How to prepare estimates and price photoshoots

As a professional photographer, I spend a considerable amount of time keeping tabs on what is happening in the industry.  I go to the workshops, listen to the seminars and read the books.  And it has been of considerable disappointment to me that the information photographers most want to know – how much should I charge – is uaually given a quick brush off with an answer to the effect of “there are too many variables to…”

I was quite happy to see that two educational papers that were produced as a joint effort of Wonderful Machine and Photoshelter actually answer that very question.  The first entitled Pricing Your Work: Magazine Photography covers the ins and outs of magazine contracts, estimating shoots for magazines, the pitfalls to avoid and what to charge.  Yes, they actually tell you the going rates for different types of assignments!  You can get it here: http://www.photoshelter.com/mkt/research/pricing-your-work-magazine-photography

Another released entitled: Pricing Your Work: Corporate and Industrial Photography covers the different type of corporate photography, from event photography, to environmental portraits, etc and covers what determines the value of the photos, contract language and other must knows, including, once again, the price ranges you should expect to get in different segments of this market for different uses.  You can get this guide here: http://www.photoshelter.com/mkt/research/

I found a quote from one of these interesting: “If you ever find yourself complaining about the low rates or “rights grabs” that you have to endure, ask yourself first if you are contributing to that problem.”

It has often been difficult to find reliable information on just how to conduct your business affairs when it came to pricing, negotiating or contracts.  Now we no longer have an excuse.   Read the guides.  I promise you that you will be glad you did (and No, I don’t work for photoshelter).

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The hidden invalidation that kills photographers

Nothing takes a heavier toll on the artist or creative than invalidation. Hear how worthless your work is just a few too many times, and you will put away your camera, paintbrush, musical instrument or pen for good. I’ve seen it happen to many.

There are the obvious sources. The art critic for example. But no matter how badly the words of invalidation may sting when we hear them, we all know deep inside that most critics are simply those who are incapable of creating that which they criticize. But there is a much more insidious source of invalidation. The one we do to ourselves without knowing it.

While I have been aware of this for many years, I’ve never heard it said until just the other day by Beate Chelette, The Photo Biz Coach during her seven day video bootcamp: “It is a rookie mistake to believe that you should have a broad appeal. You want to only work with those that pay you what you are worth and appreciate your craftsmanship and talent.” I knew this, but hearing someone else say it was like a new light coming on in the room

Today, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t take pictures, if only with their iPhone. Likewise, they’re all busy posting these to one or more of hundreds of social media outlets. That doesn’t make them photographers.

But it does create the false impression that anyone can take a picture. With that comes the false impression that it costs nothing to produce an effective image.

Seasoned art directors and clients know this is as far from the truth as it gets. But with the heavy influx of new and uneducated people hanging out a shingle in all corners of our industry, a photographer can find himself bombarded with unrealistic demands and expectations. The photographer who tries to meet the demands of the uneducated client (or the unethical opportunist) and attempts to do the shoot under unrealistic terms and expectations has just been invalidated by the only person who can harm him… himself. In doing so, you have just told yourself that your work is worthless.

To be sure, there are bottom feeders out there who seek to take advantage of the climate and profit at the expense of the photographer. These people will never be your clients. Don’t feed them.

But the vast majority of people are fair and honest. They simply need to be educated on what it takes to do the job right, and what the consequences of failing to do so (nothing is more expensive than funding marketing that doesn’t work). Some will come around immediately and want to do the shoot right. Some will need to learn a lesson by working with photographers who themselves have not figured out what it takes to do the job right first.

We don’t struggle because there are too many photographers. The demand for photos is greater than at any time in history. We struggle because there are too many people who have entered the industry without first learning what the value of a photo is, what it takes to produce it so that it will actually have that value, and what the accepted practices of the industry are. This includes both photographers and clients. The photographers who currently struggle and the photographers who quit all have the same thing in common: they failed to understand that some people simply are not their clients and tried to please them.

In the “race to the bottom” that so many are playing there are no winners. Not the photographer, not the client (see The High Cost of Cheap Photography“), not even the consumer. You are worth more, and so are your clients.

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Back on Found Folios

With the increasing number of photography sourcebooks appearing online, I had moved away from all of them and moved to simply doing direct marketing.  But things have evolved and some have shaken out at being the leaders and feature the work of only high quality photographers.  This of course makes them a draw to art buyers and I decided to hook up with Found Folios.

You can see my portfolio at FoundFolios here.  Of course my main site, Mark Stout Photography is still online, as is my new stock photography site.

The Gluten Gladiator

Here is a photo I recently shot for Brian Gannsman, aka The Gluten Gladiator, the author of the book “Defeat Wheat: Your Guide to Eliminating Gluten and Losing Weight.”  The book is a survival guide for those who suffer from Celiac Disease and cannot tolerate foods containing gluten.

For more info on the book, visit DefeatWheat.com or Brian’s Facebook page.

Photo for the Gluten Gladiator – Copyright Mark Stout

Things that I am thankful for

As we go through life, it is often a good idea to stop and think of the things you are thankful for. One that I thought of recently was just how thankful this was NOT the plane I was about to board!

Off the Clock Photo Exhibition in LA

While I was in Los Angeles meeting with the National Executive Board of APA, one of the highlights was to be there for the opening of Off The Clock 2013.  OTC is a juried show that features the best of hundreds of entries from the top professional photographers in the nation.  It is the work they shoot when they are “Off the Clock.”  The 2012 show was sent to APA Colorado where the opening exhibition was so successful that we held it over for a second showing at Emmanuel Gallery… but nothing prepared me for what I saw at the OTC 2013 opening in LA.

Beyond the spectacular quality of the work, what caught my attention was the sheer number of people attending the opening night.  My guess was there were 1000 people present.  Seeing how professional photographers and the industry as a whole pulls together in support of the industry was truly inspirational.

The LA Fashion Shoot

Here are a couple of photos that I took at a fashion shoot while in LA.  Wonderful location and was great to have a chance to work with John Strand as the model again.  He always brings 150% to a shoot.  See more of the shoot in my Men’s Fashion Photography Gallery.

Fashion Shoot in Los Angeles – copyright Mark Stout

Fashion shoot in LA – Copyright Mark Stout