Average Christening rates

Vickstar79

Hi all

I'm sorry if I'm asking a question that has already been answered, but I had a good search through and couldn't find a thread that didn't go to private messages before it gave an answer!

I've been asked to take photos at a Christening by a friend, and I am trying to find out what is the average charge usually associated with this.

As she's a friend, I'm probably going to give her a CD with prints sized at 8" x 6" and charge a flat fee. Having been to a few family Christenings, I know there isn't as much opportunity for photos as there would be at a wedding, so the cost would naturally be considerably less. I haven't done a job at a Christening yet, so I'm not sure what the average charge would be (so that my 'mate's rate' doesn't end up being unfair to both me and my friend).

Any suggestions would be most gratefully received :-)

bren2002

Why would you charge a friend for taking a few snaps at a Christening?

Weddings are a different story. There's a huge amount of work involved there.

Take the photos, call it a favour and then call in the favour next time you're moving house / stripping wallpaper / or doing something your friend is good at. If you're friend has any manners you'll get a bottle of wine for your trouble.

Yeah i think I'd agree with Bren2002, to be honest. Christenings, though a church event, don't exactly carry the same workload that a wedding would. Plus you say you've never done one before, and you don't know what 'rates' to charge, so I'm guessing you're an amateur photographer and can't really guarantee great results?

Have you enough experience in shooting indoors that you know how you'll be doing?


I've only done one Christening myself (for my brother) and it was the first and only time I've shot in a church. It wasn't hugely difficult, but I was using a lens and camera I wasn't exactly used to, so I was hymming and hawwing with settings. Personally, everything went okay with me (though it was a huge church and quite dark, so my ISO was at ridiculous levels. I think I photographed them at the water/holding the child at ISO5000 or something to that effect).

Then the group shots, photos of the godparents with the child and each godparent separately, etc. and such weren't too bad either, but for one of the larger group photos, the sun started shining in the window behind them, giving me a bit of a washed out photo (would've been too much effort to move everyone, and there wasn't really anywhere else to shoot anyway, so... make lemonade, as the say).


Unless you're a pro, I wouldn't consider charging, or restricting the size of the photos, OP. If things go sour on you, and the photos turn out well, you'll have sullied any reputation as a pro you'll hope to build on later.

pixbyjohn

Deleted User wrote: »

but for one of the larger group photos, the sun started shining in the window behind them, giving me a bit of a washed out photo (would've been too much effort to move everyone, and there wasn't really anywhere else to shoot anyway, so... make lemonade, as the say).

Did you not use your flash to counteract the sun ?

pixbyjohn

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Did you not use your flash to counteract the sun ?

I did, of course, but it was more of a glare issue. Seemed that no matter what way I turned or positioned the lens, with the hood or not, I couldn't really avoid it (there were a lot of glass panels/windows along the wall).

For a smaller group or just the parents and the child you could've used it to your advantage to get an 'artistic' photo, but it just worked against me at the time.