Help! Need a price advice for poster/montage

[aus]

Hello, friends!

Im confused by setting up a price for my client creating a photo montage, or poster, do not even know how it can be called

Here is what in the work is included:
Cleaning backgrounds from 20 photos of people (1 person in one photo), who were shot individually, combining them in one photo (some standing under others, some beside each other), adjusting texts on top and bottom.

It is kind of poster for the group (class or team)

Just wonder what could be the rates for this kind of project.
I understand that each rates himself individually, but the clients probably doesn't care how much i rate myrself, if it is too expensive, he can found another retoucher that can do cheaper.

I would like to know roughly what could be the prices for this.
Please simply share how much +/- you would charge for this kind of project.

I very appreciate your help!
Thanks in advance for your replies!

[mistermonday]

Aus, I've been in this movie before. A lot depends on what those backgrounds are and how time consuming the people will be to extract. If the people were not all shot under the same lighting you will have more work to do when trying to composite them onto a new background. And even if they were all shot under the same lighting, when you reposition them, you may need to generate new drop shadows. There are a lot of variables and usually the customers do not think of these in advance yet they expect you to be able to work your magic as if you were cutting and pasting text in a Word Doc.
This is a custom job. You should either charge your hourly rate or quote a flat rate but draw up an agreement of what you will do for that fixed fee.
Reagrds, Murray

[aus]

Thanks a lot, Murray, for prompt answer!

They were shot under same background and lighting in studio (i've seen them) so there only minor evening of them, and background isn't hard to remove (but, of course 20+ images still takes me some hours, then composing them by placing one under another (smaller in back, bigger in front) there is no shadow required, then choosing the right fonts and gradients for it.

In general it is not that difficult, just a bit of headache, then manual work with backgrounds and adjusting size for each person when composing, then choosing the right font style.

Client is ok (not demanding), but anyway some fixings readjustings may be needed at the end of work.

Anyway, i bet this project would swalow my whole day. (probably im a bit slow)
Let's say 100$ - is this high price or low?
Just would like to know what you, colleagues, think. Is it fair price?

For me personally this price is fair (im ok with ~10$ per hour at present, because im not fast enough), but im not loaded with work and i would not like to scare client, because i can stay with nothing then )

[mistermonday]

Aus, I think you will find a very broad spectrum of what others here would charge, based on market, experience, customer base, and a bunch of other factors. Given the details you have provided, your price seems fair. See what your customer thinks.
Good luck, Murray

[aus]

Thank you, Murray!
Very appreciate your response!

[TEastman]

Personally, I think you will find that $100 won't cover your time. It will all depend on the amount of labor you are willing to put into the project. Any high school kid can create a photo montage, and I have even heard of internet applications that will do it for you. But the end product is something that looks like a high school kid or web app put together.

How much reality is desired? What are the quality requirements? You mentioned not having to deal with shadows, so that tells me you aren't looking for something that represents reality very closely. Then who is the intended viewer of the montage? What is its purpose? Fun for the group? A temporary poster that will be tossed in 6 months? A marketing tool? What are the dimensions of the final product?

I think a lot of problems can be avoided by having a better understanding of the project and what is involved. For only $100, I would guarantee nothing more than some quick cut-outs with perhaps a few visual aids and typography. No back-and-forth negotiations or options would be allowed.

[paulafrog]

If I were you I would offer the $100 -- you might be able to find shortcuts to help you go faster --Maybe by placing them in a way so you only have to work maybe on an arm that is over the other person. And the rest could be done with a quick zoom around with an eraser to cut them out, (about a few millimeeters away from the skin and --OH dread the hair)

[KTG]

I've done a number of family montage jobs. I endorse Murray's thoughts. I have found charging a per image the easiest way for me to go. X-number of images times a per image fee. Now arriving at that per image fee is a bit of an educated guess since there can be scanning, restoration, retouching, background creation, drop shadows etc, etc, etc. But if you can arrive at a per image price you can estimate these jobs better for the client and for yourself. I charge the physical print in addision to the montage creation. Tax too, if it applies to your city, state, country.

If you are like me, you end up putting a more into your montage than you can charge for. However, when their eyes begin to tear at what you have created you remember what a fun business this is.

k

[aus]

Thanks friends for replies, forgive me my late reply.
I do very appreciate and i do valuate your words!

Originally Posted by KTG

If you are like me, you end up putting a more into your montage than you can charge for. However, when their eyes begin to tear at what you have created you remember what a fun business this is.

k

usually this is happening to me too, but positive feedbacks sometimes more dear than money. (not that money not important, lol, but this leads to customer being happy and coming back soon with more jobs, but in other hand it is really hard to raise price back from low to normal, so there are pros and cons)