OK, I just graduated university and I'm trying to get my photo business off the ground. I have been photographing sports for 6 years and just charging whatever I felt like it, but it's time to have some set costs so that if I start to expand I can know exactly what to charge. I have a couple questions for you guys, since I know a lot of you do this kind of thing:

1) How much do you charge for yearbook/school sports photography? I have received interest about photographing school's sports, do you charge per season, per game, or what? and how much, if you don't mind me asking...

2) I also want to get into shooting triathlons, and I am wondering what the procedure is here... do most photographers charge an upfront fee to the organization directing the race then sell prints to competitors, or simply the latter?

I'd really appreciate any help and/or examples that I can get, here. Thanks so much, everyone.

My advice to you is to find a good source for calculating your overhead, which is not too terribly complicated, but involves thinking about expenses/costs you might not be likely to think about off the top of your head. Once you've determined this 'cost of doing business,' you'll be in a much better position to decide what to charge for various jobs, as this will be based partly on your overhead, and partly on the number of such jobs you will expect to have each month/year.

ok, makes sense, thanks Russ. But I'm also curious about what the general method is for event photography such as tris, like I said. Does the event organizer pay the photographer or do they just rely on print sales?

livin4lax09 wrote:
ok, makes sense, thanks Russ. But I'm also curious about what the general method is for event photography such as tris, like I said. Does the event organizer pay the photographer or do they just rely on print sales?

Quite the contrary. Often, the photographer pays the organizer just to get the concession. Overall, my advice to you... bad time to start a business as an event photographer. Sorry to be discouraging, but it's the true. Bad time to start a business as an event photographer.

Looks for ways to make money up front and forget about shooting on spec.

I echo Paul's comments....for the most part...it's not how much do you get paid but what do you have to give in return..just to be given the right to take pictures.

You said "you received interest about photographing school's sports."

Did this come from a booster club, athletic director, parent, player or someone in a position to award such a contract or enter into an agreement?

Unless you are an established professional with a proven track record, it's very difficult to get a school photography contract. There's just too much responsibility with regards to athletic team photos, action photography, club and senior yearbook photos, special events, graduations, dances...etc for the school to award this to an inexperienced photographer.

You have strict deadlines for fall, winter and spring athletic program photos and yearbook pages that are set in concrete and if you miss one of those...look out!.

You would be better off working at a studio with a high school photo contract to learn the ins and outs of this type of business arrangement before venturing out on your own.

Same thing for event photography. Work for someone who has done this for awhile.

As Paul said...this is not the time to be getting into the event photography business.


Lee Woolery
Speedshot Photo

livin4lax09 wrote:
OK, I just graduated university and I'm trying to get my photo business off the ground. I have been photographing sports for 6 years and just charging whatever I felt like it, but it's time to have some set costs so that if I start to expand I can know exactly what to charge. I have a couple questions for you guys, since I know a lot of you do this kind of thing:

1) How much do you charge for yearbook/school sports photography? I have received interest about photographing school's sports, do you charge per season, per game, or what? and how much, if you don't mind me asking...

2) I also want to get into shooting triathlons, and I am wondering what the procedure is here... do most photographers charge an upfront fee to the organization directing the race then sell prints to competitors, or simply the latter?

I'd really appreciate any help and/or examples that I can get, here. Thanks so much, everyone.

Just graduated? What was your major? Doesn't seem like you learned enough about the business of photography to be going out on your own. If your college education had prepared you for this, why are you asking such elementary questions on an internet forum? If I were you, especially considering the current economic climate and the rapidly changing state of photography as a profession, I would be working closely with my school's placement office to find a job in the field that my studies had prepared me for. Going from the academic life to the real world is a rough transition.

If you insist on going out on your own in photography, start with weddings. After you've become established, and are earning an adequate income there, you could consider branching out into sports/yearbook as a sideline.

doing the normal, expected thing isn't fun.

Which raises a question so many of us have faced.....how long do you have to be out of college before fun is no longer the primary motivator?

Yeah but during down economic times doing the "normal, expected thing" is about all you're gonna get. Like Lee said, your best bet is to get into the business by working for a studio or company who already has contracts and clients. This way, you get an idea of what the deadlines are like, what the work is like, and so on, while learning the ins and outs of the business but not having to rely on doing the business side to keep food on your plate.

I'm about to be in my last year of college here, but when I took a year off I started working for a studio and another photographer who already have clients. The studio has contracts with around 130 high schools, D-II and D-III colleges to shoot their sports, concerts, plays, dances, graduations, and other misc. events. I started off with just a few shoots a week as a per-diem photographer, but I've become a reliable and trusty shooter for them, with which has come increased responsibility (cooler, important shoots, and more of them) as well as closeness to the directors at the studio. If they need to hire anyone in the next year as staff I would be a front-runner, meaning a steady check, steady work, benefits, and so on. My second main client is a photographer who shoots a lot of events, T&I, and candids for boosters, yearbooks, and parents. Again, I've become a reliable and trusted shooter, so I get cooler assignments, more money, and again more opportunity for advancement.

Obviously the cool thing would be to go out on my own and make all the BIG money (/sarcasm) but while I continue to work on my vision, my style, and learning my business chops this is definitely the way to go. The security is better because they already have the trust of lots of clients (schools, clubs, etc.) and they've had the clients for a long time, so there's no worry about any of them jumping ship, even in these nasty economic times.

Another important thing to do is consider yourself a business. When the odd shoot comes along, know what your rates are. Check out the Cost of Doing Business Calculator at NPPA.org, it's a great tool to get your base rates figured out, and carry on from there. Know what your overhead for shooting is and you'll have taken the first step to understanding business side of things.

Enough from me... hope this helps haha.

-Will

Most people start out either working for someone else or being a part time shooter with a job that covers your living expenses. Whatever you do don't work for free. It will not get you anywhere in the long run. This seems to be the lesson everyone has to learn the hard way.

Russ Isabella wrote:
Which raises a question so many of us have faced.....how long do you have to be out of college before fun is no longer the primary motivator?

Brilliant!

TrojanHorse wrote:
Russ Isabella wrote:
Which raises a question so many of us have faced.....how long do you have to be out of college before fun is no longer the primary motivator?

Brilliant!

I am 2 years out - the transitional period.

I'm 20 years out... ironically, work is fun anyway. And it supports my expensive photo habit.