Pricing your work.

I have been offered an outlet opportunity to sell some of my work. It would be in a small shop environment with a fairly regular footfall. I have decided to offer both A4 and A3 mounted prints, not framed, but am struggling on how to price these. I saw another photographer recently who had price marked his A3 mounted and framed prints between £30 - £50, when I was thinking £10-£15 for my unframed offerings. What I really need is some clues from you guys about what prices you would charge in similar circumstances. Many thanks in advance.

I have been offered an outlet opportunity to sell some of my work. It would be in a small shop environment with a fairly regular footfall.
I have decided to offer both A4 and A3 mounted prints, not framed, but am struggling on how to price these.

I saw another photographer recently who had price marked his A3 mounted and framed prints between £30 - £50, when I was thinking £10-£15 for my unframed offerings.
What I really need is some clues from you guys about what prices you would charge in similar circumstances.
Many thanks in advance.

Its always the same answer on these sort of questions, charge an amount your happy with that suits the selling location, i.e if its an upmarket venue or location, maybe charge more, ifs its down market then price it reasonably to sell. Or with a commercial view, work out your costs, inc equipment, mileage, processing, printing, time, skill add a margin and that's your price. I regularly sell A3 framed prints in a couple of restaurant venues @ £60 each

Its always the same answer on these sort of questions, charge an amount your happy with that suits the selling location, i.e if its an upmarket venue or location, maybe charge more, ifs its down market then price it reasonably to sell.

Or with a commercial view, work out your costs, inc equipment, mileage, processing, printing, time, skill add a margin and that's your price.

I regularly sell A3 framed prints in a couple of restaurant venues @ £60 each

[quote]Its always the same answer on these sort of questions, charge an amount your happy with that suits the selling location, i.e if its an upmarket venue or location, maybe charge more, ifs its down market then price it reasonably to sell. Or with a commercial view, work out your costs, inc equipment, mileage, processing, printing, time, skill add a margin and that's your price. I regularly sell A3 framed prints in a couple of restaurant venues @ £60 each[/quote] This response flags up several of the issues. Obtaining higher prices to some extent requires a "smart" venue - with lower volumes of sales likely. Part of the price equation is the quality of the product. While lesser quality inks and paper can reduce the cost of an sRGB print at a bulk printing lab to about £2.50, good quality printing inks and paper is several times more expensive. How are the images going to be displayed? There is unlikely to be space in a small shop that the OP mentions for "estate agent" type plastic stands (which cost money) and prints in a box are subject to above average wear and tear - likely to result in some wastage. The OP's £10-15 is too low IMO to produce a profit if making decent prints having regard to the many inevitable costs you mention. In a restaurant with some framed prints on the walls your £60 might have a closer to a £100 ticket price to allow for the restaurant mark-up, VAT etc.

Quote:Its always the same answer on these sort of questions, charge an amount your happy with that suits the selling location, i.e if its an upmarket venue or location, maybe charge more, ifs its down market then price it reasonably to sell.

Or with a commercial view, work out your costs, inc equipment, mileage, processing, printing, time, skill add a margin and that's your price.

I regularly sell A3 framed prints in a couple of restaurant venues @ £60 each


This response flags up several of the issues.

Obtaining higher prices to some extent requires a "smart" venue - with lower volumes of sales likely.

Part of the price equation is the quality of the product.
While lesser quality inks and paper can reduce the cost of an sRGB print at a bulk printing lab to about £2.50, good quality printing inks and paper is several times more expensive.

How are the images going to be displayed?
There is unlikely to be space in a small shop that the OP mentions for "estate agent" type plastic stands (which cost money) and prints in a box are subject to above average wear and tear - likely to result in some wastage.
The OP's £10-15 is too low IMO to produce a profit if making decent prints having regard to the many inevitable costs you mention.

In a restaurant with some framed prints on the walls your £60 might have a closer to a £100 ticket price to allow for the restaurant mark-up, VAT etc.

