Howdy folks, so here’s my situation:

I need to start off and say that I have been told many times by multiple people that I often sell myself short. Not to hype myself up, just that I’ve come to not really trust my intuition regarding charging for my work.

I shoot comedy shows. Twice a month, I get $60 CAD to head across town to shoot a 1-1.5 hour long comedy show. 8 comedians, I deliver 10-15 edited photos of each to the host before 4PM the next day.

I need to stress these aren’t large venues, the shows are a couple steps up from open mics.

Now, since I’ve started with this promoter about a year and a half ago, I’ve greatly upgraded my setup (APS-C to full frame, new laptop and editing software) and I am very proud at the progress I’ve made quality-wise!

On top of that, the promoter I’m working with just let me know he may be securing a contract in the new year to host shows at a larger venue and wants to bring me along, so if I were to ask now would be the time.

Here’s what I’d want to propose to him:

  • At the lower-level shows:
    • $70
  • Larger shows
    • $100 for the shows at the new venue
    • The individual comedians would need to pay $10-15 for their photos on delivery and their approval (as of now the promoter shares the photos to the comedians to use and post, didn’t know he was going to do that when I first started)

I’m a little bit iffy on the last part, I have no clue if this is a standard; I am basing it off of a friend who did videography for another promoter where he would chop up the shows and sell the individual sets to the comedians on top of the base price from the promoter (with the blessing of the promoter).

I really don’t want to come across as greedy, but I want to start taking my photography more seriously and treating like a profession I actually want to pursue

Any thoughts folks?

  • lordthundercheeks@alien.top
    BEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I shoot comedy shows. Twice a month, I get $60 CAD to head across town to shoot a 1-1.5 hour long comedy show. 8 comedians, I deliver 10-15 edited photos of each to the host before 4PM the next day

    You are blowing your brains out charging so little. You drive an hour, plus 1.5 hours of shooting, plus a couple hours of editing, plus your mileage, gas, insurance, power, software subscriptions, gear wear and tear, taxes, etc you are making like $8 an hour. That’s less than half of what someone working at Tim’s gets.

    Here’s what I’d want to propose to him: - At the lower-level shows: - $70 - Larger shows - $100 for the shows at the new venue - The individual comedians would need to pay $10-15 for their photos on delivery

    Still way too low to me. You can’t assume the comedians will purchase a thing so you need to get all your money up front. If a performer does buy something consider it gravy. For a larger venue and show I can’t see doing it for less than $250 for a 1.5 hour show, and even then that’s what I would consider inexpensive. Even at $100 per hour you should be able to make a little money, but still not much.

    You should sit down and add up all your costs including the per shot costs of your new gear (cost of gear ÷ average shutter life + 25%) then add in how much you want to make over and above that per hour and include all of your travel, editing, and communication time.