In University we have a great technician on the Graphic Design course called Chris Barr. Chris is a fantastic photographer who is always on hand to give advice. When I approached him about my struggles pricing and quotes and he advised me to contact Belfast and Los Angeles based Rob Durston for advice, so I dropped him an email and Rob was kind enough to call me back for a chat; below are my notes.
- Firstly work out how much do you need to keep your doors open; Rent, electricity, advertising, equipment, internet and other utilities as well as living costs.
- Make a decision wether you want to charge less and work more or charge more and work less
- Decide how many hours a week you want to work and stick to it
- Invest money in your business, It shows your faith in your own product.
- Don’t undervalue yourself. Decide where you stand in your local market, research prices and work out where you stand in comparison of product.
- Charge enough, work less, enjoy life!
I’ve included some of Rob’s images to give you an idea of why his advice is so valuable to me, this guy is crazy talented! He has an amazing control over light both natural and artificial resulting in strong powerful images. I’m particularly fond of his portraits full of character and his wonderful work in locations all over the world.