When charging for your work it's important to keep in mind that you are not setting the price but the [i]value[/i]. Don't fall into the trap of pricing to sell, it sends out the wrong message. Make sure your prices cover your costs and include a fair mark-up for your time and effort. The prices you have quoted are too low and I suspect would barely cover the costs of the materials used. At the least, double them. I would also consider framing your pictures. Yes, it's more expensive, however, by including a frame you are presenting the customer with a finished product they can hang straight on their wall.

When charging for your work it's important to keep in mind that you are not setting the price but the value. Don't fall into the trap of pricing to sell, it sends out the wrong message. Make sure your prices cover your costs and include a fair mark-up for your time and effort. The prices you have quoted are too low and I suspect would barely cover the costs of the materials used. At the least, double them. I would also consider framing your pictures. Yes, it's more expensive, however, by including a frame you are presenting the customer with a finished product they can hang straight on their wall.

[quote]What I really need is some clues from you guys about what prices you would charge in similar circumstances.[/quote] A starting point: what it costs you in [u]actual[/u] expenses from start to finish - printing, mounting etc. You need to add at least something for your time: taking the image, processing it, arranging for it to be printed and mounted. Average hourly pay in the UK is in the £16-20 range. Then add on a profit margin. That's up to you but I would have thought at least 50%.

Quote:What I really need is some clues from you guys about what prices you would charge in similar circumstances.


A starting point: what it costs you in actual expenses from start to finish - printing, mounting etc.

You need to add at least something for your time: taking the image, processing it, arranging for it to be printed and mounted. Average hourly pay in the UK is in the £16-20 range.

Then add on a profit margin. That's up to you but I would have thought at least 50%.

Thank you all for your opinions. I shall continue to weigh up my options and work out a way forward. To cover a couple of your points. The prints would be arranged in a V type stand which has individual folders to hold the mounted images. To try and avoid the wear & tear, I was considering doing an A3 size display/ catalogue of contact prints, large enough to offer a good presentation. Each image with a designated ref# to locate the full sized item in the V shaped stand. I understand the "value" of the picture, but wonder if pricing them too high would deter potential buyers. Is it a case of push your luck and set a profitable price, or go for a more reasonable price and hope to sell more copies. I appreciate the "Complete" item scenario being framed, but my thoughts are, will the frame that I choose be suitable for the buyers environment. Is it not better to leave it unframed and let them choose how they want it framed. Say they wanted a unedged clear frame, but I had framed it in wood and by doing so risked the loss of a sale. I looked in a local art shop today and found that other photographers had pitched their works at £30 A3 in 50X40 Mount : £20 for A4 mounted and £10 for 10X8 mounted. Although I would not be in competition with them (my outlet is not a commercial, high street shop) it makes me wary of pricing too high and doubting that people would actually pay £40 / £50 / £60 Please if you have any further opinions, I would appreciate your thoughts

Thank you all for your opinions. I shall continue to weigh up my options and work out a way forward.
To cover a couple of your points.

The prints would be arranged in a V type stand which has individual folders to hold the mounted images.
To try and avoid the wear & tear, I was considering doing an A3 size display/ catalogue of contact prints, large enough to offer a good presentation. Each image with a designated ref# to locate the full sized item in the V shaped stand.

I understand the "value" of the picture, but wonder if pricing them too high would deter potential buyers. Is it a case of push your luck and set a profitable price, or go for a more reasonable price and hope to sell more copies.

I appreciate the "Complete" item scenario being framed, but my thoughts are, will the frame that I choose be suitable for the buyers environment. Is it not better to leave it unframed and let them choose how they want it framed.
Say they wanted a unedged clear frame, but I had framed it in wood and by doing so risked the loss of a sale.

