copyright, the client’s fee may include a grant of reproduction rights.
COPYRIGHT
A copyright is a legal device that gives the creator of a literary, artistic, musical, or other creative work the sole right to publish and sell that work. Copyright owners have the right to control the reproduction of their work, including the right to receive payment for that reproduction. An author may grant or sell those rights to others, including publishers or recording companies. Violation of a copyright is called infringement.
Copyright is a property right. Under the Federal Copyright Act of 1976, photographs are protected by copyright from the moment of creation.
According to the U.S. Copyright Office, the owner of the “work” is generally the photographer or, in certain situations, the employer of the photographer. Even if a person hires a photographer to take pictures of a wedding, for example, the photographer will own the copyright in the photographs unless the copyright in the photographs is transferred, in writing, and signed by the copyright owner, to another person.
The subject of the photograph generally has nothing to do with the ownership of the copyright in the photograph. If the photographer is no longer living, the rights in the photograph are determined by the photographer’s will or passed as personal property by the applicable laws of interstate succession.
USAGE LICENSE
Simply put, a license is a contract in which the photographer grants specific rights to the client who wants to use the image. The client can only use the image within the scope of the agreement.
HOW TO OBTAIN A COMMERCIAL LICENSE
Clients can obtain licensed photography in two ways. First, they can hire a photographer to create new work (Assignment Photography) which will be licensed for the client’s specific purposes. The second – and less expensive – option is for the client to obtain a license for already-existing work (Stock Photography).
CREATIVE FEE
The creative fee is charged by the photographer for his or her efforts to bring a project to a successful completion. In addition to time spent, the creative fee may be calculated by considering factors such as the photographer’s experience, specialized expertise, reputation, or anything that contributes to the overall creative effort.
PER DIEM
Per diem is Latin for "per day" or "for each day." While per diem has several meanings, in relation to Photography, it is the daily allowance paid to photographers for expenses incurred while traveling for business. These expenses could be for lodging, meals, tips, taxi, and other ground transportation fees. Incidental per diem traveling expenses also include things such as as dry cleaning, laundry, phone use, WiFi, and room attendant tips.
EXCLUSIVE LICENSE
When granted, an exclusive license limits not only the client in their use of the licensed image(s), but also the photographer in their ability to license the work to multiple users. It’s also important to note that exclusive licenses can be very broad or very specific. The license might grant the licensee exclusive rights to use a photo singly, or in any combination of a specified media, industry, territory, language, time period, product, and/or any other specific right negotiated between the licensor and licensee.
NON-EXCLUSIVE LICENSE
The licensor can grant the same or similar rights to multiple licensees. Unless otherwise negotiated, licenses are non-exclusive.
UNLIMITED USE
This is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s a very broad grant of rights that permits the client to use the photo(s) across all media types and parameters (e.g., territory, duration, etc.).
LICENSING FEE
This is the price charged by the licensor to the licensee in exchange for a grant of rights permitting the use of one or more images in a manner prescribed in the license. The fee can – and will – be based on factors such as circulation, size of reproduction, and specific image qualities.
BUYOUT
A buyout means that the creator of a work transfers the copyright to another party, thus relinquishing all rights and ownership. Prices for buyouts are usually negotiated with the creator of a work, and those prices are based on a variety of factors.
WORK FOR HIRE
Also known as “work made for hire,” this term is defined in the U.S. Copyright Act as a work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment, or a work specially ordered or commissioned for use as a contribution to a collective work. What does that mean for you? It means that you may not hold the copyright to a photo that you took while working for someone else. And if you don’t own the copyright, you have no legal standing to license the work to a third party.