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Am I getting ripped off?


6 years 1 month ago - 6 years 1 month ago #567302 by adamOHphotOH
Hello Photography Talk World

I've been doing photography for a close to a decade, but I've never done product photography... Fine jewelry to be specific. The company that I work for found out that I have a side photography business and asked me to take photos of all their pieces for their new website. They said they'd pay for $5 per piece and there will be over 300 pieces that need to be captured. They said they need two angles of each piece. Am I getting ripped off or should I be charging them for each photo?

What do or would you other fellow photographers charge?
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6 years 1 month ago - 6 years 1 month ago #567310 by effron
You set the price, not the clients, right? If you want five a photo, tell them....
(Not knowing all the details, I'd still get more than that....)
Why so serious?
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6 years 1 month ago #567314 by Vespista
Waaaaayyyy too cheap.
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6 years 1 month ago #567317 by Baydream
On their time or yours? (including edits)
Shoot, learn and share. It will make you a better photographer.
fineartamerica.com/profiles/john-g-schickler.html?tab=artwork
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6 years 1 month ago #567321 by garyrhook
Assuming you already know how to light each piece, position it, and get a good image... that satisfies the client:

How long will it take to do one?

Multiply by 300. They want to pay you $1500. Does that work for you, or not?

300 is a lot of pieces. With an assistant to prepare the next / put away the last, one could probably get 60 done per hour... maybe. And then you have to post process, prepare the images (one size per shot?) and deliver them.

Licensing alone is worth more than $5/piece. Licensing is per image. Even at $10/image, depending upon usage, they're not in the right ball park, IMO.

Iff this is work you want to do, figure out how much you wish to charge, and present them with a clear, complete offer, including deliverables and license terms.

And make it very clear that your work as a photographer is completely separate from anything else. Any engagement will not be in the context of your normal job / work hours.

N.B. Iff is a math term meaning "if and only if".
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6 years 1 month ago #567477 by Pettigrew
+1 good point.  Plus way to low.  
Canon EOS 7D SLR | XT W/18-55 Kit Lens | Canon 50mm 1.8 | Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 | Canon 28-105mm | Canon 75-300mm | Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro | Canon 100-400
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6 years 1 month ago #567659 by icepics
Good thing you thought to ask. Seems way too low for commercial work (ads, business related usage).

Depends if this will be part of your work duties; if it is that could make it work for hire and I think then the company would own the photos and the copyright, not the photographer. If you contract with them to do this freelance, it probably needs to be on your own time, not during work hours.

Get on sites like asmp.org or PPA and find out how to do contracts, how to license usage, how to determine pricing, etc. The Photo District News also covers commercial photography. pdnonline.com

You said you've been a photographer for some time but have NEVER done product photography. Learn how to do that well enough to get paid for it before you agree to do this. You should have a portfolio of some product photography for them to see before this gets finalized. It might be just as well  for the company to go with a professional commercial product photographer.
Sharon
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6 years 1 month ago #567660 by PhotoViking
My answer: It depends! I assume you work for them on a regular basis (monthly paycheck)?
If you get to do it during normal working hours and those $ 5,00 per photo is in adition to your normal wage, then I would say: "Sounds fair to me".

If they expect you to do it in your spare time - you're being ripped off!

Do they know how much work goes into preparation and post? Probably not!
Festina lente!
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6 years 1 month ago #567668 by icepics
I don't think in the US anyway that a company would let an employee bill for work that's being done during working hours. If you want extra money for it most likely you'd have to do it freelance on your own time and get paid extra for it. If it's part of your regular job duties, it's probably work for hire and you won't get paid extra.
Sharon
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6 years 1 month ago #567874 by adamOHphotOH
Here's the whole story in a gist... I work for this company as an advertising/marketing guy and they asked me to photograph pieces for their website. I'm afraid to set the price cause it might be a missed opportunity for me to make money. They're asking for two photos per piece and there will be over 300 pieces.
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6 years 1 month ago #567876 by adamOHphotOH
I have to come into the office on Saturdays (which I usually have off) and an hour early every day, so technically on my own time. And they think they know about prep and post time... They're arrogant people...
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6 years 1 month ago #567877 by adamOHphotOH
On my time... actually, I need to come into the office on Saturdays (which I never do) and come in an hour earlier than usual.
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6 years 1 month ago #567898 by garyrhook
You said you have no experience in product photography. That implies you don't have the lighting or other equipment (diffusers, reflectors, gobos, etc) that you really need for the task.

So here's how I would let this play out, if you're not interested:

"I really appreciate your trust in me, and I'm really flattered, but here's the thing. Product photography is its own area, and demands specific skills. Which I don't have at this time. And I'm not comfortable charging you to acquire the skills. I'm not interested in taking on that job. I'm not your guy.

That said, let me share this with you: Any photographer worth their salt will offer you a quote on a job, once all of the parameters are nailed down. You need to understand that your offer of $5 per piece is very low, and is unlikely to engage a photographer with the requisite skills. If you want to find someone that can do a quality job, I'm happy to help vet candidates, and help define the job so that you get good work at a good price. And help validate any received proposals."

Or something like that.

Good luck.
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6 years 1 month ago - 6 years 1 month ago #567930 by effron
Yeah, I'd have said it differently, but the above is fine. I'd definitely pass....

Also, are you a salaried employee?
Why so serious?
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6 years 1 month ago #567998 by adamOHphotOH
Oh, my mistake, let me specify. I've never had experience in doing product photography as a freelance photographer or on such a large scale. I've done lots of product photography as a photographer on staff that was paid salary. I don't work for this company as their photographer, but they saw my work and asked me to do it since I already work for them. I've never priced anyone to do product photography as a freelance.
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