this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023
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Photography

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Howdy folks, so here’s my situation:

I need to start off and say that I have been told many times by multiple people that I often sell myself short. Not to hype myself up, just that I’ve come to not really trust my intuition regarding charging for my work.

I shoot comedy shows. Twice a month, I get $60 CAD to head across town to shoot a 1-1.5 hour long comedy show. 8 comedians, I deliver 10-15 edited photos of each to the host before 4PM the next day.

I need to stress these aren’t large venues, the shows are a couple steps up from open mics.

Now, since I’ve started with this promoter about a year and a half ago, I’ve greatly upgraded my setup (APS-C to full frame, new laptop and editing software) and I am very proud at the progress I’ve made quality-wise!

On top of that, the promoter I’m working with just let me know he may be securing a contract in the new year to host shows at a larger venue and wants to bring me along, so if I were to ask now would be the time.

Here’s what I’d want to propose to him:

  • At the lower-level shows:
    • $70
  • Larger shows
    • $100 for the shows at the new venue
    • The individual comedians would need to pay $10-15 for their photos on delivery and their approval (as of now the promoter shares the photos to the comedians to use and post, didn’t know he was going to do that when I first started)

I’m a little bit iffy on the last part, I have no clue if this is a standard; I am basing it off of a friend who did videography for another promoter where he would chop up the shows and sell the individual sets to the comedians on top of the base price from the promoter (with the blessing of the promoter).

I really don’t want to come across as greedy, but I want to start taking my photography more seriously and treating like a profession I actually want to pursue

Any thoughts folks?

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[–] k1ller_speret@alien.top 1 points 1 year ago

You need to triple those numbers You need to start accounting for all of your costs, not just you being there.

Take all of your costs and divide it by 24 based off your current work.

$8 for editing soft $26 for camera gear (based off a $2500 kit paid over 2 years, which is already under paying yourself. You should pay it off with "60 days" of rentals $2-8 depending on storage & power

  • your transport cost.

So now your barely making any money.

I would recco starting at least $100 a gig now. Especially in these times.