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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
retainer fee question?
Jesse Beals, Photographer
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Tracyton | WA | USA | Posted: 11:29 PM on 03.26.09 |
->> Hey guys,
Wanted to ask a few of you how you would handle this question.
I was asked by a lodal hotel in town if I could do some work for them. The are looking at a basic retainer fee deal were I would shoot events during the year.
They will be having probably 8-10 events this year that need to be shot ranging from a 3 on 3 basketball tournament, class reunions, company party, hawaiian theme party, weddings and the normal press confrences. Each photo shoot is different and has it's challenges
They want to set up a retainer fee. But my question is this, usually a wedding I make between $1,500-2,500 compared to a basketball game that would run editorial wise $80-150.00. So how would you go about setting this contract up? I mean no way would I ever shoot a wedding for the same price as a basketball game.
So how do you determine a retainer fee when the shoots are going to be so different in time and difficulty? The last thing I want to do is under cut the market and screw a fellow photographer out of the current market rate of work. |
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Sergei Belski, Photographer
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Calgary | AB | Canada | Posted: 11:56 PM on 03.26.09 |
->> I think shooting a wedding for them is different than shooting a wedding for an actual bride and groom. (unless I'm missing something). Because assignments are so different I would go on my hourly bases for everything you listed.
Sergei |
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Delane B. Rouse, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | US | Posted: 12:07 AM on 03.27.09 |
->> Determine a reasonable expectation of how many hours this will take and determine your hourly rate.
For example...10 events x 8 hrs per event = 80 hours. 80 hours at $150 per hour =$12,000. So let them pay you $1000 per month. If they go over 80 hours they pay you a reduced rate of $100 per hour.
TIP: If you're a true wedding shooter and your basically "competing" with yourself you better believe that most of heir events will be on Saturday afternoon from May-October...which will reduce the amount of weddings that you can shoot. So if you have the real possibility of booking wedding dates you must consider that in your pricing. If you're not more than 50% booked and these guys want you on retainer then go for it since this would be guaranteed money vs the potential to book a wedding. |
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Ronnie Montgomery, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 12:25 AM on 03.27.09 |
->> Did they use the word retainer?
I'd be worried about what happens if they call you up for an event and you are already booked on that day. In their mind, does retainer mean you are at their beck and call for a maximum number of events? Or to them, does retainer mean they want to lock in a per event rate for a year? |
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Mike Shepherd, Photographer
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Wichita | KS | USA | Posted: 10:01 AM on 03.27.09 |
->> "The last thing I want to do is ... screw a fellow photographer"
Wrong. The last thing you want to do is screw yourself.
If you're really a wedding photographer then you understand how important it is to have a comfortable relationship with each couple. Being what is essentially a paid photographer on the hotel staff will be nothing but a giant headache when dealing with the bride and groom. They aren't hiring you because they like you or because they like your style. They're hiring you because you're part of the paid package. So to them you're just another "vendor." I hate that word. Those types of relationships usually sour after the wedding when expectations, on either end, aren't met.
Let's get to the heart of the matter: Do you really want to shoot these events or are you just in it for the money? I don't think there is any amount of money this hotel could offer me to be on the hook to cover all of the events you described, plus whatever else they dream up for you to do. If you're only in it for the money, I'm betting you'll be miserable with it by the end of the first year.
Why, you ask?
I like to be in charge of when and what I decide to cover based on what I think is worth my time and talent. And by agreeing to be retained as the hotel's photographer, my guess is that you will have no say in the matter. And that concession right there should come at a high price to the hotel. I know it would for me if they wanted me badly enough.
Just some points to consider aside from the money ... |
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