photoshop wedding photos ... what should i charge?

positivenote

hi guys,
ive been asked to do some photoshop work on a load of wedding photos that someone isn't happy with. She has got all the photos her friends had taken at the wedding and whats them put into an album (which she has already). Im not to sure exactly what she wants done, but im presuming brightening them up, a bit of croping and possibly using the clone tool.
If this is what she requires how would i figure out what to charge her to do the work? im meeting up with her tomorrow and i want to have an idea of a ballpark figure... any ideas?
Thanks

kjt

Howdy,

Personally I'd go in with an price per hour. Figure out how good and fast you can photoshop images and price it on that. If your good and can do it quickly, up the price per hour as clearly you'll be getting more work done in an hour. If you've only been using/learning photoshop for a little bit maybe pop the price down.

IMO not every joe soap knows photoshop well, so I think if you have a decent handle on it, €15p/h would be the very minimum.

All the best

stcstc

pro retouching will cost you at least 30/40 euros per hr

But for a series of shots like that not sure per hr is the way to go

I would be tempted to just charge a fixed fee, based on you working out how long it will take to do

then dont charge any less or more if it takes longer or shorter time


that way they know exactly how much it will cost them etc, and wont be scared of not really know how much

AnCatDubh

Just a side point to this - be a little cautious as to what the "less than happy couple" may be expecting. Depending on your photoshop skills you may be able to significantly improve on what was originally done for them but you won't be able to work miracles.

I recall many years ago a single image in a relatives wedding album which wasn't taken by the pro on the day but the pro had missed the shot / eyes closed or something (this predated digital) and another relatives shot was substituted. In truth, it looked awful in the album.

You will be dealing in digital which will be better in some respects but with maybe 3 or 4 sets of images taken by uncle bob/aunt sally types (don't mean that to sound condescending) with different quality of cameras mainly point n shoots i suspect (not meaning to sound condescending again) and then trying to gain consistency required for an album will be darn difficult i would expect - perhaps the guest shots will all be from pro's that were just there as guests but i expect not.

Anyhow - make sure your contact is perfectly aware of the limitations that may be there. And get a good look at the images before you accept that you will do anything.

Price wise - the suggestions appear low if you were to do anything other than click some of the auto controls but i haven't charged as yet so i could be off the mark. Again it depends on what the bride/grooms expectations are out of this effort of theirs. If they've been soured thus far by not getting what they wanted from a photographer then i'd suggest that you need to be really careful as to your terms and conditions.

smelltheglove

I had a similar request recently. What you would charge I would not know at all, the girl was looking for photographer pics to be re-done also and I told her I would do it with the photographers permission only. She also showed me sets of shots from family and friends that she wanted edited to replace. Out of maybe 4/500 shots from friends and family I would have recommended using possibly 30 max 40 for an album. You would need to see these pictures and tell her in all honesty which ones MIGHT turn out well enough to use.

Decide as above on a price per hour, if she wants all them done and you might take 12 mns per shot and you think you can do 50 well then you can tell her the charge would be 150 based on 15 per hour. If she wants 200 done then she will be paying 600. Honestly I would go per hour, some shots could take 5 mns others she could want for some reason that arent great quality and you could spend 30mns on them. I would for your own benefit make note of howlong you spend on each one and even if poss what was done to it then if she agrues the final price you can show her the work done.

The reason I say this is if she already has a problem with her pro shots I would be afraid she may argue the edits also so cover your back all ways possible.

Fajitas!

Well, first off, make out a contract, stating that you will do your best to improve any images provided, yada yada yada, and cover yourself - Last thing you need is them deciding that they're still not happy, and don't want to pay.

I'd set out a price per photo. Find out exactly how many photos there are first. It's up to you though. I'd probably charge minimum, a fiver a photo... maybe... Depends on how much I need money though

positivenote

thanks a million guys, loads of great advice there. Im gonna ask her to bring the photos with her to see what can be done with them before i decide how i am going to charge..
thanks