daily rate for prof. independ. experie. retoucher? (Fashion/Editorial/Beauty/Comm.)

[pure]

sorry this topic is maybe already existing in the depth of this forum. i excuse – didnt find a similar one in a hurry, which covers my problem in detail.

this is my concern:
how would you define the daily rate for a prof. independ. experienced retoucher?

(Fashion/Editorial/Beauty/Billboard/Commercial/Ads/Still,Architecture)

i would like to find out if i am underpaid in germany.
would any of you be offended if i may ask for your daily rates?

if you dont like to talk about such things, i understand..
thats so called "business" privacy for everybody, i guess (?)

i think i can publish my rates. i am not aware of something which speakes
against publishing it, otherwise, please mention. i would be glad to know.

i am working as a prof. independent retoucher since 2 years
for fashion and commercial photographers in germany, berlin and hamburg, munich, and i get between 350 and 450,- EUR a day. (thats 460 - 550 $)

for fashion editorial shootings (Cosmopolitan, Elle, Vogue Titles) i lower my rate to about 200,- EUR a day. (250$) as the photographer pays the bill from his own pocket, so i "favour" him and he helps me in forwarding new commercial jobs to me. (thats how it worked in the past). i dont know if
this is a good deal. i just tried that and kept on doing it. maybe thats nonsense. what do you think of that?

of course it depends everything on the photographer and also on the client.

but mostly i charge per Image, so the prices above are an average i calculated from my image rate.

for large compositings with many subpictures to compose to one, i charge per image, round 500,- EUR up to 1000,- EUR (650 $ up to 1300 $), these are mostly commercials (90%)

hope to meet some kindred spirits here, (like i already did!)



regards

pure

[emarts]

Don't adjust your rate according to what others are charging. You need to figure out if what you are making suits your needs. Calculate all your costs and figure out how much work you expect to get. If you're making $500 a day, and you are working every day, you are doing very well.

It is a smart thing to do a market analysis though. If you can see where everyone else is, you'll be better able to guage if you are charging appropriately. But if you are getting the work, I'd say you're doing well.

The way I have figured out my rate is to decide how much money I would like to make each year. I kinda compare it to what I'd expect to make if I worked full-time then add my expenses. I break that down to how many hours a week I'd like to work. I'm pretty comfortable with 20-30. But I have to also weigh it against the likelihood of actually getting 20-30 hours of work per week. Some months I do great, some months, not so good. I have to compare with my previous years. Anyway, with these factors in mind, I arrive at an hourly rate which I use as a guide when estimating a job.

I don't know if this helps or not, but that's how I do it anyway.

[pure]

Originally Posted by emarts

Don't adjust your rate according to what others are charging. You need to figure out if what you are making suits your needs. Calculate all your costs and figure out how much work you expect to get. If you're making $500 a day, and you are working every day, you are doing very well.

thats my thought. no i dont work everyday.

Originally Posted by emarts

It is a smart thing to do a market analysis though. If you can see where everyone else is, you'll be better able to guage if you are charging appropriately.

thats the point. i dont know anyhthing about others prof. retouchers income. i simply dont know someone like that here in my town.

i knew one excellent premium fashion retoucher, and she was very good and very fast, she earned nearly double or third more than me, but i think she deserves it. i am not as good as her. (she is incredible fast delivering perfect work, i am fiddling more with/into details )

Originally Posted by emarts

The way I have figured out my rate is to decide how much money I would like to make each year. I kinda compare it to what I'd expect to make if I worked full-time then add my expenses. I break that down to how many hours a week I'd like to work. I'm pretty comfortable with 20-30. But I have to also weigh it against the likelihood of actually getting 20-30 hours of work per week. Some months I do great, some months, not so good.I don't know if this helps or not, but that's how I do it anyway.

yes. i am of course not working every day per year.
but i wish i could work more than 10 days per month regularly, sometimes i only work 8 days per month and rest is learning, computer-first aid, administration of office and bills, recreation of eyes and health)



thanks for your help

i am slightly about to find out that i am not earning enough due to the time i work. i would have to work more or to earn more and work same amount of time.

i dont know how to charge more now as i have mostly steady same clients since 1 year. they know my prices now. i should acquire other clients.

[emarts]

One thing I discovered is that I can make more money going out and getting more work rather than doing it myself. So I outsource many smaller jobs to local freelancers that I've worked with for awhile. This also allows me to take in work that I normally would not (web design, programming, photography, etc.).

So my advice: Improve your selling skills as well as your retouching skills.

[pure]

selling is my weakest skill of all.
i know. thats hard.

discussing, selling and waging prices is very popular.
thats why i appreciate clients who accept my 1st offer from the beginning
and dont begin to discuss. i like that.

[re-touch-er]

Send me your work and resell it.
I do very well.....I thought....until now.
I do work for a designer who resells as well as a full time job as well as my own clients who I design, organize photo shoots, retouch, buy printing for.
When visiting Universal Studios....stop by.

[samel]

editorials for elle,vogue and cosmo..at least 500,-EURO a day
commercial campaign work, i'd say around 2000,-EURO/day is
what you'd expect from a very high profile work (if you're good)
but around 1000-1500,-EURO/day is probably more realistic
considering these kinds of jobs might come rather sparsely and you may have
to do alot of editorial and stuff inbetween.. with your own company and taxes and stuff, 500/day will just about keep you floating.. unless you work everyday, which no freelancer i know does..

i have a flat rate of 1300,-EURO / day ..and i can tell you, no fashion magazine will ever pay you that kind of money..(which is one of the reasons i dont do fashion anymore, unless it's really artsy, avant-garde fun)
so maybe, take your talent elsewhere..
like some really hot shot commercial agency or something..
i dont know..i dont necessarily think youre underpaid but i think you
could easily increase your rates if youre confident that youre good..

good luck
//s

[pure]

thanks samel
your right. its ok (the pricing), but the income depends also on the quality of our work. so i tried to increase it with my current job
and it worked, there was no discussion at all. its commercial and good paid.

but right, as you said, nobody works every day,
so its just paid ok, even its high .