How to Price A Recurring Photography Gig
How to Price A Recurring Photography Gig
It's Not a full-time job, but...
Hi photographers 👋,
It may be the dream of others or the nightmare of some - a recurring photography gig.
The same client.
Relatively the same subject matter.
Over and over.
Maybe it's a real estate company or a personal brand. Whatever the subject, you can predict that each week you'll be working a set number of hours.
How to Price It
Offer A Fixed Price
With a fixed price, you and your clients can predict the dollar figure each week. No fluctuations, no surprises.
Remove "hourly" from your vocabulary, photographers. It will cause unneeded suffering to your psyche and your business. The faster and more efficient you work - the less you are paid. Try to move the conversation to value pricing (how much time do we have to discuss this?) or move it to a deliverable.
Deliverable
You will provide a range of photos each week. 20-30, 50-100, whatever the number. Decide on it and deliver.
Retainer
Another but longer discussion is being on-call as a photographer. Think like a lawyer - The client pays to reserve you and your time. For example, you are on retainer to work on Mondays or need to be on-call with 24-hours notice. Price accordingly.
The One Time You Can Discount
Since this is a recurring gig, your client is essentially buying in bulk. I've said in the past, you are allowed to discount if your services are bought in bulk and in-advance.
Though discounting should only be used if the deal can't be made at your regular price.
Scope Creep and Chumminess
As we start working together, the relationship becomes more and more friendly and amicable. You always want to help out a friend, so you'll go the extra mile. Photographers get lulled into this and what was an easy 2-3 hours of work each week becomes 5-10 hours. You're stressed and you feel taken advantage of.
I'm not saying become a sociopath, but I am saying to remember that you are the boss. You work under your own conditions. Saying no is a part of setting healthy boundaries.
Once you've decided on the fixed price and deliverables, you'll need to establish a clear set of boundaries on what you can and will work on.
Some Scope of Work items to include:
Timeline (When are your photos due?)
Schedule (What days are we shooting?)
Cancellation Notice (ex. 24 hours notice to cancel photo session)
Edits and Revision
You can always offer more services - but the price will have to be adjusted.
A recurring photography client is great for photographers who are looking to fill in the gaps between other major projects like weddings. Remember to avoid hourly pricing (even $1000/hour) because it will cap your growth as a photography business.
Cheers,
Jordan P. Anderson
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