# Guests at a ball, how much? Your experiences



## Kolander (Feb 11, 2012)

No printing but sending by email. Please just numbers, avoid inquiring (what camera, what lense, tickets or free admission, day or night, with or without the Royal Family...). Just rates and incomes would be helpful. Thank you!


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## orljustin (Feb 11, 2012)

How are we to know the incomes of the guests at a ball?  Or was there another question you didn't verbalize correctly?


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## Kolander (Feb 11, 2012)

Woah, you're right, sorry! Since we are in a photo forum, in the Business section, of course I wanted you to guess the incomes of farmers in East Australia.


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## Bossy (Feb 11, 2012)

The fact that you refuse to detail your equipment speaks worlds. Charge $5. +gas.


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## bigtwinky (Feb 11, 2012)

Three fiddy


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## cgipson1 (Feb 11, 2012)

Why should we even try to assist you.. when are not forthcoming with the details we need to even make a decent guess? We don't get paid for this... we do it because we enjoy helping people to improve their skills. 

You seem to ask this type of question a lot, based on your former posts. Maybe you should consider working with a local pro... both to learn the business, and to improve your photography.


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## The_Traveler (Feb 11, 2012)

Kolander said:


> No printing but sending by email. Please just numbers, avoid inquiring (what camera, what lense, tickets or free admission, day or night, with or without the Royal Family...). Just rates and incomes would be helpful. Thank you!



Are you asking how much you should charge to shoot the guests at a ball?

If so, it would be nice to know how many because shooting 20 people takes less time and effort in PPing that shooting 2000.

This is like asking how much to prepare and deliver food to people?


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## Kolander (Feb 11, 2012)

Bossy said:


> The fact that you refuse to detail your equipment speaks worlds. Charge $5. +gas.


Boy, the fact that you think the equipment is decisive speaks more worlds. I was yesterday night at a ball, with around 25 colleagues, some with Canon 5D, some with 60D, some with Nikon 3Ds, some with D90.. All in front of the same potential customers, with presumably similar rates. I am afraid that you certainly have no big experience.


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## Kolander (Feb 11, 2012)

The_Traveler said:


> Are you asking how much you should charge to shoot the guests at a ball?
> 
> If so, it would be nice to know how many because shooting 20 people takes less time and effort in PPing that shooting 2000.
> 
> This is like asking how much to prepare and deliver food to people?



Well, usually you never shoot 20, even 10. Normally 2 or 4, sometimes 6 or 7. No more. I mean selling pictures.


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## MTVision (Feb 11, 2012)

Kolander said:
			
		

> Well, usually you never shoot 20, even 10. Normally 2 or 4, sometimes 6 or 7. No more. I mean selling pictures.



So you want to know how much to sell a picture for??


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## Kolander (Feb 11, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> We don't get paid for this...



:shock: :shock: Business District, General Shop Talk... Is the title a joke?


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## Kolander (Feb 11, 2012)

MTVision said:


> So you want to know how much to sell a picture for??


Not exactly, I'd like to know the *maximum *rate :mrgreen: But any data is helpful.


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## rexbobcat (Feb 11, 2012)

Kolander said:


> Bossy said:
> 
> 
> > The fact that you refuse to detail your equipment speaks worlds. Charge $5. +gas.
> ...


  It's a legitimate question. The fact that I even have to post this is embarrassing.  






Equipment does matter when you're getting PAID. And since we don't know you (which I assume most of us don't want to), then all we have to go by is your equipment to understand your level of skill. This is the internet. We are not personalized financial consultants. Unless you're willing to pony up some info about yourself, we have no frame of reference.   

 It's kind of like some asking what to charge for a wedding, but refusing to tell how much experience they have, what their equipment is capable of, and whether or not they have a legitimate business or not.  

 It just doesn't work like that, bud.


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## Trever1t (Feb 11, 2012)

$2000 (I just lovew that!)


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## cgipson1 (Feb 11, 2012)

Trever1t said:


> $2000 (I just lovew that!)



Hah.. you are low rent! I say $5000!   (per shot.. not total! I need that new Lamborghini... lol!)


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## Bossy (Feb 11, 2012)

Kolander said:


> Bossy said:
> 
> 
> > The fact that you refuse to detail your equipment speaks worlds. Charge $5. +gas.
> ...



This is the response of someone with an entry level or point and shoot.


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## EIngerson (Feb 11, 2012)

You better charge a lot if you want to live the lavish life of a photographer.


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## CCericola (Feb 11, 2012)

One MILLION Dollars


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## The_Traveler (Feb 11, 2012)

If a bunch of people, with various but significant experience in the field, are having trouble answering a question and want to know more information, you should consider the fact that, since you don't know the answer, they probably recognize better what data is needed to answer the question than you do.

Being snotty, won't get you anywhere but disregarded or made fun of.

Why not just answer their questions and get an answer in their way?


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## Bossy (Feb 11, 2012)

Why not just say you have a D80?


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## tirediron (Feb 11, 2012)

I think there's a significant language issue here.  While the OP speaks far better English than I do German, it's still not quite good enough (I don't think) for most of us to understand exactly what is needed.

