Toronto Photography Meetup Group

TPMG.CA
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:19 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Photographers Lowballing
PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:14 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:02 pm
Posts: 82
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/josephsungaphotographer
Why is that all the photographers low balling themselves, which i mean under selling themselves, when they have a service?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:20 pm 
Offline
Official TPMG Contributor

Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 10:15 pm
Posts: 1209
Location: Downtown Toronto
Has thanked: 3 times
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: http://www.synowiec.ca
Because theyre worried about not meeting the expectations they set with their clients. Do you feel like you undervalue yourself sometimes? I definitely do sometimes, and I think it hinders me.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:34 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:04 am
Posts: 925
Location: The Sky Dome, Toronto
Has thanked: 30 times
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahosking/
BaRTiMuS wrote:
Because theyre worried about not meeting the expectations they set with their clients. Do you feel like you undervalue yourself sometimes? I definitely do sometimes, and I think it hinders me.

I wouldn't say I low-ball per se.
I make sure that I am profitable in all paid gigs.
That said, I don't always make much money because I am more concerned about my ability to deliver, rather my satisfaction with the delivered product.
I've been able to take a lot away from my day job though and realize that if you are unclear with client expectations, than you will never be satisfied that your client is happy.
I will never be completely satisfied with my work, but I try and use that weakness to push forward.

I'd assume that like Bart says, any human photographer would be concerned about meeting certain expectations for a specific dollar value.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:27 am 
Offline
Official TPMG Contributor

Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 10:15 pm
Posts: 1209
Location: Downtown Toronto
Has thanked: 3 times
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: http://www.synowiec.ca
rhommel wrote:
We should all be like this photographer...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/yjimagery?ref=seller_info

http://www.etsy.com/listing/72954481/ma ... ef=pr_shop sells for $40,000!!

funny thing is, it's not a typo... all his prices are like that :)



Hahaha wow.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:02 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:04 am
Posts: 925
Location: The Sky Dome, Toronto
Has thanked: 30 times
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahosking/
The F**k?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:37 pm 
Offline
TPMG ADDICT
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:52 am
Posts: 1657
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Does it show his sales history anywhere?
I guess the adage is true, you can ask for anything you want, it depends on what people are willing to pay.

In my opinion, i can't see spending that cash on snapshots of his walks in the woods.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:49 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:16 pm
Posts: 659
Location: downtown
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
I think the best part is that he's charging extra $50 for shipping if you're outside of US.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:50 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:33 pm
Posts: 39
Location: Toronto
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lu_/
0 sales. Sales numbers are listed on Etsy once the seller has some.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:47 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:02 pm
Posts: 82
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/josephsungaphotographer
wtf who is this guy lol, this is no picaso


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:30 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 9:19 am
Posts: 627
Location: Brampton
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/m2c_photography/
I don't think he's in it for the money. Hes probably just having fun going against the grain.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:12 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 9:43 am
Posts: 719
Location: Toronto
Has thanked: 1 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/dimitris/
Just think of it though.... 1 sale and he's rolling in dough!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:23 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 3:55 pm
Posts: 444
Location: Toronto
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
It's because most(like around 98%) photographers are part timers and extra $100 or 200 is just extra cash.
It's also the reason they are part timers. You can't sustain a full time business by charging peanuts.
They need to figure out how much money they want to make in a year, then divide it by number of clients they can take per year and that will give you a MINIMUM amount of money one should charge.
That means raising your portrait pricing from $100 to at least 500 and wedding prices from $800 for 12 hours+an album to $2500-3000 with no albums. Charging $1000+ for any commercial or corporate work.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 6:14 pm 
Offline
TPMG ADDICT
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:17 am
Posts: 1528
Location: Brampton, Ontario
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
jsungaphotographer wrote:
wtf who is this guy lol, this is no picaso


No, he's a picasa.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 12:57 am 
Offline
I'm on TPMG way too much

Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:16 am
Posts: 1044
Location: Markham
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Lowballing? How about.. Freeballing?? I seen photographers tried to get my work for exposure for offering free service haha!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:41 am 
Offline
TPMG ADDICT
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:17 am
Posts: 1528
Location: Brampton, Ontario
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
StE823 wrote:
Lowballing? How about.. Freeballing?? I seen photographers tried to get my work for exposure for offering free service haha!


Seems more and more photographers are being asked to provide their services for free. Forget offering them for nothing.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:35 am 
Offline
I'm on TPMG way too much
User avatar

Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:07 pm
Posts: 1378
Location: Toronto
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vkhamphi/
like at Jack and Jill's


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:09 am 
Offline
TPMG ADDICT
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:17 am
Posts: 1528
Location: Brampton, Ontario
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Or racing events.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:16 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:45 pm
Posts: 19
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
no free lunch


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 25 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group