Re: [Leica] Baryta prints

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>]

David Rodgers said:
Subject: Re: [Leica] Baryta prints
> One local portrait photographer charges at least double what the
> competitiion charges. His business hit the skids like everyone's in 2002.
> But this past year his business grew leaps and bounds.<<<

Hi David,
Along those lines. A couple of portrait photographers in London, UK closed
their studio, completely re-furbished and stopped doing colour photography
even when a client asked for colour they said... "We do portraits in B&W
only." Yep they lost a few. However! :-)

At first they thought they might deep 6 themselves to the dump in standing
firm on B&W only, not only did they do that, they also tripled their prices
from previous sitting rates.

In the front windows of the studio were huge B&W stunning portraits
beautifully printed and framed. They did an excellent ad campaign and within
three months had doubled their appointments, even with the higher prices.

The main theme of their ad was similar to my on going comment regarding B&W
verses colour while photographing people. "When you photograph people in
colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in B&W
you photograph their soul!"

Their change over was a few years ago, last I heard they were still going
full speed! :-)

Never does any good cutting ones rates as the client who usually gets a
break will become your worst case nightmare. Best to charge high and loose a
few who never paid on time anyway or were constantly whining! :-)

I ask photo students which would they rather do, work one day for a $1000.00
or do ten days work coping with dumb ass clients at $100.00 per day?

The first time I started charging $100.00 per day plus all costs imaginable
I was told by several people I was completely crazy and they'd never hire me
for anything at that rate. They were right, they never did higher me at
$100.00 because I had warned them it was their choice, but they should keep
the following in mind.

If they hired a shooter who screwed-up and they called me to bail them out,
my day rate would double to $200.00! :-) Then they really thought I had lost
my mind. ;-)

However, the first one to call me ten days later to cover his ass I reminded
him of the rate increase and he hung-up. A couple days later he called me
back, apologized and hired me. The re-shoot was charged at $200.00 per day,
not for one day, but for three days @ $200.00 per day! :-) :-) Why? Because
the previous guy had told him he could "knock it off in one day!" OOPS! :-(

And from that day on the client never went anywhere else, even when prices
increased and with each one his response was... "'You're worth every
dollar!" :-) Sometimes it's tough loosing an assignment because you charge a
higher rate, but in the end, what's the point of producing top end
photography and not being paid properly for your photo eye and experience.
Go cheap! Get cheap jobs!

Charge high and people will hire you because human beings always think, "My
God if he charges that amount he must be very very good, get him we can't
afford any screw-ups!" ;-)  Little do they know. ;-)

But I guarantee my work and if a screw-up occurs and it's my fault I
re-shoot at my expense completely! And does that ever keep you on your toes
about everything being right on the ball!

ted


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