fee fi fo fum conundrum

As I write out a single-use fee contract, I find myself scratching my head...what to charge? It's this question that plagues the freelance photographer. I want work and I want to ensure that work keeps coming in, but at a fair price. I've taken crappy deals and worked my butt off on assignments that weren't helping my finances, but I'm a young, new photographer in the field and I want to get my name out there. I'm eager and I know everyone has to "pay their dues" and start somewhere...but where do I draw the line?

People these days carry the notion that digital photography is cheap, images can be reproduced with the tap of the mouse. Well, yes, they can, but it's certainly at a cost. Set aside the fact that professional digital gear is priced at a premium and that you can never quite keep up with the changes in technology (there's always something bigger and better on my wishlist). The fact that digital cameras are everywhere, and I mean everywhere, people get the notion that anybody can be a photographer. I certainly welcome them to snap away and see what they get, but not at the expense of the photo market. Photojournalists work and train hard to get to where we are. It means constantly honing my skillset and methods through everyday work, lectures, seminars and classes. Everyday is different, every shot is different. Just when you've gotten comfortable, you've failed.

Photo-giant John Harrington provides a great deal of perspective in his columns through NPPA and through his blog. What he says here is just what I needed to hear.

Respect, and especially self-respect, is not for sale to the lowest bidder, just ask the starlet hoping to make it big as an actress who starts out in adult flicks. For some reason, that just never works out for her. Ask the late night "if you've got a phone, you've got a lawyer" guy. Respect is earned, and not through nickel-and-dime "sales", but rather valuing your own work. Interestingly enough, it seems that the higher you price your time and licensing fees, the greater respect you get. Sure, you might have fewer assignments, but you'll have earned so much more respect for the work that you do do.