So I am looking to get into dealership photography as a side gig with my Nikon Z50 with two different lens (35mm 1.8 / 50mm 1.8) just to make some money through this winter season. I am considering about charging the dealerships in my area per vehicle, $30CAD (nearly $22 USD). That would include my time to take the photos, organize them, do some editing, fuel to get to the dealers, etc. Does this seem reasonable to do by the vehicle? Or should I just do an hourly rate at 20CAD (14.50USD)?
The reason why I thought of per vehicle is that I’m seeing some dealers not having a bunch of vehicles come in and out, with the need of better / or more photos. Of course I could work it out with the dealers I end up getting work with.
I do have another question for those that currently or have done car dealership photography, what mm lens would you recommend? I am currently looking at an 18-200 lens to buy. Or should I get an 18-24mm?
I currently do photography for 3 mid-sized dealerships. Most either have their own department or contract out to companies like mine. They almost all just use smart phones.
It’s all about quick turn around times and not so much about quality. The more cars you can shoot, the better. Only one dealership I’ve worked for used a Canon M6 MkII. The rest used phones with apps that upload automatically for ease of use and streamlining the workflow. No editing or anything. I shoot about 25-30 cars a day on ideal days, but I’m hourly at $20/hr. Really not a bad rate for this position.
Also keep in mind with winter, if it snows, the cars might be frozen shut, dead batteries, or stuck so no go on photos that day/days. that can kill your cash flow really quick if it lasts long enough.
But… What I wouldn’t give to use an actual camera. Lol