I looked in a local art shop today and found that other photographers had pitched their works at £30 A3 in 50X40 Mount : £20 for A4 mounted and £10 for 10X8 mounted.
Although I would not be in competition with them (my outlet is not a commercial, high street shop) it makes me wary of pricing too high and doubting that people would actually pay £40 / £50 / £60

Please if you have any further opinions, I would appreciate your thoughts

Using the calculation method I have suggested, Graham, what would your figures be? You can ignore the 50% add on for profit if you include something for your time.

Using the calculation method I have suggested, Graham, what would your figures be?

You can ignore the 50% add on for profit if you include something for your time.

[quote] Although I would not be in competition with them (my outlet is not a commercial, high street shop) it makes me wary of pricing too high and doubting that people would actually pay £40 / £50 / £60 [/quote] The implication is you are you trying to sell in a location where the likely customers are unlikely to pay a fair price to cover your being in business. Anybody can subsidise customers short term - and then usually soon realise their mistake and stop selling. There comes a point where there are extra costs for book keeping, taxation if you are aiming to run as a business and extra insurance costs on both your camera equipment and likely your car insurance. These last two items usually exclude any business use unless you pay extra.

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Although I would not be in competition with them (my outlet is not a commercial, high street shop) it makes me wary of pricing too high and doubting that people would actually pay £40 / £50 / £60


The implication is you are you trying to sell in a location where the likely customers are unlikely to pay a fair price to cover your being in business.
Anybody can subsidise customers short term - and then usually soon realise their mistake and stop selling.

There comes a point where there are extra costs for book keeping, taxation if you are aiming to run as a business and extra insurance costs on both your camera equipment and likely your car insurance. These last two items usually exclude any business use unless you pay extra.

[quote You can ignore the 50% add on for profit if you include something for your time. [/quote] Why? Self employed people have to keep invoices, collect debts, make tax returns etc. If they only charged an equivalent hourly rate they would be subsidising their customers :( Edit - when I sold prints up to about 45 years ago I charged £40 for a 16x12 mounted print plus extra for framing - and typically got around £300 for the front cover on a small run magazine.

[quote
You can ignore the 50% add on for profit if you include something for your time.

Why?
Self employed people have to keep invoices, collect debts, make tax returns etc.
If they only charged an equivalent hourly rate they would be subsidising their customers
Edit - when I sold prints up to about 45 years ago I charged £40 for a 16x12 mounted print plus extra for framing - and typically got around £300 for the front cover on a small run magazine.

Graham is, like most of us on EPZ, a hobbyist. This is not his profession. Just a question of how much to charge which is fair to seller and purchaser. Hence why, if he decides to charge for his time, he need not add a percentage for profit. I.e. he is making a profit anyway.

Graham is, like most of us on EPZ, a hobbyist. This is not his profession.

Just a question of how much to charge which is fair to seller and purchaser.

Hence why, if he decides to charge for his time, he need not add a percentage for profit. I.e. he is making a profit anyway.

[quote] Just a question of how much to charge which is fair to the seller and purchaser [/quote] You are entitled to your point of view. If the OP intends to sell photos on a regular basis - it may only be a part time business - but he or she is still in business. I cannot buy camera gear, printing paper, photo frames, petrol, gas or electricity without the seller building in a profit margin on top of any wages, national insurance etc etc.

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Just a question of how much to charge which is fair to the seller and purchaser

You are entitled to your point of view.
If the OP intends to sell photos on a regular basis - it may only be a part time business - but he or she is still in business.
I cannot buy camera gear, printing paper, photo frames, petrol, gas or electricity without the seller building in a profit margin on top of any wages, national insurance etc etc.

If you are buying camera gear specifically for a paid project that is one thing. If you have the gear sitting around anyway that is another altogether. In a world which expects (digital) images for free - including media outlets - charging is a tricky business. An alternative is of course simply to supply the digital image at a modest cost and let the user get it printed and mounted/framed themselves. Could be a better option because it gives the user completely free choice when it comes to display. You can point them in the right direction if they have no clue how to do this. It's not rocket science! I personally could not be bothered with the hassle of printing and framing.

