Ugh. Another how much do you charge question.

Sorry about this guys, I did try to scan through the threads to see if I could find the answer before I had to post this. I have been contacted by a photographer asking about what my body painting rates are and I wanted to get input before answering back. I haven't set my rates for this service yet- I'm still chalking up experience- but I wonder if you set it the same as your face paint hourly or if you charge per piece? I do plan to offer the photographer a significant discount for photos, but before I can offer a % off, I have to come up with the "regular" price!

I do the photo shoots myself so I don't really have a comparison but usually I charge per piece rather than time frame. I hope that helps a little, they probably had someone ask for a painting and are just trying to get the best deal, also, will it be at their location, how much time, upper torso or full body? Also, if you can get some nice images yourself offering a deal would be worth it.

It's my hourly rate for body painting. Plus extra if I have an assistant help... which is to their benefit because we get done quicker so it works out less than paying me for longer.

Clients don't have an issue with my rates, but photographers do...
IF... that's IF I see a benefit to me in the deal I will negotiate a package of $ to cover costs and copyright free prints/digital images I can use.

And try to find out if they are charging their clients extra for YOUR services... not just passing on YOUR rate...

BUT... beware. Unless you KNOW the photographer honours TFP (trade for photos) you might be out your time and effort and never see the images or get them... I'm still waiting for images from a shoot last September!!

Well how's that for putting me right back where I started?! Shannon, I really would prefer to charge hourly like you, but the sticky part in that is that I am not quite experienced enough to accurately judge the amount of time I will need. Here is a body paint I did last month- took me three hours. I thought I should have been much further along in that amount of time.


I'm not sure what you mean about passing on my rates though? Isn't that what we want though, instead of the photographer charging the client more for our services than we do?

I tend to be putting photographers into the same place as producers these days - I give them my day rate for both an assistant and I and let them tell me how they are going to make my life easier or what else they are going to give me in exchange to negotiate me down - then if I give them a discount, they owe me, and if they don't offer anything else in exchange, I'm prepared to work all day for it.... productions always seem to run over for time....

Shannon Fennell wrote:

And try to find out if they are charging their clients extra for YOUR services... not just passing on YOUR rate...

I meant, if they are adding an "agent's fee" to what they are billing the client for your services... just so you can judge the situation. Because they may not want to pay you, but will charge the client a hefty fee and keep it for themselve... it happens.

I've had photographer baulk at my make-up rate (for boudoir photos) and decline to book, then the clients contacted me on their own (without the photog's knowledge) and booked me themselves without blinking at paying my rate.