# Overheads



## Xyloz (Apr 25, 2011)

Starting up is a tricky business, I know I am just starting out myself, I am not a hobbyist by any stretch, my latest shoot was for Bowling for Soup in the Lincoln Engine Shed during their UK tour I talked my way into getting a photopass and managed to snag around 300 shots and 6 videos. 

The common question everyone dances around are the costs, and charges of photography, and I am no different than any other photographer in wondering how much to charge in total, however unlike a fair few my skills gap spreads into every branch of media I can program and make databases and even draw up CSS styles to link them to, so here is the rub I was thinking of mocking up a simple database for photographers fees, nothing fancy to start with that may be accessable online.

Something that a photographer can use as a standard calculator for pricing which will help set a bench mark without massive fuss of undercutting each other.

This chart will be known for now as the overheads chart, and will combine the cost of skills at differing levels with years of experience and gravitas of clients, along with the equiptment and travel. here is the list so far of overheads.

Time, Labour Production side:

Education level;
Photography          Skill multiplier Base rate Minimum wage 
(Photography qualifications include Potogrpahy and any Media subjects specialising in Photography )
NVQ 1 or 2                      *1
Alevel                              *2
HNC                                *2
HND                                *2
BA Degree                       *3
PGCE/ Teaching Levels    *4
Masters Level                  *4
Doctorate level               *5

Experience = 
Sum of Years practicing 
for every year add a percent

Equiptment insurance/ costs: 10% total value of each item selected.
Camera(s) (Charges set out for each selected)
Lense options (Charges for each type selected)
Spare kit (Charges set out for each selected[some are default like tripod but there are extras like flash types to insure]

Transport costs (Including fuel and insurace = 100% travel expendatures (Tax write off options depending on area of residence)

Day rates (Based on Professional level x Minimum wage on a multiplier of, Per hour /  (per day [Fixed at 8 hours])
Memory card capacity options


Time labour Post production side
Education level;
Editing Skill multiplier Base rate Minimum wage 
(Editing qualifications include Multimedia, Photography, Graphics design etc)
NVQ 1 or 2                      *1
Alevel                              *2
HNC                                *2
HND                                *2
BA Degree                       *3
PGCE/ Teaching Levels    *4
Masters Level                  *4
Doctorate level               *5

Experience = 
Sum of Years practicing 
for every year add a percent

Day rates (Based on Professional level x Minimum wage on a multiplier of, Per hour /  (per day [Fixed at 8 hours])
Plus 5% of software costs multipied by Skill level and augmented experience used at
In total Multiplied by days editing.

As you can see this is a comprehensive breakdown of overheads, however I feel it is incomplete.

So anyone wish to add anything I have missed before I start mapping and writing out the user interface.
(P.s. anyone who contributes something useful will be emailed a copy to use) 


To give a rough example of it calculated so far with just my Experience, Skills Level, and Equipment
It drums up to £413.14 a day shoot, plus £427.68 for every day editing.

That is I think pretty comprehensive considering it starts on a multiplier of a fixed number aka minimum wage and takes into account tax and insurance for my kit.

So any other things to add or modify This btw is just sans individual image licensing value, for mainly weddings and such. 
an adition will be made for value of images later this is just an overheads sheet to cover costs.


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## Bitter Jeweler (Apr 25, 2011)

Scrap the education level. It is effectively meaningless as a multiplier.


What about rent, business and liability insurance, car and car insurance (if you play the game that way), electric, water, signage, website/upkeep, taxes, payroll services, health insurance, software, wedding fairs...


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## Xyloz (Apr 26, 2011)

Bitter Jeweler said:


> Scrap the education level. It is effectively meaningless as a multiplier.
> 
> 
> What about rent, business and liability insurance, car and car insurance (if you play the game that way), electric, water, signage, website/upkeep, taxes, payroll services, health insurance, software, wedding fairs...


 
Very good points

I think as a multiplier it is still a factor, maybe less central definately as some photographers value exp over education, but none the less experience and level of skill is important.
If you have photographed famous people, or gotten extra curricular expertise your gravitas of exp verses a point and shoot hobbyist should be weighted and valued.

As education, like software and cameras is not free, my degree set me  back about 15k in tuition alone and that price is rising this year. Even  a levels aren't free when you grow over 19
So it is important to factor in training, and especially work exp just a personal reason and well reasoned I hope you can agree.

Besides the point though it shouldn't be a pivotal charge so I will change that.

Yes I think business costs like rent, liability, electric water,  signage, web dev and health and saftey and subsequent insurance is  definately something to factor in.

Software I have already covered although not posted here :s guess I missed it out 
Payroll is based on minimum wage, modified on years of exp and education, I think that allows for personal earning on top of bills.

That way you have a benchmark minimum (basic wage) and augment it(based on skill), showing that net  mark ups per hour are not being pulled out of thin air and that your  playing by the national rules so to speak. also this is a national standard recognised in business so people won't be able to argue.

Unless utilising the other bills to augment a personal income is what your getting at, it's a fair point I guess. 
Sadly, travel and food expenses for business can be tax deducted, so  charging may be pointless and even pointed out by a client who knows  better.
Especially if your trying to charge for the cost of your Merc.

But insurance is always a good thing to cover, rental can only be  covered by percentage, but percentages are great to work with people can understand them and are happy to pay. it's an add on I will make, 

Mainly I have already covered rental of  equiptment brought on shoot but I have covered that under "equiptment", perhaps I  should change it to "rental costs" and add in service rental like Studio  rental and extra equiptment under the same bracket for efficiency, so I can cover studio shoots as well as wedding styles.

As for payroll services, do you mean personal accounts?

Also any other additions or changes to be made?


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## gsgary (Apr 26, 2011)

I can't see enyone round Grimsby paying £400+ a day


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## Xyloz (Apr 26, 2011)

Weddings, Council, Ltd Companies, There are plenty of photograpers that charge around that alot of students try to dab hand it but really cock it up lol


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## gsgary (Apr 26, 2011)

I did a masterclass with Brian Griffin briangriffin.co.uk even he shot the Olympic portraits for free and his earnings are a third of what they were


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## Xyloz (Apr 26, 2011)

Who said anything about staying in gy lol, Just wanna make a worksheet a comprehensive data chart for photographers it needs work as it's in beta.


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## laffles (Apr 27, 2011)

gsgary said:


> I did a masterclass with Brian Griffin


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