The engineer's approach to photography
Well, for better or worse, my "worth" as a photographer, or at least the worth of my prints, has been resolved.
It's interesting to consider how both M and I approached this little project, and how close we actually were in the end.
I took a look at production costs, thought about what I want to net off each print versus what I thought I could reasonably ask for it, and basically priced it according to what my gut said.
M took a look at production costs, and then went much, much further. He created an Excel spreadsheet (of course!) that outlined production cost, size, cost per inch (or some sort of measurement), gross margin, and some other columns that I can't remember. I think he used gut feeling (much like me) to create the price of the lowest size, which in this case is 11x14. Then, though, he did something I had never thought of doing, and which totally shocked and amazed me.
He went to Kim Weston's site (all by himself, googler that he is), and surveyed Kim's prices. Now, we all know I can't ask what Kim asks, but that's not what he was after. He looked at the rate at which Kim's prices go up by size. Sheer genius. He then applied that rate to the inital price on the 11x14, ratcheting up systematically through 16x20, 20x24, and 24x36. M's prices wound up to be slightly higher than mine, but they made sense and at least had a systematic formula attached. And they're still achievable, I think.
M's work on this is so cool to me. First, that he thought to do that. Second, that he did it. And third, that in some small way, the pricing of my work is tied to that of a real Photographer.
I was incredibly impressed and admit that I fell even more in love with him when he told me that he had visited Kim's site to find guidance on pricing my work.
Until he said, with a gleam in his eye and a grin on his mouth, "And I saw nekkid women!!!"
Sigh. Some things never change.
He doesn't charge much for being my business manager, though, so I'll keep him around.
It's interesting to consider how both M and I approached this little project, and how close we actually were in the end.
I took a look at production costs, thought about what I want to net off each print versus what I thought I could reasonably ask for it, and basically priced it according to what my gut said.
M took a look at production costs, and then went much, much further. He created an Excel spreadsheet (of course!) that outlined production cost, size, cost per inch (or some sort of measurement), gross margin, and some other columns that I can't remember. I think he used gut feeling (much like me) to create the price of the lowest size, which in this case is 11x14. Then, though, he did something I had never thought of doing, and which totally shocked and amazed me.
He went to Kim Weston's site (all by himself, googler that he is), and surveyed Kim's prices. Now, we all know I can't ask what Kim asks, but that's not what he was after. He looked at the rate at which Kim's prices go up by size. Sheer genius. He then applied that rate to the inital price on the 11x14, ratcheting up systematically through 16x20, 20x24, and 24x36. M's prices wound up to be slightly higher than mine, but they made sense and at least had a systematic formula attached. And they're still achievable, I think.
M's work on this is so cool to me. First, that he thought to do that. Second, that he did it. And third, that in some small way, the pricing of my work is tied to that of a real Photographer.
I was incredibly impressed and admit that I fell even more in love with him when he told me that he had visited Kim's site to find guidance on pricing my work.
Until he said, with a gleam in his eye and a grin on his mouth, "And I saw nekkid women!!!"
Sigh. Some things never change.
He doesn't charge much for being my business manager, though, so I'll keep him around.
posted by Amy at 10:21 PM
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