If you are buying camera gear specifically for a paid project that is one thing. If you have the gear sitting around anyway that is another altogether.

In a world which expects (digital) images for free - including media outlets - charging is a tricky business.

An alternative is of course simply to supply the digital image at a modest cost and let the user get it printed and mounted/framed themselves. Could be a better option because it gives the user completely free choice when it comes to display. You can point them in the right direction if they have no clue how to do this. It's not rocket science!

I personally could not be bothered with the hassle of printing and framing.

Please can I ask for this to not get into a fight over a simple question. Carabosse is quite correct. I am not trying to get into a business here. This is all a bonus for me. I have been given the opportunity to provide some saleable pictures, with no risk to myself. All of my questions are related to "what's a picture worth" . The proprietor of the outlet has asked me if I would to like to provide the pictures because they think they will sell and has offered space for this endeavour. The money for the sale will be split 80/20 in my favour. So I make some cash and so do they. I was just looking for an idea of what I should put on the price label, not how much I should owe the tax man.

Please can I ask for this to not get into a fight over a simple question.
Carabosse is quite correct. I am not trying to get into a business here. This is all a bonus for me.

I have been given the opportunity to provide some saleable pictures, with no risk to myself.
All of my questions are related to "what's a picture worth" .
The proprietor of the outlet has asked me if I would to like to provide the pictures because they think they will sell and has offered space for this endeavour.
The money for the sale will be split 80/20 in my favour. So I make some cash and so do they.

I was just looking for an idea of what I should put on the price label, not how much I should owe the tax man.

Oh don't worry Graham, Len just loves arguing on here! 🤣 And, to be fair, it can help to bring out the underlying issues so no harm in that. :) If the outlet getting money out of it that's actually a slightly different matter. The more you can sell the pictures for the more both you and they make out of it. Maybe start at the higher end of your expectations and see how that goes?

Oh don't worry Graham, Len just loves arguing on here! 🤣 And, to be fair, it can help to bring out the underlying issues so no harm in that.

If the outlet getting money out of it that's actually a slightly different matter. The more you can sell the pictures for the more both you and they make out of it.

Maybe start at the higher end of your expectations and see how that goes?

[quote] If the outlet getting money out of it that's actually a slightly different matter. The more you can sell the pictures for the more both you and they make out of it. [/quote] The outlet is intending to take 20% - of the initial high end price of £20 - so £4. If one print is sold a week that leaves the OP £16. There is no mention of how the pictures will be displayed or how much space there is. Is the shopkeeper expecting maybe 15 mounted prints on display stands with maybe £300 in up front costs (including stands) to the photographer? If 3 photos a week sell (probably on the high side) that would be only £12 a week for the shopkeeper - or £2 a day based on a 6 day week. Perhaps the OP should have a meeting with the shopkeeper to get an idea of how much they want to make a week out of this (business) venture. If only 1 print sells a month the shop keeper may soon loose interest - leaving the OP with wasted expenditure in unsold prints and display stands if any have been bought.

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If the outlet getting money out of it that's actually a slightly different matter. The more you can sell the pictures for the more both you and they make out of it.


The outlet is intending to take 20% - of the initial high end price of £20 - so £4.
If one print is sold a week that leaves the OP £16.
There is no mention of how the pictures will be displayed or how much space there is.
Is the shopkeeper expecting maybe 15 mounted prints on display stands with maybe £300 in up front costs (including stands) to the photographer?
If 3 photos a week sell (probably on the high side) that would be only £12 a week for the shopkeeper - or £2 a day based on a 6 day week.
Perhaps the OP should have a meeting with the shopkeeper to get an idea of how much they want to make a week out of this (business) venture.
If only 1 print sells a month the shop keeper may soon loose interest - leaving the OP with wasted expenditure in unsold prints and display stands if any have been bought.