Negotiating rates: A quick lesson in the wrong way from Mark Focus

The economy seems to be coming back a bit and so your photo business opportunities should be, also.
One mistake people tend to make when offering services is to understand where you bottom really is.
Negotiating is fine and more people are becoming accustomed to that these days.

But don’t let it get this far:

That scene is from a 60′s movie called Putney Swope about the world of advertising on Madison Avenue. Directed by Robert Downey, SR. Yep, Iron Man’s dad.
As the Mad Men era was drawing to a close, this movie put an outrageous spin on what was happening in the world of advertising. Not one for the kids, but very funny stuff.

Any way, the point is that when you negotiate your prices, you must have all of your costs and options at your fingertips.
Do you use a rate card?
If the photos are being used in advertising, where will they be used and for how long?
Is the exposure you will get the main key? Sometimes the association with a client may bring in more work.
What are your hard costs? Those numbers won’t lie and you can donate your time, up to a point. Shooting 5000 exposures will take some editing time and some post work at least for presentation purposes.
Figure out how your gear costs are amortized, at least over the course of a year, and how many gigs it will take to cover those costs.
There are so many parts of the photo business and so many ways to charge.
True, the current economy and ability to get a passable image with the gear available has changed the marketplace, but remember your working brothers and sisters: don;t give it up for free, like Mark Focus.
Look what happened to him.


Sign up for our Free Newsletter and become eligible for the Weekly Giveaway

Featured Advertisers

Latest News


Tags

Weekly Giveaway

Now Playing

Visit our Video Page!

Contest Winners

  • Congratulations to:
    Ramona I., of Corabia, Romania
    the Winner of: ThinkTank Photo Media wallets
    And:
    Allen S. of Bronx, NY
    the Winner of: “Digital Wedding Photography: Capturing Beautiful Memories” book.
  • Sign up for the NEWSLETTER for a weekly recap and to be eligible for
    free stuff!

Upcoming Events

  • PMA @CES:
    Jan 8th-13th, 2012
    Las Vegas, NV

  • Photo LA:
    Jan 12th-16th, 2012
    Santa Monica, CA

Hot Links

Current Exhibitions

  • Annenberg Space For Photography
  • “Digital Darkroom”
  • Dec. 27th. 2011 – May, 28th, 2012
  • 2000 Avenue of the Stars, #10
  • Century City, CA. 90067
  • Tel: 213.403.3000
  • Fahey/Klein Gallery
  • VARIOUS ARTISTS – FROM COLLECTORS’ ARCHIVES
    LENA HERZOG – PANORAMAS

  • Through March 3rd, 2012
  • 148 North La Brea Avenue
  • Los Angeles, CA. 90036
  • Tel: 323.934.2250
  • ICP
  • Weegee: Murder Is My Business
  • January 20–September 2, 2012
  • 1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street
  • New York, NY 10036
  • Phone: 212.857.0000
  • Rose Gallery
  • Elger Esser
  • Through Feb. 18th, 2012
  • Bergamot Station Arts Center
  • Gallery G5
  • Santa Monica, California
  • 90494
  • Phone: 1-310.264.8440
  • Silverstein Gallery

  • Silverstein Annual
  • Jan 14th-Feb. 25th , 2012
  • 535 West 24th Street
  • NY,NY 10011
  • Tel: 212-627-3930
  • Getty Center

  • Lyonel Feininger: Photographs, 1928–1939
  • October 25, 2011–March 11, 2012
  • 1200 Getty Center Drive
  • Los Angeles, CA. 90049
  • Tel: 310-440-7300
  • Howard Greenberg Gallery
  • Photo League / New York In Color
  • Feb. 3rd – March 17th, 2012
  • 41 East 57th Street, Suite 1406
  • New York,NY 10022
  • Tel: 212-334-0100
  • Staley-Wise Gallery
  • Deborah Turbeville | The Fashion Pictures
  • Currently showing
  • 560 Broadway
  • New York,NY
  • 10012
  • Phone: 1-212-966-6223
  • Museum of Modern Art
  • Selection from the Permanent Collection
  • Currently Showing
  • 11 West 53rd Street
  • NYC,NY
  • 10019-5497
  • (212) 708-9400

ADVERTISE

Want to advertise on Photoinduced? We have several options available. Learn More.

Call Me

Receive a FREE CAMERA BAG from Think Tank Photo



Aperture foundation
photoinduced


B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Featured in Alltop

web100-top100

Add to Google Reader or Homepage

Review photoinduced.com on alexa.com

Archives

Subscribe