OP:  May I suggest you PM one of the mods, LaPhoto?  She is German and speaks excellent English.  If she cannot help you directly, I'm sure she could assist by "translating" your questions into "photographic English".


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## lapequesalsera (Feb 11, 2012)

bigtwinky said:
			
		

> Three fiddy



Lol


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## Canuk (Feb 11, 2012)

The video is full of win!!:thumbup:


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## KmH (Feb 11, 2012)

Trever1t said:


> $2000 (I just lovew that!)


 


cgipson1 said:


> Trever1t said:
> 
> 
> > $2000 (I just lovew that!)
> ...


Trever1t forgot to add that was *per person.*


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## mishele (Feb 11, 2012)

$2001


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## raider (Feb 11, 2012)

it IS the business forum.  i think you're looking for the beginner forum?


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## Kolander (Feb 12, 2012)

Well, let's begin again. Has anyone here sold _one _picture from events? 

I do have a D80 and a D700, but, I repeat, last Friday there were pros with 12.000 $ in gear, and pros with less than 1.200 $. Of course your technical resources count, but, seriously, are you sure that the final incomes were in proportion, staggered? I am not. Rates with any equipment, for me that is the only important information. Even if I were in the 1.200 $ level, all data would be helpful. Thank you fellas!


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## Kolander (Feb 12, 2012)

Well, and practicing what I preach, my (only) data: 40 euros for 2 pictures of a couple, at the Opera hall last Christmas. But they were foreigners, I want to know how much the Viennese people are used to pay.


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## Kolander (Feb 12, 2012)

The_Traveler said:


> If a bunch of people, with various but significant experience in the field, are having trouble answering a question and want to know more information...


Frankly, I see no difficulty. If someone ask "how much for a pizza in your town", he need no rambling: what size do you mean? Pizza with black olives?  Ordering an expensive wine? But please how much money would you spend! And what if you children don't like pizza? How many pizzerias in your town? Any celiac in the group? What's the capital of North Dakota?

Just tell something like: "Recently I went to a trattoria, four people, ham and pineapple pizza, all 27 euros".


Easier: what camera do you _have_? It is very similar.


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## potownrob (Feb 12, 2012)

digging yourself a nice hole here OP :meh:


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## Overread (Feb 12, 2012)

Kolander said:


> The_Traveler said:
> 
> 
> > If a bunch of people, with various but significant experience in the field, are having trouble answering a question and want to know more information...
> ...




But the thing is the answer is dependant. A low end pizza from the supermarket might cost £3 - whilst a half decent one from a takeaway £10 and then one from the top class restaurant £15. That (in pizza terms) is a pretty big spread of values and that is without counting size or features.

The price for something is always going to be dictated by three key things:
1) The cost for you to do business - ie how much you have to make so that you can walk away without losing money (and ideally with a profit)

2) The market that you are targeting - if you're doing school balls you'll have a much different client than if you're doing state balls - and thus the possible range of prices differs greatly. 

3) The product that you deliver. 


In the end its hard for people to give you the rough value because there is no info on the situation for them to base an estimation off.


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## raider (Feb 12, 2012)

pizza hut - $10, any size, any topping, expensive wine - $100, again - $10, chicken nuggets - $3.50, roughly 70, no, bismarck.


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## cgipson1 (Feb 12, 2012)

Kolander said:


> Well, and practicing what I preach, my (only) data: 40 euros for 2 pictures of a couple, at the Opera hall last Christmas. But they were foreigners, I want to know how much the Viennese people are used to pay.



Maybe you should ask a Viennese photographer? I am not sure if we have any members from Vienna.... and rates are very much a local thing! Rates are also determined by the quality of the work, the experience of the photographer.. and I think that is the question we have!


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## rexbobcat (Feb 12, 2012)

Kolander said:


> The_Traveler said:
> 
> 
> > If a bunch of people, with various but significant experience in the field, are having trouble answering a question and want to know more information...
> ...



But then you realize that the pizzeria is run by someone who uses a microwave and frozen supermarket pizzas, and they don't have any previous experience cooking.  But you only find this information out AFTER you order the pizza and pay. Oops.

It's very similar to what everyone else is saying.


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## KmH (Feb 12, 2012)

So to summarize all the reponses for the OP - the questions and acceptable answer conditions you have posed, are absurd.

They are not answerable in the vastly simplistic fashion you requested, because you provide woefully insufficient information about: the event, the local market conditions, your marketability/reputation as a photographer, and the depth of your marketing/sales acumen.


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## manaheim (Feb 12, 2012)

Kolander said:


> Bossy said:
> 
> 
> > The fact that you refuse to detail your equipment speaks worlds. Charge $5. +gas.
> ...



...says the guy posting with zero information asking for advice on how to charge on a public internet forum. 

Oh yeah.

Back under your bridge, troll.


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## Tony S (Feb 12, 2012)

> with around 25 colleagues



  Since they are colleagues... just send them the files for nothing. Then it doesn't matter what your experience, cost of doing business or equipment list is.


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## Kolander (Feb 15, 2012)

I joined this forum to share information, not for fighting. Anyway, thank you those who helped.


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## DiskoJoe (Feb 15, 2012)

bigtwinky said:


> Three fiddy



Damn loch ness wanting his tree fiddy!!!! I aint got no tree fiddy!


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