Hey whats up everyone?  I have a quick question for all of you out there.  What would you consider a fair rate for a 2-3 hour photo shoot and a cd of proofs.  I'm not talking working with models, but working with the general public.  ive heard everywhere from $40 for a shoot to $1000 lol, so i'm just curious what standard pricing tends to be.   Thanks

That's kind of vague.  What's the client's budget? What are the images being used for? From your question, you could be talking about anything from a family portrait session to a national ad campaign.

My response word for word from another thread:

"What should I charge for a model test?" seems to be the question you're asking, and you should be asking it of, and answering it yourself.  This is because the answer isn't really dependent on what the model is willing to pay (which in my experience is always nothing), but rather what it costs you vs what you make.

Here's how you answer the question:
1 - Determine your costs...right down to the last penny.  I'm sure you'll be surprised, at the actual cost of even the most basic  shoot.
    - Camera depreciation (guaranteed shutter actuation count divided by number of photos you take per average shoot)
    - Other equipment cost (anything you will be using on the average shoot...lights, backdrops, studio space, car, gas divided by the number of shoots you'll be able to spread that cost over without breaking your bank)
    - Actual costs (Food, drinks, tolls, one time use items, ect.)
2 - Determine how much your time is worth
    - Figure out how much you'd like to be paid per hour...multiply that by the number of hours you typically spend per shoot including post production
    - Figure out if your work is above average enough or unique enough that you should be charging for your creativity
3 - Adjust the number to match your market
    - My market is Philadelphia and New York City.  The typical basic testing rate is $400-$1200 depending on who's offering the model test.  I could charge slightly less, but then I'd be undercutting other photographers in the area and thus screwing the market.

4 - Figure out if the small margin you'll make off charging for model tests is worth your time...
    - for me it's not...I only charge for model tests so that I don't have to do them often...  I also only barely recover costs after paying the assistant and makeup artist...it may be though if you like testing
    - if it's not, don't try to make money off the models...find clients that can pay both you AND the model

This is a market driven economy so the answer is... what ever the market will bear.
Sorry, that was not the answer you were looking for, but it's a fact.

I would consider that an event photographer question. I don't do that type of thing but I would think a low ball price is $200. The average person would charge $100 and hour. Most of the pros would charge about $500 and up.

Check out this website as a portal t other sites to get more info.
http://www.101photographers.com/z_event_photography.htm

I did a general google search under "event photographer prices" to get a ballpark figure from other people. Most had a starting price @ $1000. But most of them were wedding photographers.

-S

thanks for the replies !   well its not so much testing models, or doing events.   What im doing is more like casual portraits of more average people,  and the only people ill be selling the pictures to in the end are the people im taking the pictures of.  Model work and event work my prices are already all worked out,  this was the one area i was a little unsure of as far as charging.

This more retail pricing than commercial pricing.  One quick way to determine rate guidelines would be to call studios in your area to see what their prices are for similar services.  How you rate by comparison is a different story, but that's one method of research.

I would suggest checking out http://www.editorialphoto.com. Also the software Fotoquote.

If you have to ask, you can't afford me!

My minimum is $250

For portfolio shoots w/a release I have a day rate of $350...with no release, $500.