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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
Starting prices or packages. What did you do?

Scott Brooks
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Jun 27, 2005, 1:15 AM

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Starting prices or packages. What did you do?	Can't Post

For those of you that are just starting out � what are you offering in your packages and what are you charging?

My ad is going into the phone book very soon and I need to settle in on my pricing. Right now I�m considering going strictly a la carte, but I haven�t locked in on anything just yet.

I�m searching as many websites as I possibly can, but I also want to get in touch with those that are in the same situation as myself. If any of you have recently started photography could pass on your knowledge I would appreciate it.

Likewise � those of you who started up and wished that you would have done something different � what would it be?

Thanks!

Natty
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Jul 4, 2005, 3:34 AM

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Re: [Sparky] Starting prices or packages. What did you do? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Hi Sparky!

I think you will find that what you charge will be based on
1. your portfolio to date
2. skill level
3. competitor pricing for comparable work
4. what your market will bear and
5. what you will be including in your package. And by package that can mean shooting at an hourly rate and ala carte everything or package up everything or something in the middle.
6. Where do you fall in your video pricing?

When I started offering photography - finding the right bride/guinea pig was the toughest part - I offered a very low price, very few prints and the digital negatives which having is always attractive to a prospective bride...

There are many variables to adding photography that will affect how successful that move is... I don't know if you are planning on going to weva expo this year, but I will be conducting a seminar on adding photography to your video business and I will have lots of good info to take with you. However, please feel free no matter what to contact me with your questions Smile

Good luck as you make this move - it can be very lucrative and rewarding! Wink

Natalie
Glass Slipper Productions

Scott Brooks
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Jul 4, 2005, 11:13 AM

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Re: [Natty] Starting prices or packages. What did you do? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Nat ...

No, It looks as though I'll be skipping expo and dropping my membership. However, I do have plans to go to the DWF convention next year, which should have a much larger impact on my business.

I just completed my first wedding (solo) on Saturday. I'm providing her with a CD with the files and photos on PhotoReflect for her friends and family to take a look at ... that's it.

I do have one wedding where I was the second camera and the photographer has given me permission to do anything I wanted with them except sell them. I'm thinking about having a Shared Ink proof book made up and possibly even an album. The reason I would use that wedding over this recent one is the ambiance of the church and quite honestly, a better looking couple. I just need something to get started.

I believe I'm going to start off the way I ended up with video and that's to primarily offer everthing a la carte as opposed to packages. We'll see.

As for video? If they book me as their photographer then more than likely I'll ask them if they're interested in having a video of their ceremony. I'm not looking to try and put together a team to take care of the wedding day. Instead I would just have my wife shoot the ceremony from the balcony of the church along with the proper audio hookup. No editing, no second camera (except as backup); just a simple recording of the ceremony.

Video still isn't popular at all in this area and one of the reasons I'm backing out. Plus ... I'm finding I enjoy photography a lot more. I'm actually looking forward to the next bridal show ... something I had swore off of last year. But the bridal shows around here will be the best way to get the word out.

I have no idea whether I'll be successful at photography or not, but I've invested the time and the money and will continue to do so. I guess I'll just have to see where I'm at after next year.

Edited to add: If there were a couple of album companies (like Zooks and Shared Ink) showing up as vendors at the weva expo then I might reconsider. I doubt if it would be worth their time though.

Thanks

(This post was edited by Sparky on Jul 4, 2005, 12:14 PM)