Food Photography

[MikeMike]

I got a job shooting some foods for a restaurant chain coming up and this is my first food job and i don't know where to begin on charging the restaurant.

what's an appropriate sum?

Thank you
Mike

[MikeMike]

come on guys i really need help,

Anybody?

Thanks
mike

[michael]

You don't say what the job entails, such as location vs studio, how many set ups, what usage is planned, what rights are required, etc, etc.

How can anyone be expected to reply intellegently?

BTW, there are books available with rate guidelines as well as online articles, professional group guidlines and more. It just takes a bit of research.

Michael

[David Anderson]

That's a very vague question Mike,

Are you a happy snapper shooting on a white paper roll in your basement one day a month or the biggest photographer on the east coast ?

What use does the client want from the shots, web, print ads, display, billboards or all they above ?

Do they want to own the rights to the photos in three years time, or pay for second uses as they see fit ?

Rates differ from country to country as well and there's no location in your profile so it's hard to help you.....

[David Anderson]

*Snap

[howiesmith]

I have heard it explained as simply as:

Take how much you want to earn this year and add all the expenses you don't think you need to pay.  Divide that sum by the number of days you want to work.

That is you day rate for this year.

I have also heard "all you can get" or "all they will pay."  Then you decide.

It will likely be a compromise - more than the client really wanted to pay and less than you wanted.

[ddolde]

Depends on whether you get to eat the food or not.

[MikeMike]

You don't say what the job entails, such as location vs studio, how many set ups, what usage is planned, what rights are required, etc, etc.

How can anyone be expected to reply intellegently?

BTW, there are books available with rate guidelines as well as online articles, professional group guidlines and more. It just takes a bit of research.

Michael
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=107616\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thank you Michael, that's something i didn't consider to help me decide on a fee.

It will be in the restaurant kitchen and i will be bringing my own flash heads and power packs. They will be using the pictures for print in flyers, for their website and for decoration around the restaurant. I will own the rights to the photos but they may do whatever they please once i give them the CD. They will be bringing a food designer to make up foods and make them look good. My thaught is that $800 is fair but i dont know what the average fee for this field is. I did some research online but i can't find any guidelines. The shoot is in a few weeks though so i still have time to sort this out.

Thank you everyone for the replies,
Mike

[paulmoorestudio]

hello to mike and others,
I was just surfing here and saw this post - had to join to pipe-in my 2 cents.
I've also got more questions than answers, more for your client.. how does a
chain go out and hire a guy with no food experience?
I echo the thoughts of michael, as a professional food photographer a huge number
of things come into play in pricing a shoot.
Not having seen the quality of your food work, and I am assuming you showed
this client at least some tests..it is almost impossible to suggest  a fee..
we all can add up the expenses involved in shooting on location in a restaurant
kitchen..what you have to do is guess what you are worth, guess what value the
shots have to that particular client.. I know what I would want, and also what I need
to charge to stay in business.  Client being a chain makes a huge difference, that is why
a local newspaper ad shoot does not pay what a national consumer ad pays.
You have to live with your fee, next week they might come back and want 3 times the shots,
in twice the time, oh and by the way, the shots are going to be used in the next tv spot.
 will you still be happy with your flat fee and rights that you issued?
 Start high and neogoiate down.. as they are doing the opposite...
 and  fyi, they are called food stylists.. the ones who make your plate of mush look edible.
good luck and go easy with the oil.
paul

[61Dynamic]

$800 does not sound very fair to you considering what you are describing.

Take a look at your local camera rental shop and see how much they would rent your equipment for a day. That total is what they consider amortized for the life of the equipment and should give you an idea of where it should be for you too. I could be wrong, but it does not sound like you've considered equipment into your costs. That is an expense you have to consider along with any other expenses (travel for example). Your pay for your time, skill and licensing is whatever is left out of that $800.

Considering you are allowing a very generous, multiple use license and they're serious enough that they are hiring a food designer, I'd ask at least $3k.