[Cailean]

Since I don't have to worry 'bout you folks as competition in a prospective business, I thought I'd bounce this idea off you...

First of all, I do not have the requisite skills (yet) to be a 'professional' portrait or wedding photographer. I do, however, love taking candid photos of people at family events: birthdays, etc.

I wondered if there would be a market for small event photography. My plan would be this: Folks would hire me (by the hour) to take pictures at their event (birthday party, family reunion, 50th Anniversary, company picnic, etc.) The end product would be CD with a couple hundred photos on it for them to do what they please with - no fuss, no muss. You wouldn't want to spend the money to hire a 'pro' photographer for these events, but no-one involved in the event likes to be stuck taking pictures.

Thoughts? Has any one tried something like this?

[Rufus]

Hello.

Now, please see that I mean to be helpful, not negative. . . . . . .

Problem: If you feel you lack the skills, how can you justify an hourly rate? What if they pay you and dont like the results?

A CD with a couple of hundred pics on it, means you spending hours of your time, possibly being abused, hassled, jostled and ignored. Then you charge little for that? Conversley, if you charge highly, then you are at great risk of the problem I raised first.

I might suggest you adopt a variant of my "wedding rate", (see thread on wedding).

BUT, first of all, you must rid yourself of doubt. Otherwise a lack of confidence will be used against you, to bully and manoeuvre you.

HTH

[Cailean]

I appreciate your advice, Rufus. I wouldn't have posted here I didn't expect the replies to be helpful.

Basically, I'm hoping people will be willing to pay a smaller rate for a 'dedicated' photographer without having to spend the big bucks for a 'professional' photographer. I do not intend to do posed photos, etc. like a wedding/portrait photographer might. My job would be to document the event and get as many pictures of as many people as possible. The aim is to eliminate the problem of having decent pictures of smaller events. Either you have to cobble together pics from several people's P&S cameras or there is at least one person who is not in ANY photos because that person had to keep busy taking them.

I agree that quality satisfaction is a concern... I can only say that my photos will be of a better quality than Aunt Agnes with her disposable camera - and Uncle Ted, with his 35mm SLR, will actually be in the photos. That would be the pitch, I guess. Plus, with my laptop onsite, CDs could be in the hands of guests as they leave!

[shuttertalk]

Sounds like an interesting idea Cailean... usually people aren't willing to fork out big bucks for "small" events like birthdays, etc.

Maybe get some experience doing gigs for friends/relatives so that you can build up a portfolio...

[Cailean]

usually people aren't willing to fork out big bucks for "small" events like birthdays, etc.

Hopefully, I'll be able to make it more affordable by leaving the processing to them...

Maybe get some experience doing gigs for friends/relatives so that you can build up a portfolio...

yeah, that is certainly a must before I set out for real!.

[de_axeman]

I think Rufus has a valid point about not getting a decent payoff for the effort invested. You may have heard of the phrase 'opportunity cost' - which basically means 'what could you have earned in that time if you had worked at something else other than take photos?'

However all this becomes moot if you're doing this more for the pleasure than the money. Sure - you could've earn more than $15 an hour working at the store next door, but will you be as fulfilled at the end?

Having said that, you shouldn't sell yourself short. Negotiate with your prospective client as to your rates. Who knows - the client might actually be willing to pay more than you imagined. Rufus was spot on with being confident in yourself.

[Rufus]

Here's a concept I cant quite explain, but I'm sure you'll see the point:

Dont be serious until you are really serious.


Does that make sense?

[adam]

That's the sort of thing I do, but I don't charge for it, because ... it's for my own fun? lol

[Cailean]

This is not the sort of thing I would stake my income on... more like a hobby that breaks even (as opposed to putting me in debt!!!)

[de_axeman]

Heh yeah. Don't quit your day job.

[Cailean]

Day job! I'm supposed to have a day job?!?

[de_axeman]

Whoops! Let the cat out of the bag did I?