By the hour or by the piece?

[ekuna]

Would you please share your thoughts on how to charge?
By the hour or by the piece?

[pelez]

i think people do by the piece and the level of difficulty

[Mike]

I always charge by the hour BUT to do so I think you have to really know what your capabilities are and be very confident in your ability to look at a project and estimate the number of hours its going to take you so your estimate to the customer will be very close for both of you.

[ekuna]

Yes, Mike, that's the way I charge also, but sometimes new clients would ask if I can give them the fixed price for lets say editorial or test image and that's where I get lost...

[Mike]

In that case I give them a range, for example 1 to 2 hours @ $XXX/hour. I never give a fixed price.

What they do not know is that if I give a range, I always quote a range that is on the long side of the time I need to do the image. That way if I tell them a price between $100 and $200 and then give them a bill for $125 I can always say I saved them $75!

[ekuna]

I'll try that approach.
Thank you.

[cyeh01]

By the hour because I could get screwed if I quoted by the image.. a retouch could go for hours at a time.

________________________________________
Charles Lucima
Las Vegas Fashion/Editorial Workshop 4/16-17!

[toolonglegs]

Depends what sort of work you want to be doing...if you are doing cheap quickies then flat rate for sure...but looking at your site you are aiming at a higher level.
So go hourly...if you charge flat rate with a fussy client (and lets be honest,what fashion photographer isn't) and they are nt happy with something then they can keep asking you to go back and fix something up...or change something at their whim.If you are charging hourly then it is their $$$ and not your time they will think about.

[ekuna]

Thanks for all the replies.

[Pari Retouch]

By the piece I would suggest
Photographers don't like to pay by hours as per my experience so far

[Asiris]

What Mike said. I do it the same way. Ask the client to send you sample images and give him an estimate so he knows what to expect.